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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Guest&nbsp; 85555" data-source="post: 5676587">I understand where you are coming from, but I think modules can play a role in improving GM skills (just like the DMG can play a role in improving GM skills, in teaching a GM how to GM). It is part of a comprehensive process that usually involves learning from other GMs or learning through trial and error (I know some great GMs that just kind of learned by doing).  In my own case I can definitely think of a few modules that showed me what an adventure can do. One that really changed my view of GMing is Feast of Goblyns. It definitely had some issues and did things that I would avoid, but there were some great lessons in the role of NPCs in an adventure and how to use a domain as a setting. As a GM I always looked at modules as a widow into how other GMs approach things and how they think creatively. Rarely did I ever run one straight through (I ran about 8 modules from beginning to end, the rest I used for ideas).  I do think, however, that modules are imperfect teaching tools. The nature of what a module is, often means a fair amount of railroading and not enough customization. But you can pick up a lot of tricks and approaches reading modules. You just don't want to do it divorced from the practice of GMing. There are for sure things that look good on paper but just don't work when you try them.</blockquote>