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Message: <blockquote data-quote="the Jester" data-source="post: 9371321" data-attributes="member: 1210">So I have been reading Vecna: Eve of Ruin, and it has made me wonder whether my standards are too high, or whether it (and other 5e adventures) just really has major fundamental flaws. So specifically for Eve of Ruin, I have a number of issues with it. Do these bug other people, or am I just too bristly about this kind of thing in my dotage?1. One of the big picture issues I have is that the adventure's seven-part fetch quest is just too easy. There's no chance of failing to find the pieces of the rod, you get to go straight to each one, this is a damn artifact, and it should never be easy to get one- in my mind. Yeah, I know, there's only so much room in the book; but maybe they tried to cram too much fanservice into too small of an adventure here?2. Speaking of fanservice, how about all those cameos, huh? We get some of the most famous villains from D&D's history- most of whom have basically nothing to do with the actual adventure and are just there as fanservice. Kas, Vecna, Miska- those guys serve important roles in the adventure. Strahd? Acererak? Lord Soth? They are wasted on this one, IMHO. These are top level villains who should be a dominant presence in an adventure, if not the BBEG, not just passing npcs.3. Talking npcs who probably just met you into giving you their best magic items with a simple Persuasion check. That is... not to my taste.4. One of the main conceits of Ravenloft is that it is not easy to leave once you're in there. And yet, in this adventure, it's not just possible, it's easy. That really violates the whole nature of the setting. If you're going to set part of a grand adventure in Ravenloft, you need to play by Ravenloft's rules.5. One of the main conceits of Planescape is that you can't just walk in or out of Sigil, you need to find a portal. And yet, in this adventure, it's not just possible, it's easy- AND you can go, rather conveniently, wherever you might need to go. Again, that violates the very nature of the setting.6. Vecna doesn't even appear in the adventure until the finale.  Not only that, you don't even see any effects of his machinations. You have the Wizards Three telling you how bad he is, but a good adventure should let you get some skin in the game so you actually have reason to hate and fear the BBEG. You should get a chance to at least deal with the aftereffects of his horrible acts, or with his agents, or something.  I've found myself complaining about some fundamental issues in some other adventures- to name the most egregious instance, there is a Fiend that you can get on your side by doing nice things for their lackey, which seems to imply that Fiends have all kinds of compassion and empathy. Which... no, they are literally MADE OF EVIL. So yeah, am I the only one bothered by these things?</blockquote>

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