D&D 5E What do you want in a published adventure? / Adventure design best practices?

[Quickleaf]

I think the in-line stats should be more readable. A few lines (depending on column width) are worth the more friendly formatting. Though I still have a hard time thinking that type and alignment should be there, but that is really just my play style.

We have lots of examples of condensed stat blocks from old D&D modules. They win points for being small in BD&D / AD&D, and then for packing in the info in 3e.

For you, what's an example of "more readable" in-line stats? Bonus points if you can share it in your post!

 

[LordEntrails]

We have lots of examples of condensed stat blocks from old D&D modules. They win points for being small in BD&D / AD&D, and then for packing in the info in 3e.

For you, what's an example of "more readable" in-line stats? Bonus points if you can share it in your post!

I was referring to your second example, where the spells are each on their own line. I personally don't have problems reading them in the format I gave (continuous), but I do agree your second format was more readable.

 

[Quickleaf]

OK, I've revised my original post with an update of the various conversations we had over the past months. Here are what folks on ENWorld want in a published adventure...

-----------------------------

OVERLAP

Boxed text, direction-neutral & concise – (8) Lanefan, transtemporal, LordEntrails, Charles Rampant, Schmoe, happy hermit, ArwensDaughter, ad_hoc

Good useful comprehensive maps (before area descriptions) – (6) LordEntrails, ExploderWizard, vincegetorix, Eltab, Jester David, Charles Rampant

What ifs (player actions) & Monster plans/reactions – (6) Lanefan, transtemporal, ExploderWizard, Ibranteloth, ArwensDaughter, Li Shenron

Monsters/NPCs with motivations…and relationships! – (6) robus, ExploderWizard, hastur_nz, Charles Rampant, Ibranteloth, ArwensDaughter

3.5e/4e style full page encounters (segragated monsters, treasure, traps, etc) – (5) shoak1, aco175, Ibranteloth, LordEntrails, ArwensDaughter

Layout that's clear, useful at table, and condenses info while keeping it readable (e.g. 9 pt font, leading 11 pts, diminishing horizontal scale) – (4) Lanefan, steeldragons, hawkeyefan, ratskinner

Clearly connected encounters/plot progression for groups preferring linear narrative – (4) shoak1, LordEntrails, Eltab, LostSoul

1e style abbreviated monster stats in room descriptions – (5) Lanefan, steeldragons, Schmoe, JohnnyP71, LordEntrails

Monster stat appendix in the back (4) – Eltab, Schmoe, happyhermit, LordEntrails

Something different/new (magic item, monster, NPC, trap, spell, etc) (3) – Lanefan, Schmoe, Charles Rampant

Limited Backstory, relevant to players/they can find out – (3) Lanefan, shoak1, Yavathol

Modular bits – (3) Eltab, Jester David, happy hermit

Compiled index of all monsters used in the adventure for DM token/minis prep – (3) css, JohnnyP71, happy hermit

Limited scope, self-contained (3) – LordEntrails, css, Lanefan

Maps (separate/pull-out for DMs & players) – (3) robus, JohnnyP71, Lanefan

Subsystems or rules variants appropriate to adventure – (3) Charles Rampant, Tony Vargas, Lanefan

Event/story development track or flowchart, dynamic story, “if the players do nothing…” – (3) Lanefan, hastur_nz, Tobold

Inventive design & good/imaginative ideas – (2) hastur_nz, Jester David

Ways to limit rests – (2) shoak1, JohnnyP71

Index if needed – (2) LordEntrails, happy hermit

Fun-to-read, flowing writing, non-formulaic – (2) happy hermit, Charles Rampant

Chapters/section playable on their own – (2) Carmen Sbordone, Ibranteloth

Run with no prep – (2) Libramarian, Li Shenron

Printer-friendly / detachable map – (2) ArwensDaughter, Li Shenron

*Readable* in-line monster stats – (2) pogre, LordEntrails

OTHER COMMENTS

Dungeon with multiple ingress/egress points, loops, multiple methods between levels (some which skip levels), secret areas, intentional “holes”, length of stairs noted – Lanefan

No boxed text (esp. not wordy) – robus

Sensible wandering monsters or none – Lanefan

No random monsters – robus

Innovative use of environment – Ath-kethin

Include stuff that breaks rules without explanation, i.e. “the Weird Stuff” – Ath-kethin

Chapter synopses & conclusions – transtemporal

Natural, organic language/description – Luz

Level appropriate encounters & treasure – shoak1

Relationship maps if needed – LordEntrails

“Dungeon dressing” – ExploderWizard

More complex “skill challenges” like UA traps – vincegetorix

PDF reference sheet of rooms – fjw70

Catchy title – ccs

Evocative cover art – css

Use rarely used monsters – css

Printable PDF of maps 1 sq = 1 in – css

Real danger – css

Well-organized room descriptions – Schmoe

Multiple adventure threads, esp. in “setting”-type adventures – Schmoe

Hyperlinking (for PDF/digital adventures) – hawkeyefan

Teach new DMs how to run/design advanced games – Jester David

Introduction providing breakdown of story beats & where to find stuff – Jester David

Town/region for the DM’s further use (e.g. Hommlet or Phandalin) – Charles Rampant

Using PC Backgrounds as hooks – Yavathol

Sandbox with an overarching plot – Inchoroi

Level/level range on cover – Ath-kethin

Plot twists – Yatzromo

Chance of failure, PCs have to earn success – Yatzromo

Intelligent monster strategies – Ibranteloth

Bonus materials online (e.g. printable maps, design/playtest notes) – Ibranteloth

3D dungeons, ideally isometric maps – Ibranteloth

Strong hook, get me interested in first page or two – Zardnaar

Monster/NPC cards – ArwensDaughter

Tips on adjusting adventure for party size/level – ArwensDaughter

No “fill this room with something” blanks – Li Shenron

No new monsters – Li Shenron

“Good” random encounters – ad_hoc

*Compressed* in-line monster stats – Lanefan

 

[robus]

[MENTION=20323]Quickleaf[/MENTION] - not sure this has been mentioned yet, but I'm tired of counting squares to figure out the dimensions of encounter areas. IMHO each encounter area should have its size noted beside it, for example:

The Crypt (rectangular: 30x60 ft - 10 ft ceiling)

The Cistern (circular: 30ft diameter - 20 ft ceiling)

The Warren (irregular: ~40x80 ft - ~15 ft ceiling)

Something like that.

 

[LordEntrails]

[MENTION=20323]Quickleaf[/MENTION] - not sure this has been mentioned yet, but I'm tired of counting squares to figure out the dimensions of encounter areas. IMHO each encounter area should have its size noted beside it, for example:



Something like that.

Wouldn't that be in the boxed text?

*ducks* But yea, I can see the room/area description including the size.

 

[Lanefan]

Wouldn't that be in the boxed text?

You'd think so, wouldn't you? But far too often - particularly in newer-edition adventures - it isn't.

Not a big deal for a 20 x 20 room but when it's 80 x 60 and you have to carefully count to make sure it's not 75 x 55 (bloody tiny 5' squares - hates 'em forever, we does!) it'd sure be nice to have the dimensions included in the text.

Lan-"and it'd be even better if, even just once in a while, the text dimensions agreed with what's shown on the map"-efan

 

[Charles Rampant]

You'd think so, wouldn't you? But far too often - particularly in newer-edition adventures - it isn't.

Not a big deal for a 20 x 20 room but when it's 80 x 60 and you have to carefully count to make sure it's not 75 x 55 (bloody tiny 5' squares - hates 'em forever, we does!) it'd sure be nice to have the dimensions included in the text.

Lan-"and it'd be even better if, even just once in a while, the text dimensions agreed with what's shown on the map"-efan

Yeah, I agree with all of this. It’s happening a lot in Rise of Tiamat right now, and it’s driving me spare. Having to say, “okay… it’s a trapezoid room… uh… 25 feet wide – wait, these are ten feet squares – 50 feet wide...” is not helping my aura of calm omniscience that I aim to cultivate as a DM