Topic: Best Plug and Play Adventures?

[Tywyll]

So ICE has a history of producing pretty incredible modules. The wealth of detail and information is really beyond just about every other company, before or since.

However, I have always found them lacking in one significant aspect, and that's 'pick up and play'. Unlike, say, D&D adventures, these modules are really more for campaign guides or sandbox settings, which is great if you want that sort of thing. But very few of them have what I consider to be easily accessible adventures in them (something I can just throw into a campaign or for a one-shot or whatever).

I have a lot of the MERP and Shadowworld modules. While I know a few of them have like troll caves or evil mage lord towers, none have a good full on dungeon crawl or elaborated political/mystery adventure.

Can anyone recommend some good pick up and play adventures from any source? I'm not playing in either MERP or Shadowworld (Dark Space to be specific), so the setting is not that important to me. I don't mind if its in one of the original modules (maybe I've missed or don't have) or another source.

Thanks!

[Majyk]

Ruins of Undermountain.
I remember it took awhile to power through all the conversions for Monstah stats, but once done, you can run the PCs through it without "much" thought.

Even Better :
Take a look at old TSR Dungeon Magazines in your FLGS/Online - I became a huge fan of the mags back in the day as it would start off as whatever adventure it was, but end up having a chance of turning into more!

[Tywyll]

Ruins of Undermountain.
I remember it took awhile to power through all the conversions for Monstah stats, but once done, you can run the PCs through it without "much" thought.

Even Better :
Take a look at old TSR Dungeon Magazines in your FLGS/Online - I became a huge fan of the mags back in the day as it would start off as whatever adventure it was, but end up having a chance of turning into more!

I have tons of old TSR and newer OSR modules I could convert. I was hoping there would be some out there already, either by ICE, the Guild, or fans though.

[Hurin]

I think the old Shadow World 'Tales of the Loremasters' modules were designed to fill that need. They have what I think is ICE's closest equivalent of a plug-and-play adventure.

One thing I really would like ICE modules to do more of is have the boxed text like DnD and Pathfinder modules do (though sadly DnD 5e has gotten away from this a bit). Boxed text is text that the GM can safely read to players. My players look forward to the box of text that I read out to them, and for me as a GM it helps take the pressure off me to describe things eloquently. So if there's anything I'd want in new adventures to help make them plug and play, that would be it.

[Tywyll]

I think the old Shadow World 'Tales of the Loremasters' modules were designed to fill that need. They have what I think is ICE's closest equivalent of a plug-and-play adventure.

One thing I really would like ICE modules to do more of is have the boxed text like DnD and Pathfinder modules do (though sadly DnD 5e has gotten away from this a bit). Boxed text is text that the GM can safely read to players. My players look forward to the box of text that I read out to them, and for me as a GM it helps take the pressure off me to describe things eloquently. So if there's anything I'd want in new adventures to help make them plug and play, that would be it.

I couldn't agree more! And also, just having all the info for the adventure...in the adventure! I hate having to flip from the adventure...to the maps in the front of the book...and back to the monster stat appendix! Argh!!!

[egdcltd]

Tales from the Green Gryphon is probably the closest to that of the current stuff, except for those adventures in the Guild Adventurer. It also has boxed text for the GM (some of the best like that is in the moderately old TSR stuff; T1-4 is brilliant for example).

[Tywyll]

Tales from the Green Gryphon is probably the closest to that of the current stuff, except for those adventures in the Guild Adventurer. It also has boxed text for the GM (some of the best like that is in the moderately old TSR stuff; T1-4 is brilliant for example).

Thanks for pointing me in that direction! Are the adventures any good? What level ranges are they for?

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[egdcltd]

Green Gryphon has around 12 pages on the local area, fauna and flora, 13 pages on the town, 10 pages on people and groups and 30 pages on adventures. There are 9 adventures, listed as being from levels 1-2 to start up to 4-6, and 8 briefer adventure ideas. The rest is stuff like charts, stats, area maps, index, contents etc. Although it's set in Jaiman in the Shadow World, it could be dropped into most settings with a bit of tweaking. I haven't actually run/played the adventures myself. Thinking about it, the Land of Xa-ar is also similar, but perhaps higher levelled.

The Guild Adventurers are pure adventure collections really, without as much background info, although there is some. They do cover a range from generic Rolemaster to Spacemaster to HARP to Shadow World.

[Tywyll]

Green Gryphon has around 12 pages on the local area, fauna and flora, 13 pages on the town, 10 pages on people and groups and 30 pages on adventures. There are 9 adventures, listed as being from levels 1-2 to start up to 4-6, and 8 briefer adventure ideas. The rest is stuff like charts, stats, area maps, index, contents etc. Although it's set in Jaiman in the Shadow World, it could be dropped into most settings with a bit of tweaking. I haven't actually run/played the adventures myself. Thinking about it, the Land of Xa-ar is also similar, but perhaps higher levelled.

The Guild Adventurers are pure adventure collections really, without as much background info, although there is some. They do cover a range from generic Rolemaster to Spacemaster to HARP to Shadow World.

I've considered the Guild Adventurers. Are those modules any good?

[egdcltd]

Well, they have a range of different adventure types, some designed for specific settings, others not. Most are statted for multiple systems.

[Tywyll]

Well, they have a range of different adventure types, some designed for specific settings, others not. Most are statted for multiple systems.

Do you have a suggestion on which to start with? Like which is your favorite?

[egdcltd]

That's a bit tricky. I was buying them for the Shadow World adventures, so they're the only ones I've really read - and there's one in every issue. Someone else may have a better idea.