Greyhawk module before Scourge of the slave lords?

[Greggy C]

I only ever did a Forgotten Realms campaign in the 1988-92 so I want to go back and relive a Greyhawk campaign. While I could start with A0 Danger at Darkshelf Quarry, it feels like cheating.

Against the Cult of the Reptile God seems the most logical start? Would you do that and then what other N modules before starting A1 Slave Pits of the Undercity ? Or something else?

 

[Bacon Bits]

I think it depends on what you mean by "before". Publishing order? Order they were supposed to have taken place in Greyhawk? Order of progression for levels?

I've always heard that the progression was "supposed" to be T1-4, then A1-4, then GDQ1-7.

 

[billd91]

I've always heard that the progression was "supposed" to be T1-4, then A1-4, then GDQ1-7.

It was a suggestion, but it doesn't really work. T1-4 can be expected to leave PCs at a level pretty advanced for the early chapters of A1-4.

 

[Bacon Bits]

It was a suggestion, but it doesn't really work. T1-4 can be expected to leave PCs at a level pretty advanced for the early chapters of A1-4.

It kind of depends. If you're using the A1, A2, A3, and A4, then I agree. But when they produced the Scourge of the Slave Lords super module, they upshifted it from levels 4-7 to 7-11 to better fit between T1-4 and GDQ. The Wikipedia article says as much.

Of course, GDQ was supposed to be 8-14, so now you're kind of overrunning those levels, but I recall GDQ being pretty easy to make harder. It has been like 25 years though, and I was a much worse DM back then..

 

[billd91]

It kind of depends. If you're using the A1, A2, A3, and A4, then I agree. But when they produced the Scourge of the Slave Lords super module, they upshifted it from levels 4-7 to 7-11 to better fit between T1-4 and GDQ. The Wikipedia article says as much.

The wikipedia article isn't exactly right. The supermodule adds bits of connecting tissue between the original adventures that may have had levels 7-11 in mind, but the encounters in the modules are largely the same (I haven't scrutinized every single one). PCs coming out of a completed T1-4 can be expected to be a higher level than Slave Pits of the Undercity was originally written for and those encounters remain unchanged in the supermodule.

 

[Greggy C]

I think it depends on what you mean by "before". Publishing order? Order they were supposed to have taken place in Greyhawk? Order of progression for levels?

I've always heard that the progression was "supposed" to be T1-4, then A1-4, then GDQ1-7.

before as in what modules would you run to take them from 1st level to a level 4/5.

I didn't realize the upped the levels in the super module. hmm

 

[Greggy C]

It kind of depends. If you're using the A1, A2, A3, and A4, then I agree. But when they produced the Scourge of the Slave Lords super module, they upshifted it from levels 4-7 to 7-11 to better fit between T1-4 and GDQ. The Wikipedia article says as much.

Of course, GDQ was supposed to be 8-14, so now you're kind of overrunning those levels, but I recall GDQ being pretty easy to make harder. It has been like 25 years though, and I was a much worse DM back then..

that makes a little more confusing yeah. I prefer to run GDQ has designed, without extra levels. Would U1 or something else make more sense to get you to 4th level for A1 ?

 

[Voadam]

Cult of the Reptile God is good but it is a bit harsh for first level characters, particularly in its BBEG fight. There are a bunch of 1st level options though and Basic modules usually work just as well as AD&D at that point and there is a long tradition of starting off with B1 In Search of the Unknown or B2 Keep on the Borderlands. There is also the classic AD&D T1 Moathouse without doing the full Temple. My group that I ran in the 80s bugged out of Hommelette for the Wild Coast and Greyhawk city after completing the Moathouse without going into the Temple itself.

The L 1-3 series would probably be a great set for hitting mid levels. I have heard good things about L1 the Secrets of Bone Hill which is for 2-4 and L3 is for 3-6. I don't know if there is much connection between L1, L2, or L3 but it seems a trilogy that could get you to the A series after any of the intro modules.

 

[billd91]

When I did Scourge of the Slavelords (converted to 3e), I ran the PCs through Return to the Keep on the Borderlands, which I set adjacent to the Lortmil Mountains, and then used a couple of Dungeon Magazine adventures to fill in gaps (particularly one titled Thirds of Purloined Vellum - which I used to highlight the trade rivalry between Dyvers and the Free City of Greyhawk). It worked pretty well. I figure you could do something similar with either short adventures you find online, in magazines, or home brew. The modules don't always have to directly abut each other.

 

[Greggy C]

When I did Scourge of the Slavelords (converted to 3e), I ran the PCs through Return to the Keep on the Borderlands, which I set adjacent to the Lortmil Mountains, and then used a couple of Dungeon Magazine adventures to fill in gaps (particularly one titled Thirds of Purloined Vellum - which I used to highlight the trade rivalry between Dyvers and the Free City of Greyhawk). It worked pretty well. I figure you could do something similar with either short adventures you find online, in magazines, or home brew. The modules don't always have to directly abut each other.

I'm not going to homebrew just looking for ready to go, of course doesn't have to be a whole series.