Edition Defining Adventures

[Wik]

Alright. Purely from my own perspective (keep in mind that I didn't really use too many modules... until the last year or so).

Basic D&D - Isle of Dread.
1e - Hidden Shrine of Tamoachan, & the adventures from Book of Lairs I & II (technically, I ran these using 2e rules, though).
2e - I think the only one I ran was Gargoyles! And I kind of liked it, actually.
3e/3.5e - Savage Tide (that's the big one!)

 

[Philotomy Jurament]

Holmes = B1. I still love this module (I'm running it, again).
B/X & BECM = B2 and X1.
1E = D series, for me. We had a blast with this series.
2E = Umm....Castle Greyhawk defines 2E, for me.*
3E = Rappan Athuk is my favorite, although it strikes me more like a 1E adventure. One of the adventure paths is probably more "edition defining" for 3E.

I never really played OD&D, back in the day (I started with Holmes in '79), but I'm getting into it, now. I'm running B4 with an OD&D/Holmes mix, and having a great time with it.

(*) I did like Return to the Tomb of Horrors, though I wouldn't consider it "edition defining" for 2E -- more like "the exception to the rule."

 

[jdrakeh]

I did like Return to the Tomb of Horrors, though I wouldn't consider it "edition defining" for 2E -- more like "the exception to the rule."

This is an excellent module, though I concur that it and the other boxed 'mega modules' of that particular product line were of a superb quality that was generally lacking in AD&D 2e.

 

[Olaf the Stout]

I would say that the Shacked City AP defines 3.xE more so than the Age of Worms AP. SC was the AP that started it all. AoW may have improved on it but SC was still where it all began.

Olaf the Stout

 

[Glyfair]

I would say that the Shacked City AP defines 3.xE more so than the Age of Worms AP. SC was the AP that started it all. AoW may have improved on it but SC was still where it all began.

Shackled City was spread over a long period of time and even had an edition change in the middle. Eventually it got compiled, but by that time many had already finished it from the originals.

Age of Worms, on the other hand, was an event. It was set to be printed in consecutive issues, supported in Dragon and launched with a lot of fanfare.

AoW was, in my opinion, much more of a shared experience than SC was. I think that is very important for a "defining" adventure. That's why there may not be one for 2E, as the 2E market was pretty fragmented to have that shared experience.

 

[jdrakeh]

AoW was, in my opinion, much more of a shared experience than SC was. I think that is very important for a "defining" adventure.

That's the ticket, I think. AoW was the first adventure path to generate its own sizeable fanbase -- for months prior to and after its launch, AoW was a hot topic on many message board forums (including some ostensibly dedicated to older editions of the game). It spawned a huge amount of interest and, when it was announced that it wouldn't be compiled as a hardcover, a similarly huge amount of disappointment amongst current players and would-be players alike. SCAP may have been the first Paizo AP, though AoW made Paizo APs the must have accessory that they are today.

 

[meomwt]

From my own perspective, I didn't really buy many 2e adventures (I wrote my own mostly). I would however, concur with GDQ being the defining adventures for 1e. They defined the Dungeon Crawl and the AP in one fell swoop.

For 3e, I'd suggest the Defining Adventures to be Rappan Athuk and The Sunless Citadel. RA is a deadly adventure, which can be played in a variety of styles. Sunless Citadel showed how 3e adventures could be written, and introduced Meepo. 'Nuff said.

For 3.5e, I'd go with Age of Worms (tough but fair, massive shared experience for many, many people) and Red Hand of Doom (by the same people as AoW, but there you go), which showed WotC that they could produce adventures again. I've played neither yet, but the good reports of RHoD make me include it without a thought.

I'd also suggest that the latest Greyhawk Ruins adventure might also become iconic.

Have I just become a Jacobs/ Mona fanboy?

 

[Brakkart]

For my part:

Basic D&D: Keep on the Borderlands, Isle of Dread, Nights Dark Terror
1st Edition: Tomb of Horrors, GDQ Series, Temple of Elemental Evil, Ravenloft
2nd Edition: Dragon Mountain, Night Below, Bleak House, Slavers
3rd Edition: Sunless Citadel, Bastion of Broken Souls, Return to the Temple of Elemental Evil
3.5 Edition: Age of Worms, Savage Tide, Red Hand of Doom

 

[Alnag]

For me 3rd edition pretty much lacks a defining adventure. I would pretty much not vote for Sunless Citadel (I really didn't like it...]. Slightly I am for Return to the temple of the Elemental Evil, but that is just remake. And Freeport but that is not oficially DnD. This might be a warning of serious change of the game. Because somehow there is nothing common there...

And seeing that there is one pre-release adventure for 4E and based on current info nothing else till the end of 2008 makes me depressed. So again just rules and rules and no stories?

 

[Glyfair]

I would pretty much not vote for Sunless Citadel (I really didn't like it...].

As I've said, it's largely about shared experience. Quality isn't necessarily a factor. Tome of Horrors is generally considered an edition defining adventure, but it gets some very strong criticism as a bad module.

Meepo became an icon because of Sunless Citadel.