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Message: <blockquote data-quote="metaDM" data-source="post: 5157778" data-attributes="member: 87532">I'm going to talk about my experience with WotC publiushed adventures in the first paragraph and my ideas for improving them in the second paragraph. The WotC adventures I have run my players through and read have been lacking. The number one issue I have with them is they quickly devolve into a grind of back to back encounters with little to differentiate between them. When I started a Forgotten Realms campaign soon after the release of 4E, I started running my players through Specter Tower of Spellgard. The adventure started out interesting enough. The players were above ground in the ruins of Spellguard. The interacted with several groups, explored the area and fought off ambushes from kobolds, etc. As soon as the PCs made it to the wall, the game turned into 3 months of back to back lackluster encounters. The adventure was very linear - especially once the PCs reached the Scepter Tower. At the time, I had the distinct impression I was putting my players through a grind - like we were playing WoW or EQ. When my players were about halfway up the tower, I couldn't take it anymore. I just through the adventure in my box in digust and said, "You see the Lady Saharel. She doesn't have much to say. The end." I went home and started writing my first adventure that very night. I read through the other WotC adventures and didn't see much I liked. Thunderspire Labyrinth had some intersting parts though. I like adventures that have more story to them and have surprises and shocking reveals. If the PCs know what is coming next, I'm not doing my job. I think an adventure that shows the types of adventures I like is DCC #53 Sellswords of Punjar. I have a few ideas for improving WotC adventures. First off, the gaming population is mature. I wish WotC adventures dealt with more adult themes. I'm not talking about centerfold handouts, but adult themes - the equivalent of an HBO series - would be greatly appreciated. I'm an adult. I can handle adult themes like torture, rape, homosexual characters and sexuality. Think Dragon Age. We don't see these types of subjects broached due to the terms of the GSL. If a 3PP could have their license revoked at any time, they aren't going to push the boundaries. I'm sure Hasbro has WotC's hands tied behind its back on this one, but you could spin off a new arm (akin to the what Vertigo is to DC comics) and use that to release new creative content. My other idea is to restructure the rules to award more experience for out of combat encounters. Skill challenges were a good start, but they fall short. I don't know any DMs who run SCs as written. The good ones use a more freeform, collective story-telling style. Assume that as the starting point for "Skill Challenges 2.0." Work on some mechanics for rewarding more experience out of combat. Here is a <a href="http://www.metagamemastery.com/2010/01/22/freeform-skill-challenges/" target="_blank">rant</a> about skill challenges on my blog. Combat in 4E just takes too long. So incentivise players to not spend the entire gaming session in combat. That means award more experience out of combat and maybe even award more experience in combat for skill checks, etc. I played with my group every week for ten months -starting at level 1 - and they ended up at level 7.</blockquote>

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