Recent WoTC Adventures

[Shroomy]

I remember when WoTC announced that they were getting back into the adventure publishing game (and in a big way judging by the release schedule) people wondered how their efforts would turn out. I believe that Sons of Gruumsh was the first adventure published after that announcement, followed by The Red Hand of Doom , Voyage of the Golden Dragon , Mysteries of the Moonsea , The Twilight Tomb , and Expedition to Castle Ravenloft . I was wondering what people think overall of the WoTC line of adventures and how do they compare to the lines of other companies that publish d20 adventures compatible with D&D, like Goodman's DCC or Necomancer Games (I guess you could throw in Paizo in there too).

 

[Olgar Shiverstone]

While the Eberron adventures have been disappointing (IMO), I think the rest of WOTC's adventures thus far are well designed and executed with great production values. Necromancer, Malhavoc and Paizo produce comparable and occasionally better-designed products, though only Paizo and Malhavoc have met or exceeded WOTC's production values. I don't own any DCC's, so I can't compare there.

 

[Andre]

I only have Twilight Tomb and like it quite a bit. It has an evocative setting, some interesting villains, room for diplomacy, deception, or pure hack and slash. My only gripe is the same one I have with many Dungeon adventures - encounters that can easily result in a TPK if the party is unlucky or makes a mistake. There are some very tough critters in this module, many of which can surprise the party.

Though it's rated for 3rd level characters, I'm not planning to run it until the party is at least 4th level. I don't mind challenging my players, but I don't want them to be wiped out due to one bad round of combat. And for me, it's much easier to beef up an encounter or two, if it's too easy, than to swap out some of the creatures in the module with weaker ones.

Minor spoiler - here are the stated EL's:

Spoiler

EL (Number of encounters)
½ (2)
1 (1)
2 (3)
3 (5)
4 (5)
5 (8)
6 (6)
7 (1)
8 (1)

 

[MerricB]

Hmm...

The four Eberron adventures could be better. They're not bad, but neither are they exceptional. Grasp of the Emerald Claw has a good dungeon section; likewise Shadows of the Last War. Whispers of the Vampire's Blade has some really, really good set pieces, but the forced structure may disaffect players. It did mine.

I haven't run Voyage of the Golden Dragon (I have the others); it's solid without being exceptional.

Sons of Gruumsh is brilliant. It's a really good adventure. I really enjoyed running it.

The Twilight Tomb doesn't grab me as SoG does, but it looks interesting.

Fantastic Locations: Fane of the Drow is solid, although it benefits from DM expansion. It certainly makes use of the maps, and really opens up the combats and makes them more interesting.

The other FL adventures aren't so good, although I like the maps.

Red Hand of Doom is very good. It might be better than that; I'll be running it next year.

I don't own Mysteries of the Moonsea. It has a very unusual structure; I see it more as a sourcebook for building a campaign than a set of fully-fledged adventures.

I can't wait for Expedition to Castle Ravenloft.

Cheers!

 

[Glyfair]

While the Eberron adventures have been disappointing (IMO)...

I mostly agree. They have been very uneven, without a strong entry. There have been some great Eberron adventures. However, they've been in Dragon magazine (I very highly recommend "Chimes at Midnight" and "Steel Shadows").

I'm hoping the forthcoming WotC Eberron adventure Curse of the Dragon's Eye is one of WotC's more recent high quality adventures. One of the authors is Nicolas Logue, who wrote "Chimes at Midnight" (and is working on a sequel for the adventure for Dungeon).

 

[Christian]

I mostly agree. They have been very uneven, without a strong entry. There have been some great Eberron adventures. However, they've been in Dragon magazine (I very highly recommend "Chimes at Midnight" and "Steel Shadows").

Which issues were those in, Glyfair?

 

[Thurbane]

The only one I've had any experience with is Red Hand of Doom...

From a players perspective, this is an instant classic, up there with other "mega-modules" like Temple of Elemental Evil and Egg of the Phoenix.

If the others live up to this quality, I can't wait to try them.

 

[Glyfair]

Which issues were those in, Glyfair?

#115 – “Steel Shadows” by Keith Baker
#133 – "Chimes at Midnight" by Nicholas Logue

 

[Mark CMG]

Of the companies mentioned in this thread and the products they have released, Red Hand of Doom is the only one I have considered running and I am. I picked it up and enjoyed it while reading through it. We're halfway through and it has held up well during play. I recommend it but also recommend that any DM could benefit by having a subscription to Dungeon Magazine.

 

[jollyninja]

I've only run red hand of doom but let me say, i've never owned a better layed out adventure. my players loved it and so did I, and I never run canned adventures. ever. this one just seemed like it might be worth picking up and I am so glad I did. Not since i rode a goat of terror through the duregar marketplace in "the gates of firestorm peak" have I had as much fun. Not that you get to do anything that stupid in RHOD, that was along time ago, but it was the first time in a long time that i really enjoyed a published adventure.