Deciding between Modules. Help? [Archive] - Wizards Community

Deciding between Modules. Help? [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Kavu Monarch
08-20-05, 09:14 PM I have the option of grabbing one of two modules to run with my friends.
Which one should I choose?

Return to the Temple of Elemental Evil?

or

City of the Spider Queen?

Which would you choose and why?

Thank you in advance,

Kavu.
Seeker95
08-21-05, 12:15 AM They both serve as basic dungeon crawls.

I personally like RttToEE more, but that is mostly because it hearkens back to one of my favorite module series of the early days. City of the Spider Queen is good, but I got sick of drow after they dominated the WotC publication and website schedule for nearly a year.
Kavu Monarch
08-21-05, 12:30 AM Thanks for the input. My concern is do I want the PC's to start at 10th and already be into thier Prestige Classes? Or start at 4th, and just be getting ready to go into them?

Kavu.
Draco Strang
08-21-05, 05:25 AM I know from personal experience that CotSQ is a veritable meatgrinder if you're low on healing or your party just doesn't think things through. It's a hell of a good time though!

RttToE is really really long, and I found it harder to make that story line seem interesting and compelling to the characters. Plus, it gets a little repetitive, beating one node andmoving on to the next.

I'd go with CotSQ, but I suppose it really depends on your party's preferences and starting level.
Aphrella
08-21-05, 09:35 AM I've played in RttToEE, and am currently DMing CoSQ -- both can be pretty grinding -- in RttToEE (6-7 PCs) we had a near tpk and numerous kills in a second party - and never ended up finishing it!! CoSQ I'm running with 2 gestault characters built for killing drow and undead (on purpose) and they're breezing through, but if they weren't so focused on that purpose, they'd have been slaughtered by now.... Of the two, I am definitely having more fun in CoSQ :schemes: , but RttToEE was fun while it lasted (well, OK, not there at the end when we gave up, but we'd been playing that campaign for over a year at that point..... :embarrass )
Adlar Hodge
08-21-05, 09:57 AM RttToEE hands down.

Why?
Well for starters you're not primarily underground. That's always a plus. When the PCs are underground they have a pretty good idea (as players) what they might face. If they are above ground they have to take into consideration a lot of things to figure out what they may be facing and it's hard for them to get the edge on the DM that way. :D

Also...if you don't want to start the PCs out at 4th level then try running a few adventures before hand. You could pick up "The Sunless Citadel" and tie it into the RttToEE if you'd like. This adventure can be found at a relatively in expensive price and the PCs should be 3rd level by then. Just place it between Homlet and Verbobonc and you're set.

If you find that them being one level behind is hurting them in combat, just toss in a few more random encounters to help them along.

Have fun.
spoogemonkey
08-22-05, 04:57 PM huh? Not underground? In one of the largest dungeons on record? hahahahahahahaha.....

My vote is for the Spider Queen.... for the same reason. Yes, you are Underground, but not just fighting monsters, but interacting with the inhabitants of an Underground City. Coolness.

But they are both good.... and are old school hack N slashers...
Jack Greylock
08-22-05, 05:54 PM I just finished playing through the Return to the Temple of Elemental Evil, and I am running City of the Spider Queen as an Evil Campaign. Oh and we actually finished RttToEE.
There is good points and bad to both

RttToEE:
Good Points:
- 4th to about 13th going from wimpy to legendary is a great time if you can keep one PC through the whole thing (I did with an Arcane Trickster named Jack Greylock)
- Site based so it is really easy for PC’s to leave and get healing and rest up.
- Large variety of enemy types (lots of Outsiders but also a good mix of others)
- Predominantly a hack and slash dungeon crawl but also the ability to engage in some interesting diplomacy (Internal struggles within the temple are ripe for engaging roleplaying)

Bad Points:
- The story is not really all that engaging
- Basically just a big dungeon crawl
- Players can easily get in way over their heads super fast by skipping whole sections
- Most of the treasure is pretty dull (thank god our DM added a lot of cool **** to this module)
- If I ever see another deck of many things it will be too soon

CotSQ:
Good Points:
- Time based adventure (yep there is a constant countdown and the olonger the players take to get there the harder it will be to defeat the final boss.)
- Because it is a long haul through the Underdark there is a ton of room for the DM to add your own stuff at any point (Players seem tired of wondering through the Underdark, have a powerful creature offer to speed them on their way if they will help him out with a unrelated task on the surface)
- Lots of Enemy types (yes lots of Drow, Undead, and Undead Drow, but also a fun mix of fiends and aberrations)
- High level game allows players to start as the bad mofo they have always wanted to be and become even more of a bad mofo (ever had that uber-character you wanted to play? Then this is the campaign for you)
- Good Story line that is pretty simple to follow.

Bad Points:
- This is one deadly adventure
- PC’s have little time for rest and almost no time for re-supplying.
- Everyone in the party has to find some way to get darkvision

Personally I like City more but that is probably cause I enjoy running a game almost more than I like playing.
Sulaco
08-23-05, 10:01 AM Neither. Instead you should buy The Crystal Skull, a brilliant adventure module written by an incredibly intelligent and talented (not to mention dead-sexy) individual whose name escapes me at the moment...

Barring that of course I'd go with RttToEE, but I'm a fan of classic gaming.
Seeker95
08-23-05, 06:24 PM Because Sulaco forgot to provide the link (http://www.rpgshop.com/product_info.php?products_id=37031&) .

Great adventure. (Although the author is a little full of himself :P ) The best thing about it is the variety of settings in which it occurs. If you're running a "core" campaign, with reasonable stats, the 6-player 8th-level option is best. If you're running a hyped-up campaign, you'll need to beef up some of the encounters, or, as most DMs seem unwilling to do, just play your antagonists with at least a hint of a survival instinct.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Kavu Monarch 08-20-05, 09:14 PM	I have the option of grabbing one of two modules to run with my friends. Which one should I choose? Return to the Temple of Elemental Evil? or City of the Spider Queen? Which would you choose and why? Thank you in advance, Kavu.
Seeker95 08-21-05, 12:15 AM	They both serve as basic dungeon crawls. I personally like RttToEE more, but that is mostly because it hearkens back to one of my favorite module series of the early days. City of the Spider Queen is good, but I got sick of drow after they dominated the WotC publication and website schedule for nearly a year.
Kavu Monarch 08-21-05, 12:30 AM	Thanks for the input. My concern is do I want the PC's to start at 10th and already be into thier Prestige Classes? Or start at 4th, and just be getting ready to go into them? Kavu.
Draco Strang 08-21-05, 05:25 AM	I know from personal experience that CotSQ is a veritable meatgrinder if you're low on healing or your party just doesn't think things through. It's a hell of a good time though! RttToE is really really long, and I found it harder to make that story line seem interesting and compelling to the characters. Plus, it gets a little repetitive, beating one node andmoving on to the next. I'd go with CotSQ, but I suppose it really depends on your party's preferences and starting level.
Aphrella 08-21-05, 09:35 AM	I've played in RttToEE, and am currently DMing CoSQ -- both can be pretty grinding -- in RttToEE (6-7 PCs) we had a near tpk and numerous kills in a second party - and never ended up finishing it!! CoSQ I'm running with 2 gestault characters built for killing drow and undead (on purpose) and they're breezing through, but if they weren't so focused on that purpose, they'd have been slaughtered by now.... Of the two, I am definitely having more fun in CoSQ :schemes: , but RttToEE was fun while it lasted (well, OK, not there at the end when we gave up, but we'd been playing that campaign for over a year at that point..... :embarrass )
Adlar Hodge 08-21-05, 09:57 AM	RttToEE hands down. Why? Well for starters you're not primarily underground. That's always a plus. When the PCs are underground they have a pretty good idea (as players) what they might face. If they are above ground they have to take into consideration a lot of things to figure out what they may be facing and it's hard for them to get the edge on the DM that way. :D Also...if you don't want to start the PCs out at 4th level then try running a few adventures before hand. You could pick up "The Sunless Citadel" and tie it into the RttToEE if you'd like. This adventure can be found at a relatively in expensive price and the PCs should be 3rd level by then. Just place it between Homlet and Verbobonc and you're set. If you find that them being one level behind is hurting them in combat, just toss in a few more random encounters to help them along. Have fun.
spoogemonkey 08-22-05, 04:57 PM	huh? Not underground? In one of the largest dungeons on record? hahahahahahahaha..... My vote is for the Spider Queen.... for the same reason. Yes, you are Underground, but not just fighting monsters, but interacting with the inhabitants of an Underground City. Coolness. But they are both good.... and are old school hack N slashers...
Jack Greylock 08-22-05, 05:54 PM	I just finished playing through the Return to the Temple of Elemental Evil, and I am running City of the Spider Queen as an Evil Campaign. Oh and we actually finished RttToEE. There is good points and bad to both RttToEE: Good Points: - 4th to about 13th going from wimpy to legendary is a great time if you can keep one PC through the whole thing (I did with an Arcane Trickster named Jack Greylock) - Site based so it is really easy for PC’s to leave and get healing and rest up. - Large variety of enemy types (lots of Outsiders but also a good mix of others) - Predominantly a hack and slash dungeon crawl but also the ability to engage in some interesting diplomacy (Internal struggles within the temple are ripe for engaging roleplaying) Bad Points: - The story is not really all that engaging - Basically just a big dungeon crawl - Players can easily get in way over their heads super fast by skipping whole sections - Most of the treasure is pretty dull (thank god our DM added a lot of cool **** to this module) - If I ever see another deck of many things it will be too soon CotSQ: Good Points: - Time based adventure (yep there is a constant countdown and the olonger the players take to get there the harder it will be to defeat the final boss.) - Because it is a long haul through the Underdark there is a ton of room for the DM to add your own stuff at any point (Players seem tired of wondering through the Underdark, have a powerful creature offer to speed them on their way if they will help him out with a unrelated task on the surface) - Lots of Enemy types (yes lots of Drow, Undead, and Undead Drow, but also a fun mix of fiends and aberrations) - High level game allows players to start as the bad mofo they have always wanted to be and become even more of a bad mofo (ever had that uber-character you wanted to play? Then this is the campaign for you) - Good Story line that is pretty simple to follow. Bad Points: - This is one deadly adventure - PC’s have little time for rest and almost no time for re-supplying. - Everyone in the party has to find some way to get darkvision Personally I like City more but that is probably cause I enjoy running a game almost more than I like playing.
Sulaco 08-23-05, 10:01 AM	Neither. Instead you should buy The Crystal Skull, a brilliant adventure module written by an incredibly intelligent and talented (not to mention dead-sexy) individual whose name escapes me at the moment... Barring that of course I'd go with RttToEE, but I'm a fan of classic gaming.
Seeker95 08-23-05, 06:24 PM	Because Sulaco forgot to provide the link (http://www.rpgshop.com/product_info.php?products_id=37031&) . Great adventure. (Although the author is a little full of himself :P ) The best thing about it is the variety of settings in which it occurs. If you're running a "core" campaign, with reasonable stats, the 6-player 8th-level option is best. If you're running a hyped-up campaign, you'll need to beef up some of the encounters, or, as most DMs seem unwilling to do, just play your antagonists with at least a hint of a survival instinct.