Round Six: Old School Modules... The Last Round!

[Knightfall]

Anything SOLO is specially designed for a single player and might require a lot of work to run for a group.

I know that one of the SOLO adventures gives the PC three NPCs to help him/her through the module (I don't remember which one). Someone pointed this out on one the previous threads so I figured I'd seek opinions about some of the others.

X4 & X5 : Go get these right now. They are so adaptable and full of great stuff, I consider them must-haves.

both modules are getting a lot of votes but I'd be interested in getting a short summary of each before I seriously consider buying them. (Hint. Hint.)

S1-4: I would suggest getting copies of the original individual modules. I have heard that this particular collection leaves out some good stuff from the originals but I have not seen it firsthand.

See, that's what I was wondering. I know that the B1-9 supermodule only has parts of B1 to B9, which makes me less inclined to get it. If S1-4 is the same way then I'm not sure it's worth it. Can anyone tell me what's left out of S1-4 compared to the original modules?

No real strong opinion on the rest. The CM's are are very high level adventures, but I don't recall much about thier adaptability.

I've already heard good things about the Companion Series (CM) but I think it might be tough to track down physical copies beyond what I know Whyte Knight has: CM2, CM5, and CM9.

CM1 Test of the Warlords and CM3 Sabre River are already on my "to get" list. From what others have told me, I know that CM1 is more of a campaign region overview and that the other CM modules are set in campaign region. Regardless, I want Sabre River for sure.

 

[grodog]

X4 and X5 are, hands-down, the best adventures in the lot you selected this time around, Knightfall. They are direct sequels, and are in turn followed by X10 Red Arrow, Black Shield (so they're a module trilogy, although X10 is written by Michael Dobson and not Dave Cook who wrote X4 and X5).

Spoiler

They are all about religious war brewing in the desert, with the PCs attached to the armies defending against the invading nomads. They are the best desert adventures published by TSR, and beat out I9, UK6 (which is, however, also quite good and an underlooked gem IMO), and WGR3. X4 and X5 are well-worth picking up, though not, however, before the individual S1-4 modules.

S1-4 are certainly excellent adventures, but the compilation supermodule is not worth buying if you don't already own S1, S2, S3, and S4 as individual adventures. Spoilers for the adventures follow, just in case:

Spoiler

Portions of the originals are dropped and expanded, specifically levels 2, 5, and 6 of S3, and the entire booklets of new monsters/spells/magic items from S4 (many of which were reproduced in Unearthed Arcana and MM2, but not all by any means); in addition, the color plates from S3's illustration booklet are b&w, and all of the S1 and S3 illustrations and all module maps are smaller than the originals (the original illustration booklets and maps were 8 1/2 x 11 but the new illos booklet is the same size as the other supermodule map booklets; this includes Erol Otus' wonderful map of WPM from S2).

All that said, if you do already own the originals and really like them, there are some additions to the S1-4 compilation, including expanding upon the wilderness encounters for S4 and a handout of the hermit's diary fragment. That said, it is definitely not worth buying this compilation to secure the original contents of the modules, since many key elements are missing.

Hopefully that helps your decision making process.

And, if you do decide to buy S4, you should buy WG4 as well, since they're sister-adventures, so to speak.

 

[Freakohollik]

I'll disagree on X4. I did not like that module very much. You travel across the world going to the location of X5. Along the way you fight some wandering monsters and a lot of bandits. Seriously a lot of bandits. Some of the setups for those fights are kind of interesting, but they don't justify a purchase. Then at the end of the module you end up at a monastery where the players have to figure out that the inhabitants are evil.

 

[jdrakeh]

I voted for X4 which, for me, is the only module on the list that rises to above 'mediocre' status.

 

[Knightfall]

X4 and X5 are, hands-down, the best adventures in the lot you selected this time around, Knightfall. They are direct sequels, and are in turn followed by X10 Red Arrow, Black Shield (so they're a module trilogy, although X10 is written by Michael Dobson and not Dave Cook who wrote X4 and X5).

Hmm, I didn't know that X5 was also a sequel to X4 before X10. That means I'm going to have to seriously consider all three.

I'll disagree on X4. I did not like that module very much. You travel across the world going to the location of X5. Along the way you fight some wandering monsters and a lot of bandits. Seriously a lot of bandits. Some of the setups for those fights are kind of interesting, but they don't justify a purchase. Then at the end of the module you end up at a monastery where the players have to figure out that the inhabitants are evil.

I voted for X4 which, for me, is the only module on the list that rises to above 'mediocre' status.

Thanks for your opinions, guys. I appreciate both of your input.

S1-4 are certainly excellent adventures, but the compilation supermodule is not worth buying if you don't already own S1, S2, S3, and S4 as individual adventures . . .

Hopefully that helps your decision making process.

Thanks for letting me know that. I'm going to have to reconsider my purchasing options. I didn't buy S1 or S4 because I knew S1-4 was available at WK. Hmm... decisions, decisions.

p.s. The spoiler info was especially helpful.

 

[El Mahdi]

I'm well aware of the WotC PDFs available at RPGNow.com; however, I'm not likely to go that route. I'd much rather have the physical product again. PDFs just aren't the same, IMO.

Oh Yeah, I'm with you 100%. I used to have the box also, but it got lost somewhere during my move from Korea back to the States. For as much as I'd probably have to pay to get another one - Nah, too rich for me. However, if I ever really wanted to run the adventure, I wouldn't mind using a .pdf. But I definitely understand that preferences do vary.

When I lived in England there was an awesome little RPG shop where I used to be able to get out of print stuff fairly cheap (I got a near mint AD&D Oriental Adventures hardcover for £20 - about $35 at the time - when they were advertising for about $80-$100 in catalogs and magazines - such as Zochi). I've never come across a game store with those kind of deals since. However, I'll keep my eyes open. If I ever find a Return to the Tomb of Horrors for a decent price, I'll let you know.

 

[Knightfall]

Oh Yeah, I'm with you 100%. I used to have the box also, but it got lost somewhere during my move from Korea back to the States. For as much as I'd probably have to pay to get another one - Nah, too rich for me. However, if I ever really wanted to run the adventure, I wouldn't mind using a .pdf. But I definitely understand that preferences do vary.

When I lived in England there was an awesome little RPG shop where I used to be able to get out of print stuff fairly cheap (I got a near mint AD&D Oriental Adventures hardcover for £20 - about $35 at the time - when they were advertising for about $80-$100 in catalogs and magazines - such as Zochi). I've never come across a game store with those kind of deals since. However, I'll keep my eyes open. If I ever find a Return to the Tomb of Horrors for a decent price, I'll let you know.

Actually, I'm positive that Whyte Knight has a copy of Return to the Tomb of Horrors but I seem to remember it's a bit pricey. Next time I'm there, I'm going to take a closer look at it.

WK has a lot of the old TSR boxed sets (*) but most of them are expensive. They have 4 or 5 copies of Maztica, which I've been considering getting again but it's hard to justify since I have the free PDF version that is on WotC's web site. (FYI... they also have the old D&D Gazetteer Dawn of the Emperors boxed set.)

*Mainly Forgotten Realms, Mystara, and Ravenloft if I'm remembering correctly. I think they might have some of the Dark Sun and Spelljammer boxs, but I'm pretty sure they don't have any of the Planescape ones. I don't look at the boxed sets very often since WK prices them fairly high.

They even have a few of the BECMI boxed sets for about CAN $25 each (or maybe it was $35 ). I'm still holding out for the D&D Rules Cyclopedia, however.

Perhaps I'll put together a list the next time I'm there.

 

[jdrakeh]

Actually, I'm positive that Whyte Knight has a copy of Return to the Tomb of Horrors but I seem to remember it's a bit pricey.

Ha! I just sold a lightly used copy a week or two back for less than $15 US. I paid over $40 for it, IIRC, but have been forced to liquidate portions of my game collection rapidly lately, often for very little money. That was in one of the 'must go' portions (as was an unopened Night Below box set).

I had a few email inquiries about other stuff in my collection but, unfortunately, most of it was already gone by that time. That said, the place that I off-loaded many of those modules to may have them in thier online inventory (which, last I checked, was huge).

[Edit: Nope. I just checked their online inventory and it seems to have gone from several hundred books down to something like 23. It seems like they have done some house cleaning, as well.]

 

[amethal]

I loved X4. I found it really atmospheric, and it was my first introduction to a D&D army (wizard, riding wyverns, wow I never thought of that!)

Its a journey adventure, so those players who seem to think any adventure which involves travelling from A to B is a railroad might not like it.

I wasn't so keen on X5. The society the Master had established seemed a lot less cool than the stuff in X4. In this case the old idea of the journey being more fun than arriving at the destination seems to apply.

X7, War Rafts of Kron, is another great adventure. It gets added cool points in my book for being set in the Minrothad Guilds territory, and for largely taking place on the sea (or under it). Storm giants, mermen on seahorses, the politics of the underwater realm, giant clams, what's not to like!

I'm going from memory here, but I have a feeling that
[sblock]a few failed saving throws against charm, and/or the difficulty of chasing down a vampire in its lair [/sblock]could end up in a TPK in the final encounter.

It suffered from the usual flaw of the X series, which was as a novice 12 year old DM I couldn't make head nor tail of the plot. As I think I may have mentioned in one of your other threads, I have visions of the author of the adventure handing in a wonderful 2 page introduction as part of the module only for it to be cut for space reasons.

 

[Knightfall]

Ha! I just sold a lightly used copy a week or two back for less than $15 US. I paid over $40 for it, IIRC, but have been forced to liquidate portions of my game collection rapidly lately, often for very little money. That was in one of the 'must go' portions (as was an unopened Night Below box set).

Actually, I was mistaken. I thought they had RttToH but it turns out that the box they have is the other TOMES Adventure boxed set -- The Rod of Seven Parts (CAN $60 [US $48.75]).

While I didn't buy that today, I did add to my collection. I had to take some comics down to WK to trade anyway, so I bought three more modules (CAN $27 [US $21.94] including my $5 in trade value for the comics).

• UK1 Beyond the Crystal Cave
• X4 Master of the Desert Nomads
• X5 Temple of Death

I would have bought a fourth module except that I discovered something awesome while looking through the boxed sets!

They had a factory set (used, not new) of the 1993 AD&D trading cards priced for only $10!!! I had to have it even though I'm fairly certain it isn't 100% complete. For 10 bucks, it was worth the risk.