What's Your Favorite Tournament Module of All Time?

defendi · Feb 27, 2009

I've been asked to adopt some of my company's stuff for tournament play. It's been ten or fifteen years since I've actually played in a tournament, so I want to pick up some tournament modules to study the conventions and structure. But I want to hear from a player/DM view. What was your favorite tournament module and why?

Vegepygmy · Feb 27, 2009

Escape from Astigar's Lair

I love that it actually tried to test role-playing rather than just "killing things and taking their stuff." For example (spoiler): One of the pre-generated characters is described as being claustrophobic. During the adventure, there is a cramped, lightless corridor from one area to another. If the player of the claustrophobic character blithely has that character squeeze his way through the corridor, he loses points from his tournament score. I think that's awesome.

defendi · Feb 27, 2009

That's just the stuff I'm looking for.

jgbrowning · Feb 27, 2009

Oh, that does sound pretty cool.

joe b.

Spinachcat · Feb 27, 2009

I wrote tourney modules for years for the LA conventions. I even posted a "How to Win D&D Tournaments" thread on ENworld a few years ago.

From a design standpoint, your biggest factors are Time and Replication. AKA, your event has to begin/end within X hours and your event needs to be detailed enough so all GMs will give all groups as similiar an experience as possible. Unfortunately, the designer can only do so much to help support Replication.

Among the classic mods, I have always loved S2: White Plume Mountain for tourney events. IIRC, the module has both the tourney version and the expanded home play.

grodog · Feb 28, 2009

Hands down: "Treasure of the Dragon Queen" is my favorite, although A1 Slave Pits of the Undercity is a close second. Other favorites include Erik Mona's "Absolute Power" modules for RPGA Living Greyhawk, "The Dwarven Quest for the Rod of Seven Parts" (also RPGA), and New Infinities' "The Abduction of Good King Despot."

I maintain a early D&D and Greyhawk tourney history page at http://www.greyhawkonline.com/grodog/gh_tourneys.html and am always on the lookout for good sources for more tourney info.

Wik · Feb 28, 2009

Hidden Shrine of Tamoachan, for the win.

Festivus · Feb 28, 2009

Vegepygmy said:
Escape from Astigar's Lair

I love that it actually tried to test role-playing rather than just "killing things and taking their stuff." For example (spoiler): One of the pre-generated characters is described as being claustrophobic. During the adventure, there is a cramped, lightless corridor from one area to another. If the player of the claustrophobic character blithely has that character squeeze his way through the corridor, he loses points from his tournament score. I think that's awesome.

What a great module that was. I almost totally forgot about all those old great Judges Guild modules. I preferred those over the TSR ones, partly due to cost.