What are the new 'Classics'?

[SoldierBlue]

Hello out there,

I play Pathfinder, so I'm vaguely aware of what might (and I stress might) be considered the new classic adventures for Pathfinder. 'Stolen Land', perhaps? 'Burnt Offerings' (which, of course, was actually a 3.5 mod...)?

But I want to know what the new classics are out there across the hobby. Maybe there is a rockin' OSR module that I haven't heard about simply because I'm not exposed to that community.

4th Edition guys - what are the new mods you are getting excited about? What are the mods you'll be talking about a decade from now? What are 'The Whispering Cairns' and 'Returns to Elemental Evil' for this time and place in 4e?

And I guess, more generally, which mods am I missing out on because I play a different system?

No edition wars - I would play any system a worthy GM wanted to run for me - I play PF because that's what my friends play. I'm just concerned that may mean I'm missing out on some killer mods, which by definition should be so fantastic that they transcend system/edition...

 

[delericho]

There aren't any. To be a classic, a module needs an enduring level of popularity, but the market for modules is now so diverse that almost no modules can achieve the required level of exposure, never mind retain it.

The most recent modules that could perhaps be considered classics are "Sunless Citadel", the "Freeport" trilogy, and "Red Hand of Doom".

 

[Vascant]

Not sure how many this applies too but one of the habits that has changed for me is I run less published adventures then ever before.

 

[Bluenose]

Not sure how far back you're interested in going, but the Witchfire Trilogy would hit my list of classic modules very easily. D&D3.5

Great Pendragon Campaign (Pendragon 5e) - perhaps not an adventure as such, but thoroughly awesome.

Dara Happa Stirs (Mongoose RQ) ran really well for me and my group, though it does involve a lot of prep for the GM.

Playing Halls of the Mountain King (4e) was great fun, and from what I understand Courts of the Shadow Fey is even better.

I'd also recommend Crowded Hours, a collection of adventures for Traveller. They're all good, in different ways, though my favourite involves a crashing spaceship.

While I'm not a fan of horror games, apparently the adventures for Trail of Cthulhu are very good. Which fits with the Cthulhu trend of excellent adventures, I suppose.

Blood in Ferelden (Dragon Age) reads well, and the first adventure ran well, though I'm less sure about the others.

 

[braro]

Red Hand of Doom; I can't say it enough.

The events of that adventure trickle down in to almost every game I play now.

 

[RangerWickett]

I played Red Hand of Doom, and rather enjoyed it. The trick is to have adventures that lots of people run, so usually you can only pull that off early in a game's life. Sunless Citadel and Forge of Fury were pretty memorable in the 3e era.

4e's opening adventures never seemed to impress people.

I personally think y'all should play ZEITGEIST. First adventure's free. Memorable as hell. (Available in both PF and 4e.)

 

[NewJeffCT]

Since 3E came out in 2000, I think there are a handful of adventures that could be considered classics -

Red Hand of Doom
Rise of the Runelords

Not sure what else, as I tend to borrow bits & pieces from various adventures.

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

There aren't any. To be a classic, a module needs an enduring level of popularity, but the market for modules is now so diverse that almost no modules can achieve the required level of exposure, never mind retain it.

The most recent modules that could perhaps be considered classics are "Sunless Citadel", the "Freeport" trilogy, and "Red Hand of Doom".

Good choices, although I'd say that as fun as Sunless Citadel is, the lack of choice in where to go (it's basically a tube) hurts it a bit, and the lack of piracy in the Freeport Trilogy until the third adventure is a little frustrating.

 

[Croesus]

There aren't any. To be a classic, a module needs an enduring level of popularity, but the market for modules is now so diverse that almost no modules can achieve the required level of exposure, never mind retain it.

Agreed, though I can think of some 3.x modules that come close. For example, I'd include Return to the Temple of Elemental Evil in any such list. For a while there seemed to be quite a few groups playing it and posting on the boards.

But to me a classic is more than just something a certain minimum number of groups played - it also needs to have a certain nostalgia factor, despite any warts. Many people remember fondly In Search of Adventure, or the Giants/Drow modules, or others from the 1E era. But when I think back on the 3.x modules, I just can't put any in the same category. Again, for me the closest is RttToEE, and even then, I mostly remember the grind in the middle.

No question Paizo has published some great modules and AP's, but I suspect none of them have the market penetration to have a lot of players fondly reminiscing about them 10 years, much less 20 years from now.

 

[Aberzanzorax]

I think, to be a classic, something needs to be at least some of the following:

1. Widely used.
2. If not widely used, widely known about.
3. Quality.
4. If not "quality", very fun, or very notable (Tomb of Horrors gets points for deadliness).
5. Innovative (perhaps the first of its kind ever, or the first of its kind for a new edition).
6. Worth talking about/dramatic.


Given those criteria, I'd say things that hit at least some of those from 3e on are:

1. Ptolus (beloved, giant, and innovative).
2. Return to the Temple of Elemental Evil (building on a prior classic, a megadungeon, and a collector's item now).
3. Kingmaker (maybe). If this inspires/informs sandbox style adventure paths in the future, it might fit the bill. Only time will tell for this one.
4. Shackled City. The first ever AP.
5. Keep on the Shadowfell (not widely regarded as awesome, but a TON of exposure, and cleaned up a bit, and available for free now).


I think that most people on these forums will recognize, and know at least a bit about, those adventures in the way that "classic" adventures are remembered.