Looking for Lower Level Modules

[MaxKaladin]

I suppose the title says it all. I'm looking for some good lower level modules.

The situation is this. I'm playing in a group that has just finished Sunless Citadel. We didn't care for it. The DM was great, but the module seemed to leave a lot to be desired. The mission seemed to be nothing more than an excuse for a dungeon crawl and couldn't be accomplished. Our DM tells us that the people we were trying to rescue were already beyond hope before we arrived. The map was like a throwback to the 70s and early 80s with a semi-random, senseless layout. Our DM tells us before she modified the map in a few places it was worse. Likewise, the monsters seemed to be way too tough for a 1st-3rd level party, except perhaps a powergamed party with good stats and lots of min-maxing done to it. That's not our party. We survived, but I suspect that has as much to do with really smart tactics and most of us being 20+ year veterans of the game. Also, there seemed to be limited opportunities for role playing other than Meepo and the Kobolds. Overall, it just wasn't a satisfying module. Our DM did a great job, but the module itself seemed to need so much modification that she may as well have made her own adventure.

Anyway, we're getting ready to do Forge of Fury and she says it's about the same so I'm soliciting advice about modules that we can use either in place of FoF or after it that are better. We're looking for more logical design, more roleplaying and a design that doesn't assume min-maxed characters. I'm especially curious about how the Freeport series would fit.

Thanks.

 

[Crothian]

Well, those modules don't assume min maxed characters or anything close to it.

Ya, go with the Freeport ones, they are of a different style to some degree and are not as much of a dungeon crawl. But you also might be better eserved with not using modules. Have the DM come up with her own adventures.

 

[Damon Griffin]

Re: Lower level modules (SPOILER for Sunless Citadel)

Well, those modules don't assume min maxed characters or anything close to it.

It's just that we spent about 2 hours of each game day moving through the citadel, and 22 hours recovering hit points and spells after a few encounters. We got the crap kicked out of us pretty badly; no one died, but the regular whuppings we took kept us from making good progress through the citadel. (I guess that didn't matter to the adventure's author, since the DM notes specified there was no way to accomplish the purported mission anyway: "success" is defined as finding two members of the lost adventuring party you're trying to rescue already dead, and your party killing the other two.)

Have the DM come up with her own adventures.

The DM in question (my wife) doesn't have the time to do her own just now, she's just filling in for our regular DM, who we overworked and who needed a break to be a player for a bit. She said she'd do modules, but that's all. I'm afraid if the modules are going to be this much work for her, we're about to run our last one in Forge of Fury.

 

[Crothian]

The DM in question (my wife) doesn't have the time to do her own just now, she's just filling in for our regular DM, who we overworked and who needed a break to be a player for a bit. She said she'd do modules, but that's all. I'm afraid if the modules are going to be this much work for her, we're about to run our last one in Forge of Fury.

If you didn't like Sc you won't like FoF, just place it on the self and find something else.

Of Sound Mind is a very good module, though it is for first level characters. It has a very clever plot and story line to it.

Dungeon Crawl Classi11: Dragonfiend Pact is for second level characters and it is also a nice, short module. It is also only 2 dollars so can't go wrong with that price.

3 Days to Kill is a another different sort of module for low level characters. It has a very nice opening with a festival and fun to be had there.

 

[MaxKaladin]

As Damon said, the DM just doesn't have the time. I can sympathize as I'm the overworked DM he mentioned.

If it helps, we've been playing 3.0 rather than 3.5 because that's what Sunless Citadel was written for.

(I can't believe people aren't arguing back and forth over the virtues of their favorite modules... )

 

[S'mon]

3 Days to Kill is a another different sort of module for low level characters. It has a very nice opening with a festival and fun to be had there.

I recently bought the Penumbra Classic Play set which bundles Three Days to Kill (level 1-3), Maiden Voyage (level 1-3), In the Belly of the Beast (level 2-4), and The Tide of Years (level 4-6). If you & your GM hated the 3e dungeoncrawl style I'd highly recommend this collection, they're much more on the roleplay & atmosphere side, and the stats are low enough they're actually playable at the low end of the listed levels by a non-powergame group (don't try that w WoTC or Necromancer!).

 

[DarrenGMiller]

(I guess that didn't matter to the adventure's author, since the DM notes specified there was no way to accomplish the purported mission anyway: "success" is defined as finding two members of the lost adventuring party you're trying to rescue already dead, and your party killing the other two.)

Since they had been irrevocably corrupted, killing them becomes the victory of sorts. You did FIND them. At any rate, that combat becomes important later in the adventure path (Heart of Nightfang Spire).

DM

 

[Olgar Shiverstone]

I love Forge of Fury -- there is a certain sense to it, though in the end it is a classic-type dungeon crawl. It's all in how the DM handles it, though.

If you're open to something a bit bigger, might I suggest Lost City of Barakus or The Grey Citadel? Dungeon magazine has a lot of options, too -- if you want to really dig in, start on of the two Adventure Path series of adventures. Shakled City is best with a medium sized group, so the few levels your characters have gained from Sunless Citadel will be a bonus.

 

[scadgrad]

@Max,

Overworked DM is what drove me to our current C&C Meets 3.X game. After a year of constant play, we've never looked back. A bit tangental in terms of advice I know, but it might make your Wife's job mucho easier. I'll happily send you our 2 page houserule pdf if you wish.

Either way, I think you'd find that the WotC Adv path gets better and interrelates more as you proceed. Personally I thought Sunless Citadel was OK, but really enjoyed the challenge that Forge of Fury provided my group. My only prob w/ that mod was that the climax was pretty lame by the time my PCs got there. Still, if it's roleplaying and NPC interraction you're looking for, you'll not get much until the wonderully weird, but flawed Speaker in Dreams and the exceptional Standing Stone. For what it's worth, if y'all think you took a beating from Sunless Citadel, don't even consider Heart of Nightfang Spire. That is one of the most difficult mods I've ever encountered.

I'd say take a good look at the Freeport series. It's very, very good imo and has far more RPing opportunities, a cool story, and much less dungeon crawling.

 

[haiiro]

If you have access to a good stash of Dungeon back issues, you might try using my index of 3.0 & 3.5e Dungeon adventures to narrow things down. It can be filtered by several criteria, one of which is level.