What adventure module defines D&D to you?

[Stoat]

I'm not sure that any specific adventure does it for me, but everyone needs to play Tallow's Deep from Dungeon #18.

 

[Umbran]

My experiences with D&D have been too broad in character to be defined, showcased, or exemplified by a single module.

 

[The Ghost]

B2 The Keep on the Borderlands.

That is up there but I think my love for Maure Castle triumphs so I'd go with WG5 Mordenkainen's Fantastic Adventure.

 

[rogueattorney]

Another vote for B2.

 

[Lancelot]

B4 (Lost City), N1 (Reptile God) and GDQ (Giants/Drow/Queen) are some of my favorite early modules...

...but nothing defines D&D more for me than B2 (Keep on the Borderlands).

• It is the classic "explore, kill and loot" module.
• It has a fully keyed starting "town" and approximately a dozen "dungeons" to explore.
• It has all the classic D&D tropes:
  • sneaky kobold traps
  • "boss monster" fights (several memorable singleton creatures)
  • a creepy evil temple
  • a damsel-in-distress who isn't all she seems
  • a maze (@#$%!)
  • a mad hermit in the woods

 

[ShinHakkaider]

B2 Keep on the Borderlands

but more recently the first adventure in the Age Of Worms - The Whispering Cairn is one that I hold in very high regard.

 

[ExploderWizard]

The Caves essentially were humanoid tribes, but the tribes were given character enough (Bree-Yark! for the kobolds; the bugbears' invitation to dinner [which took in my 3e players!])

RC

Actually Bree-Yark was a rallying cry of the goblins in apartment D down the hall.

Besides all the wonderful qualities of the module that have already been discussed (and I agree with them) the factor that brings this to the top of my list is the amount of replay value this adventure provides. The same contents of the module can provide more than a dozen different adventures depending on what the PC's decide to do. There are multiple power groups that can be interacted with in a number of different ways. Chaotic parties can unite the humanoids and march on the keep! Temporary alliances can be forged and evil humanoids can be duped into doing the dirty work for the forces of good. The module provides such a great framework that can be used so many ways that it may be the best value per page of any D&D product ever.

 

[Lanefan]

Despite having played for decades, I'd never encountered B2 as either DM or player until I ran it in the spring of '08 as the launch for my current campaign.

Now I know why everyone loves it so much!

That said, another defining one for me is Tomb of the Lizard King - for a mid-level self-contained adventure, it has a bit of everything including a couple of truly memorable set-pieces. And it's nasty; half the time you're on the edge of your seat just waiting for the TPK, and wondering afterwards how you escaped...

And if your tastes lean toward the "nothing makes sense so just go with it" style, the Judges' Guild module Sword of Hope is another classic - if you can ever find a copy.

Lan-"but in my case, the truly defining module is a homebrew"-efan

 

[The Shaman]

T1 - Village of Hommlett

-great home base w/NPCs
-ruined keep
-giant frogs
-bandits
-Evil High Priest (EHP)
-giant crayfish
-loads of treasure & nice Easter Egg
-cool backstory

DING! Winnah!

 

[Jack7]

I also rarely use modules.

But to me, Tomb of Horrors.