Module Recommendations

Chainsaw · Nov 6, 2008

howandwhy99 said:
B1 In Search of the Unknown is a great starter module and a classic. I think every game needs one of these "how to" modules to teach new DMs how to design and run modules, especially dungeon modules. I would run it, if nothing else, to teach yourself about how the modules you're prepping are designed. Plus, so much of what you will need will be homebrew that the experience is worth the extra effort.

As a cautionary measure you might want to avoid Gary's earliest adventure modules like S1. He had this odd propensity to publish the highest level adventure at the same time he published a new RPG. Whether it be S1 for D&D or Necropolis for Dangerous Journeys. Great stuff certainly, but way, way out of most anyone's league when they first start the game. B1 & B2 are far better starters. Plus a lot of what has already been mentioned here.

Awesome, thanks. I'm not sure I've heard anyone sing B1's praises - maybe just because it's overshadowed by B2/T1?

Leif · Nov 6, 2008

Invitation to Sing?

Chainsaw,

I have to agree with howandwhy99 about B1. I'll even go further and say that imho, it beats the stuffing out of B2. At least for providing an interesting dungeon to explore. B2 is very combat-focused, as I recall, and B1 is much less so. But it was the very first use of so many of the things that have now become everyday staples of many, many dungeons.

Chainsaw · Nov 6, 2008

Leif said:
Chainsaw,

I have to agree with howandwhy99 about B1. I'll even go further and say that imho, it beats the stuffing out of B2. At least for giving an interesting dungeon to explore. B2 is very combat-focused, as I recall, and B1 is much less so. But it was the very first use of so many of the things that have now become everyday staples of many, many dungeons.

Thanks Leif - good to know. My players will be new to D&D and roleplaying, so I have to present the first session pretty carefully, with a good mix of combat and non-combat. I don't want to set the wrong tone and draw comments of either "Oh, so it's like checkers but we roll dice to see if our jump is successful" or "Oh, so we just make everything up as we go and you abritarily say whether it works." Fortunately, though, they're a pretty laid back crowd, perhaps more intereseted in passing the time while they have a beer than anything else, heh.

Leif · Nov 6, 2008

Chainsaw said:
Thanks Leif - good to know. My players will be new to D&D and roleplaying, so I have to present the first session pretty carefully, with a good mix of combat and non-combat. I don't want to set the wrong tone and draw comments of either "Oh, so it's like checkers but we roll dice to see if our jump is successful" or "Oh, so we just make everything up as we go and you abritarily say whether it works." Fortunately, though, they're a pretty laid back crowd, perhaps more intereseted in passing the time while they have a beer than anything else, heh.

Yeah, that sounds great. My kind of crowd. I can't remember too awfully much of B1, but I do remember a few specifics to tell you about: Like, for instance, a room that's overgrown by fungi, etc., a maze-like twisty passage, a room that contains a bunch of pools of water with various interesting properties, and probably a bunch more that I'm forgetting.

Now I'm going to have to dig around in my "storage closet" and locate my copy of B1, so that I can we wowed by it, too!

ExploderWizard · Nov 7, 2008

Chainsaw said:
Thanks Leif - good to know. My players will be new to D&D and roleplaying, so I have to present the first session pretty carefully, with a good mix of combat and non-combat. I don't want to set the wrong tone and draw comments of either "Oh, so it's like checkers but we roll dice to see if our jump is successful" or "Oh, so we just make everything up as we go and you abritarily say whether it works." Fortunately, though, they're a pretty laid back crowd, perhaps more intereseted in passing the time while they have a beer than anything else, heh.

B1 has quite a few neat features in addition to the monsters to fight. Its a really good small dungeon for exploration style play. The best thing is that its so easy to control the amount of combat since the DM stocks the rooms.

Geoff Dale · Nov 7, 2008

There needs to be more non-TSR modules in the mix.

Leif · Nov 7, 2008

As far as non-TSR/Wizards modules is concerned, I've liked everything that I've seen from Sword & Sorcery. Their modules almost have a "Judges Guild" flavor to them, without being quite so campy. In fact, they have re-published some of the old Judges Guild title(s). (Only one that I've actually seen.....)

grodog · Nov 7, 2008

S'mon said:
(spoiler for N1)
1. T1/B1/B2
2. N1 (ditch the NPC MU by this point, since your players won't need him)

Hmm - T1/B1/B2 should get PCs to around 4th level, right? Maybe 3rd for M-U? If they're going to do N1 they're still gonna have trouble with a 7d6 fireball!

True, but you may roll low, too

S'mon said:
Maybe a scroll with Minor Globe of Invulnerability would suffice, though.

Nice catch, and definitely a good suggestion, in particular if PCs have already been mauled heavily by T1 and B2....

Chainsaw said:
Great advice, grodog. I may just do this - at the very least it creates continuity that prevents me from some awkward transition.. "Yes, so, ah, conveniently, there's another town nearby that, ah, somehow, you didn't know about before that ALSO needs your help."

FWIW, I've also used the DMG monastery dungeon as an Elemental Evil outpost, back in the day before T1-4 was published. There's so much material in T1 that you can literally build an entire campaign around it, so fold/spindle/mutile that whole to suit your needs.

I didn't particularly recast the later modules in my suggestions with the T1 background in mind, but I'm sure you can stitch them together well

(I did, however, intentionally link U1 and A1, which I've often used together in the past!).

Chainsaw said:
Thanks for the links too.

De nada. If you're looking for more Greyhawk-specific thoughts, shout out and I'm sure you'll get further suggestions from the peanut gallery

grodog · Nov 7, 2008

Chainsaw said:
My players will be new to D&D and roleplaying, so I have to present the first session pretty carefully, with a good mix of combat and non-combat. I don't want to set the wrong tone and draw comments of either "Oh, so it's like checkers but we roll dice to see if our jump is successful" or "Oh, so we just make everything up as we go and you abritarily say whether it works." Fortunately, though, they're a pretty laid back crowd, perhaps more intereseted in passing the time while they have a beer than anything else, heh.

If they are brand new players to D&D, then both T1 and B2 should be saved until afterward, unless you're planning some hand-holding to help them figure things out a bit. Both T1 and B2 are serious meatgrinders for inexperienced players, so I would definitely start with B1 then, since its much more of a training/proving ground than the other two for newbies.

Chainsaw · Nov 7, 2008

grodog said:
If they are brand new players to D&D, then both T1 and B2 should be saved until afterward, unless you're planning some hand-holding to help them figure things out a bit. Both T1 and B2 are serious meatgrinders for inexperienced players, so I would definitely start with B1 then, since its much more of a training/proving ground than the other two for newbies.

Excellent, I will definitely do that then. We can start with B1, cut our teeth and move into B2/T1 afterward. Plus, perhaps I can find a way to use B1's empty rooms to create hooks for the other modules.