Best 1st level Adventures

[DEP]

Howl of the Carrion King (just finished running it and WOW AMAZING)
The Whispering Cairn (pure greatness)
Mad God's Key (started a few campaigns with it)
Keep on the Borderlands (duh)
Sunless Citadel (surprisingly good, and hooked some players with it)
Edge of Anarchy
Burnt Offerings

Those are my favourite level one adventures.

 

[Jan van Leyden]

Without further touting:

- Against the Cult of Reptile (1st edition AD&D, TSR)
- Sinister Secret of Saltmarsh (1st edition AD&D, TSR)
- Evil's Lesser Minions (3rd edition D&D, Pinwheel games)

All of manageable size for newcomers, with opportunities for free roleplaying without any interfering rule.

 

[grodog]

"Trouble at Grog's" (Dungeon #4, by Grant & David Boucher) is an excellent adventure for 1st level PCs.

Other low-level favorite include:

- L1 Secret of Bone Hill by Len Lakofka (levels 2-4).
- N5 Under Illefarn by Steve Perrin (level 1)
- B1 In Search of the Unknown by Mike Carr (level 1)

Both L1 and N5 have extensive notes about the wilderness around the dungeons, and offer an experience similar to T1 Village of Hommlet, but with more wilderness/travel options.

 

[deadsmurf]

I really liked the Whispering Cairn from Dungeon, and I'm also a big fan of the Forgotten Forge from the 3.5 Eberron Campaign setting. Great introduction to the setting.
And I really really like the short delve, Kobold Hall, from the 4E DMG. It had cool and well designed encounters.

 

[Rechan]

I've seen good results from:

The Hangman's Noose (Paizo)
Three Days to Kill (Penumbra)

 

[Obergnom]

wow, thanks! A lot of recommendations

What makes Whispering Cairn so great? I have read it a long time ago and I don't remember it impressing me.

 

[Entropi]

My favorites because there is more to them than slogging through a dungeon:

Against the Cult of the Reptile God
Sinister Secret of Saltmarsh
Destiny of Kings

Honorable Mention:
Journey to the Rock

Classic Dungeon Slogs:
Keep on the Borderlands
In Search of the Unknown
Castle Caldwell
Palace of the Silver Princess

 

[grodog]

What makes Whispering Cairn so great? I have read it a long time ago and I don't remember it impressing me.

Off the top of my head:
- written by Erik Mona and well-set in Greyhawk
- excellent dungeon design, with a variety of twists/surprises
- expandable scenario if you include the "continuation" of the level into "A Gathering of Winds" by Wolfgang Baur

I remember liking the design of the cairn itself quite a bit as well.

 

[DEP]

Off the top of my head:
- written by Erik Mona and well-set in Greyhawk
- excellent dungeon design, with a variety of twists/surprises
- expandable scenario if you include the "continuation" of the level into "A Gathering of Winds" by Wolfgang Baur

I remember liking the design of the cairn itself quite a bit as well.

I agree with all of that. It was just well written and had a certain mood about it. Not to mention Diamond Lake was well thought out. All in all it really was just a well thought out and well written adventure.

 

[Olli]

I have always loved "the lost City"! I think it´s B3 for BECMI. Great Scenario (if a little wonky with the choice of Monsters sometimes). And you can base a whole Campaign on it. If you don´t know, give it a read.

Olli