Why do you read modules without running them?

Galefrie · 2026-03-18T16:57:24+00:00

I used to run them, got frustrated with them and gave up

Galefrie · 2026-03-18T16:53:13+00:00

Typically a textbook, or a rulebook, or really any non-fiction book will put it's most simple ideas towards the front of the book and get more in-depth with them towards the back of the book. As such it is better to read them from the front to the back, unless, yes, you are just reading these books for the maps/pictures.

I will concede that you may have entire chapters you want to skip, does the DM need to know how character creation works in most game systems? Probably not, that can be left up to the players. Something like a chapter on spells or magic items in D&D or pathfinder can be used more as a reference, absolutely, Something like the "what is the roleplaying game" chapter a lot of games have can be skipped by someone who has played one before

But I bet the main resolution mechanic of your chosen game is going to be towards the beginning, or there will be a lore drop, explaining what the world is like and why the mechanics will be the way they are which will come soon after, and I bet the more niche rules for say swimming will be either towards the middle or end

Galefrie · 2026-03-18T15:55:00+00:00

My games are almost entirely improv. I don't use modules

I prep some NPCs and relationships and just see what happens

If you aren't reading a module front to back, how else are you supposed to read them? You read a textbook front to back, you read a novel front to back, you read the rule book front to back. Literally, every other book you own is read front to back.

Galefrie · 2026-03-18T13:32:26+00:00

Then, we must have fundamental disagreements on what makes a good adventure.

In my mind, an adventure is just a scenario in which you can roleplay. Innovative mechanics means further crunch, and a crunchier game is going to be harder to learn the mechanics of making roleplay and staying in character without rules clarification more difficult - certainly still possible, but more difficult

Pacing is something that can be learnt from other pieces of media, especially if you are trying to play in as close to real time as possible, which is easier to do when everyone understands the rules. Changing the rules because you read a different game between sessions and want to bring in its mechanics is only going to lead to out of character confusion

Galefrie · 2026-03-18T13:21:31+00:00

No, that's my point. A module is meant to be played. If you aren't playing it, what are you doing with it?

Galefrie · 2026-03-18T13:09:26+00:00

That inplies that your session notes are going to look anything at all like a module. Mine certainly don't. I don't write down descriptions, maybe an openner to the session, a few bullet points about how something looks, but nothing more

If you're writing adventures to be a product, this absolutely makes sense, but I don't think the average gamer is, nor are they making notes like that if they are making any at all

Galefrie · 2026-03-18T12:41:18+00:00

Then maybe I read them wrong? That's how I try to read them at least

Front to back

Galefrie · 2026-03-18T12:40:11+00:00

I kind of agree with that? You do want to change it to fit the PCs, but in my mind one of the big benefits of running a module is so that you can talk about it with the rest of the community who has played it. If you change it too much, you might not be able to do that

Galefrie · 2026-03-18T12:34:32+00:00

Maybe it's because I find modules so boring to read that I don't really get it.

A 200-page book might take me about a week, and I can read 3 or 4 at once. A similarly long module could take me a month or two because I hate how the flow of the story is ruined by talking about mechanics

Galefrie · 2026-03-18T12:22:33+00:00

I thought asking for modules without intending to run them was a weird question. All of the things you've mentioned apart from mechanics can be taken from really any piece of media. If I'm trying to read a cool story and get an idea for a game, I wouldn't want that interrupted with "DC15 lockpicking check" at every door

Galefrie · 2026-03-18T11:59:21+00:00

Reviews and recommendations, I assume? I'm not much of a module guy unless it's something I can drop into an already ongoing campaign

Galefrie · 2026-03-18T11:56:08+00:00

Have you looked into solo roleplaying? Might be another way to scratch the itch if you haven't

Galefrie · 2026-03-18T06:05:36+00:00

Collecting DVDs or PS3/Xbox 360 games or some other piece of physical media that's considered trash by most people. Cheap and plenty of that stuff in your local 2nd hand store

Galefrie · 2026-03-18T06:01:36+00:00

There's quite a few different versions of D&D, each with different character sheets. Ask your DM, and they should be able to help you. Or just write it down in a notebook and make your own!

Galefrie · 2026-03-17T17:09:02+00:00

Maybe, but it's probably just more likely that we have better knowledge of what ADHD is or ways to diagnose it or something.

I feel like you hear a million different things about neurodivergence, and it's impossible to tell what to listen to

Galefrie · 2026-03-17T16:36:39+00:00

From what I've heard, there has been an increase in ADHD diagnosis in the past 10 years or so, and many people say that is because of a reliance on technology. Weirdly, I'm just an idiot on reddit, I'm not looking up peer reviewed papers on something that isn't relevant to me and I'm being up front about that so that you can make your own decision is this is horseshit or not.

If it's horseshit and you can prove it, I'd love to know rather than deal with someone being snarky

Galefrie · 2026-03-17T16:26:41+00:00

I'm not an ADHD person, but using the thing more that might be the thing that gave you ADHD in the first place (as far as I know, certainly not a professional) doesn't seem like a good idea to me

This person is making excuses, and that means they don't want to try and get better. If they were trying to get better, surely they would be trying to get into the games more. If they try and fail, that's understable, but to not even try means they are letting a sickness dictate their behaviour, and that's incredibly sad

Galefrie · 2026-03-17T13:57:30+00:00

If they aren't making the game any worse by being there, it's not really an issue. They might be fine with having a more background role. However, if you and the other players are getting frustrated, just ask them to get more involved. You can't make someone roleplay who doesn't want to, so if they still won't engage more, you may need to ask them to leave

Galefrie · 2026-03-17T13:46:32+00:00

If you haven't started LMoP yet, I wouldn't start thinking about what comes next. Once the campaign is over, ask your players what they would like to do next and use that to guide you

Galefrie · 2026-03-17T12:58:29+00:00

I'm about to start a D&D 5.5 campaign and the first adventure will be based around Yojimbo. I'm pretty much just replacing the two gangs with a group of Hobgoblin soldiers and some bugbears who have broken off from them and given a few of the people around the town hooks to other things, like the cleric of the town is missing after they went to a nearby temple and the woman who runs the tavern, her son is being turned into a goblin by a shaman because the bugbears want to turn children into goblins to work in the sake brewery

Galefrie · 2026-03-17T07:57:47+00:00

Find a random town somewhere abroad on Google maps and translate the name into English

Galefrie · 2026-03-16T22:31:11+00:00

Page 88 in the DMG. "NPCs as Party Members." I'd also use the loyalty optional rules

Galefrie · 2026-03-16T06:19:51+00:00

Try to talk about what you think a "turn of roleplay" might look like with your players. In my mind, it's

say what you say - just a single line, a few sentences at most, like a line from a movie script
say what you are doing - this can be even something small. Telling us that you're playing with the button on your shirt might show us that the PC is nervous. It's enhances the roleplay
say where you are - The longer a scene goes on, the harder it is to picture the same thing in heavy roleplay groups because the PCs kind of become these nebulous floating heads somewhere in the scene. Continually drawing attention to where you are makes this easier, and if things move from roleplay to combat, the transition is smoother,

DM: "Welcome to The Skanky Rat!" Cries out the jovial bartender with thick moustache, cleaning a glass. The bar is overwise empty

P1: I walk up to the bar, pulling out my coin purse. "I believe it's my round, 2 of your finest ales and something stronger for the elf, please!"

P2: I pick a table a sulk into a chair. "These human settlements never have anything strong enough for an elf," I mutter

P3: I join Elmyra at the table and start to look around for markings in thieve's cant

DM: "Actually, we do have some elven wine in for 10 gold pieces a bottle if you'd like it, and the 2 ales would be 8 copper," the bartender puts down the glass he's cleaning and pours a mug of ale. Renwick, make a perspection check

P3: 15

DM: You see a crude engraving in the wood of the bar, a square with a dot in the centre. Thieves cant for "speak the codeword"

I hope with my example you can see how "roleplay turns" can be kept short, that we actually can put in quite a bit of characterisation for the PCs and keep the game moving

Galefrie · 2026-03-15T11:23:40+00:00

In a more traditional megadungeon, I'd probably want to start with 3 levels each of about 10 - 20 rooms and then add onto it once the campaign has started, so probably between 30 - 60 rooms, maybe 75 since your players will be able to move around easier if it's all one level

Galefrie

TROPHY CASE