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.

 

[delericho]

My immediate thought is "Kingmaker" for Pathfinder 1st Ed. However, I'm wondering how much of that is due to it doing something different after a sequence of 'quest' Paths, and so feeling like a breath of fresh air?

We had a great time with "Shackled City" (for 3.5e).

 

[delericho]

"Curse of Strahd" runs to 10 levels, and is probably the best of the 5e paths. Though you should be aware that it includes various problematic material (some of which is fixed in later printings).

 

[DaveMage]

For those criteria, Kingmaker by Paizo.

 

[DaveMage]

Although I think for those criteria, #5 conflicts with all the others.

 

[Muso]

The already mentioned Kingmaker and Curse of Strahd (the second is more simple to run in my opinion)

 

[Frankie1969]

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.

I'll have to take a look at that, and read threads about translating it.
WFRP system is definitely a lot farther from D&D than PF.

 

[Blue]

5e version of ravenloft?

I'd ding this pretty heavily on point #4. It was a sandbox of various different levels but part of the party's goals are laid out by the card reading that could (and did) lead the party into challenges very inappropriate for their level. Oh, and Death House, especially the basement, started that trend. While we got good at running away, I remember things like losing a party member to a CR11 vine before anyone had a chance to act, and a huge explosio of a trapped wagon that for several full-HP characters in the party was save-or-die. Plus a whole bevy of encounters just too tough for us that weren't telegraphed that way.

I had a good time playing CoS, but it was in spite of the module not because of it.

 

[Bagpuss]

It's not d20 based and Pendragon doesn't have levels as such, and I'm not sure this counts as an adventure path, but The Great Pendragon Campaign surely fits the bill? Starting as squires you become knights and establish a dynasty. Deserves a mention at least under "any other system".

 

[TheSword]

I'll have to take a look at that, and read threads about translating it.
WFRP system is definitely a lot farther from D&D than PF.

I also shout out for the Enemy Within campaign. It’s probably the most fun to read and Dm I’ve ever seen. NPCs are very important and detailed. Scenarios are interesting. Lots of investigation and roleplaying.

If I was converting it to 5e D&D I wouldn’t try and make D&D like WFRP that is a tall order. I would just port across the scenarios, NPCs, monsters, locations and plot. Let players play whatever they want to play.

You’ll need to do a bit of work with challenges as most human bandits aren’t a challenge in 5e where as in WFRP they could be. Slow down progression and run it level 1-10. Make daemons really tough.

My players are about to hit Castle Wittgenstein and the tension that has been built up is palpable. It’s very well put together (use the WFRP 4e version, it is substantially improved)

 

[Clint_L]

Oh, and Death House, especially the basement, started that trend.

I adapted Death House for a Dread game. It works amazing with that game; way better than for D&D.