Based online TTRPG group, but newbs

watchmanbn · July 27, 2024, 12:52:56 PM

While I'm a longtime vet of the hobby, a group of online friends had never played but was interested. We decided on 5e because 2 people were familiar and others had seen videos.

We had a really good time (6 players!) doing through Waterdeep DragonHeist.

Now I'd like a next (lvl 5-10 ish) adventure to reduce my prep, but I'd like to NOT support WOTC or have to change the gender and pronouns of endless NPCs, have actual bad guys, etc.

What adventures for 5e (we aren't changing systems) do you recommend?

ForgottenF · July 27, 2024, 02:36:58 PM

I've never run any published 5e stuff, but I'd say have a look around at 1shotadventures.com. The guy there publishes a bunch of free modules and stats them for multiple systems, often including 5e.

https://1shotadventures.com/adventure-index/

Crusader X · July 27, 2024, 05:05:31 PM

Not a campaign, but Quests of Doom 2 from Frog God Games has a few 5th level and 6th level D&D 5e adventures in it. One of the 6th level adventures, The Spire of Iron and Crystal, is by Matt Finch and has gotten really good reviews. The hardcover book is 50% off until the end of July at the Frog God Games website:

https://www.froggodgames.com/products/15831

You might also want to look at Wrath of the River King by Kobold Press. Its an adventure for levels 5-7. I don't know much about it but it also has received nice reviews.

watchmanbn · July 27, 2024, 07:24:50 PM

Thanks @forgottenF and @Crusader X. I appreciate the recommendations.

Omega · July 27, 2024, 07:33:49 PM

Wild Beyond the Witchlight is relatively mild for the wokeness. In fact I am not sure I spotted anything really amiss on that front other than maybe one NPC and I am not positive on even that.

What did bug me was that the module, as usual for wotc, messes with established lore. But if you know nothing of the characters then it is not an issue.

The other irk is the usual wotc lazyness in writing that has plagued 5e modules.

Get it at a local game store, that way you are not supporting wotc.

Crusader X · July 27, 2024, 09:26:33 PM

You can also check out these adventures:

Acid Metal Howl
https://tenfootpole.org/ironspike/?p=6133

Battle for Carrion Vale
https://tenfootpole.org/ironspike/?p=8117

Skullking · July 28, 2024, 07:01:18 AM

Quote from: Omega on July 27, 2024, 07:33:49 PMWild Beyond the Witchlight is relatively mild for the wokeness. In fact I am not sure I spotted anything really amiss on that front other than maybe one NPC and I am not positive on even that.

What really pissed me off was the treatment of Iggwilv. No longer a direly evil, sexily dressed femme fatale who birthed Iuz the Evil, shagged and imprisoned Graz'zt, and generally trucks with demons, but a CN Feywild dwelling do-gooder.

An absolute bastardisation of the character in my opinion, and not how she is represented in my Greyhawk campaign.

Moracai · July 28, 2024, 07:57:50 AM

Dungeons of Drakkenheim is very good, and it has that same faction intrigue (cold war?) feel that Dragon Heist has. No funny pronouns etc.

BadApple · July 28, 2024, 08:13:01 AM

True story.

I wanted to run a Cyberpunk 2020 game back when and my players wanted to play D&D. I secretly took the campaign materials for my Cyberpunk game and converted to use with 5e and had a good time. The players never said anything if they ever caught on.

Mind you, I delayed the game by two weeks and probably spent 50+ hours doing the conversions. Science to mage is easy but corps to orks and goblins isn't.

watchmanbn · July 28, 2024, 10:16:30 AM

Glad to know there's modules without the brainrot. However, with Dungeons of Drakkenheim or Wild Beyond Witchlight, I'd still be giving my money to WOTC, which I'd rather avoid.

I do appreciate adventures by 3rd parties that have maps, etc. for Roll20, Foundry and so forth.

Metal Howl and Carrion Vale seem pretty interesting (and the price is right!). I dig a bit deeper.

Moracai · July 28, 2024, 11:41:42 AM

Dungeons of Drakkenheim is by Ghost Fire Games, a Canadian small operation.

crkrueger · July 29, 2024, 03:59:20 AM

Quote from: Skullking on July 28, 2024, 07:01:18 AMWhat really pissed me off was the treatment of Iggwilv. No longer a direly evil, sexily dressed femme fatale who birthed Iuz the Evil, shagged and imprisoned Graz'zt, and generally trucks with demons, but a CN Feywild dwelling do-gooder.

An absolute bastardisation of the character in my opinion, and not how she is represented in my Greyhawk campaign.

You gotta be shitting me. The most badass Witch in D&D history now lives in the Feywild and isn't evil?

What about Drelzna, her daughter, who's been kicking parties asses since 1982?

yosemitemike · July 29, 2024, 10:42:29 AM

Quote from: crkrueger on July 29, 2024, 03:59:20 AMYou gotta be shitting me. The most badass Witch in D&D history now lives in the Feywild and isn't evil?

What about Drelzna, her daughter, who's been kicking parties asses since 1982?

Yeah, she segregated off her evil and put it into a bunch of babies in a nursery in her fairy castle. No, I am not kidding.

Chris24601 · July 29, 2024, 10:55:39 AM

Quote from: yosemitemike on July 29, 2024, 10:42:29 AM
Quote from: crkrueger on July 29, 2024, 03:59:20 AMYou gotta be shitting me. The most badass Witch in D&D history now lives in the Feywild and isn't evil?

What about Drelzna, her daughter, who's been kicking parties asses since 1982?

Yeah, she segregated off her evil and put it into a bunch of babies in a nursery in her fairy castle. No, I am not kidding.

"I infect babies with my evil to make myself not evil."

"That's not how 'not being evil' works! That's WORSE!!!"