Still Searching for "That" System

[Cadence]

I have a nice selection of painted minis and terrain, which can add to the visual and tactile fun.
Probably getting away from these modules that don't inspire me would help, should I decide to run D&D again.

Avoiding things that don't inspire seems really important!!

 

[Tales and Chronicles]

I have a nice selection of painted minis and terrain, which can add to the visual and tactile fun.
Probably getting away from these modules that don't inspire me would help, should I decide to run D&D again.

My best trick for that: take a fantasy videogame you like, plug the general story in your favored D&D setting and voilà.

I've got obscene mileage out of Dragon Age 1, BG 1-2 and Icewind Dale put in table top version. And bonus, most maps are already drawn and filled.

 

[Retreater]

Avoiding things that don't inspire seems really important!!

You'd think so.
It just becomes difficult when you've seen so much over the years that nothing much feels fresh anymore. And it gets more complicated when you try to give your players a vote, and they all want to play something you've already run.
Even the most inspired 3pp stuff I'm seeing for 5e (things like Historica Arcanum) don't seem like I'd want to run them (it's as much of a railroad as Amtrak is).
The other option is I write everything myself - and we've established that I don't understand encounter building well enough to do that.

 

[UngainlyTitan]

I'm saying - for example - if the original encounter is with 4 ogres and 2 wyverns, that would be 6 ogres and 3 wyverns against 6 characters.

OK, 4 ogres and 2 wyverns clock in at 6,400XP which is the base line for a hard encounter for 4 nineth level pcs and the upgrade of 2 ogres and 1 wyvern is enough to take it to 9,600 XP, which is the base for Hard for 6 Level 9 PCs

 

[Cadence]

The other option is I write everything myself - and we've established that I don't understand encounter building well enough to do that.

Maybe the key for you for encounter building - until you get the hang of balancing for that particular system- is to set them up in advance with some triggered events?

Monsters stomping the party? Maybe they decide to take captives, maybe they start celebrating and their cheers bring on something that hunts them as a snack, maybe they start prematurely celebrating and tactically blunder, or maybe if one player goes down they all turn to devour that one and momentarily stand defenseless gorging themselves.

Monsters getting stomped? Maybe one has a one use whistle for reinforcements, maybe one has a potion of <species> heroism that only works for them, or maybe when the initial (incompetent it turns out) leader goes down the one in the back who should be leader steps up and inspires folks.

 

[Cadence]

You'd think so.
It just becomes difficult when you've seen so much over the years that nothing much feels fresh anymore.

Are there any classics from ages ago you like? If playing 4e, the Goodman Games updates seem pretty good. (I'm running B1/B2 and Castle Amber right now). Of course I'm always up for running a new group through B2 (although I changes the map of the area).

And it gets more complicated when you try to give your players a vote, and they all want to play something you've already run.

I'd never offer a choice of module I didn't want to run.

 

[FrogReaver]

You'd think so.
It just becomes difficult when you've seen so much over the years that nothing much feels fresh anymore. And it gets more complicated when you try to give your players a vote, and they all want to play something you've already run.
Even the most inspired 3pp stuff I'm seeing for 5e (things like Historica Arcanum) don't seem like I'd want to run them (it's as much of a railroad as Amtrak is).
The other option is I write everything myself - and we've established that I don't understand encounter building well enough to do that.

If 5e is on the table and your just worried about encounter balance then If you posted the PCs and the proposed encounters here, im sure community would help you tweak them or provide ideas for some interesting ones. Could be a weekly thing. Just make it a +thread and go from there.

 

[Retreater]

My best trick for that: take a fantasy videogame you like, plug the general story in your favored D&D setting and voilà.

I've got obscene mileage out of Dragon Age 1, BG 1-2 and Icewind Dale put in table top version. And bonus, most maps are already drawn and filled.

I'm in a unique situation that I consume very little fantasy media. I don't read fantasy books, watch fantasy movies, or play fantasy video games.
I spend so much time in fantasy D&D that I like my other entertainment more "realistic." So I read detective stories, historical nonfiction, watch documentaries, etc.

 

[Retreater]

Are there any classics from ages ago you like? If playing 4e, the Goodman Games updates seem pretty good. (I'm running B1/B2 and Castle Amber right now). Of course I'm always up for running a new group through B2 (although I changes the map of the area).

I have run a few of the OAR adventures in 5e. Isle of Dread went really well. I haven't thought about converting them to 4e. I wonder how that would work?

I'd never offer a choice of module I didn't want to run.

I guess I keep hoping that one will turn out better than I expected? I'm also aware that I'm jaded, so it takes a lot to impress me.
Even the ones I'm excited to run don't carry the excitement after meeting contact with the players.

 

[payn]

I guess I keep hoping that one will turn out better than I expected? I'm also aware that I'm jaded, so it takes a lot to impress me.
Even the ones I'm excited to run don't carry the excitement after meeting contact with the players.

This is a little different than my perspective. I look at modules/APs as foundation blocks for me to build a really good experience for my group. Not once, ever, have I run one directly from the page. Part of the fun for me is making the adventure my own. If the GM doesnt believe in it, its going to show.