You are here: Level One / Blog / Six Best D&D Modules of All Time? We recently took a quick look at some of the worst D&D modules ever produced. The feedback was divisive to say the least. Some called us idiots while others said we were simply trolling. Maybe people absolutely loved the adventures we named as the worst, while others are probably still dealing with nightmares generated by playing the game. We maintain that the six listed Dungeons and Dragons modules are bad for the reasons stated… Except, of course, for the ones that are also great. Dungeons and Dragons is a game of tremendous highs as well as horrific lows. While the six modules we looked at before are likely to cause a great deal of despair in players (and some DMs who aren’t creative), the six we discuss here are just as memorable in out opinion. These are the modules that fired imaginations and helped Dungeon Masters learn exactly how a game should be put together – with a bit of work and a lot of imagination. Remember, a good DM can make even a “bad” module a good one. With that in mind, we have more thoughts on old D&D modules. Below are six modules we think helped define Dungeons and Dragons for generations of players. Are they all perfect? Of course not. They’re flawed, they’re weird, and they’re endearing. They’re everything Dungeons and Dragons is when the game is played right! While there are certainly other modules out there that have pushed players just as hard, these six captured the imagination in a way rarely seen. If you’re looking for your next classic Dungeons and Dragons adventure, we think these are the best places to start, even if you’re only looking for homebrew ideas. https://litrpgreads.com/blog/six-best-dnd-modules-time
Pharaoh by Tracy and Laura Hickman was always one of my faves (apparently it was originally an indie "generic" module and TSR liked it so much they licensed it and hired the authors to write 2 sequels).
Going back down memory lane...I loved this module for the solo play. It was a fun adventure despite it being about a dwarvern ruin. (I hate hobbits and not too fond of dwarves either but I love kenders,. *Shrugs) Very detailed and even supplied pre-made characters if creating a character was too time consuming. I managed to talked my cousin to run a game and he loved it. (In my youth of course) Any way...just throwing it out there.
It's easy enough to do nowadays. The question always becomes time, day and how dependable people really are.
Expedition to the Barrier Peaks might be an honorable mention on both best and worst lists as well. Don't want to spoil it (even though it's like 37 yrs old) for those who never played it, but the variations from the expected genre of D&D both delighted some, and PO'ed others. It could be very deadly. But the high-powered equipment to be found therein was rumored to have broken entire campaigns, if players survived to get out with it. This was originally another Gary Gygax tournament module... Go figure. Oh I see there's a poster floating around of the dungeon that calls it a "genre-bending death sandbox," lol.
I added four more to make it a top 10 list... Dragons of Despair (DL1) Queen of the Demonweb Pits (Q1) Vault of the Drow (D3) Test of the Warlords (CM1)
Dragons of despair and test of warlords were unplayable. Dragons took out clerics and straitjacket plot. Test just had random ideas that I never found a use for. I played expedition once and was unimpressed. My faves are... 1. Storm kings thunder 2. Keep on the borderlands 3. Village of hommlet 4. Into the unknown 5. Against the giants 6. Desert of desolation 7. Against the slave lords 8. Road to danger 9. Curse of strand 10. Hoard of the Dragon queen
That was one of the best Solo adventures I've ever played. It felt way more immersive than any of the others. Not any easy thing to accomplish with a solo module.
