D&D (2024) 2024 DMG: Thoughts on the Sample Adventures

[R_J_K75]

I've run "The Fouled Stream" and am currently in the process of finishing "Miner Difficulties". I understand they are 1-page barebones framework outlines, but the premises, as far as the two that I've ran, are pretty poor. It takes a lot of work to piece each individual adventure into a cohesive session(s), let alone prepping the next one and then tying them into the quest after to move the story forward. The (2) I've ran were designed as combat fests. I admit I didn't read the whole new DMG but there doesn't seem to be a common thread among those adventures, so I may have missed. I couldn't do better and don't have the answer, but I think there's got to be a better way for that "first" adventure" tutorial.

What are your thoughts on the 2024 DMG Sample Adventures? I give them 4 thumbs down.

 

[MerricB]

Huh. Found an error.

"Corrupted Cave. Use the Underdark Warrens map in Appendix B for the corrupted cave. Ignore the secret door and the inner chambers behind it. Close off the tunnels leading off the map to the south, east, and north. The characters enter the cave in the southeast, following the stream."

Southeast? I think you mean Southwest, Wizards!

 

[Distracted DM]

I've run "The Fouled Stream" and am currently in the process of finishing "Miner Difficulties". I understand they are 1-page barebones framework outlines, but the premises, as far as the two that I've ran, are pretty poor. It takes a lot of work to piece each individual adventure into a cohesive session(s), let alone prepping the next one and then tying them into the quest after to move the story forward. The (2) I've ran were designed as combat fests. I admit I didn't read the whole new DMG but there doesn't seem to be a common thread among those adventures, so I may have missed. I couldn't do better and don't have the answer, but I think there's got to be a better way for that "first" adventure" tutorial.

What are your thoughts on the 2024 DMG Sample Adventures? I give them 4 thumbs down.

Can you elaborate a little on what makes them so crappy? Why it takes so much work to turn them into cohesive session(s)?

 

[R_J_K75]

Why it takes so much work to turn them into cohesive session(s)?

Need a nap now, I'll answer you tomorrow.

 

[Stormonu]

I just glanced over them, but I haven't had the opportunity to try and run any them. They don't strike me as combat fests, both have options for encounters that can be resolved without violence, and the first one has a couple puzzles for the party to figure out even.

The second strikes me as a horror-themed exploration of cat-and-mouse, with the possibility of a peaceful resolution if the party tunes in on what is going on.

The next one, the Winged God has multiple opportunities for it to be resolved through interaction and diplomacy - and even gain some allies.

 

[Reynard]

I think the real question is "Are they easy to run for a new GM?"

 

[GarrettKP]

I have run The Fouled Stream, Miner Difficulties, and The Winged God for my group. I had a great time and the players all enjoyed themselves. I haven’t found them to be difficult to run or hard to string together into any form of plot, at least no more difficult than any other one shot put out by WotC in the past.

The barebones structure just needs to you lay over the details, which was easy to do for me. Generate a few NPC names and locations for the starting town, give the NPCs a personality quirk, and we were off.

 

[Stormonu]

I think the real question is "Are they easy to run for a new GM?"

I would say no, not until they've had a little experience under their belt. But they are nice to have after you've run say 3-5 fleshed out adventures.

Thinking about it, I really think they should have fully fleshed out the first two adventures (with commentary) and then just had the abbreviated form for the rest. Give a guiding hand, and then let the DM take flight.

 

[R_J_K75]

Can you elaborate a little on what makes them so crappy? Why it takes so much work to turn them into cohesive session(s)?

Of the 2 I have read and run the plots are weak, kind of generic and besides my additions weren't very fun or memorable. They were vague in spots without advice. Premises were pretty much just go beat on monsters that are accosting an area.

The Fouled Stream seemed like a bunch of random encounters, that was later explained as "magic". High Ery gets maybe two sentences in Greyhawk section which is where the adventure is set. So, I had to flesh it out at least a little, so the players cared about saving the village. That took time. The only part of the adventure that really presented any opportunity for roleplaying was meeting Borogrove.

OK, players succeed and then what? How do I get them to move on to adventure 2, Miner Difficulties? I came up with a segue where the players travel to Ery Crossings near Blackstone. In Ery Crossings at their yearly Fair, they are recognized for their heroics and then hired by its mayor to deal with the trouble in Blackstone.

I added details where needed and handwaved a lot of wasn't too important. If these adventures are ran as presented, they would have been a railroad go from point A to point B and fight groups of random monsters because we're telling you to. Guess I'd rather see maybe 2 or 3 sample adventures with a little more detail and suggestions on how to group them together and advice on how to proceed after they are finished. Thye felt very similar to my early AD&D 1E experiences where the game starts, you're playing a module and at the entrance of the dungeon. Rinse and repeat with the next module.

I don't have the answer, and as I said earlier, I may have not seen if some of these things were addressed elsewhere in the DMG. I know as a DM you're always going to do extra work. But I thought as introductory scenarios/adventures there was a little more prep required with little guidance on how to make these an ongoing story. I just thought they were poor examples of sample or an introductory adventure.

 

[Distracted DM]

Thinking about it, I really think they should have fully fleshed out the first two adventures (with commentary) and then just had the abbreviated form for the rest.

Yup. Love the older adventures that have commentary written right into them.