Customer Reviews

Queen of the Spiders (Advanced Dungeons & Dragons/AD&D Supermodule GDQ1-7)

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The Queen of the Spiders is a compilation of the classic series of seven modules published by TSR during the halcyon days of 1st edition of Dungeons and Dragons when you really get your money's worth when it comes to modules and other supplements...with kickass adventures ideas and great arts by Jeff Dee, Erol Otus, David Sutherland and Jim Roslof.

It starts off with the G series, collectively called Against the Giants, where the players fought against marauding gaints. Then the D series, where the players discovered that the Drow are really still in existant and in pursue of them, descended into the depths of the earth, passing through the shrine of the kuo-toa and finally, into the vault of the drow.

And then, to the ultimate module that started the idea that players can kill gods, Queen of the Demonweb pits, where the players go up against the Spider Queen herself.

Queen of the Spiders compiled all these seven together, with some extra material written to make it a more coherent whole. In the original series, I never thought why the players would go after Lolth when Eclavdra, the one who started all this trouble, worship the Elder Elemenntal God.

In fact, Queen of the Spider is supposed to be the climax of a series of supermodules that started with The Temple of the Elmental Evil, followed by the Scourge of the Slave Lords (which collects the 4 A series modules).

As for the section for the D-series, there are suggestions made to develope some of the other encounter areas noted in the underdark map.

I have ran this adventure twice and the hardest of all is when the players go after Lolth herself.....and despite having only 66 hit points, she is one mean arachnid, and BOTH times the party dwindle from a dozen to two or three.....and in both cases, Lolth managed to escape.

Even if you did kill her, a new section in Queen of the Spiders called : Fate of the Demon Queen, assure that Lolth will come back in one form or another.

As good as this collection is, one gripe I have is the map of the demonweb. The place consist of three levels interwoven with each other. In the original module, the levels are in diffenent color to differentitate one from another, in Queen of the Spiders, however, it is in black and white and the level so differentiated from each other not by color but by lines. It gets confusing at times.

Ultimately, this module has the capacity to kill off as many player characters as the infamous module "Tomb of Horrors"...except in this case, you DO get saving throws.

Just a quick word on the last part of this adventure. I have the modules when they were all split up.

The last one with Lolth is really hard. If you're group is hack and slash and can't handle that, they'll be wiped out. If they're impatient and prone to making mistates, same thing.

I ran this module twice in my younger days . . . I'm 32 now and our group is much more thinking and cautious b/c I don't hold punches . . . but, when I ran during that time the two different groups thought they were invincible.

First group: lost half their party in the first room . . . and the rest on the first level (there were several levels and special worlds to this module in 1st edition); and

Second group: stupidly went in to a room they knew they couldn't handle fight wise but did it anyway.

So, recommend for the right group of PCs and DM.

It doesn't get any better than this.
This is a compilation of G1-2-3 D1-2-3 and Q1.
You start off Against The Giants, work your way through the Vault of the Drow and finally faceoff with Lolth, the Queen of the Demonweb Pits. I will always have fond memories of this campaign. It's a tough one, but if you can make it through it, you'll be a true AD&D veteran.

This is one of the best ad&d adventures ever written. I have used it 3 or 4 times over the years, and I'm currently preparing it for use with the Castles and Crusades rules, from troll lord games. This module is pretty easy to find on the online auction sites, but commands a steep price. well worth it at any rate!

I first played these as a kid in the early 1980s. I still can remember parts like I was playing them almost 30 years ago. They are classic and hold up to the test of time. I especially remember the Hall of the Fire Giant King and the Vault of the Drow. I highly recommend this.

very good module, along with starting with t1-t4 then a1-a4 then ending with this one. this makes a epic adventure!

This "Queen of the Spiders" supermodule [by Gary Gygax and others] is my easy favorite of all AD&D supermodules. It is relatively huge at 128 pages and is full of clues and cues for classic D&D role-play gaming adventure action -- likely so full that a long campaign COULD be guided -- based mostly on it alone -- without other suggested related [previous] supermodules. If you like the idea of the wheels-within-wheels of Hill, Frost and Fire Giants, DROW [Dark Elves], Spiders, Mind Flayers and The Queen of Spiders, LOLITH -- to challenge an upper medium level adventure party [circa a half-dozen over level ten or so] -- this is one of the best role-playing gaming campaign sources ever created -- as remarked by folks over the years via various polls -- and via some of the other reviews here of this supermodule.

The manual itself is very big at 128 pages -- and includes many good charts, tables, drawings, pictures and maps -- such as those in the fine take-out sub-manual in a pocket at the end of the main manual -- which is very convenient for the GM [by whatever name]. It COULD be adapted to other D&D variants or even related games such as Castles & Crusades -- without too much trouble -- maybe via aids like the Dungeon & Dragons Conversion Manual by Skip Williams. Or via the conversions suggested by Castles & Crusades. The creative quality of this singular claasic is wonderful -- including excellent writing, ideas and fine and fun artwork -- I like just looking at the vivid cover illustration with Giants, Kuo-Toa, DROW Women, a Mind Flayer [hanging a peace or victory gesture] -- and LOLITH, Herself +++

This module is exactly as I remembered the original (separate modules) as being. Dense with ideas and details, it really was the best of the AD&D modules. Many ideas that would go on to be classic are first introduced here (i.e. Drow) and the weakest point of the module is so much in it has become iconic that you lose the thrill of meeting these creatures for the first time. Still, it holds up exceptionally well over the years.

The plot of the final module is a bit weaker but perhaps you can forgive some trouble following up with the first six excellent modules. It is a pit the book is out of print!

This is the type of adventure that made early role-playing so much fun. A true blast from the past, it's well worth looking for.