Planescape modules - which are any good?

[A Passing Maniac]

I'm planning on starting up a new Planescape game this fall. I've run the setting several times before, but for the most part I've made up my own adventures. My previous groups have enjoyed their games, but that's more despite the adventures I've come up with rather than because of them -- I'm just not terribly good at that part of DMing.

I own the modules The Eternal Boundary and Harbinger House, both of which I like and might use for this new game. I've also heard good things about Dead Gods and mixed things about Faction War, but I haven't seen people talk too much about most of the other adventures or anthologies. So I was wondering: which of the published Planescape modules are any good? Are there any stinkers I should definitely avoid? And are there any non-Planescape adventures you think might work well set in or around Sigil?

 

[Dragonbait]

You already have some choice adventures there.

I'd reccomend For Duty and Diety, a FR adventure that takes place in the planes and is designed for Planescape characters, too.

I enjoyed The Great Modron March (which feeds into Dead Gods). The Eternal Boundary was also fun, in my opinion. It's easy for a group to get a TPK because they became too greedy (I'm trying to avoid spoilers here). Doors to the Unknown was particularly popular amongst my players, and will have you set for many sessions since it's 3 (or 4) full adventures in one.

I was told The Deva's Spark is not good. Apparently the PCs are observers at some points while an NPC handles the major situations. I can not personally attest to this, since I have never run it.

Tales from the Infinite Staircase and Well of Worlds have some good scenarios.

I've never run Something Wild or Fires of Dis, so I can not say anything about those two.

I'd reccomend avoiding Faction War until you have run at least one other Planescape campaign. That way, when the Players are familiar and involved with the factions, so when th wars happen they might feel more invested in different factions...
Or they'll hate it because the Factions they grew to love, changed.

 

[kenmarable]

Dead Gods is definitely great, and I've thought Great Modron March is right up there as well, but I've always been partial to modrons in general.

In fact, when I ran Tales of the Infinite Staircase, everyone had a lot of fun with it, and those three adventures would make a great overall campaign with Great Modron March feeding into Dead Gods with Infinite Staircase intermixed.

Given how the massive variety of the possible planar locations is one of Planescape's strong points, those anthology adventures are particularly nice because they hit such a wide variety of locales.

Faction War is a good adventure, but it really changes the balance of power within Sigil, and I think that colors a lot of people's perceptions of it (with good reason). But if you are willing to really dig into the consequences of the war, then it is a nice intense adventure and could cap off early levels in Sigil and transition more out into the planes (which was the initial purpose of the adventure - moving the focus away from just Sigil, but the line got cancelled right after and it looked like nuking the setting before it died).

As for the smaller stand alone adventures, I haven't run any of them, but I remember hearing good things about Doors to the Unknown and some of the ones in Hellbound at least.

 

[Shemeska]

Squaring the Circle which is one of the modules in the Hellbound box set is one of my favorite modules of all time. In fact, it was also the first published module I ever played through from start to finish as a player. If you want to get your PCs into some massive changes on the lower planes, and possibly some major planar politics if you continue past its conclusion and integrate it into a campaign, it is awesome. I <3 Daru Ib Shamiq.

Dead Gods is one of the best D&D modules of all time. Any setting. Any edition. Period. Orcus was never awesome for me prior to this module. And the seeds of the module's plot points are actually hinted at in The Great Modron March and in Doorways to the Unknown.

And while I may be in the minority on this choice, I adored Faction War. It brings to a head a number of plot-lines that were slowly developed over the course of the Planescape product line, and technically it was only the end of what would have been a few meta-plot arcs that ultimately could have restored the factions to power. And the yugoloth's Temple of Eternal Darkness in Sigil and the artifact therein, the Nightmare Shaft, was something I had fun with in my own campaign.

The end of the module itself I don't think closes any doors. Rather it opens up a massive amount of plot hooks. Do any of the mazed Factols escape their prisons? I had that question enter into my second storyhour actually, and Factol Terrance of the Athar showed up (still inside his maze) in my first storyhour/campaign as at once both a tormented figure, and one that had learned a poignant lesson through his imprisonment and came to peace with it. Mazed isn't dead, and people have escaped those mazes before even in canon (Vartus Timlin).

I've never actually run a Planescape campaign set pre-Faction War. But again, I didn't find the setting till it was already out of print, so maybe I'm out of the mainstream on that. I loved it regardless.

 

[TarionzCousin]

I've always thought that it was interesting that the longer adventures for Planescape were much more interesting and fun to play: Tales of the Infinite Staircase, Modron March, Dead Gods.

I've run four PS campaigns and I've never run one of the smaller modules. Nothing grabbed me.

However, let me be the first to mention that you should avoid running

Spoiler

Die Vecna Die!

at all costs.

 

[Shemeska]

However, let me be the first to mention that you should avoid running

Spoiler

Die Vecna Die!

at all costs.

Technically not a Planescape module, product-line-wise. But it took liberties with some major setting assumptions and ideas from more than one setting, to be nice about it.

 

[Zaukrie]

I hope Modron March is good. I just found and bought a copy at half price books today.

 

[I'm A Banana]

In fact, when I ran Tales of the Infinite Staircase, everyone had a lot of fun with it, and those three adventures would make a great overall campaign with Great Modron March feeding into Dead Gods with Infinite Staircase intermixed.

That is a stellar idea. It's going into the cannon for my PS4e Campaign.

 

[kenmarable]

I hope Modron March is good. I just found and bought a copy at half price books today.

Sorry, it sucks. I was just trying to trick people so that you would also be interested in Dragon #354 that deals with some of the consequences of having Orcus bound to the modrons for a while (hint: it ain't good). Got ya!!

Just kidding, and I feel like a sell-out for plugging my own article, but it's one of the only official sources that I know of that really deals with the fall out from Modron March other than "and they all went back to normal, but quieter since we're more interested in formians now".

Either way, I hope you like Modron March. Obviously I enjoyed it and found it very inspiring! Good luck!

 

[kenmarable]

That is a stellar idea. It's going into the cannon for my PS4e Campaign.

I actually had a pretty big 4e Planescape campaign planned out here going across the major adventures, but couldn't get the players interested. Hopefully they'll come around because I'm eager to try some true-to-theme Planescape in 4e.

You'll have to let us know how it all goes!