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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Aenghus" data-source="post: 6898855" data-attributes="member: 2656">I use a lot of modules and adventure paths because I find it difficult to come up with adventure concepts myself. However, I like having a framework to work within, and am good at rewriting and editing material which doesn't suit my game. I've got a lot better at improvising in recent years as well, but it's not my strong suit,  I prefer to improvise within a framework so I know where the game is going.Running an adventure path generally requires player buy-in. Adventure paths often have plot holes, failures in logic, misprints, and just sloppy writing. They are often created by multiple people who don't agree with each other on everything and so include contradictions and disagreements. Clues and maps go missing, single points of failure are far too common etc etc.So it's much easier to just get general out-of-character agreement from the players that they are going to play through this adventure path, and accept nudges back to the main plot when they wander off too far.My own referee mantra is "Play to your strengths, downplay your weaknesses". Emphasise the content in your game that you are good at and enjoy yourself, as well as content that you are good at and can appeciate or at least tolerate. Downplay content you don't like or are less good at. If players are demanding content in the latter category, maybe a compromise is possible, or maybe those players would prefer a different game.With adventure paths being uneven, I do major rewrites to customise the path to my own setting and my PCs. Sometimes I leave out an entire adventure or arc that doesn't appeal to me, or harvest it for parts which I drop in elsewhere along the adventure path.Adventure paths are primarily useful for referees and players who are willing to go along with the plot, and not stress test the adventures along the way. Referees who like to improvise wildly and players who like to poke the weak spots in the adventures until they collapse mightn't find adventure paths to be worthwhile. Time management can be a big problem, many adventure paths envisage a headlong rush to the ultimate module, with little time to ponder, research, make magic items, go shopping, have a PC life. This can work well for old-fashioned play which treats the game like a wargame but with simple PC characterisation, but often combines badly when the PCs have more complex personalities, or  personal drives and ambitions which don't align comfortably with the adventure path.</blockquote>

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