Best 3.x D&D Modules

[gerunding]

I (a DM of middling experience) am looking to run a 3.5 module/adventure for a 3-4 player group, only one of whom has extensive 3.5 experience.

Dungeon's Top 30 doesn't seem to include many 3.x modules, and I've seen, in these forums, some blanket criticisms leveled at the newer crop of modules--riddled with errors, not fun, etc.

I've already got Expedition to Castle Ravenloft, but I don't think the horror element will really work, and I think they might guess that the BBEG's a vampire....

Do folks have any recommendations? These players would probably enjoy a good story, some classic D&D elements, and a balance of hack'n'slash, but good is good, no matter what flavor.

Oh, and I poked around in these forums for a thread on just this subject, and I'm sure it's out there, but I didn't find it.

Thanks!

[AKA_Bait]

How soon do you need it? Cause we have two that will be awesome... when they are relased... (see sig).

Seriously though, what level is your party? There are a few cheap/free fun ones floating around I might recommend if I knew more.

[kjones]

I would recommend Dungeon Crawl Classics, published by Goodman Games. Simple enough for beginners (especially the lower-level ones, which are I presume what you're looking for), yet they reward planning and thinking things through. Easily modifiable, as they make extensive use of monsters with class levels; to make things harder or easier, just add or subtract levels. They fit well into any ongoing campaign. Most of them have a very "old-school" feel, with quite a bit of hack-and-slash, but there's plenty of room for role-playing and character interactions. Above all, they're FUN to play. I have run #28 Into The Wilds, #43 Curse of the Barrens, and #0 Legends Are Made, Not Born (from which I started an entire campaign) and my players have loved each of them. I think they're mostly still in print, readily available from their website; they usually run about $10.

I've also had good success with the WotC module, The Sunless Citadel, but that's 3.0. Good, but not great; solid and thorough, but nothing terribly new or innovative. It's well-balanced, though, and good for beginners. I've run it twice, and good times were had by all.

If you're looking for something more RP-intensive, and don't mind nautical stuff, Maiden Voyage by Penumbra (I think Amazon has it) has a good deal of character interactions, good NPCs, and a compelling story. The final battle is rather deadly, though, so be careful.

People here will probably recommend A Dark And Stormy Knight, available for free from Wizards' website. It's OK, but Goodman Games stuff is a lot more fun to run and to play IMHO.

[Matthew]

Yeah, Dungeon Crawl Classics are probably your best bet.

[Mr. Friendly]

I think the best 3.X mod I played was Return to the Temple of Elemental Evil. That thing is fraggin' brutal.

For some real fun, convert Temple of Elemental Evil and Lost Shrine of Tharizdun to 3.5, then convert RttToEE to 3.5 (much easier), run them all. :D

[RTGoodman]

Yeah, Goodman Games has a lot of good modules, and they're pretty cheap, too. Also, some of these (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/oa/20030530b) are pretty good (especially "A Dark and Stormy Knight," "Something's Cooking," and "The Ettin's Riddle).

As far as bigger modules, I've played through the first part of "Return to the Temple of Elemental Evil" and enjoyed it, and it's one of the classic 3.x modules (as far as I know).

For newer stuff, check out "Red Hand of Doom" - it's a slightly higher-level adventure (5th-10th or 6th-12th or something like that) but I think it's pretty well-designed (and cool to DM or play).

[expirement10K14]

For starting at level one try The Sunless Citadel (Lvl 1 to about 3-4) or Your could try Expedition to Castle Ravenloft (lvl 6 to about 10), although the later means you may have some deaths, and if the party isn't intelligent, TPK. Sunless Citadel could be hard to find, But Ravenloft is in print still.

[gerunding]

Thanks all!

Never heard of those Dungeon Crawl Classics: they look good.

I was actually hoping to hear which 3.x wotc modules were best, but some of these other sources might be better. And I'll take a look at the Red Hand of Doom.

[Sleet]

If you're willing to try Dragonlance, give Spectre of Sorrows a go. Great story, great roleplaying, great fights.

In the same series, I'd also recommend Price of Courage, but skip Key of Destiny.

[herrhauptmann]

I've played Sunless Citadel a few years ago. It was good for a first adventure, just a bit long and sometimes boring.

Witchfire, which is now collected in one book and updated for 3.5 is frickin awesome.

Return to Temple of Elemental Evil, we ran it 3.0, and discovered that it is near impossible for 4 characters of average ability and average players to run it.

I agree with the otehrs on WOTC's free modules on their site, plus many of those are easy to modify for characters of higher or lower strength.