Looking for module advice

[Tabbycatt]

I'm looking for help in choosing a module to run for my first time ever DMing. The adventure path d20 series (The Sunless Citadel, etc...) has already been run and so is not an option.

Pretty much anything else is ok, and I am willing to buy a new module at the store. I would like a low level adventure that isn't overly long, one that is fairly easy to run would also be a bonus. Thank you in advance for your help!

 

[johnsemlak]

Possibilities:

• The Crucible of Freya A hard adventure but can be preceded by the free PDF prequal The Wizard's Amulet (available at Necromancer Game's website); The module contains lots of tips for the DMs.
• Death in Freeport (Green Ronin) a good mod set in the pirate/swashbuckling backdrop of Freeport. The recent PDF release is 3.5 compatible.
• Dungeon Crawl CLassics #1: Idyll's of the Rat King: Relatively simple dungeon crawl, based pretty much in one 3-level dungeon
• Of Sound Mind A very popular psionics-based adventure written by Piratecat.
• Dungeon Crawl Classics #2: * Lost Vault of Tsathzar Rho Module by veteran Mike Mearls
• The Lost City of Barakus A Highly rated mega-module from Necromancer Games, compatible for 3.5, for characters 1-5.
• Nemoran's Vault

...also...

Several proven winners from past editions, many of which have conversions to 3rd edition posted online.

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

Return to the Temple of Evil is a fine module- well written, lots of flavor- but only use it if you're planning on DMing for a while. Characters progress from low level to mid levels over the course of the module.

 

[Melan]

If you can still get it, Crucible of Freya may be a good choice. It is short (though easy to expand), 1st level and there is a free web enhancement available for it at Necromancer Games. Be warned, though: it is very deadly by WotC standards.

 

[Eltern]

The real questions are how much you want, exactly. If you're looking to start a campaign with a single module, or get a whole campaign out of a module/series of modules, that's one thing. If you're looking for something smaller, like 4-5 5 hour sessions or less, that's something else Lastly, what levels you looking at? I'd advise you not to start over 10th level, as this is your first time DMing, but if all of you are familiar with the rules you may wish to start higher than 1st (I personally hate levels 1 and 2, but you guys may really dig it ) Also, what ratios of hacking to acting to do you want? Answer all these, and then you'll have three or four options that will be good for you.

My suggestions:
Wizard's Amulet + Crucible Freya is a good 1st/2nd level deal that will last a few sessions. If you want to run it, just pay shipping and I'll mail you mine

If you are unsure of how far you want to go with this (as in single adventure vs campaign) Freeport is a very good option. Death in Freeport (a 1st level adventure) is reputedly stellar, and it has a string of modules following it all the way up to 11thish level. Think it goes Death in Freeport, Terror, Madness, then Black Sails. Note: If you go far with it it's pretty piratey, so if you don't like swashing buckles then it's probably not for you.

Banewarrens (Malhavoc Press) is really, truly awesome, in my opinion. Lots of hacking IF YOU WANT IT, and lots of RPing if you want it (We didn't want the smacking, so we didn't). 6th-10th level, can get it as a PDF. May be difficult for a starting DM, not sure, but it'd probably be better than...

Return to the Temple of Elemental Evil: Everyone else who's reading this is laughing at me, because this things a monster. However, this was MY first time DMing, and it went alright. You want a well-written campaign in a box for 3rd edition, here it is. Of course, I would never have been able to do it if I hadn't had the support of the messageboards on Monte Cook's website, and if I were to do it again I would replace the Crater Ridge Mines with the Banewarrens (yeah, it works, look on the forums ) Again, act or hack, whichever you want, it can be done with this module.

Ah crap...got done writing all that and reread your post. You wanted a low level, not overtly long adventure. Emm...Yeah, Freya or Freeport. Maybe the Shackled City adventures out of Dungeon magazine

Whoops,
Eltern

 

[DragonLancer]

Wizards Amulet/Crucible of Freya from Necromancer Games is my choice for the perfect introductory for both DM's and players.

 

[Maliki]

I found Nemoran's Vault by Fiery Dragon to be a good first adventure. The web sight had a small follow-up adventure and additional campaign info as well. My players had a blast(except when the barbarian killed the innkeeper, but that is another story).

 

[darklight]

My first experience with dm'ing 3e was with the Wizards Amulet/Crucible of Freya combination. It's a nice adventure, with some advice for new dm's, but it can turn into a huge battle with lots of orcs, an ogre, a wizard and a cleric.

It is basically an assault on a semiruined castle. When we played it, the players got lucky and killed one guard without alerting the others, snuck into the chapel where the two leaders were (the wizard and cleric), blocked the door and took them both out. Unfortunately the guard on the roof noticed an sounded the alarm. The pc's used the advantageous position in the defensible chapel and eventually killed the ogre (with the ballista on the roof) and all but three orcs, with no pc dead. I think I might have gone a bit soft on them though. The barbarian did die, because he persued the three fleeing orcs, who turned around and critted him with a greataxe
That battle lasted more than one session! Granted, we were not entirely familiar with the rules (used to play 2e), but still.

What I want to say with all this is: If your players are the 'kick-in-the-door' style, they have a very low chance of success and it can turn into a difficult-to-manage battle. If they are more sneaky, it might work very well. Besides, if you want to expand it a bit, there is a pdf on the Necromancergames site, with additional encounters in the wilderness surrounding the starting village Fairhill.

Other than that, I recommend Of Sound Mind. I haven't actually played it, but it is a wonderful adventure, with some very memorable scenes. It involves psionics, but if you really don't like psionics, there is advice on how to change it into magic. Actually, there is quite a bit of advice on running it.

Three Days to Kill is also a decent lowlevel adventure, short and to the point. It has a very commando raid flavor, even more than Crucible of Freya, if you like that sort of thing it could work very well. The ending might be a bit wacky, especially if the adventure is used as part of a longer campaign.

Whatever you choose, good luck with it and have fun.

darklight

 

[VirgilCaine]

You could use one of the free adventures on the WotC website. I'm partial to The Candlemaker's Fire which is a Cliffhanger, a discontinued format of adventure WotC provided in the past.

 

[trancejeremy]

I think if it's your first time, a dungeon crawl might be a good start. So perhaps sometime from, well, the Dungeon Crawl Classics series by Goodman games, or perhaps some of the Necromancer games modules.