D&D General Best Adventure Path (spanning 10+ levels) of all time?

[Frankie1969]

Large but straightforward question: what is the best collection of pre-made adventure content that follows a full story arc from small-time local heroes (preferably starting at level 1, no higher than 4) to world-hopping legends (preferably reaching 20, no lower than 14)?

Not just in 5E. Any edition, including 4E, PF, 13A, or any other system similar enough to translate.

YMMV, but my personal criteria for "best" are:

1. well-written plot with logical motivation & consequences,
2. well-written NPCs who merit emotional investment,
3. well-written scenarios, preferably organized like instructions not like a novella,
4. well-balanced & interesting challenges, and
5. not overly complex to DM (Zeitgeist gets dinged on this last point).

I don't know what my answer would be. I have fond memories of (TA)GDQ but I know it doesn't stand up well by modern standards.

 

[Blue]

Just a quick aside about GDQ - at least most of the G series and I think many of the others were written as competative moduels to be run at conventions, where the party that did the most got awards. It wasn't until later that they were converted into modules for normal play. So their bones are a lot different then modern modules and adventure paths.

 

[payn]

Hitting all 5 is a tall order. I'd probably lean towards some PF1 era APs. Kingmaker, Iron Gods, Carrion Crown. Though, im having trouble thinking of the complete package.

 

[wicked cool]

5e version of ravenloft?

 

[guachi]

The Enemy Within for Warhammer.

 

[Clint_L]

Hitting all 5 is a tall order. I'd probably lean towards some PF1 era APs. Kingmaker, Iron Gods, Carrion Crown. Though, im having trouble thinking of the complete package.

Not to mention covering at least 10 levels, which pretty much eliminates every 1e module, not to mention my personal favourite from 5e, Lost Mine of Phandelver. I guess my pick for 5e would be Frostmaiden.

I don't know enough about Pathfinder adventure paths to comment, but this is kind of their territory, is it not?

 

[Haplo781]

Madness at Gardmore Abbey for 4e hits all 5 but it's only like 2 levels. Won 2 ENnies in 2012.

 

[Shiroiken]

Not overly fond of APs, since they overall remove a lot of player and DM agency for sake of the story. Oh, and Queen of Spiders was not a particularly well written AP, as I ran it for 5E. I modified quite a bit to make it all work, substituting The Forgotten Temple of Tharzidun and The Lost Shrine of Tsjocanth for Slavers (since the Slave Lords took place after GDQ).

Depending on how you view #3, the OG AP Dragonlance Series would probably be considered the best. While we never finished it because of DM's life changes, I've heard great things about Curse of Strahd.

 

[GuyBoy]

If I'm purely going for greatness, The Enemy Within for WFRP wins the "best ever" award, and I consider myself fortunate to be playing in it right now. Shout out to @TheSword as GM.
If talking nostalgia, for me it will always be the Giants and Drow series from the late 70s/early 80s.

 

[aco175]

I liked the 4e Keep on the Shadowfell (KotS) and the next one with the minotaurs. We never finished the series, but thought it was a good set. Really liked that it had maps for set encounters that went with minis. Could use a few more side quests and NPC development though.