Best Adventure Module OF ALL TIME [3.X]

[Morph Bark]

As a DM, I've never run an adventure module.

As a player, I've never played in one.

As a homebrewer, I've always kind of wanted to create one.

So, if I were to DM one, which one would be best to run? As a player, which one would I WANT my DM to run? As a homebrewer, which one would I want to read through to get inspiration from?

[Essence_of_War]

The Red Hand of Doom is widely regarded as being among the best of 3.X published adventure content.

*braces for swordsaged*

[Andorax]

Although 3.0, and having a number of potential problems, I've rarely had as much fun with a grand adventure as I had running Return to the Temple of Elemental Evil. I even helped out, on the forums on Monte Cook's site, with the conversion to 3.5 rules.

If you want to include "OF ALL TIME" into it, I have a definate soft spot for X2 - Castle Amber.

[Pigkappa]

Expedition to Castle Ravenloft is a great 3.5 module, and it's also easy to make it better inserting new ideas since there are lots of ways to place them into it.

[Edit: I've played in a few modules and read significant parts of most famous ones. However, I don't know The red hand of Doom at all, so I can't say EtCR is better than that particular one.]

[Suddo]

Although 3.0, and having a number of potential problems, I've rarely had as much fun with a grand adventure as I had running Return to the Temple of Elemental Evil. I even helped out, on the forums on Monte Cook's site, with the conversion to 3.5 rules.

I've been playing a non-3.X Return to the Temple of Elemental Evil and I don't know if its the flexibility of the DM or the module but I'm having a blast.

Also seconding Red Hand of Doom as a well done module.

For non-3.X the fourthcore stuff is pretty sweet though a completely different style then most. Here's a Link (http://slamdancr.com/wp/hardcore-essentials/). You might have to learn some 4e stuff but not to get the main points of the adventure which is its hard. The podcast series they did was also great.

[Roguenewb]

For both topics: for DMs and Players, I'd recommend the 3 little adventure modules that combine in Eberron to form the Cannith Affair. It starts with the book in the back of ECS, and then something, then Whisper's of the Vampire's Blade, then some third thing I can't remember the name of. They make a nice mixture and play really well.

[Malachei]

If [3.X], The Red Hand of Doom is my favorite.

I'd also name City of the Spider Queen and Expedition to the Ruins of Castle Greyhawk.

Although it is a pretty standard dungeon crawl, I have fond memories of the Forge of Fury.

[Palanan]

I'd definitely agree about Forge of Fury, which was essentially my first 3.5 experience. Excellent for beginners and a ton of fun.

(Especially when a typo led to our 4th-level party taking on a CR 10 monster, which I understand is a common side effect.)

[The Glyphstone]

Imma really happy for you, and imma let you finish, but Red Hand of Doom was the best 3.x adventure module OF ALL TIME.:smallbiggrin:

[AslanCross]

Another vote for Red Hand of Doom here.

Why I like it:

1. Epic story without having to be in the epic levels.
2. A lot of varied environments.
3. Mostly outdoors. I don't really appreciate dungeons.
4. Easily customizable and gives advice.
5. Although it has an overall plot, it doesn't assume the PCs follow exactly one particular form of action. It even gives advice for when the PCs go off the rails.

[Crasical]

Well, my group has just started into it, but-


The Red Hand of Doom is widely regarded as being among the best of 3.X published adventure content.


Another vote for Red Hand of Doom here.


Imma really happy for you, and imma let you finish, but Red Hand of Doom was the best 3.x adventure module OF ALL TIME.:smallbiggrin:


If [3.X], The Red Hand of Doom is my favorite.


Also seconding Red Hand of Doom as a well done module.

... Oh, I can see this has already been covered. Carry on.

[Fooliscious]

I really enjoyed Undermountain, both DM'ing and playing it. There is a lot of room for freedom(most of the dungeon described you never see, but journey near or past) and still a really entertaining story. It even has two Chosen of Mystra in it, and some other colorful characters, so it feels like you are really doing something worldy important. And it's also long! Start at level 1, says to 10, we finished at 11?

Also if you want to continue playing those characters, it plays into City of the Spider Queen very easily with the drow Promenade being nearby. It runs 10-18, and while I still haven't played it, I've read through it enough to know that it will feel pretty epic. If only the lore that happens after these instances wasn't so sad >.>.

[Gwendol]

Currently DM'ing the Forge of Fury, and planning to lead into Sons of Gruumsh. Both look like very well made modules. RHoD is on my list too.

[DigoDragon]

I haven't run Red Hand of Doom yet, but I'm going to second Expedition to Castle Ravenloft as a top-fiver. I'm well into running it currently and my party is having a blast. It's also pretty easy to customize a lot of the encounters to be taylored for your party's challenge needs.

[Saintheart]

Shamelessly not letting Taylor Swift finish with yet another vote for Red Hand of Doom.

On the other hand, I'm probably biased. Check my sig to see why. :D

[Unseenmal]

Ruins of Zhenthil Keep

Wait...I herped when I should have derped...you said 3.X.... :smalltongue:

In that case, I really enjoyed City of the Spider Queen...but I have not played Red Hand of Doom or Expedition to Castle Ravenloft so I cannot comment on that.

[Eldan]

Allow me to go against the grain a bit for a moment and say Desire and the Dead.

What is Desire and the Dead? A slightly messy, unbalanced, open-ended, not always well edited fan adventure with perhaps no real ending, of course!

Also, my favourite adventure.

Of course, I am biased. It is Planewalker's free introduction adventure to Planescape, and I collaborated on writing it a bit. I have run it all the way through twice, once IRL and once on SKype, and have unsuccessfully tried to run it at least half a dozen times more. I pretty much know it by heart by now, and I have problaby come up with alternate plans and solutions for every part of it.

Yet it is lovely. It's a city adventure for levels ~1-4 set in Sigil's Hive. It also features a delightful set of minor NPCs and random encounters, such as a scheming Quasit swashbuckler, a victorian Ettercap surgeon, a Beholder Mafia Don, a street urchin with a white cat who thinks he's a bond villain and, of course, Modron Shakespeare.

[joca4christ]

It may not get much love here, but I definitely think you should look at the Shackled City Adventure Path. Great plot, takes PCs from level 1 to 20. Has all kind of different "dungeons", different planes, urban settings. It's pretty dang cool! Plus, it's so detailed, it even gives you room to sandbox the area if that's what ends up happening.

Seriously...look up Shackled City. It's awesome!

[Fable Wright]

It may not get much love here, but I definitely think you should look at the Shackled City Adventure Path. Great plot, takes PCs from level 1 to 20. Has all kind of different "dungeons", different planes, urban settings. It's pretty dang cool! Plus, it's so detailed, it even gives you room to sandbox the area if that's what ends up happening.

Seriously...look up Shackled City. It's awesome!

The reason why is that Shackled City is an Adventure Path, made up of 11 (12 in the hardcover) individual modules. You could nominate one module for best ever, but they really only shine when all combined into the Adventure Path.