How much of published modules do you change?

[kaomera]

I've been going over the DCC 35A adventure, "Halls of the Minotaur", preparing to eventually run it. Now, I haven't used a published module in a long, long time (*cough* more than twenty years *cough*)... I was surprised to find that, reading through the module, on nearly every page I found multiple things that I'm at least tempted to change. I was expecting to find at least some things I'd want to tinker with, and in fact I really didn't think I would end up running the module exactly as written. (And I still think it's a great module and it is certainly a lot less work to make these changes than it would be to develop the whole thing from scratch.) But I'm kind of surprised at just how much about the module I think I'm going to end up changing, based on both my own personal preferences as a DM and what I know of my players' styles.

So, when you run a published module (or an adventure from Dungeon or elsewhere), how much (if any) changes do you tend to make?

 

[Crothian]

It depends on the module and how the campaign is going. First thing I look to change is what gets the players to start the module. I usually change this becasue I like to have a good reason for the players to do the module. Key NPCs in the module I sometimes swipe out and use previosly used NPCs to give the module more continuity with my campaign. The encounters can be changed if there is something that doesn';t fit the campaign world or if an encounter just makes no sense. And then lastly I may change the over all plot of the module but that is rarely done as I try to choose modules whose plots fit what I am doing.

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

I just recently completed running another DCC module, the Dragonfiend Pact (an Ennie award winner, if I recall correctly) in my Midwood campaign. (It'll be chapter five of the story hour, if someone bumps this thread later, when the story hour reaches that point.)

And while I love the module, I changed a lot of things:

1. I moved the setting to Praemal, the world of Ptolus, and changed the gods mentioned in the module (all of whom are important in the adventure) to world-specific ones. (Lothian and Kran, for the Ptolusites out there.)

2. I changed the race of the thief, because I'm a big fan of the type of monster mentioned as it's statted up in Ravenloft, and inserted the Ravenloft version into the adventure. (This was a cosmetic change; I didn't change the statistics.)

3. I changed the tactics of the BBEG at the end because they were, frankly, a little weak, especially for someone of the BBEG's experience and wisdom.

I'd do the same for pretty much every module, if not more.

 

[Cyberia]

That depends on the module... at the very least, I change the necessary details I need to make it fit into the Dragonlance world that I run.

Often I do change the starting hook, to be something more character specific (like an old friend in need; or part of a longer character quest find/restore/destroy <item>).

I also usually add an encounter/scene that's character specific... a clue/foreshadowing to the next adventure or to a long term character goal.

That's the bare minimum... other times, I've pulled out 25-30% of the module because I didn't feel like it really advanced the story and only severed as filler, ditched useless NPCs, and redid the final encounter based on what I wanted to emphasis in the module.

 

[Psion]

So, when you run a published module (or an adventure from Dungeon or elsewhere), how much (if any) changes do you tend to make?

Sometimes I steal the maps and stat blocks (if that), and junk everything else.

At the very least, I find I generally have to substitute names for NPCs, deities, nations, etc., for those that are in my game.

Often I retool the plot, insert new motivations or bridges, or whatnot, to make it fit my world and the circumstances.

I am about to run mad gods key, but I need the players to contact the temple first (replaced with my own deity vice Boccob, naturally) before they get involved in the plot. So I'll be adding an additional encounter in which the NPC priest can related a vision to the players that gets them involved in the adventure.

In the old Rod of Seven parts, I ripped out the dungeon chapter and grafted in the end of the 2nd book and the 3rd book of Night Below, a different adventure.

 

[Sound of Azure]

I tend to go in with a wrecking crew and refurbish most modules to taste (whether mine or the group's).

A lot of the time it is to reflect the campaign world and history, accounting for the abilities of the PCs and lack of particular races or classes (and the inclusion of others).

Like Psion, I lift a lot of maps and NPCs from modules and dungeons and make strange grotesque monstrosities (hopefully) better than the sum of the parts I use.

 

[jdrakeh]

It depends on the module and how the campaign is going.

That's the ticket.

Often I alter a module to make sense for the setting in which the campaign that I'm running takes place. Many modules assume a generic D&D setting which, more often than not, isn't a good description of the setting that I'm using (I tend to avoid the "everything and the kitchen sink" approach to fantasy that many D&D settings assume by default).

If using a module in a campaign that has been running for a while, I tend to use my own existing NPCs in place of those provided with the module. I find that this maintains the campaign continuity better than simply dropping in the NPCs provided with the module (characters who have, until such time as the module is used, not existed in the game world).

Finally, I tend to ignore the introductions to many modules, as they often assume aimlessly wandering heroes. I try to tie the adventure into the existing campaign rather than (again) simply dropping it in. This comes back to uninterrupted continuity.

Sometimes, when I'm really feeling adventerous, I use D&D adventure modules with other systems -- which means that I ignore all of the stat blocks for creatures and NPCs.

 

[DragonLancer]

I don't actually change all that much. Never felt the need to. The only times that I do is when the module is built for a specific setting like FR, Ravenloft or Scarred Lands.

For the OP, out of curiosity, what did you change in that module?

 

[Grymar]

I've used exactly one adventure in my campaign and as a matter of fact we are half way through it right now. Chimes at Midnight (Dungeon #133). I had to up the level of the main npcs because the party is at a higher level than the adventure was designed for. At the same time I went ahead and tweaked the npcs (the gargoyle Scrimshaw has levels in assassin now, for instance) and I am changing a few other things to slow the party down. Overall, I'm using probably 70% official material and 30% of mine to put it all together.

 

[diaglo]

i convert it to OD&D(1974).

and then make changes as necessary for the campaign.

so... i end up rewriting the whole thing basically. plot, characters, locations, key points, items, etc...

about the only things i keep are the names.