Edition Defining Adventures

[IanB]

3E is all about Age of Worms, IMO.

 

[jdrakeh]

Rappan Athuk

I think that Rappan Athuk is the defining 3x adventure, followed closely perhaps by Age of Worms. Both of these had (and continue to have) a huge fan following, with old RA modules consistently selling for insane amounts of money on eBay.

 

[Klaus]

For 3e it's Red Hand of Doom, with its tons of classed humanoids, new monsters, Tiamat-as-a-goddess, battlemaps, miniature tie-ins, etc.

For 2e it's one of the metaplot module series for Forgotten Realms. They exemplified the "metaplot trend" that plagued much of 2e.

For 1e, it's Temple of Elemental Evil. The apex of 1e adventure design, with an extensive dungeon populated to the last room, Hommlett, the Moathouse, etc. So iconic, it warranted a revision in 3e.

 

[cthulhu_duck]

3E D&D: Ptolus, Age of Worms, Shackled City.

 

[Keldryn]

The "Freeport" trilogy could also be considered a defining 3E adventure by many.

 

[RangerWickett]

Red Hand of Doom is the only 3e adventure I've played in. It's unique enough that it deserves to be remembered.

 

[Glyfair]

I6 Ravenloft is 1E, not 2E.

You know, when I think of adventures that "defined" 2E, I think of a couple of 1E adventures. Ravenloft is one, the Dragonlance adventures are another.

For 3E, I'd say Sunless Citadel, RttToEE and RHoD. I think "Age of Worms" has a case.

 

[rgard]

1E: G1, G2, G3

I don't have an opinion on the others as we didn't play 2E and all the 3E stuff we've done has been home made.

 

[wingsandsword]

2e AD&D, Faction War, with For Duty and Deity as runner up.

In a lot of ways Faction War epitomized the 2nd Edition AD&D modules I played in: Lots of heavy setting metaplot, more than a little railroading, PC's getting to be spectators to predetermined plot events. It's one of those modules that people are still talking about (albeit because it pretty much blew up a popular setting, instead of any gameplay aspects of it).

For Duty and Deity is a close runner up for much of the same reasons, it's pretty much a reason to restore Waukeen as the Goddess of Wealth in the Forgotten Realms, it's not quite to the same degree as Faction War since this wasn't as utterly pivotal to it's setting, and it's much more possible for PC's to change the outcome, even if rescuing her and returning to divine status is the presumed goal/outcome.

 

[Sunderstone]

1E - Tomb of Horrors, Lost Caverns of Tsojcanth, and the GDQ series.
2E - Night Below, Return to the Tomb of Horrors, I, Tyrant (great series by Bruce Cordell).
3E - Return to the Temple of Elemental Evil, Crucible of Freya, Grey Citadel, Tomb of Abysthor.
3.5E - Shackled City, Age of Worms, Savage Tide, Red Hand of Doom