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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Zinovia" data-source="post: 5184670" data-attributes="member: 57373">I think that most of us will concede that Keep on the Shadowfell suffers from a number of flaws, and could stand to be improved.  The flaws are inherent to the module, not the entire system.  There is not enough in the way of suggestions for what to do with a group that likes to negotiate their way through everything.  All too often NPCs and plot devices that should become important later in the adventure are dropped, leaving the players to wonder, "What was that all about?".  NPCs are always carrying incriminating notes in their pockets.  Settings are often bland and poorly described.  There are too many combats that are far too similar to each other in any given mod.  Yup, we know there are things that desperately need improvement, but expanded stat blocks are not the solution.I feel the stat blocks contain a decent amount of information, and they are well suited to combat encounters.  The issue I have with many modules is the lack of description, including description of monsters and NPCs.  I would like for the  Monster Manual to include a bit more written information in some of the entries, especially size (it may be Medium, but is it 4 feet high, or 8?  The illustrations are nice as far as they go, but it still is useful to know just a little more.  Some entries have this info, but many do not.In modules space is at a premium.  We don't need great detail about run of the mill baddies, unless they only appear to be ordinary, but are concealing some deep and plot-relevant secret.  It also doesn't do much good to have reams of backstory on the BBEG if the players have no means of discovering that information.  The idea of NPC roleplaying blocks is a good one, giving us one concise summary of how to RP this character.  As it stands, much of the NPC motivation, description, and other info is hidden in various interlude encounters where the group is apparently wandering the town, interrogating everyone who might have a gold exclamation point over their heads.  Suggestions for how to use some of the NPCs might also be useful; several of those in Thunderspire were interesting, but unclear on exactly what they were intended for, such as Surina.  If the group listens to her too early on, they end up trying to tackle something a bit too hard for them, and bypassing the plot train of the very linear main story. A note in the Tactics section about how baddies will react if they lose morale, or are interrogated would be useful.It isn't the stat blocks or the idea that most enemies live only five rounds that is the issue.  That is probably true for most of them.  The issue is that in order to make the encounters against the big villains truly memorable, it has to become personal for the PCs.  They need to hate the BBEG and fervently work to bring them down.  Once you can achieve that, the group will go through hell  or high water to reach the BBEG and foil their wicked plans.  Without a personal motivation, it is difficult to make the party care one way or the other-  they are just going through the motions.  In  most of the modules I have seen lately the BBEG doesn't encounter the PCs at all until the bitter end.  The description and motivations of the BBEG are often not communicated well to the players, appearing only in the DM background info.  This is the problem that makes WotC modules play like a series of D&D minis battles rather than an RPG.  There are too many fights with not enough reason to care about any of them.</blockquote>

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