Classic Adventures - Downloaded from the Wizards Community, all coding removed by Solauren

Classic Adventures

Post/Author/DateTime Post
#1
zombiegleemax
Jun 22, 2004 12:57:28 I'm bumping around between various options for what my next "big campaign" is going to be, and one option that recently sprang up was taking ye olde classics, 1ed and 2ed adventure lines, buying the PDFs, and running them in 3e. Unfourtanetly, as a younger guy I am not very familiar with which of these are of the greatest quality and which are just kind of "there." I'm hoping for a series that that has well-crafted hooks from one module to the next, instead of just "oh, look, a hole! Let's go in!" at the end of the the first and into the second. Some that I seem to have heard pretty consistently are the Slave Lords and Against the Giants/Descent/Drow lines, but I'd like some second opinions. Evidently there was some "BIG MONDO LINE OF DOOM" that went ToEE, Slave Lords, Giants, Descent, Drow Queen. If all of that is actually good stuff, then that sounds like the stuff for me If not... I'm kinda interested in the Vecna-related stuff, myself.

Relating to that, whatever happened to the big conversion library that was once the bread and butter of ENWorld? Did Eric Noah originally envision this site as a repository for conversions of "Old Goodies" to 3e? I see the current one ENWorld sports, but it's kinda small, a good portion of the links are dead, and it just doesn't seem very extensive. I was going to use this as my major tool for converting anything I get, but...yipes, without that maybe I'm biting off more than I can chew

Note: I'm not big on the hacknslash, rather I go for a blend of smack stuff and roleplaying/overarching plots, etc. I'm wary of things like Tomb of Horrors, for example.

I originally posted this on ENWorld, and someone suggested this might be a good place to ask around.

Thanks!
Eltern
#2
zombiegleemax
Jun 22, 2004 17:47:21 Wow!! You're gonna get some opinions here, kiddo! I personally go with the Giants/Drow/Queen of the Demonweb as the most epic... S1 (Tomb of Horrors) as most deadly. If Merric pops by, he'll put in his vote for the Desert Of Desolation series, I'm sure! The Pun Demon
#3
OleOneEye
Jun 22, 2004 17:51:42 Your are not going to find the well crafted hooks between classic adventures that you desire. They were created with the mindset of "this is the state of affairs in this dungeon complex" with the DM / players to develop their reasons for being there. I am currently running the Temple of Elemental Evil, and about the only reason given in the adventure for the characters to be there is that they showed up in town looking for adventure. For some, this lack of hooks is a hindrance, but methinks it is one of the reasons that the classic adventures remain viable today. With but a spark of creativity, there are a myriad of reasons to get PCs from one adventure to the next. Usually, my games involve as much time spent developing these reasons as they do going through the various adventures.
#4
Mortepierre
Jun 23, 2004 1:38:37 I have to disagree a bit here. Sure, if you take the old series (A1 to A4 for instance) module by module, no there aren't a lot of hooks.

However, when TSR published them again as "mega-module" (i.e. Scourge of the Slavelords), they usually gave a reason for the players to actually participate and care about the outcome. Moreover, additional material was usually written to provide a better adventure.

No, it wasn't perfect but it was a step in the right direction.

Personally, my favorite remains GDQ Queen of the Spiders but that's probably because our DM at the time had worked hard to make sure the monsters looked like intelligent beings with their own agenda rather than "treasure hoard" on (multiple) legs :D

As for a conversion library to the old GH modules, have you looked here?
#5
omote
Jun 23, 2004 9:54:11 I personally like the late 2nd edition "super module" called Slavers (obviously based on the earlier Slavleords mods). Quite fun.

Also the reinvent (2nd edition) of the Against the Giants is excellent as well.

................................Omote
FPQ
#6
Elendur
Jun 23, 2004 10:20:26 As far as I can tell(I have Q1-7 and have heard about the A1-4 compiliation), the plot hooks provided stink. Better to make up your own.
I can't offer any direct advice because I love hack and slashing and therefore am loving my B2,A1-4,G1-3,D1-3,Q1 game.
However I believe the hacky/slashy dungeon crawl part is harder to come by than the plot part.
I think any of the classic module series(A,G,T,D,Q,C) has all the crunchy goodness you need. You can then provide any extra story motivation you need.

For example I ran B2 at the beginning of the current campaign. This is one of my all-time favorite modules, but it's basically a bunch of caves with monsters filled in it. I was able to write a one page story that tied everything together and provided a fitting climax at the end of the adventure.
#7
zombiegleemax
Jun 24, 2004 2:21:49 So it looks like some options I have are GDQ, Desert of Desolation, the megamodule for Slavers, and the Night Below. None of these apparently fit together well, level wise (old Slavers could fit into GDQ, but not the megamodule, which is more sensical, plotwise). I've been able to find conversions for Desert and Slavers, but does anyone here know of 3e/3.5e conversions for GDQ or the Night Below?

Mortepierre- That conversion database appears to be a bit of a shell of its former self. It's got the Slavers on there, which is good, but the Giant modules only have the first two, not in whatever conjunction with GDQ it may have needed, and apparently may not have made sure that the levels of the encounters overall fit with each other (the range of ELs is kinda large)

Thanks!
Eltern
#8
zombiegleemax
Jun 25, 2004 15:38:54 I am running Temple of Elemental Evil as well but I also have a 1st edition mod. called Ghost Tower of Inverness I'm still looking for a 3.5 convertion but from what I have read it looks like allot fof fun
#9
Mortepierre
Jun 26, 2004 1:32:19
Originally posted by Eltern
I've been able to find conversions for Desert and Slavers, but does anyone here know of 3e/3.5e conversions for GDQ or the Night Below?

Mortepierre- That conversion database appears to be a bit of a shell of its former self. It's got the Slavers on there, which is good, but the Giant modules only have the first two, not in whatever conjunction with GDQ it may have needed, and apparently may not have made sure that the levels of the encounters overall fit with each other (the range of ELs is kinda large)

Well, I know the first book of Night Below was converted to 3E and posted on ENWorld *goes to look*

Weird, I just checked and it doesn't appear anymore

EDIT: found it! It's here

EDIT bis: What the..!?! All those links are disabled?!

However, all is not lost. There is a (very good) Story Hour about Night Below posted by Seravin. He was kind enough to provide me with the (updated to 3.5E) book 3. He had lost his notes about the (converted) book 2 so couldn't help me there but I am working on my own version.

If you like, I could email you the files about Book 1 and 3 ? (warning: that's a combined total over 1 Mb of .doc files)
#10
zombiegleemax
Jun 26, 2004 2:15:07
Weird, I just checked and it doesn't appear anymore
...
If you like, I could email you the files about Book 1 and 3 ? (warning: that's a combined total over 1 Mb of .doc files) [/b]

See what I mean? WotC changed their conversion policy, evidently, so many of the things that appeared there were now a bit "too comprehensive" and were taken down.

However, I would indeed like those two sets of conversion notes, file size is not an issue. My email address is on my profile/email-button-at-bottom-of-post. Thanks!

The hardest part about these conversions, I think, is determining what the range of levels really is. Where you should start, where you will probably end. I'm thinking of U1-3 and then the expanded Slave Lords megmodule, but I don't think they'll match up levels wise. Might stick Desert of Desolation in the middle, but it'd probably be a squeeze, right?
#11
Mortepierre
Jun 26, 2004 3:10:19
Originally posted by Eltern
However, I would indeed like those two sets of conversion notes, file size is not an issue. My email address is on my profile/email-button-at-bottom-of-post. Thanks!

The hardest part about these conversions, I think, is determining what the range of levels really is. Where you should start, where you will probably end. I'm thinking of U1-3 and then the expanded Slave Lords megmodule, but I don't think they'll match up levels wise. Might stick Desert of Desolation in the middle, but it'd probably be a squeeze, right?

Files sent

U1 to 3, if updated to 3.5E, should allow players to go from lvl 1 to lvl 7 (perhaps 8 or 9 if random encounters are numerous and they insist on killing anything on sight)

Desert of Desolation should take them up a few levels (probably up to 11-12) but the setting is going to be hard to "plug in" after they finish U3. Recommend either the Sea of Dust, or the Bright Desert.

Slave Lords megamodule could actually be run in-between the two as they end up not too far from the Wild Coast in U3. Indeed, if you place Desert of Desolation in the Bright Desert, Slave Lords would be the perfect way to go from one to the other.
#12
zombiegleemax
Jun 26, 2004 14:06:35 The Slave Lord conversion I have is scaled for a starting party of 7th level, so looks like I shouldn't need an interim adventure. Hmm, and after slave lords, maybe GDQ :D

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 zombiegleemax Jun 22, 2004 12:57:28	I'm bumping around between various options for what my next "big campaign" is going to be, and one option that recently sprang up was taking ye olde classics, 1ed and 2ed adventure lines, buying the PDFs, and running them in 3e. Unfourtanetly, as a younger guy I am not very familiar with which of these are of the greatest quality and which are just kind of "there." I'm hoping for a series that that has well-crafted hooks from one module to the next, instead of just "oh, look, a hole! Let's go in!" at the end of the the first and into the second. Some that I seem to have heard pretty consistently are the Slave Lords and Against the Giants/Descent/Drow lines, but I'd like some second opinions. Evidently there was some "BIG MONDO LINE OF DOOM" that went ToEE, Slave Lords, Giants, Descent, Drow Queen. If all of that is actually good stuff, then that sounds like the stuff for me If not... I'm kinda interested in the Vecna-related stuff, myself. Relating to that, whatever happened to the big conversion library that was once the bread and butter of ENWorld? Did Eric Noah originally envision this site as a repository for conversions of "Old Goodies" to 3e? I see the current one ENWorld sports, but it's kinda small, a good portion of the links are dead, and it just doesn't seem very extensive. I was going to use this as my major tool for converting anything I get, but...yipes, without that maybe I'm biting off more than I can chew Note: I'm not big on the hacknslash, rather I go for a blend of smack stuff and roleplaying/overarching plots, etc. I'm wary of things like Tomb of Horrors, for example. I originally posted this on ENWorld, and someone suggested this might be a good place to ask around. Thanks! Eltern
#2 zombiegleemax Jun 22, 2004 17:47:21	Wow!! You're gonna get some opinions here, kiddo! I personally go with the Giants/Drow/Queen of the Demonweb as the most epic... S1 (Tomb of Horrors) as most deadly. If Merric pops by, he'll put in his vote for the Desert Of Desolation series, I'm sure! The Pun Demon
#3 OleOneEye Jun 22, 2004 17:51:42	Your are not going to find the well crafted hooks between classic adventures that you desire. They were created with the mindset of "this is the state of affairs in this dungeon complex" with the DM / players to develop their reasons for being there. I am currently running the Temple of Elemental Evil, and about the only reason given in the adventure for the characters to be there is that they showed up in town looking for adventure. For some, this lack of hooks is a hindrance, but methinks it is one of the reasons that the classic adventures remain viable today. With but a spark of creativity, there are a myriad of reasons to get PCs from one adventure to the next. Usually, my games involve as much time spent developing these reasons as they do going through the various adventures.
#4 Mortepierre Jun 23, 2004 1:38:37	I have to disagree a bit here. Sure, if you take the old series (A1 to A4 for instance) module by module, no there aren't a lot of hooks. However, when TSR published them again as "mega-module" (i.e. Scourge of the Slavelords), they usually gave a reason for the players to actually participate and care about the outcome. Moreover, additional material was usually written to provide a better adventure. No, it wasn't perfect but it was a step in the right direction. Personally, my favorite remains GDQ Queen of the Spiders but that's probably because our DM at the time had worked hard to make sure the monsters looked like intelligent beings with their own agenda rather than "treasure hoard" on (multiple) legs :D As for a conversion library to the old GH modules, have you looked here?
#5 omote Jun 23, 2004 9:54:11	I personally like the late 2nd edition "super module" called Slavers (obviously based on the earlier Slavleords mods). Quite fun. Also the reinvent (2nd edition) of the Against the Giants is excellent as well. ................................Omote FPQ
#6 Elendur Jun 23, 2004 10:20:26	As far as I can tell(I have Q1-7 and have heard about the A1-4 compiliation), the plot hooks provided stink. Better to make up your own. I can't offer any direct advice because I love hack and slashing and therefore am loving my B2,A1-4,G1-3,D1-3,Q1 game. However I believe the hacky/slashy dungeon crawl part is harder to come by than the plot part. I think any of the classic module series(A,G,T,D,Q,C) has all the crunchy goodness you need. You can then provide any extra story motivation you need. For example I ran B2 at the beginning of the current campaign. This is one of my all-time favorite modules, but it's basically a bunch of caves with monsters filled in it. I was able to write a one page story that tied everything together and provided a fitting climax at the end of the adventure.
#7 zombiegleemax Jun 24, 2004 2:21:49	So it looks like some options I have are GDQ, Desert of Desolation, the megamodule for Slavers, and the Night Below. None of these apparently fit together well, level wise (old Slavers could fit into GDQ, but not the megamodule, which is more sensical, plotwise). I've been able to find conversions for Desert and Slavers, but does anyone here know of 3e/3.5e conversions for GDQ or the Night Below? Mortepierre- That conversion database appears to be a bit of a shell of its former self. It's got the Slavers on there, which is good, but the Giant modules only have the first two, not in whatever conjunction with GDQ it may have needed, and apparently may not have made sure that the levels of the encounters overall fit with each other (the range of ELs is kinda large) Thanks! Eltern
#8 zombiegleemax Jun 25, 2004 15:38:54	I am running Temple of Elemental Evil as well but I also have a 1st edition mod. called Ghost Tower of Inverness I'm still looking for a 3.5 convertion but from what I have read it looks like allot fof fun
#9 Mortepierre Jun 26, 2004 1:32:19	Originally posted by Eltern I've been able to find conversions for Desert and Slavers, but does anyone here know of 3e/3.5e conversions for GDQ or the Night Below? Mortepierre- That conversion database appears to be a bit of a shell of its former self. It's got the Slavers on there, which is good, but the Giant modules only have the first two, not in whatever conjunction with GDQ it may have needed, and apparently may not have made sure that the levels of the encounters overall fit with each other (the range of ELs is kinda large) Well, I know the first book of Night Below was converted to 3E and posted on ENWorld goes to look Weird, I just checked and it doesn't appear anymore EDIT: found it! It's here EDIT bis: What the..!?! All those links are disabled?! However, all is not lost. There is a (very good) Story Hour about Night Below posted by Seravin. He was kind enough to provide me with the (updated to 3.5E) book 3. He had lost his notes about the (converted) book 2 so couldn't help me there but I am working on my own version. If you like, I could email you the files about Book 1 and 3 ? (warning: that's a combined total over 1 Mb of .doc files)
#10 zombiegleemax Jun 26, 2004 2:15:07	Weird, I just checked and it doesn't appear anymore ... If you like, I could email you the files about Book 1 and 3 ? (warning: that's a combined total over 1 Mb of .doc files) [/b] See what I mean? WotC changed their conversion policy, evidently, so many of the things that appeared there were now a bit "too comprehensive" and were taken down. However, I would indeed like those two sets of conversion notes, file size is not an issue. My email address is on my profile/email-button-at-bottom-of-post. Thanks! The hardest part about these conversions, I think, is determining what the range of levels really is. Where you should start, where you will probably end. I'm thinking of U1-3 and then the expanded Slave Lords megmodule, but I don't think they'll match up levels wise. Might stick Desert of Desolation in the middle, but it'd probably be a squeeze, right?
#11 Mortepierre Jun 26, 2004 3:10:19	Originally posted by Eltern However, I would indeed like those two sets of conversion notes, file size is not an issue. My email address is on my profile/email-button-at-bottom-of-post. Thanks! The hardest part about these conversions, I think, is determining what the range of levels really is. Where you should start, where you will probably end. I'm thinking of U1-3 and then the expanded Slave Lords megmodule, but I don't think they'll match up levels wise. Might stick Desert of Desolation in the middle, but it'd probably be a squeeze, right? Files sent U1 to 3, if updated to 3.5E, should allow players to go from lvl 1 to lvl 7 (perhaps 8 or 9 if random encounters are numerous and they insist on killing anything on sight) Desert of Desolation should take them up a few levels (probably up to 11-12) but the setting is going to be hard to "plug in" after they finish U3. Recommend either the Sea of Dust, or the Bright Desert. Slave Lords megamodule could actually be run in-between the two as they end up not too far from the Wild Coast in U3. Indeed, if you place Desert of Desolation in the Bright Desert, Slave Lords would be the perfect way to go from one to the other.
#12 zombiegleemax Jun 26, 2004 14:06:35	The Slave Lord conversion I have is scaled for a starting party of 7th level, so looks like I shouldn't need an interim adventure. Hmm, and after slave lords, maybe GDQ :D