D&D 5E Anyone else feeling "meh" about recent 5e releases?

[S'mon]

I think when you are publishing a fancy hardback book you feel under more pressure to avoid cliché than you do when your are writing in an old exercise book. I suppose it's a case in point that Hunt for the Thesselhydra, a parody of a homemade adventure, begins with "Nick Fury wants to meet with you."

GoS is pretty good: each of the adventures has around four plot hooks.

Well the clichés work. I think the big problem is way too many adventure authors think they are writing a novel. Going straight into the action is good in a novel, and it is often good in a one-shot convention adventure or similar single session game, but IME it is a terrible way to begin a long term D&D campaign. I did get away with it in one 4e campaign where it was the end of character creation 'prequel' session, like a CRPG tutorial it was just to get the players used to the combat rules, and the campaign really began the following week.

 

[MNblockhead]

Could you list some? I find locating good stuff on DMs Guild not easy!

What kind of adventures do you like? What kinds of players are running games for? I'll admit that I can enjoy all kinds of adventures. I'm pretty easy to please. I don't have time to review each one but there is no shortage of blog, forum, and Reddit posts that do.

I recommend that you start by looking at the adventures created by Baldman games. These have the "BMG" in the module number. You can also filter by Baldman Games and Adventurers Guild on the DMs Guild. One example, which gets high ratings from many is: CCC-BMG-05 CORE 2-2 Songs of Law & Chaos

My favorite is Cloud Giant's Bargain (DDAL-CGB), which I think stands up to some of the best modules, but I just realized that it isn't on DM's Guild. It was given away to those who attended the live cast of an Acquisition Inc. game in movie theaters in the US. That's a bummer. I know it is an "exclusive" but they could have just made the physical version exclusive and sold the PDF version.

DDEX1-06 The Scroll Thief is one that I've enjoyed that consistently is ranked as a favorite in various polls and reviews. Good if you like investigative and role-play heavy games.

DDAL05-12 Bad Business in Parnast (5e) was fun. Roleplaying and some political intrigue as you try to get a town prepared for a Hill Giant attack.

 

[MNblockhead]

I have an issue finding the good stuff too. In ye olden days when you went to your FLGS your choice was limited to what they had on the shelves, and if you didn't make a decision it would be a while before you got another chance. This made it much easier to decide.

Which also meant you bought a lot of not-so-great adventures. When I think of 1e-era modules, I always remember the greats and forget about the stinkers. We are fortunate to live at a time where there no shortage of great content and many sources of reviews to help select what we'll like. I think the bigger problem is that it has made us more picky. It is harder to be satisfied. Like gourmands who have are no longer able to be happy with a simple, well-prepared meal. One of the nice things about my having gone so long with out playing is that even "subpar" materials are enjoyable.

 

[Paul Farquhar]

Which also meant you bought a lot of not-so-great adventures.

That's assume the ratio of great to not-so-great adventures has remained much the same.

 

[jgsugden]

You can run endless amazing games using only the first three books. So, we're talking about gravy, here.

Personally, I'd like to have already seen Psionics, setting books for multiple settings (Eberron, Dragonlance, Greyhawk, Spelljammer/Planescape, etc...), and more character option books (spells, feats, items, etc...), as well as Epic Rules to play from 21 to 30 for those that have played to the end... or have parties that waned around 17 because they knew the capstones were close.

 

[MNblockhead]

That's assume the ratio of great to not-so-great adventures has remained much the same.

Well, no. I don't think the ratio of great:suck is the important metric. I would say that the ratio was better in 1e because there were fewer modules published. There are far more poor materials available now and probably a worse ratio of good:junk due to how much easier it is to create and publish adventure material. But the key difference is that now it is MUCH easier to access the great stuff and avoid the junk.

 

[Warpiglet]

Moreover, WotC DOES publish small modules and in a cheap and convenient PDF format. There are MANY great adventure's league modules on DMs Guild, written by many of the same professionals that work on the hardcovers as well as many more good artists you may not have had the pleasure of encountering.

Any you can get it without having to drive to your FLGS or wait for Amazon to ship it you.

[Stepping up onto my soap box]

I don't get the kvetching about the lack of early-era style D&D modules. We have them. Lot's of them. And not reprints--brand new adventures. That are very affordable.

What more do these folks want? Are they angry that they don't have to drive to a mall, park, walk to the Walden Books, and enjoy a Cinnabon while paging through their new purchase?

I lived through the era of blue-print maps on removable card-stock covers. It was nice because that was all we had. If 80s me had access to print-quality PDFs and printers that could print them, for a fraction of the cost, AND not having to wait until my mom had to do some shopping so I could get to the book store, I would have been ecstatic.

It's funny cause it's true! Well the Cinnabon and waiting for a ride part anyway.

But the truth for me is yes, things are easier much easier now but that I also liked the weirdness and mystery of AD&D and its art...there is still fondness do the old product...just not the barriers to acquiring it!

 

[MNblockhead]

It's funny cause it's true! Well the Cinnabon and waiting for a ride part anyway.

But the truth for me is yes, things are easier much easier now but that I also liked the weirdness and mystery of AD&D and its art...there is still fondness do the old product...just not the barriers to acquiring it!

I hear you on the art. I feel in love with DCC when a friend showed me the giant hard back of the core rules with all the NEW art by the classic 1e artists. It is a nolstalgia feast. I'm going to buy that book, and the newer Lankmar book. Mainly for reading and enjoying. I don't have time to run another fantasy campaign, though I enjoy playing DCC one-offs at conventions. But I love paging through the DCC books.

 

[Paul Farquhar]

But the key difference is that now it is MUCH easier to access the great stuff and avoid the junk.

HoW?! How do you avoid the junk?

 

[Hussar]

Well, no. I don't think the ratio of great:suck is the important metric. I would say that the ratio was better in 1e because there were fewer modules published. There are far more poor materials available now and probably a worse ratio of good:junk due to how much easier it is to create and publish adventure material. But the key difference is that now it is MUCH easier to access the great stuff and avoid the junk.

I'd also point out that the criteria for "good" or "junk" has changed over the years. Keep on the Borderlands is ranked as one of the best modules ever, but, let's be honest here, if you published that module today, it wouldn't even cause a ripple - it would get blasted as a very bad module, by today's standards. I mean, talk about sucking at opening. Completely lacking in anything remotely resembling a story and a, more or less, random assortment of low level monsters living cheek to jowl in a completely unbelievable setting.

So, we do need to keep that in mind when comparing "the good old days".

HoW?! How do you avoid the junk?

Read the reviews is a good start. Look at what's being downloaded by others - if it's Silver or Gold, it's probably got something to recommend it. And, since you can narrow down your search pretty tightly - simply limit the level range you're looking at - you can generally keep the numbers manageable.

I mean, I'm running Ghosts of Saltmarsh right now, and my PC's are about 3rd level. So, if I wanted a side bar adventure, I can narrow that down to 1st Tier, Aquatic adventures, which gives me a hundred titles to peruse. It's not that hard to narrow it down further if you like.