A good introductory module?

[kamikasei]

I'm going to try and get a proper game of pen-and-paper D&D going with some interested friends of mine in the next few weeks. None of us have played the tabletop game before, though most of us have a reasonable bit of experience with various CRPGs. I'm wondering if anyone has a recommendation for a starting module. We're just looking for a reasonable introduction to the game at this stage - something that'll be manageable for novice players (and a novice DM) without being a totally mechanical hack-and-slash dungeon crawl. I've had a look at the free modules on the Wizards' site, and would probably like to use one of those, so my question is which one people think would be best suited. Low-level play for preference, though I might try starting them at level 3 for extra survivability.

Thanks in advance!

[StrongLikeTheHulk]

I've been playing for 17 years, and in all my experience no module ever stands up to a DM grown story. Even if it is ripped off of a movie/tv show/book, if you start the game with your own creation it seems to effect the 'feel' of the campaign. It might just be me. But starting a good D&D campaign is like starting a good book, the first chapter can go very far to drag people in, so make it your own.

If you really need to use a module, I've read the ones on the Wizards site, they are good. Find one that will mesh with the world you wish to enter them into. Be it Eborron, Forgotten Realms, Planescape or homegrown. Just make sure to have them start from first level. It is important your first time through. You want your players to connect with the character most of all, and reminiscing on the time when they were just a farm hand, or a beggar, or whatever, really can make the connection. Have the PC's create a back story. If they don't feel as though the character is 'alive', then it ceases to be a role playing game.

Being a DM isn't easy, but it is fun and takes some thought. But making things easy leads to boredom. Don't be afraid to kill off characters, even at 1st level. Thats when players learn. If you want smart players, make them earn it. If someone becomes angry from having a player killed, then, to be honest, they aren't going to be fun to play with. If you really want to build a game in which the PC's will react properly to your style of DMing, then start that style from the beginning. You said you don't hack and slash, so do small things to set it up so it wont be that way. The first few adventures a player goes on set the tone, not just for the campaign, but it can effect their play style. So set it right, the way you want it. No module will ever set the tone the way you want it. It kinda like a band covering a song. It may sound good, but its not really them.
Don't know if I helped or not, but good luck, and I hope you have fun. ^^

[The Prince of Cats]

Scourge of the Howling Horde is fun and isn't necessarily a pure dungeon-crawl. There are some moments where a little thought will get you through.

Caverns of the Snow Witch is also good but is higher level and quite hack-'n'-slashy.


I've been playing for 17 years, and in all my experience no module ever stands up to a DM grown story.
QFT! I would agree that you should try writing your own story, but read through a few pre-written modules just to get a feel for how it works.

[kamikasei]

Thanks guys, that all sounds like good advice. I do indeed hope to start them off in a homebrew campaign if they want to actually keep playing, but this first session or two I'm treating as a trial run to get a feel for the rules and to help them decide whether they'd want to keep at it. A simple, generic module is therefore adequate, and I'll help them either port over their character or make new ones if they want to keep going with a full campaign.

I'm also thinking of pointing them at the various tutorials and articles on the Wizards' site to help them get started. Are there any there that a player shouldn't read, from the point of view of spoilers or metagaming (though we won't be playing a published campaign setting, so probably not)?

Oh, and for those who've some experience with psionics, is there any difficulty throwing a psionic enemy at a standard fighter-rogue-cleric-wizard party, assuming psionic-magic transparency?

[Ranis]

Though I can't think of it off the top of my head, there is a fantastic one in Dragon Magazine. I have the Dragon Magazine Compendium, if you'd like to PM me I can email it to you or in some other means; there are TONS of adventures in it.

If you're to DMing, do NOT confuse yourself with psionics, and most of all, don't confuse your players with them. That, and psionics are horribly broken past all get out, so I wouldn't include them. Some nice little fiendish rats or orcs, kobolds, goblins and such should be sufficient for a first play; they are standard enemies people can relate to, especially now thanks to Peter Jackson.

[Matthew]

I always enjoy The Burning Plague, which can be downloaded off the Wizards Website.

[Kyrsis]

I never really ran modules myself, except one set. The Eberron ones were a blast for me to run. Not sure if you're looking for campaign specific though...

[Falrin]

When I introduces my last new player, I ran a 'trainign course'.

I stole the idea from the everyday tutorial.

Wake up when serg. start yelling.
Your friend and your bully jump out their beds and rush outside.
You see a newly build course on the training ground.

Climb over the wall and jump from it. |
Jump over the waterbasin. \~~/
Jump into the pit and climb out. |_|
Run up the small ledge, grab the rope -------
and climb over a puddle of mud. / ~~~ \
Jump into the moat and swim to the other side.
Grab your sword and attack the first target, charge the second.
Grab your bow and shoot at 2 targets (small & big)

Of course this is more a small intro than anything else.

You get the round system: Move, Actions, Free action, Full round actions,
You get some skills: Climb, Jump, Balance, Swim.
You get some combat; ranged & melee.

If you make this more lively as a race: better checks = faster, you can have some fun out of it. My guy, and I love that attitude, pushed the bully in the pit when he tries to climb down slowly instead of jumping in.

Get some hidden club swing at them for a Reflex save and a final duel dor initiative & combat.

[kamikasei]

I always enjoy The Burning Plague, which can be downloaded off the Wizards Website.

I think I'll probably try that one, yeah. It looks pretty reasonable, and ties in (at first glance) to some other ideas I'd had for early hooks in a campaign.


Though I can't think of it off the top of my head, there is a fantastic one in Dragon Magazine. I have the Dragon Magazine Compendium, if you'd like to PM me I can email it to you or in some other means; there are TONS of adventures in it.

That would be fantastic - I'll drop you a PM, thanks!


If you're to DMing, do NOT confuse yourself with psionics, and most of all, don't confuse your players with them. That, and psionics are horribly broken past all get out, so I wouldn't include them. Some nice little fiendish rats or orcs, kobolds, goblins and such should be sufficient for a first play; they are standard enemies people can relate to, especially now thanks to Peter Jackson.

Hmm, I don't know. I like the look of psionics, and as something absent from any of the games my players or I have played to date, it'd be a nicely exotic feature. That, and honestly, since the people who say psionics suck or is broken generally haven't played with them that much (because they think they suck or are broken), while those who say they're good and fun and balanced have played with them extensively... I'm inclined to favor the opinions of the pro-psionics crowd. :smallwink:

My real concern isn't whether psionics is hard or broken or whatever, but whether having a psion among the villains (a blue instead of a sorceror as the goblin's caster, say) but no psion among the players would create difficulties.

[Variable Arcana]

Psionics aren't really broken any more than arcane magic -- it's just that you need to understand them to DM them properly, just like arcane magic. That said, not confusing yourself with them when you're just starting out is a good idea. Try sticking to the three core books until you're very comfortable with them, and getting a little bored.

Otherwise you *will* end up with a broken game.

Re: Original Post...

As long as you're treating the module as a dry run -- to get you and your players comfortable with D&D -- or as a short one-shot run, there are lots of great ones. I really liked White Plume Mountain, once upon a time.