D&D 5E Is every Official Adventure Going to be about Saving the World?

[Umbran]

I would much rather an adventure path be way more sandbox...

Yeah, but it is called an adventure "path" for a reason. They tend to sell well because it doesn't require the GM or players to do a lot of work choosing what thee adventuresome bits will be, and links them together in a rough string that should result in a satisfying story when all is said and done. Simply put - adventure paths are for people who don't want (or don't have time for) the extra work required of playing in a sandbox.

Yes, they are railroady. No argument. But that's part of their appeal to the market, so I wouldn't expect that to change.

Moreover, from a developer's point of view, sandboxes are inefficient. In a path, you can expect the players to hit almost all of your content. In a sandbox, the PCs are expected to wander around, and ignore or skip large amounts of content. So, the developer has to present much more content than the player's are going to use - that means, a path that takes you from level 1-15 takes less development effort than a sandbox that does the same thing. Sandboxes are thus more expensive than paths to produce, but I don't think the consumer thinks in that manner, and may not be wiling to pay the extra cost.

 

[Grainger]

I save the world every couple of days, so I think at a bare minimum my D&D character should be able to do the same.

 

[ExploderWizard]

What I prefer for published adventure content are scenarios not completely structured adventures. I want cool maps, and locations, NPCs with an agenda, resources & associates for those NPCs , and rough outline of how they plan to accomplish their goals and how (and in what ways) is that likely to change once the PCs arrive on the scene and start getting in their business.

No pre scripted scenes.

No chapters.

No assumptions about what the PCs do next.

 

[Alzrius]

Crush their bagels. See their pastries driven before you. Hear the lamentations of their donuts!

"You'll have my baguette."

"And my fritter."

"And my Boston cream!"

 

[Flexor the Mighty!]

I'm starting off Tyranny of Dragons but deep down I bet it ends like Savage Tide, the players will blow up the train tracks, or just get bored and go off on their own. High level adventures don't have to be all save the world or assume the players are heroes. They may just be powerful reavers, tomb robbers, mercenaries, or treasure hunters looking for riches and glory.

Anyway I don't anticipate doing any more adventure path stuff after this one. Good thing its easy to adapt other adventures to 5e.

 

[Tormyr]

What I prefer for published adventure content are scenarios not completely structured adventures. I want cool maps, and locations, NPCs with an agenda, resources & associates for those NPCs , and rough outline of how they plan to accomplish their goals and how (and in what ways) is that likely to change once the PCs arrive on the scene and start getting in their business.

No pre scripted scenes.

No chapters.

No assumptions about what the PCs do next.

So maybe a campaign guide that had some plot ideas? How do the setting guides from Murder in Baldur's Gate and Legacy of the Crystal Shard fit with what you are looking for?

 

[Zaran]

I'm starting off Tyranny of Dragons but deep down I bet it ends like Savage Tide, the players will blow up the train tracks, or just get bored and go off on their own. High level adventures don't have to be all save the world or assume the players are heroes. They may just be powerful reavers, tomb robbers, mercenaries, or treasure hunters looking for riches and glory.

Anyway I don't anticipate doing any more adventure path stuff after this one. Good thing its easy to adapt other adventures to 5e.

I gave my players the opportunity to do something else in Hoard of the Dairy Queen but they decided to keep on. As I said, we have been enjoying the adventure but I'd like something more like Gardmore Abbey or Ravenloft. Both are mega adventures but don't take 15 levels to tell.

 

[Dausuul]

Keep in mind that published adventures can't tailor the plot to individual PCs. That sharply limits the range of options available, and "Save the X" (where X = town, barony, duchy, kingdom, world, as appropriate) is an old standby for a reason. It's an easy way to motivate any party--that's where they keep all their stuff!--and it can be adapted to just about any setting with a minimum of effort.

That said, I hope we will eventually see a campaign built around overthrowing the existing order, rather than defending it. Maybe when the Dark Sun adventure arc comes out...

 

[Henrix]

In order to shut down rival bakeries???

I heartily recommend Groo vs. Conan for that sort of story.

The main quest is to save the bakery. Truly.

And it pits the most barbariany barbarians of all the known space and time against each other, in a story that spans several dimensions. At least sort of several dimensions. And it is sort of epic.

 

[GMforPowergamers]

I get accused a lot of this in my home game. Every time I have a problem with "Why would we do X", or "Why is my character here" my first go to is to save ______ at low levels that's city at mid level it could be nation, at high level world... and in my most epic campaign ever time itself (loosely based on a mix of Zero Hour comic book, and Lord of the Rings).

The funny part is when I do sandboxes no one likes them, but when I do save the X everyone loves them... then complains why is it always...