Getting the Most Out of Adventure Modules

If you are used to building your own adventures from scratch, chances are you haven't delved into a published module in a long time. You might have convinced yourself that there's just no value in using someone else's material for your games. But I aim to prove otherwise! There are a number of ways a resourceful DM might make use of a good module, beyond simply relying on them as the sole source of your campaign material (Which is still just fine if it works well for your group!)

They can introduce you to a new setting or system.

Introductory adventures are often included in core books as well as expanded materials from game book publishers. Adventures like these are a great way to kick off a campaign in an RPG that you've never played before. You can learn a lot about the tone, structure, and pacing of a game system by reading through these examples of design and execution. Some of them are structured like tutorials, so you can gradually introduce rules and game mechanics to your play group.

In fact, you might even choose to run your own adventure using the details and techniques you absorbed from this module. Even simply studying a module can provide you with tools and tactics that could prove invaluable for building your own adventures. The best writers are those who have read a lot of books themselves, and that goes for game mastering as well. The best adventures will be designed by those who have read a lot of modules in their time.

They are quicker to prepare.

This is the no-brainer, but it is still worth pointing out. If you are pressed for time, an adventure module usually takes less than an hour of prep time and has most of the work already done for you. There are some very high quality and critically acclaimed adventure paths that are well worth running and playing, and can be a real blast to experience. Quick, easy, fun... what more could you ask for?

They can be cannibalized for parts.

You don't have to implement an entire module, or follow it word for word. If nothing else, you can mine these published materials for ideas and inspiration.  You can dismantle existing adventures and rearranged their components to create something completely new. Borrow a map, an encounter idea, a unique trap, a memorable NPC... use the material however you see fit. It's your toolbox, and your own sandbox to build upon. Think of each adventure as the sum of its parts, and consider that those parts individually could be transformed into something new and exciting.

They are not difficult to find.

A lot of adventures for a variety of RPG systems are available for free online. Publishers often release them as ways to promote their games and get play groups kickstarted. Since most of them aren't more than a few pages long, it is easy to download and read off a computer or printout. With this kind of convenience and utility, it shouldn't be hard to access a ready-to-play quest in short order... wherever or whenever that might be!

They connect gaming communities.

A shared experience makes for something interesting to talk about, whether it's a movie you watched or a book you read. When you complete a published adventure, you have a point of reference that you can share with anyone else who has run or played in the same scenario. It's a fun thing to be able to compare notes on how you braved the Tomb of Horrors or faced off with Stone from the Deadlands setting. Having these stories that are based off the same materials allows players to enjoy the community that comes from beloved settings and characters that the players can discuss and relate to in different ways.

There is no reason to feel obliged to work off published materials, but there is a lot to be gained from doing so. (Just remember not to design your custom campaigns based on the format of published modules, as I explained here.) 

I would recommend that every DM read some sample adventures at some point and find out what can be learned from them. Knowledge is power, and a powerful mind is a gaming group's greatest asset.

Happy ventures!