D&D 5E Published Adventures: Yea or Nay?

[dmccoy1693]

Link to Original Blog Post

Every Wednesday, I sit down at my local game store and play in the Horde of the Dragon Queen (written by Kobold Press). I still find published adventures to be an odd duck with me personally because I got my GMing start with White Wolf games where published adventures were non-existant and generally frowned upon by those that played it. Even after playing D&D 3.5 and Pathfinder for years, it took me quite some time to actually use a published adventure myself. To this day, I still prefer to make my own adventures fully customized for my gaming group. But I am busy so published adventure are a tool that keep in my GMing back pocket now.

This is especially true now that my own company, Jon Brazer Enterprises, has started publishing adventures. Our first one, Reign of Ruin, is being loved by fans of 13th Age far and wide. Currently we are working on the Pathfinder version of this adventure as well as the next title in our Deadly Delves adventures.

But what about D&D 5e? Do you want adventures for 5th edition game? Do you regularly rely on published adventures or do you make your own? Tell us your thoughts in the comments below.

 

[Astrosicebear]

I think the quality of the PFRPG modules has renewed alot of faith that adventure paths/modules can work. The issue was that the official modules by WOTC really were sub-standard for a while. Combined with the plethora of 3.5 books out there, modules were really a tough starter for groups unless it fit a niche.

I would always prefer to do homebrew, but with lack of time, fall back on modules. I, and my players are enjoying the 5E Adventure.

 

[Piratecat]

I always love homebrew, but many of my best ideas—excuse me, "my" best ideas—have been yoinked from published adventures. Taken away from their original framework and fit into my own, I find that I have even more fun with them.

And let's face it, there are some great ideas out there. Everything I know about city design I learned from 1e Waterdeep.

 

[Paraxis]

I run adventures mostly as presented as far as encounters are concerned, I change the fluff up because honestly I only skim it.
One of the key things I look for in a good adventure are nice maps I can import into Roll20 since that is what I run my games on.
Roll20 has it's own market where you can sell your adventures on if you did not know that. Another good thing to look for is interesting things on those maps, good use of terrain, traps, special zones that cause effects and things, nothing worse than a series of 20x20 rooms with orcs guarding pies.

 

[Zaukrie]

I start with published adventures all the time. If they don't exist, I won't play. This is the biggest fail in 5e launch, imo.

 

[mcbobbo]

I like them, and always have. For 5e's staggered release they especially make sense because you don't have all the rules yet. Treasure alotment for example. I also take pride in extending/enhancing/customizing them for my group.

 

[Wolfskin]

I like 'em, though in the past I seldom ran published adventures and just mined them for ideas. Nowadays, free time is scarce, so I'm determined to run them by the book if possible.

 

[Agamon]

Pulling interesting info from adventures is nice, but I would use it as is if it was more something more like Savage Worlds' Plot Point campaigns. Lots of story hooks, a metaplot or two, and the players can go at it however they want. Much more fun for me than being the go-between for a scripted adventure and the players.

 

[diaglo]

I always love homebrew, but many of my best ideas—excuse me, "my" best ideas—have been yoinked from published adventures. Taken away from their original framework and fit into my own, I find that I have even more fun with them.

And let's face it, there are some great ideas out there. Everything I know about city design I learned from ...

Pierre (Peter) Charles L'Enfant

edit: i yoink from all kinds of published material.

 

[Crothian]

In addition to being able to borrow from adventures I like the shared experience. I've had fun talking about adventures with other gamers and what has worked and what didn't.