Why don't you buy modules?

[Kahuna Burger]

I generally do not buy modules because I feel I can write better stories and plots. (I know that sounds elitist and somewhat arrogant but, hey, you asked for reasons.) If I can write something more interesting, it's not worth $20 to buy something that'll give three sessions worth of plot.

I will download free modules and use them for kitbashing/villains/maps/etc., but free is different from paying.

if its arrogent, I'm right there with you... I'd go one stepfurther and say I don't like linear adventures, so even if the ideas and plot was better than what I can come up with on my own, I'm going to have to put so much effort into expanding the options to allow the kind of game I run, it wouldn't be worth it.

Its possible that some "modules" would fit my play style, but really by that point they are small campaign settings. And campaign settings are something I like to buy a lot, but they seem to be more expensive....

kahuna Burger

 

[Belen]

I buy them when I can find them. Most game stores do not seem to carry them and while the web is great, it is hard to actually hear anything about them.

I tend to stick with companies I know prodice modules and try to order them when I hear about them.

 

[Davelozzi]

I mostly buy adventures when I'm first getting used to a new rules set or starting a new campaign. Once the campaign gets going, momentum usually carries me far enough that I'm less likely to use anything whole cloth, although I still might steal ideas and other goodies from published materials. Also, if I buy a new campaign setting, I'm fairly likely to pick up the first published module supporting it, to get a feel for how the setting should run (or at least how the designers think it should run).

I prefer softbound modules of 32-48 pages. Megamodules are too big, I don't want my whole campaign planned out, and I don't need five levels of dungeon or more in a single adventure. I still might buy (and borrow parts of) a big module if its diverse enough, like Necromancer's The Grey Citadel, with it's mix of urban mystery, wilderness and dungeon. But I'm not likely to be picking up another megamodule along the lines of Return to the Temple of Elemental Evil that's 90% dungeon.

As for details on my module buying habits, I picked up all of the original WotC adventure path modules. Of them, I think Sunless Citadel and Forge of Fury are by far the best, and are great examples of generic modules that are easy to fit into a campaign or use to kick one off. A few others are okay, but most of them are pretty poor.

A couple years ago, I was picking up most of the Necromancer and Fiery Dragon modules that were coming out. I stopped buying Fiery Dragon when they stopped making them. As for Necromancer, I still think their the best comapny out there for adventures, but I've slowed to only buying one or two a year since they switched to the big module format.

I also subscribe to Dungeon, although I was getting more use out of it a few years ago. The adventures in it just aren't hooking me lately. I feel like the quality has gone down but to be fair it may be just that I have more than what I need so I'm not as hungry for new stuff.

 

[EPRock]

New Modules are not worth buying

Many 3e or 3.5e modules out there did not follow the rules of Dungeons and dragons. They do not make full use of the existing rules either.

Here are some samples that my friends have purchased that just do not follow the rules of the game.

Prisoners of the Maze (Series)
Rappan Athuk (Series)

Do not get me wrong, these adventures were fun to play, but considering that it took my friend approximately 48 hours to convert the first Rappan Athuk book into some semblence of following the rules of DND.

People are very lazy when it comes to creating modules. (This door cannot be opened by anything less than a wish...)

When you are playing with inventive characters, or characters who use skill points to gain knowledges etc.. they should be able to use them in some situations, these modules do not have that often.

I converted a 1e module "dungeonland" into a 13th level 3.5 module in approximately the same time, including most of the checks to determine things that are happening, reasons for the characters to be stuck there etc...

The Prisoners of the Maze series had not the most ingenious intro either. It was around two pages long and very boring. It could have been written differently and would have made much more sense (especially for a good party).

The intro could have been an actual combat with the Wizard and some of his cronies. Would have worked much better.

The free simple adventures released by Wizards of the Coast are actually pretty good.

 

[Henry]

Henry, have you checked out any of my books? I think they're right up your alley, along with the ones from Necromancer Games and Goodman Games, but in a different way.

I just took a look at your site, and just got a cold chill up my back.

I'll take a closer look.

 

[Ed Cha]

I just took a look at your site, and just got a cold chill up my back.

I'll take a closer look.

PM me and I'll send you one of the books.

 

[Mystery Man]

I buy modules that are as open ended and easily adaptable as possible, so really only a couple each year. I don't mind the mega-module, actually I would prefer it because I can pick and choose and cut and rearrange from more material.

I like dungeon mag for the ideas that it can generate.

 

[Cthulhu's Librarian]

I buy lots of modules, mostly because I love to read them. I am not currently running a game and haven't for a while, but the more I read, the more I want to run some of the modules I have, either as one shots or in a campaign. Even if I was running a game, I don't have alot of free time to develope everything on my own, although I do have a notebook full of ideas, some large and some small.

As for my favorite module publishers, I look for those that have a feel similar to the 1ed and Basic adventures I grew up playing. I buy everything that Necromancer puts out, and haven't been disappointed yet (aside from the Maze series which I skipped). After that, I really like Goodman Games, and was very impressed with Hamlet of Thumble from Open World Press. All of these have the "feel" that I look for. I have also liked some of the adventures that Fiery Dragon put out. Of Sound Mind was great, and I'm not just brown nosing Piratecat when I say that. If I do start a campaign, thats the adventure I plan on using to kick things off. I also like some of what Malhavoc has put out. I liked the Freeport series from Green Ronin, but doubt that I would run it, although some elements of the series appeal to the Lovecraft fan in me.

 

[Voadam]

I haven't DM'd in a while so I've not been buying modules lately, just sourcebooks.

However, when I was DMing I used modules all the time. I had almost all of the Ravenloft series for example and used most of them.

I liked huge collections of short adventures such as the lairs series from previous editions or the 3e book of challenges or the 4 in one Kalamar module Harvest of Darkness. I like single adventures of short to medium length (the last module I bought was the pdf of Penumbra's Ebon Mirror) and I like huge mega modules (the last physical module I bought was Return to the Temple of Elemental Evil).

I ran the original Temple of Elemental Evil and the Slavers modules as well as short ones from a number of sources.

Currently I'm playing in an upgraded Heart of Nightfang Spire adventure after we did a homebrew one after completing the Banewarrens.

Of course everything gets modified to fit the campaigns we play in.

 

[Emiricol]

I buy them sometimes, if the idea jumps out at me, and if the plot is easy to morph into something that works for me. Anything specific to The World of Blahblahblah probably won't work for me.

I mostly loot modules for the levels so I don't have to build them myself (time is scarce), and tweak them to fit my world/plot.