FORKED THREAD: Best NON-WotC 4E adventures...and why?

Aberzanzorax · Mar 5, 2010

In this thread http://www.enworld.org/forum/genera...-me-make-wizards-coast-adventures-better.html we are asked how WotC could improve its adventures.

I propose they look to their competitors. Let's tell WotC which of their competitors are doing a great job (so great, perhaps they should seek to emulate these). It's helpful to post the adventures' names, but EVEN MORE helpful (of course) to post why it/they are such great adventures.

I am also aware of threads in the past that mention "Best adventures" and perhaps "best 4e adventures". If you are aware of these threads, posting a link here would be helpful as well.

Aberzanzorax · Mar 5, 2010

I can think of three 4e adventures that stand out in my mind.

First, the War of the Burning Sky adventure path. Now, let me admit I don't own/haven't seen the 4e version. HOWEVER. I own the 3e version. I have consistently been impressed with the storyline. I also note the tag line of "Not a Dungeon Crawl" as a major positive factor. Meaningful choices, a war (EPIC!), creative plots etc, are all present in the 3e version and I would be dumbfounded if these elements were not present in 4e. I mention this to point out that a great adventure is a great adventure regardless of ruleset. Even without seeing it, I'd submit this is a great 4e adventure (path), as it was in 3e (and it would have to be butchered/royally screwed up in conversion to take its greatness away--something I certainly would NOT expect from the writers and publisher.) Someone who has this adventure (path) can obviously speak to it better than I. But, again, I'll posit that great adventures are not defined by rulesets. So even as I ask for 4e adventures, I remind WotC that merely looking at the most beloved adventures of the past will provide the elements of greatness that can be used as a template.

The two finished Open Design adventures.

Wrath of the River King: Here, a review states my perspective quite well, so I'll use that: Review of Wrath of the River King - RPGnet

The Birch Queen's Fair is a sandbox that promises to entertain a group for *sessions*, providing characters, side games, interactions and sites that will keep them exploring and looking for more. Which gamer has ever hated going to the RenFest? Now put their characters at one... There's also a new ritual and some excellent roleplaying opportunities salted with a couple combats.
Like the Fair, the Court of the River King provides another interesting sandbox with chances to interact, to make new allies or engage foes. Many of small choices sprinkled throughout the adventure contribute to the encounters here.

Halls of the Mountain King: I own both the 3e and 4e versions of this short adventure path. Changes (some substantial, some not) have been made for the 4e "conversion" or, better said "version". It is a faithful version, but clearly written as a 4e product (not merely a "worked over" 3e product that is updated for 4e rules). This adventure is (GASP) almost entirely underground!!!! But while in a "dungeon" it is no dungeon crawl. It has numerous opportunities to interact with a variety of NPCs. It has wild and bizzare encounters. The villians are compelling (sometimes mere antagonists who are not villians. Sometimes "villians" who are not enemies...such as the greedy merchant unwilling to give away food to those starving except at exorbitant prices.) There is a "timed encounter" where rapid success means one conclusion, success means another, and failure yet another. There are problem solving encounters in which players are asked to work together in different non-combat roles. There are compelling organizations, including at least two major villainous factions and a secret/secretive NPC/PC neutral-leaning-toward-good faction. There is a lot here that makes this underground, stuck in one place, adventure NOT a dungeon crawl.

Aberzanzorax · Mar 6, 2010

Sooooooooo......

What are YOUR favorite Non-WotC adventures...and why?

S'mon · Mar 6, 2010

Well, my current favourite is Vault of Larin Karr (3e), I am currently running it converted to 4e, but I've already gone into why I like it in the WotC-adventure thread over on rpgnet.

Cyronax · Mar 6, 2010

S'mon said:
Well, my current favourite is Vault of Larin Karr (3e), I am currently running it converted to 4e, but I've already gone into why I like it in the WotC-adventure thread over on rpgnet.

That is one of the best adventures of 3.X. Its up there with Red hand of Doom. They were both so awesome that major elements from both found their way into a campaign that ran from 2006-2007.

Anyway, is there an official Vault of Larin Karr conversion, or is it something you just worked up?

C.I.D.

The_Gneech · Mar 6, 2010

Does it count if my favorite non-WotC adventures are TSR adventures?

'cos if so, I've always been fond of The Sinister Secret of Saltmarsh and Destiny of Kings, due to their engaging storylines and terrific sense of "place," as well as the ancient Mayfair (I think it was) Evil Ruins, although that's more for nostalgic reasons -- the module itself is fairly pedestrian by modern standards.

If you mean contemporary 3rd-party fare, I'm always friendly to stuff by Goodman Games, although it can be hit-or-miss. I ran Curse of the Emerald Cobra with great success ... it's a very straightforward dungeon crawl in every way except for having one level be an open-air platform village (think the Ewok village from Return of the Jedi), so if you're not careful you could find yourself basically fighting the entire level at once -- which is in fact what my players did. They managed to pull it off -- but just barely! It was epic.

As a player, I went through The Blackguard's Revenge, and enjoyed it quite a bit. Riding in like the cavalry to rescue embattled NPCs is always fun.

And it was nicely creepy at high level (well, 11th, high in practice if not in number) without being over-the-top interplanar stuff, which always leaves me cold.

-The Gneech

S'mon · Mar 6, 2010

Cyronax said:
That is one of the best adventures of 3.X. Its up there with Red hand of Doom. They were both so awesome that major elements from both found their way into a campaign that ran from 2006-2007.

Anyway, is there an official Vault of Larin Karr conversion, or is it something you just worked up?

C.I.D.

I did it myself, pretty much straight out of the 4e Monster Manual. The hard bit is redoing magic treasure to conform to 4e, or at least stuff that *exists* in 4e!

Aberzanzorax · Mar 6, 2010

Well, I meant 4e adventures...which can include those converted (officially or unofficially) to 4e.

What are the great 4e adventures, I ask of ye?!

Cyronax · Mar 7, 2010

Aberzanzorax said:
Well, I meant 4e adventures...which can include those converted (officially or unofficially) to 4e.

What are the great 4e adventures, I ask of ye?!

One is the sound of one hand clapping?

I honestly haven't been exposed to more than even the names of non-WotC 4e content. All I know are Goodman Games and the ones you mentioned earlier.

WotC is king -- especially now that their digital/online content really fills the void that once was filled by 3pp OGL content for 3.X.

The_Gneech · Mar 7, 2010

Aberzanzorax said:
Well, I meant 4e adventures...which can include those converted (officially or unofficially) to 4e.

What are the great 4e adventures, I ask of ye?!

Um ... *thinks*

Well, Sellswords of Punjar is pretty neat, as far as it goes, but that's more for the Lankhmar-ish feel of the setting than for anything having to do with the actual adventure itself.

Beyond that ... I got nuthin' right now. I'll keep my eyes open.

-The Gneech