What are the new 'Classics'?

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

Further to my last, I am concerned that the focus on encounters (in any edition of the game for the past 11 years) versus overall adventures has the potential to damage overall narrative flow within adventures, and that games increasingly become lurching from one well-balanced CRed encounter to another, with little link or synchronization between them.

This focus on the encounter has the danger of becoming, to quote from the film History Boys: "One damn thing after another." More worringly, it harms the grand narrative adventures I think our game(s) does so well, and hence why perhaps there are now so few 'classics' in the offing...

1) That doesn't logically follow at all.
2) The notion that there was narrative flow within most 1E adventures is pretty amusing.

 

[SoldierBlue]

1) That doesn't logically follow at all.
2) The notion that there was narrative flow within most 1E adventures is pretty amusing.

1) Sleep-deprived? Reaching, perhaps? But not outright illogical.
2) I agree, but I never claimed this. What was and what we should strive for are two different things. Logic 101, my gnomish friend.

Where has the 'classic' adventure gone? Or is it still around, and just in a different form? Is it a matter of economics, and it is simply the case that sourcebooks make more money? Why am I not in bed yet?

Why do I get the feeling when I see your posts that you sound like the Comic Store guy from the Simpsons?

 

[Ron]

I don't think any d20 or 4th edition adventure so far will achieve classic status, with the possible exception of Red Hand of Doom. However, I am not familiar with Paizo's Pathfinder adventures.

 

[Freakohollik]

There's only one problem with 'Whispering Cairn' - it's too good. I don't think any of the other mods in the AP measured up to it in the same way. I've never GM'd past this one on the AP for that reason....

I like the second advenutre, The Three Faces of Evil, a lot. It's basically 3 seperate smaller dungeons each of which has its own quirk. I haven't seen the other adventures in the path, but none of them are written by the authors that did the first two.

 

[meomwt]

There are some great suggestions up there: perhaps I should count up an see which entries have had multiple mentions!

I'd second NeMoren's Vault, an adventure I've reun a couple of times and which remains a firm favourite. It has a great mix of action, mystery and role-playing, and scope to expand beyond the dungeon.

The Crucible of Freya is another good choice: it has a great mix of adventure sites, an assault on an orc-filled castle and Something Nasty in the Basement. Recommended.

I'm just about to start The Red Hand of Doom, and have been trailing the arrival of the Horde, perhaps heavy-handedly. It all depends on how the players enjoy it.

Finally, I haven't read all of the Age of Worms campaign, so can't comment on the later adventures (though I have heard good feedback about them), but absolutely love The Whispering Cairn. Haven't had chance to run it yet, but it has probably already hit "Classic" status and well-deserved too. The bait-and-switch in the storyline is superb.

 

[Bluenose]

Where has the 'classic' adventure gone? Or is it still around, and just in a different form? Is it a matter of economics, and it is simply the case that sourcebooks make more money? ]?

It depends what it takes for the adventure to be considered 'Classic'. If it's exposure, that's less likely with newer modules. There are reasons why older modules are widely known, because time will expose more people to them if only by anecdote. Widespread knowledge is also getting less likely as more games appear and the market for each becomes narrower. The large range of companies may not help, as I'd suspect most people don't buy from more than a few trusted suppliers and will not have seen more than a small proportion of the options. And that's even more true, when superb material is being produced for any system that isn't D&D. It's arguable that judging modules to be 'classic' now is irrelevant; it depends on how they're perceived in ten or twenty years than now.

 

[SoldierBlue]

Adventures from Monkey God Enterprises were often mysteries, thinking things through being at least as important as being a quick draw with a blade.


Crazy things happen...this afternoon I found a very ignored pile of Monkey God modules buried in a corner of my game store...

Based on your recommendation, I bought one, and may run it this weekend. I'll tell you how things go.

I'm thinking I'm going to try and buy up the whole stack...