I think published adventures require MORE prep, not less.

[Simon Atavax]

Just my $0.02, of course, but I've come to the conclusion that the idea that published adventures save the DM work is largely a myth. I remember various occasions where I wanted to run adventures that appeared in DUNGEON magazine (and amazing adventures they all were) but I quickly became overwhelmed by the sheer amount of information I had to master. This NPC, that stat block, this map, that room description.

After flipping through Keep on the Shadowfell, that was my same response. Amazing looking adventure, but who's got the time needed to adequately study that book to run it?

Much quicker and easier to whip up my own adventure.

Anyone else find this too? That it's actually *easier* for them to run their own adventure than a prefab?

 

[Walknot]

uh oh. now ya got me worried. my first dm'ing for years is coming up, and it's that one. well, here's hoping all the work will be worth it for the players!

 

[Vayden]

I've never found it to be "easier" to run my own, but it certainly isn't much harder. The main difference for me is inspiration - if I'm in the groove and have good ideas coming, it's easy to run my own - but that doesn't always happen, so when it doesn't it's nice to have a pre-fab on the side just in case.

Edit: PS - you don't have to read the whole pre-fab first - most of them you can actually read through while you run them.

 

[Fenes]

Similar experiences here. It's easier to make up my own adventures than convert existing ones to my playstyle.

 

[ShinHakkaider]

Just my $0.02, of course, but I've come to the conclusion that the idea that published adventures save the DM work is largely a myth. I remember various occasions where I wanted to run adventures that appeared in DUNGEON magazine (and amazing adventures they all were) but I quickly became overwhelmed by the sheer amount of information I had to master. This NPC, that stat block, this map, that room description.

After flipping through Keep on the Shadowfell, that was my same response. Amazing looking adventure, but who's got the time needed to adequately study that book to run it?

Much quicker and easier to whip up my own adventure.

Anyone else find this too? That it's actually *easier* for them to run their own adventure than a prefab?

Nope. If I have to whip up my own adventure than means, I gotta create statblocks from scratch, I gotta draw maps from scratch I have to come up with a plot from scratch.

For me it's easier to build from a pre-existing template than it is to start from scratch.

When I was younger and played more often I had the energy and the patience, now? not so much.

 

[Scribble]

I don't know if I'd call it "harder" to run a premade, but I definitely feel more confident running my own stuff.

KoTS was pretty easy though. It's laid out pretty nicely.

 

[ShinHakkaider]

Edit: PS - you don't have to read the whole pre-fab first - most of them you can actually read through while you run them.

I know that you just said that you don't HAVE to run a pre-fab first, but I couldnt imagine NOT reading it through first before running it.

I tend to read through it a few times to make sure I pretty much have the gist of the adventure and to weed out any possible problem areas / spots. Also for plot heavy stuff like the Paizo adventures I need to familiarize myself with the NPC's and get who they are in my head (or at least on index cards...).


I find that prep goes a long way to having a smoother game, for me.

There are people who can run games off of the cuff with no problem. I can do that, but I was never really comfortable with it and prefer to prep first.

 

[Psion]

I like having stats and maps from published adventures.

But following the story, trying to keep things in order, compensate when things go off track... these are all things I find much easier when I conceived the scenario than when I am playing with someone else's scenario.

 

[Hussar]

I'll admit, I love modules. They've done all the grunt work for you - the maps, stat blocks, and whatnot are right there. All I have to do is run it. Particularly Dungeon adventures which are only a couple of dozen pages at most. Generally, you don't have a huge number of anything to worry about.

Now, the delve format is something I'm still very much on the fence about. Not sure if I like it at all.

But, honestly, I think running modules is a breeze compared to trying to make my own.

 

[El Mahdi]

I don't use pre-maid adventures for the stats or the system it's written for, I use them for the plots. I only buy modules if they have a really good or unique storyline or plot. I will end up doing the same amount of prep for a module as I would for an adventure I made up, but I always find the best plots (much better than my own) in modules. I'm just not as creative as the "pros" when it comes to plot.