Revisiting: D&D Adventure System Games

I kind of think they were a little mismarketed. Three big boxes, all complete, seems like a great idea, but that also limits the content. I was really kind of hoping that they would be a product line- character packs, new dungeon modules, smaller storyline expansions, monster add-ons and so forth.

I'm not tired of them though, I think they've got mileage. As was mentioned, they take to modification and customization really well.

Michael Barnes wrote: I kind of think they were a little mismarketed. Three big boxes, all complete, seems like a great idea, but that also limits the content. I was really kind of hoping that they would be a product line- character packs, new dungeon modules, smaller storyline expansions, monster add-ons and so forth.

I'm not tired of them though, I think they've got mileage. As was mentioned, they take to modification and customization really well.

I'm not even sure what more I'd want past the 3 games and a few of the DC boxes. There's a TON here. Maybe more hero decks to flesh out the classes that only had 1 deck, and of course new scenarios are great, but you don't even need them, there are so many without even delving into the plethora of fan-made stuff.

I'd say they came out with too much too fast, but WotC doesn't support lines that aren't M:tG, so I'm glad they pushed out what they did. Also if you really want a specific monster or weapon or something to be in the game you can hack it pretty easily.

This was a great line that we'll be talking about for a long while. That these games can be had for $35-45 shipped is crazy. Pour one out for DDAS.

Well, that is totally true. This is a MASSIVE game, when you factor everything in and that's without including Dungeon Command as part of the set (which I think you kind of should). I don't think I've done all of the scenarios over the years of owning these, I've always thought about soloing the whole thing.

I regard these games as some of the crown jewels of my collection. Not necessarily because they're the best or anything like that, or even played as often as I'd like. But because, as I've stated before, they are a product that lets me get back to the roots, D&D, without having to get involved with the RPG game.

I think I'm going to play one of them tonight with a G&T.

Michael Barnes wrote: I kind of think they were a little mismarketed. Three big boxes, all complete, seems like a great idea, but that also limits the content. I was really kind of hoping that they would be a product line- character packs, new dungeon modules, smaller storyline expansions, monster add-ons and so forth.

I'm not tired of them though, I think they've got mileage. As was mentioned, they take to modification and customization really well.

WotC didn't want to compete with themselves. An extensive D&D boardgame product line would have potentially taken away sales from the boardgame-like 4th edition D&D rpg product line.

With all the positive discussion, it makes me want to try one of these again. Then I remember how dull I thought Wrath of Ashardalon was...

I'm with wadenels - I need just a little bit more scenario to hold my interest. The graphic design and the rules mechanics were so bland - flip tile->lose HP, or flip tile->spawn monster - that it was hard to even invent weird explanations for events. I don't need every game to be a baroque FFG production, but with over 30 years of artwork in the D&D line, you'd think they could have used some of it. I also thought about modifications to the rules, but there's so little there to begin with that it seemed that I'd basically be writing a whole new game.

The only good thing to come out of that game was the scenario where you had to find some dude's backpack at the end of the dungeon, and escape with it. I played it with my wife, and at the end, she exclaimed, "Next time, he's getting his own fucking backpack! The next mission should be to find that guy and kick him in the nuts."

Which would have been a great idea for a scenario, but we couldn't bring ourselves to play it again. Mainly because of the stupid fucking rolling boulder trap - that thing is BULLSHIT.

I'm not normally one for creating scenarios and being all creative with a game, which is why using "toolbox" as a good point is often meaningless for me. That said, at some point in the next few years I would really like to put together an extended campaign for me and my sons, assuming they are interested when they are like 8 and 6. More than any game I own, they are basically big toys. I agree that we'll be talking about them for years to come.

I agree with Wadenels and Delobius, this system just doesn't do it for me. I wanted the tiles to have more effect on the game (some kind of terrain or interaction), I wanted events to be more interesting and not just roll and take damage, I wanted the AI to be more dynamic and unpredictable, I wanted my choices to be more varied and compelling.

I feel like these games were a first round prototype of Gears of War. They're basically hero quest simple but they don't have the engaging hero quest story or mystery. Just not my thing.

It's interesting - I've been thinking about these games today.

I owned them all at one point, but I ditched Drizzt because it seemed like a game unto itself rather than part of a system. It didn't add much to the whole package, and the characters felt comparatively unbalanced.

I also passed on all the Dungeon Command sets except Undeath and Goblins. Those were always the best but they dovetail nicely with Ravenloft and Ashardalon respectively.

But I don't feel any compelling need to own more than one, really. While they're great fun, and thirty plays and rising is a solid tally for any system, there's not enough different between the boxes to really justify owning multiple versions. As others have said - the amazing cross compatibility never got built on enough.

The best part about buying multiple sets is the new hero ability choices, treasure, and monsters, so mostly, the cards and minis. Everything else is kind of in the way of integration, like how they changed the backs of the tiles in Drizzt. Drizzt does have the best scenarios though.

I think the best two DC sets to grabs are Undeath and Grummsh, a lot of the Goblins set is redundant if you have Drizzt.

If you actually play DC and not just use it for D&DAS, the Grummsh set is BRUTAL.