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Message: <blockquote data-quote="TheAuldGrump" data-source="post: 1357208" data-attributes="member: 6957">Hmmm, in all the time 3.x has been out I have bought a total of six modules.Three were because I wanted to know more about the world. (Witchfire Trilogy)One was because it was free with a purchase. This one - Edge of Dreams - was so well written that I bought two others from the same publisher. (Monkey God Enterprises.) It was well laid out, with the starting reactions for NPCs to the players, original enough that I wouldn't have thought of it myself, and most imprtantly it had a sense of mystery all too often missing from prewritten adventures.All the King's Men was the second purchase from Monkey God, and it will shortly have the distinction of being the only 3e adventure that I have run twice. Again, a sense of mystery, and in this case humor, makes it stand out from the crowd. I was saddened when Monkey God made the announcement that they were no lomger going to produce adventure modules, I have been very satisfied with the ones that I have purchased from them.So, what do I find most important in modules? Detail and flavour for a prewritten world. An original concept. And mystery, in my experience the hardest form of adventure to write. A good layout is key, clear maps and plot points are critical. A nonlinear nature that doesn't try to railroad the PCs. (Something that I hate as a player and a DM both, its just a lazy way to handle things.)Of secondary importance is portability, the Monkey God adventures I can port around, but Witchfire is most firmly rooted in the Iron Kingdoms and does a decent job of showcasing the setting.Things that bring an adventure down are poor maps and unclear descriptions and plot points. (Witchfire has rather poor maps, I had to go through and redraft most of the settings. I mean come on! A gatehouse with no gates?) Railroading the characters, with no provision for them not to follow the plot in a linear fashion. (Again a sticking point with Witchfire.) And ideas that have been done to death. (kick open door, check. Kill monster, check, find treasure, check. Okey dokey, next room...)The Auld Grump</blockquote>

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