I typically don't like videos with a negative focus, but I like how you've sumarized these adventures and think your assessment of them is fair. I also like how you add suggestions for improving the adventures even if some of them would require more work than others.
The biggest problem with bad modules is actually good modules. You can run Eye of Traldar for first level, or you've got a dozen other better 1st level modules that are good right out of the box. Quagmire and Savage Coast are for levels 4 and up and require a ton of work to be coherent, compared to Isle of Dread which is great right from the start. It boils down to how much do you want to play a module most people have never played, but then you fall into the question is it not played because its obscure like Night's Dark Terror or because it's just bad?
@@Mr_Welch I realize that this comment is like 5 years late, but since the video got recommended to me and I have Thoughts, I figured I'd comment anyway. :) Eye of Traldar: I think it is a very interesting location, but it is hampered by the fact that it is geared to such low levels. Running this more as a Level 3 adventure before the party takes on Night's Dark Terror (they are headed to the Lake of Dreams anyway, so why not?) or the Isle of Dread would make it better. The downside of introducing the big bads is that it does mess with the conceit in the adventure that the local commander wants to keep things hush-hush, in order to not look like an incompetent, which actually makes him incompetent. Granted, rewriting it more as stealth mission where you simply cannot engage the enemy out in the open without getting found out, or doing it at night and no one wishes to wake the Baron up on the off-chance that it is just orcs getting a bit rowdy, that could work. Having the big bads put in a short cameo at the start or towards the end could work too, as well as make the PCs sweat a bit. I do think this is one of the more salvageable adventures, as it rewards PCs thinking outside of the box and thinking tactically, rather than just barge in and kill everyone. Journey to the Rock: I took your advice and put the paths together, although I remixed and modified them a bit to fit Karameikos better, as well as spread them out over a larger geographical area. Also, I made it into a prequel to B10, having Tuma be the undead-infested ruins of a Hutaakan-ruled Traldar city, with the Rock as a Hutaakan Egyptian-themed temple. The PCs have just reached Tuma, so we'll see. So far so good. Quagmire: As for this one, I think I already commented extensively in your recent video specifically on Quagmire. In short, I think that they ran out of time and space, and focused way too much on getting to the Quagmire, while the focus should have been more on the escort mission. Scale is also way off, and as you pointed out in your other video, the lack of underwater rules was a big minus, too.
Agree with all these (so glad someone is finally calling out Endless Stair), although I always hear that Caldwell is as fun to actually play as it is bad to read
Castle Caldwell was first module I played and DMed. It is a good module to begin to learn the basics of the game. And I have such a warm spot in my heart for it. I will always love the module. And will Dm it again for either new players or rerun it with old friends. Lol. I can help it. I feel like a teenager again when I see this module.
Journey to the Rock was a fun one. i used it as a side quest. the group i used it for was going on an overland trip and needed to have some encounters. i dont use the majority of modules as written. i will pull maps, encounters, npc's, ect. to fill in my world more.
Great list, and yeah I have a love hate relationship with Quest for the Heartstone xD, it was the first module I ever owned as a kid and ran it many times.... I enjoy it once you get to the actual castle in the mountains... but leading up to it.. keep your hands inside and don't feed the animals on the ride!
With Ed Greenwood, I notice that his setting writing skill does not carry over to his other works. I tried reading his Elminster novels, but it was so awful I couldn't finish the first book. Then you describe the Endless Stair as being atrocious. Just because he's good at one thing doesn't mean he's good at everything.
Totally agree with you. I think the guy has an astonishing imagination and the capacity to bloat you with info... but that's just his top habilities. He needs a game designers and editors to clean up his rants behind as hell. Because he surely does not know how to create enjoyable things for players "to play" or fantasy histories "to read", he just railroads you over His Fantasy Imaginary World
I think I might be able to throw something together, if I was able to start making books for the line I'd like to update all the gazetteers to 1005, eradicating the WOTI timeline at the same time.
Are the tanked from best to worst. If so I would argue X6:Quagmire deserves to at least be at the to ie least worst. I think X6 is the most fixable module on this list as its just empty and to be honest I personally like it because of that about it, you can add what you want to it. Its the X series version of B1: In Search of The Unknown.
Did....did you take your nephew to a Judas Priest concert? Is that the trauma you speak of? ;) I'm beginning to wonder where I'm going to go for my rundown-of-an-entire setting fix.
I've actually run Castle Caldwell for kids. As far as modules designed for children go, it's pretty good.
I typically don't like videos with a negative focus, but I like how you've sumarized these adventures and think your assessment of them is fair. I also like how you add suggestions for improving the adventures even if some of them would require more work than others.
The biggest problem with bad modules is actually good modules. You can run Eye of Traldar for first level, or you've got a dozen other better 1st level modules that are good right out of the box. Quagmire and Savage Coast are for levels 4 and up and require a ton of work to be coherent, compared to Isle of Dread which is great right from the start. It boils down to how much do you want to play a module most people have never played, but then you fall into the question is it not played because its obscure like Night's Dark Terror or because it's just bad?
@@Mr_Welch I realize that this comment is like 5 years late, but since the video got recommended to me and I have Thoughts, I figured I'd comment anyway. :)
Eye of Traldar: I think it is a very interesting location, but it is hampered by the fact that it is geared to such low levels. Running this more as a Level 3 adventure before the party takes on Night's Dark Terror (they are headed to the Lake of Dreams anyway, so why not?) or the Isle of Dread would make it better. The downside of introducing the big bads is that it does mess with the conceit in the adventure that the local commander wants to keep things hush-hush, in order to not look like an incompetent, which actually makes him incompetent. Granted, rewriting it more as stealth mission where you simply cannot engage the enemy out in the open without getting found out, or doing it at night and no one wishes to wake the Baron up on the off-chance that it is just orcs getting a bit rowdy, that could work. Having the big bads put in a short cameo at the start or towards the end could work too, as well as make the PCs sweat a bit. I do think this is one of the more salvageable adventures, as it rewards PCs thinking outside of the box and thinking tactically, rather than just barge in and kill everyone.
Journey to the Rock: I took your advice and put the paths together, although I remixed and modified them a bit to fit Karameikos better, as well as spread them out over a larger geographical area. Also, I made it into a prequel to B10, having Tuma be the undead-infested ruins of a Hutaakan-ruled Traldar city, with the Rock as a Hutaakan Egyptian-themed temple. The PCs have just reached Tuma, so we'll see. So far so good.
Quagmire: As for this one, I think I already commented extensively in your recent video specifically on Quagmire. In short, I think that they ran out of time and space, and focused way too much on getting to the Quagmire, while the focus should have been more on the escort mission. Scale is also way off, and as you pointed out in your other video, the lack of underwater rules was a big minus, too.
Agree with all these (so glad someone is finally calling out Endless Stair), although I always hear that Caldwell is as fun to actually play as it is bad to read
Castle Caldwell was first module I played and DMed. It is a good module to begin to learn the basics of the game. And I have such a warm spot in my heart for it. I will always love the module. And will Dm it again for either new players or rerun it with old friends. Lol. I can help it. I feel like a teenager again when I see this module.
War rafts of Kron is awesome! The power spike with the Velya really had my players shitting their pants.
Journey to the Rock was a fun one. i used it as a side quest. the group i used it for was going on an overland trip and needed to have some encounters.
i dont use the majority of modules as written. i will pull maps, encounters, npc's, ect. to fill in my world more.
Great list, and yeah I have a love hate relationship with Quest for the Heartstone xD, it was the first module I ever owned as a kid and ran it many times.... I enjoy it once you get to the actual castle in the mountains... but leading up to it.. keep your hands inside and don't feed the animals on the ride!
Twilight Calling's best feature is the cool cover.
Coy & Vance Duke
The true horrir
Thanks for sharing .
With Ed Greenwood, I notice that his setting writing skill does not carry over to his other works. I tried reading his Elminster novels, but it was so awful I couldn't finish the first book. Then you describe the Endless Stair as being atrocious. Just because he's good at one thing doesn't mean he's good at everything.
Totally agree with you. I think the guy has an astonishing imagination and the capacity to bloat you with info... but that's just his top habilities. He needs a game designers and editors to clean up his rants behind as hell.
Because he surely does not know how to create enjoyable things for players "to play" or fantasy histories "to read", he just railroads you over His Fantasy Imaginary World
Could we maybe get a vid on any future projects you have considered for Mystara, other than the book you're working on now
I think I might be able to throw something together, if I was able to start making books for the line I'd like to update all the gazetteers to 1005, eradicating the WOTI timeline at the same time.
Are the tanked from best to worst. If so I would argue X6:Quagmire deserves to at least be at the to ie least worst. I think X6 is the most fixable module on this list as its just empty and to be honest I personally like it because of that about it, you can add what you want to it. Its the X series version of B1: In Search of The Unknown.
Did....did you take your nephew to a Judas Priest concert? Is that the trauma you speak of? ;)
I'm beginning to wonder where I'm going to go for my rundown-of-an-entire setting fix.
Quest for the Heartstone has got to be worst modules ever for D&D ! :-]
lefties represent
This video is kinda like an infomercial on why you shouldn’t play Becmi