If I read "meat grinder" one more time...

[Umbran]

Well, part of the issue is that it's rather difficult to write some other sorts of stories into long modules. In the standard meat grinder, what's going on when is mostly dependant on where you are on the map of a physical location, and that's easy to structure. You get a solid "railroading" effect fro the physical layout of the place.

I mean, imagine a mega-module that's based upon political plots - so much depends on the details of the PC interaction with the NPCs, that you simply cannot predict where things will go in the long term. You'll strain credibility if you try to railroad the PCs in such an adventure, so most of the published matierial will probably be moot very quickly.

 

[ColonelHardisson]

Y'know, someone really should use "Meat Grinder" as the title of a module.

 

[Emiricol]

Okay, I'll be honest, I buy modules but don't run them directly. I stick sections of a dungeon here or there in my campaigns, and use the modules so I don't have to do a lot of work

I ran my PCs through portions of Rappan Athuk on three separate occasions, never as Rappan Athuk. The one I really remember had the PCs teleport to an ancient and long-abandoned Dwarven cemetary from a dead Dwarf empire to recover an artifact crown that was needed to help determine the proper ruler of another, still existing Dwarf realm during a crisis of succession.

Anyway - make up your own and loot the modules for spare parts That's what I do.

 

[Angcuru]

I'm sick of "dungeon crawls" in general. I mean, COME ON! There is more to write about besides smelly underground monster pits.

This is one of the main reasons I made the switch to Midnight and it is the primary reason the Freeport series is so popular.

As a general rule, I shy away from any module with more than a single game session spent underground hacking monsters.

Yeah, I got that stuff out of my system back in 2nd ed. As a player, I try to steer the game away from the dreaded DCs and towards more role-play aspects. I try. As a DM, I don't plan on throwing huge amounts of monsters at the PCs all the time, or stick them in a dungeon, but rather give them a problem that needs solving, and they need to figure out how, when, and where to solve said problem. Could be anything from a missing set of jewelry with a nice fat reward stuck on the end to a desperate attempt to prevent an all-out war with no promise of reward whatsoever, but rather knowing that you just saved thousands, if not millions of lives. Though that tends to bring a bit of fame, fortune, prestige, etc., it's always a long shot, and not the most attractive path to glory.

 

[blackshirt5]

Yeah, I got that stuff out of my system back in 2nd ed. As a player, I try to steer the game away from the dreaded DCs and towards more role-play aspects. I try. As a DM, I don't plan on throwing huge amounts of monsters at the PCs all the time, or stick them in a dungeon, but rather give them a problem that needs solving, and they need to figure out how, when, and where to solve said problem. Could be anything from a missing set of jewelry with a nice fat reward stuck on the end to a desperate attempt to prevent an all-out war with no promise of reward whatsoever, but rather knowing that you just saved thousands, if not millions of lives. Though that tends to bring a bit of fame, fortune, prestige, etc., it's always a long shot, and not the most attractive path to glory.

But, but, but...I LOVE DUNGEON CRAWLS!

Oh fine; if you won't bend on this one Angcuru, then I'm just gonna have to start using more dungeon crawls in MY campaign. Can't wait until you guys split up, I've got some really ingenious ideas for my dungeons.

Seriously though, I don't see anything wrong with a good meatgrinder. I love em, and it's a mark of pride if you can survive with everything intact. I can picture some grizzled old(preferably with missing limbs) adventurers sitting around in Greyhawk:
"Yeah, you kids nowadays have no direction. What we need is another Tomb of Horrors ta thin yer ranks!"

 

[Numion]

I am sick of the meat grinder, PC killer, character destroying modules. I mean there has to be other ways to create enjoyable modules. 1 maybe 2 modules designed to stack PC carcasses like beer cans at a frat party would be fine, but it seems the only large scale modules available. For a community that prides itself on creativity, this sure stinks.

Sure in early 3E it was great to test abilities and certain monsters, but now who cares, I want an indepth adventure with other facets besides deadly battle after deadly battle. If I must, I will put one together and should have enough free time to get it finished in 2020. So be prepared


Does it take away from a rant to end with a smiley?

wuss

 

[Darkness]

Y'know, someone really should use "Meat Grinder" as the title of a module.

"Tomb of Blood" is another good one.

 

[blackshirt5]

"Tomb of Blood" is another good one.

How about "Stick of Pain"?

 

[EOL]

You do realize that - assuming you are a DM - you can alter a module to your liking?

[shamless plug]Or subscribe to DireKobold and we'll do all the modification for you. That way you can make the combats as tough or as easy as you want. If you want it to be a meatgrinder it can be. If you want to de-emphasis the combat we can do that too.[/shamless plug]

Overall I'd have to agree with Corinth the modules that really stand out in my mind are the "meat-grinders", though it can be taken too far. One of my first experiences with D&D was when my Dad volunteered to DM. In his view it was more like chess than an interactive story and losing 50% or more of the time was to be expected (I can't tell you how many times the goblins and the ogre killed me in Keep on the Boderlands.)

 

[Angcuru]

Okay...MAYBE I'll stick in a dungeon crawl, but not a "You go in just because you want to kill monsters and take their stuff." dungeon crawl. Well....maybe YOU like dungeon crawls, but Eleekaie won't take to them very well. You see, Avariel like wide, open spaces, and are prone to claustrophobia. *Nudge Nudge Wink Wink*