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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Belbarrus" data-source="post: 1374397" data-attributes="member: 10962">The main thing that annoys my gaming group are modules that don't make sense and/or greatly lack deatils about the "why" and "how". When modules cause the players to ask questions like:-Why is this dungeon here? Why does it exist in the first place?-Who, short of a demi-god, would have the resources to make a dungeon like this?-Why did the villain do/create [something]?-How could a mortal person even have the means of [doing something]?Basically when modules are written with very little, or no, care for the "how" and "why" things happen. I am not talking about mysterious things, I am talking about answers that should either be "obvious" or the answers should be obtainable through skills or spells that the PCs can use.Also, modules that have sections like, "blah, blah, and nothing will stop this short of a wish." Whenever a module states that an item is immovable, a door is unopenable, something cannot be destroyed/damage, nothing will stop the bad guy from teleporting away and so on and so forth, with no explanation at all as to *why*.These things are especially annoying for the DM, when the players *ask* the questions.Here's an example. A room has a painting in a frame. The module states that "nothing" can harm the painting. The players ask why. The module doesnt say. Is it guarded by a permanent Wall of Force? Is it treated with special chemicals giving it a really high Hardness? Is it protected by god-like magic? The module doesnt say. Then, if a PCtouch the painting some magical effect occurs and Dispel Magic doesnt work on the painting. Well, the players have access to answers using Detect Magic, high Spellcraft skills and Identify and Analyze Dweomer spells. So, what's the deal with the magical effects of this painting? Does it duplicate a spell effect? Is it considered a magical item? Is it a magical trap? Don't know, the module does not say.Another example. The party enters a room and the modules states, "The door will automatically close 3 rounds after the party enters, nothing can keep the door open and nothing short of a wish will open the door." *How* does the door close? Is it a magical or mechanical effect? If its magical, then the Wizard with Permanent Arcane Sight should have noticed the aura. If it's mechanical, couldnt the Rogue have detected it? And what is meant by "nothing short of a wish"? *What* is stopping the Wizard's Knock spell or the Barbarian's brute strength from opening the door? What happens if we disintegrate the door? Can we disintegrate the wall around the door? The module doesnt say.B</blockquote>

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