D&D 5E Is every Official Adventure Going to be about Saving the World?

[Zaran]

I don't know about everyone else but one adventure path is enough about saving the world. Tyranny of Dragons takes PCs from first to 15th level with only one goal: Stopping the Cult of the Dragon from summoning Tiamat.

I seriously hope this is not the case with this next one but it seems like that will be the case with a name like "Princes of the Apocalypse".

Adventure Paths are awesome every once in a while but there needs to be individual adventure stories as well.

 

[Boarstorm]

Since the focus has moved to a couple big multimedia events/stories each year... I suspect that yes, saving the world is the new norm.

As of now, I don't mind it. I suspect in a few years' time it will grate on me.

 

[keterys]

This is the problem with the adventure path format. If you want adventures that take you up to Epic-ish levels, then the stakes are accordingly high.

Hopefully they'll do a low-level only AP at some point. Personally, I think they're the wrong people to be doing _any_ adventure paths, but I guess that bridge is burned.

 

[Henrix]

I've been bored with the theme for a while. It does get boring, it is all so epic and all that.

We do need a Dungeon magazine for variety.

 

[Zaran]

Supposedly there will be an OGL so maybe we can get lots of third party adventures.

 

[Tormyr]

What everyone else has said. I only know a couple of adventure paths, but the ones I do know generally have you going up against a lesser god (Kyuss, Tiamat). Any AP that gets up to levels 15-20 is generally going to be about saving the world, because that is what the focus is at those levels.

Now a question: Is your difficulty with always saving the world or fighting super magical / god-like beings to do it? War of the Burning Sky and Record of Lodoss War are two stories about saving the world, but they are mostly military/diplomatic campaigns (or that is the background/motivation).

*Yes I know there are still magical beings in WotBS.

 

[Astrosicebear]

I imagine when they release the campaign sources with adventure paths, those wont be "end of the world" but more "setting tourguide".

 

[Zaran]

What everyone else has said. I only know a couple of adventure paths, but the ones I do know generally have you going up against a lesser god (Kyuss, Tiamat). Any AP that gets up to levels 15-20 is generally going to be about saving the world, because that is what the focus is at those levels.

Now a question: Is your difficulty with always saving the world or fighting super magical / god-like beings to do it? War of the Burning Sky and Record of Lodoss War are two stories about saving the world, but they are mostly military/diplomatic campaigns (or that is the background/motivation).

*Yes I know there are still magical beings in WotBS.

It's more like "We can't go off on our own adventures because if we do then the Cultists will win" It's a form of railroading and not the good kind. I actually like the Tyranny of Dragons stories but if you think about it, novice adventures turn into epic level champions in a matter of maybe half a year of adventuring. I would much rather an adventure path be way more sandbox and have many side activities or gaps between the main plots where the GM can add in down time and other unrelated adventures.

 

[Lerysh]

Why would you want your heroes doing anything LESS than saving the world? An RPG where you run a bakery would get rather boring.

 

[ExploderWizard]

If the first mega adventure involves saving the world, its kind of hard to lower the stakes for a follow up.

In Tyranny of Dragons your PCs battled a ruthless cult bent on summoning Tiamat to devour the world!

In our next adventure path installment, Eradication of Sweetness, a vicious cartel of humanoids and giants team up to steal and hoard all the candy in the world!!

Yeah, once you lead with save the world, nothing else really has a chance.