Best Adventures of All Time

[Buzzardo]

I just got through reading the worst adventures of all time thread. Very interesting. The question I have is what makes a truly great adventure and why?

Invariably old classics like the Giants/Drow series will be brought up as a paragon of moduleness. I certainly don't disagree that they were great. But my question, is WHY? What elements of that and other modules make them great?

At the end of the day (allowing for the fact that it has been about 17 years since I played them) I don't know specifically why I like them. Maybe it is really a nostalgia thing. Back with D&D was fresh and new, the giants/drow series was so new and so different that it seemed special, and that feeling never wore off.

As a thought question, if the giants/drow series' had never been written before, and were released today... would they be lauded as the greatest of all time? Or would they even be noticed?

Also; Maure Castle (Dungeon Mag #112) just won an ennie for best adventure. I haven't read the whole thing yet, but what I have read so far shows me that it is just a really cool dungeon locale with a fairly formulaic and perfunctory back story. (keep in mind I havnent finished it yet) But I wonder if it is considered great because it was written by grandmasters Gygax and Kunz, and it is a bringing to life of a legendary locale played 30 years ago in Gygax's own campaign.

Thoughts?

 

[VirgilCaine]

I think things like the Giants series and Ravenloft are good because they are a chestnut you can play and get out of the way...they are classic scenarios.

 

[Akrasia]

In my opinion, the two best modules ever produced for D&D and AD&D are: B10 Night's Dark Terror and UK 4 When A Star Falls. (Interestingly, the UK AD&D author Graeme Morris had a hand in both modules. Also interesting, the two other authors of B10 -- Jim Bambra and Phil Gallagher -- went on to help write the original Warhammer RPG.)

What makes those modules great?

1. An interesting story. Both modules provide an extended and engaging adventure, with many plot twists and new ideas. B10 is essentially a mini-campaign -- and a very enthralling one.
2. Despite having an interesting story, neither modules is excessively 'railroady' in nature. Both modules can have very different outcomes, depending on the actions of the PCs.
3. Excellent atmosphere. B10 does a great job in presenting secret societies, ancient civilizations, and a growing 'Cthulhu-esque' horror at the end. UK4 does a similarly great job in providing players with a unique starting point (the 'memory web'), an intriguing seer society (the 'Tower of the Heavens'), and an exciting twist ending.
4. A variety of different kinds of encounters.
5. Mind-exercising problems to be solved, in addition to fun and different combats.
6. Memorable and unique NPCs!

So I would recommend tracking down UK4 and B10 on E-bay or in gamestores. They are very inspiring!

The best d20 product I've encountered is Necromancer's City State of the Invincible Overlord. However, it is not really an 'adventure', but rather an 'adventure site'. But it is excellent.

 

[Silver Moon]

My two classic favorites are B2: The Keep on the Borderlands and X1: Isle of Dread.

For new modules I'll nominate "Beast of Burden" from Dungeon #100 - my group loved it.

 

[rounser]

For P&P, the core Dark Sun module series (Freedom, Road to Urik, Arcadian Shadows(?) etc.). They conveyed an almost constant sense of desperation and struggle that is pretty rare in other D&D games. The monsters, races and culture were novel and alien, and the challenges ranged from just desert survival through to political intrigue.

Computer game-wise, Baldur's Gate II: Shadows of Amn. The lack of railroading combined with such a huge and deep campaign is something I haven't seen anything published or any DM in particular come close to with P&P.

 

[VirgilCaine]

So I would recommend tracking down UK4 and B10 on E-bay or in gamestores. They are very inspiring!

They are both available on www.rpgnow.com --what might be different between the two versions?

 

[S'mon]

Best adventure I know: Irillian/The Rising of the Dark, published in 6 parts in White Dwarf in the early '80s, republished in Best of White Dwarf Scenarios 3.

 

[MonsterMash]

My favourite 3e adventure is the Grey Citadel from Necromancer Games as it incorporates a decent city locale with dungeon crawling, investigation and potential for political intrigue.

 

[Numion]

Castle Maure Ennie surprises me. I DMed 75% of that for my group, and it was really just a bore. And my group normally likes dungeon crawls! We quit it short .. something we rarely do. It just seems too repetitive. Gnolls, gnolls, gnolls .. cultists, gnolls on level 3.

It had some nice big fights, though DM had some tools to use there.

So my verdict is that it's a nostalgia Ennie, given by people who never DMed it. It looked much better on paper .. not in small part to the great Dungeon Mag production values.

[RANT OFF], just gave my opinion since someone mentioned this as an example of great adventure. It's not.

 

[Numion]

My favourite 3e adventure is the Grey Citadel from Necromancer Games as it incorporates a decent city locale with dungeon crawling, investigation and potential for political intrigue.

My favourite is the Banewarrens, for the same reasons you cited for Grey Citadel. Also, some of those other Necromancer modules qualify: Vault of Larin Karr (not city though), Trouble at Durbenford (?), Barakus.

But Banewarrens is the best of the lot, IMHO. Good plot, interesting and varied locales, interesting NPCs, sense of achievement when completed. I have to check Grey Citadel sometime, though.