D&D General The most played D&D Adventure of all time

[FitzTheRuke]

I'll complicate it a step further: with those big books, it is easy to pick parts out and use seperate from the rest...unlike B2.

Yeah, I really wonder how much that gets done. I KNOW that they are written with that idea as one of their main intents (It's responsible for some of their inconsistencies) but I'm not sure that they are widely used like that. Which is a bit of a shame. It should be massively encouraged.

 

[Parmandur]

Yeah, I really wonder how much that gets done. I KNOW that they are written with that idea as one of their main intents (It's responsible for some of their inconsistencies) but I'm not sure that they are widely used like that. Which is a bit of a shame. It should be massively encouraged.

I mean, I at least can verify that it is pretty easy to seperate pieces out. It is a piece of cake to treat all the 5E hardcovers as anthologies of options, really.

 

[The Soloist]

I'll complicate it a step further: with those big books, it is easy to pick parts out and use seperate from the rest...unlike B2.

I've used the fortified town of B2 in many of my D&D campaigns but never used the actual Caves of Chaos.

 

[MerricB]

I'll complicate it a step further: with those big books, it is easy to pick parts out and use seperate from the rest...unlike B2.

I'd imagine for a lot of people, they only use the Caves of Chaos and not the Keep.

Except of course, for the ONE person who only used the Keep. Thanks, The Soloist!

Cheers,
Merric

 

[FitzTheRuke]

One of the reasons that I'm not 100% sure if I've played B2 or not is this: I DMed a LOT, and though I've played D&D since '86, I didn't start running published adventures (like, at all) until 4e in 2008. I didn't even mine them for pieces! I just made up my own stuff. Now, I run published adventures "by the book" (as much as I'm capable, which is not really that much if I'm honest!)

I honestly think I'd be better off to steal pieces and make shorter games.

 

[Lanefan]

I've used the fortified town of B2 in many of my D&D campaigns but never used the actual Caves of Chaos.

I'm the other way around when it comes to L1 Secret of Bone Hill - I've used the dungeon-y part loads of times but never bothered with the town bits (other than swiping the name).

The one time I ran B2 I modified the heck out of the town but left the caves as they were.

 

[The Soloist]

I'm the other way around when it comes to L1 Secret of Bone Hill - I've used the dungeon-y part loads of times but never bothered with the town bits (other than swiping the name).

L1 was my 'B2'. I preferred Bone Hill as a way to start a campaign. The only part I left out was the temple of the gambling monks.

 

[Lanefan]

L1 was my 'B2'. I preferred Bone Hill as a way to start a campaign. The only part I left out was the temple of the gambling monks.

Bone Hill as written is hella deadly for raw 1st-level types. I'd usually want them to have at least one or two adventures under their belts before hitting that one, just so they've built up a level or two (maybe) and some gear (definitely).

On topic: it's a shame Bone Hill isn't even on the outermost periphery of the "most-played" discussion, as it really is IMO one of the best modules ever in terms of design, (re)playability, variety, and just plain fun.

 

[Parmandur]

One of the reasons that I'm not 100% sure if I've played B2 or not is this: I DMed a LOT, and though I've played D&D since '86, I didn't start running published adventures (like, at all) until 4e in 2008. I didn't even mine them for pieces! I just made up my own stuff. Now, I run published adventures "by the book" (as much as I'm capable, which is not really that much if I'm honest!)

I honestly think I'd be better off to steal pieces and make shorter games.

I was barely aware that pre-written modules existed before 2014, myself.

I think maintaining that "LEGO set" balance is one the big successes of the past decade: it is very possible to run Tomb of Annhilation or Storm King's Thunder by the book, but it is also really easy to pull out the Stone Giant chapter from SKT if it would fit a given campaign, and use the maps and Encounters as needed.

 

[Parmandur]

Bone Hill as written is hella deadly for raw 1st-level types. I'd usually want them to have at least one or two adventures under their belts before hitting that one, just so they've built up a level or two (maybe) and some gear (definitely).

On topic: it's a shame Bone Hill isn't even on the outermost periphery of the "most-played" discussion, as it really is IMO one of the best modules ever in terms of design, (re)playability, variety, and just plain fun.

It always comes up when people start talking about old quality products...but quality is not necessarily correlated with actually getting played, alas.