Best D&D Adventures

[meomwt]

Unless we're expanding out to include other game systems, in which case Call of Cthulhu's "Masks of Nyarlathotep" and "Beyond the Mountains of Madness" would probably bully their way onto the list.

Only if you played these using D&D or Pathfinder rules...

 

[Aus_Snow]

Only if you played these using D&D or Pathfinder rules...

Yikes! What a thought.

Bit like CoC d20, I s'pose.

 

[Erik Mona]

BTW, I am surprised and humbled to see "The Whispering Cairn" on so many lists. It's one of my favorite things I've written, and I tried to distill a lot of what made my 1e favorites favorites when writing that adventure.

So thanks, and I'm really pleased you guys enjoyed it.

--Erik

 

[pemerton]

Most of the D&D adventures I've GMed have been converted to RM, and often pulled apart and put back together again with other adventures or to fit into an ongoing campaign.

Played as D&D modules, I've had good experiences with:

*Against the Giants (as a new GM many years ago);
*U3, The Final Enemy (ditto);
*The Keep in B2 (I've never GMed the Caves of Chaos).

Converted to RM, I've had a lot of fun with:
*A2, The Secret of the Slavers Stockade;
*D1, Descent into the Depths of the Earth;
*O3, Ochimo: The Spirit Warrior;
*O7, can't remember the name but it involves fighting an evil animal lord and a snake cult - as written it's a bit railroady in parts but that was easy enough to ignore, and the situation and some of the encounters were pretty memorable for my group.

When you convert a module to a different system its really the characters and the situations that have to inspire, rather than the mechanical implementation, and the above certainly delivered. I think that's why I've got less use from 3E modules, which seem to emphasise mechanics over situation to a greater extent than earlier editions of D&D. Malhavoc is a bit of exception in that respect, howver: I've got pretty good use from Beyond Countless Doorways, Requiem for a God and When the Sky Falls - not from ready-scripted adventures, but from ideas for situations and events.

Bastion of Broken Souls was a 3E module that promised a lot but, for me at least, didn't really deliver after the first half (I haven't actually tried to play the Positive Material Plane part - it was a terrible let down given the promise of the situation developed in the first half). But some of the NPCs/enemies have been memorable in my campaign.

 

[Melan]

It would be interesting to see people post how long they've been playing along with their choices. I am shocked to see so many 1st/2nd adventures in here, because quite frankly I found them to be incredibly boring compared to more modern ones. The only way I can see all those 1st e stuff being on the list is for nostalgic reasons.

Not very much; you are just guilty of the rose coloured glasses fallacy here. There are several good reasons for liking old modules, and only one of those is nostalgia. I, for one, have only discovered most of the classic modules since ca. 2000, and am younger than a considerable number of them; yet I find them imaginative, highly playable and full of concepts usually missing from more recent releases.

 

[gdmcbride]

1. I6 Ravenloft (TSR 1983) by Tracy and Laura Hickman

Spine-tingly well written and powerfully and potently evocative, this one is easy to recommend. This should have been number one on the Dungeon 30.

2. Red Hand of Doom (WotC 2006) by James Jacob and Rich Baker

This is a new classic. Exciting and cinematic, the players get to decide the course of a fantasy war.

3. D3 Vault of the Drow (TSR 1978) by Gary Gygax

The 'Queen of the Spiders' super-module was ranked number one by Dungeon but really where does the genius in that series lie? Could it be the adventure where you infilitrate the world's most evil city and discover a wonderland of intrigue and evil? Could it be the one set in a subterranean Sodom -- a dark and decadent fairyland -- where drow and daemon freely intermingle? Could it be that one? Or is the adventure where we discover that the Abyss looks like a 70s bath towel?

By the way, someone adapted Vault to Mongoose's Conan and boy does it work! http://hyboria.xoth.net/adventures/index.htm

4. J1 Entombed with the Pharaohs (Paizo 2007) by Michael Kortes

Another new classic. This is like I3 Pharaoh with the volume turned up to 11. Derivative? Certainly! The genius is incorporating such familiar tropes and still keeping them fresh and exciting.

5. The Age of Worms AP (Paizo 2005-2006 in Dungeon) by Lots O' People

This adventure path is the definitive D&D campaign at last written down, fully fleshed out and placed in Greyhawk. Obviously an act of pure love and concentrated genius. Yes it is a little uneven in places ('Three Face of Evil' anyone?). But its highlights more than correct for it. That and you get to fight Dragotha. Yeehaw!

Gary

 

[gdmcbride]

Unless we're expanding out to include other game systems, in which case Call of Cthulhu's "Masks of Nyarlathotep" and "Beyond the Mountains of Madness" would probably bully their way onto the list.

Completely agree. If you allow non-D&D and just create a Top 5 adventure list then my list turns into:

1. Beyond the Mountains of Madness (Chaosium 1999) by Charles and Janyce Egan et. al.

2. I6 Ravenloft

3. Masks of Nyarlathotep (Chaosium 1985) by Larry DiTillio and Lynn Willis

4. Enemy Within Campaign (Games Workshop 1986) -- Everything up to 'Power Behind the Throne'

5. Red Hand of Doom

Gary

 

[PetriWessman]

In random order:

• Against the Cult of the Reptile God (fantastic low-lvl adventure)
• Tomb of Horrors (classic and fun deathtrap dungeon)
• Ravager of Time (very cool and atmospheric)
• Ravenloft (very innovative for its time)
• Desert of Desolation trilogy (just a ton of fun, all around)

 

[Schmoe]

BTW, I am surprised and humbled to see "The Whispering Cairn" on so many lists. It's one of my favorite things I've written, and I tried to distill a lot of what made my 1e favorites favorites when writing that adventure.

So thanks, and I'm really pleased you guys enjoyed it.

--Erik

Actually, you and James have been much too humble. You should have included at LEAST 1 of your adventures on your lists!

 

[gargoyle2k7]

I guess I'm pretty old school. It was a hard decision, since I do have so many favorites, but my top five would have to be:
Lost Caverns of Tsojcanth
Temple of Elemental Evil
Against the Giants
Gates of Firestorm Peak
Tomb of Horrors