Homebrew vs Pre-Made Modules for Dungeons and Dragons: Which is Right for Your Game?

When it comes to running a Dungeons & Dragons (D&D) campaign, one of the biggest decisions a Dungeon Master (DM) has to make is whether to use a pre-made module or create a homebrew campaign. Both options offer unique experiences, and each comes with its own set of benefits and challenges. Understanding the key differences between the two can help you decide which is the right choice for you and your gaming group. 

Both campaign styles, however, have their own set of pros and cons. The type of DM you are and the play style your players enjoy greatly impact what campaign style is right for you and your group. Let's get into what each of these styles are and how you can determine how to make the difficult decision between homebrew and pre-made modules.

What is a Homebrew Campaign?

A homebrew campaign is one that the Dungeon Master creates from scratch, rather than using an official published adventure module. Homebrew refers to any content created by players or DMs that is not part of the official D&D books. This includes custom worlds, characters, monsters, factions, storylines, and even mechanics.

In a homebrew campaign, the DM has complete creative freedom to design the entire game world, crafting unique settings and plotlines that fit the preferences and playstyle of the group. Homebrew campaigns can be deeply personal, tailored to the players' characters, and can evolve in unexpected and exciting ways. Since the DM is in charge of everything, there is a high level of flexibility and originality.

What is a Pre-Made Module Game?

A pre-made module (also known as a published adventure) is a D&D campaign that has been created by professional writers and published by Wizards of the Coast or other third-party creators. These modules are fully fleshed out with a detailed story, world, and encounters. The Dungeon Master's job is to guide the players through the adventure, which has been carefully designed with a predetermined storyline, NPCs, and plot twists.

Some well-known examples of pre-made modules include Curse of Strahd, Waterdeep: Dragon Heist, and Storm King's Thunder. These modules are an excellent resource for DMs who want a more structured campaign without the pressure of creating everything from scratch. Pre-made modules typically include maps, NPCs, encounters, and story progression, making them a great choice for DMs who are short on time or prefer not to deal with the extensive world-building involved in homebrewing.

Key Differences Between Homebrew and Pre-Made Modules

Here are the main differences between homebrew campaigns and pre-made modules:

1. Creativity and Customisation

• Homebrew: Offers total creative freedom. The DM can design the world, characters, and plot however they see fit, tailoring everything to the specific preferences of their players.
• Pre-Made Modules: While there is still some room for creativity, the overall structure, world, and plot are predefined. DMs can add their personal touches but must follow the module's established framework.

2. Time and Effort

• Homebrew: Homebrewing a campaign can be time-consuming, especially in the lead up to your first session. The DM has to design the world, create NPCs, build the story arc, and develop encounters. It requires a lot of upfront work, especially for first-time homebrewers.
• Pre-Made Modules: Modules save time because the story, world, and encounters are already written. DMs still need to read and prepare, but much of the groundwork is already done.

3. Flexibility

• Homebrew: High flexibility. The DM can adapt the plot and characters to the players' actions and decisions. Homebrew worlds can evolve organically based on player choices
• Pre-Made Modules: Less flexibility. While most modules allow for some improvisation, they are generally more rigid in terms of story and events. Deviating from the plot can require extra work to keep things flowing.

4. Storytelling and World-Building

• Homebrew: The DM can build a world that fits the themes and tone they want to explore. This allows for deep customisation, but it requires a lot of effort in terms of creating a cohesive world.
• Pre-Made Modules: The story is already built for you, which can be a great option if you're looking to play through a well-thought-out and professional narrative. However, it may lack the deep connection to your players that a homebrew campaign can foster.

5. Preparation and Ease of Play

• Homebrew: Preparation is more intensive. The DM must create everything from scratch, which can lead to some last-minute stress if the planning isn't thorough.
• Pre-Made Modules: Easier to prepare for. The materials provided make it simpler for the DM to run the game, especially if they are newer to D&D.

How to Know Which One Is Right for You

When deciding whether to go with a homebrew campaign or a pre-made module, there are several factors to consider. Let's go through the pro's and con's of each so you can try and determine how it would suit your DM style and what your players want out of the campaign.

Homebrew

As I have mentioned above, homebrew can be a lot of prep work in the lead up to your first session. Compared to a pre-made module that includes maps, NPCs, plotlines etc, creating a homebrew campaign means you as the creator of the campaign have to do all this work yourself. If you're someone who really enjoys map making, and creating a whole worlds from scratch, homebrew could be for you!

Map making or NPC building not your thing but you still want to create your own world? No problems - there are so many wonderful online resources and random generators these days that can help take away some of the stressors of homebrewing. I personally love most aspects of homebrewing but find encounter creation to be tedious. Striking a balance between the party and their foes can be quite challenging and just isn't something that I like spending my time on. I love coming up with the idea of the encounter, but not necessarily the mechanics. In this case, I may use an online tool such as an encounter calculator or even an ai chatbot to assist in generating balanced encounters for me. 

One thing you will need to be great at as a homebrew DM is record keeping. Unlike pre-made modules that have source material and reference documents, you only have what you have written. So if you're not great with notetaking or having a system for recording session notes, homebrew may not run smoothly for you. If this is a skill you want to improve upon, I would recommend either recording audio of the session to note take from later, or immediately after the session, writing a recap of what happened. This will assist in record keeping and can also be used as a refresher at the start of the next session in case players need a reminder.

Pre-Made Module

Pre-made modules can be very easy for DMs to run as most of the hard work has been done for you. One of the key benefits of a pre-made module, especially the very popular ones such as Curse of Strahd, is that there is so much easily accessible information on the campaign that a quick google search can assist in running a smooth session - some modules even have entire forums dedicated to them! If you're into reading up on lore, characters and interesting storylines, a pre-made module could be for you!

Many DMs find prep work before a session to be quite tiresome especially if your sessions are high frequency (weekly). This is where pre-made modules really shine. Preparation for a session may simply be having a brief read of the next chapter and familiarising yourself with key encounters the party will most likely have. This can leave you with a lot more time to do other things you love doing as a DM - this could be making or painting minis, terrain building, or creating immersive playlists.

However, this is not to say that all modules are this straightforward. Running a large sandbox style module like Curse of Strahd does come with its challenges - as the world and lore is so deep that it can be difficult to know everything at a drop of a hat, or what to even prep for the next session. This is where your DM skills come into play. If you are excellent at referencing and finding information quickly, all the answers will be available to you. As mentioned before, a lot of modules have large amounts of online support, whether that be general information or forums. If you are excellent at story telling and can read your players and their characters behaviours, your instincts could help you drive certain storylines to entice the players down the path you want them to go. It is a fine line between assisting players to make choices and railroading decisions, so it is something you as a DM need to balance. You will always want your players to feel like they have freedom to make choices for their characters, even if they are following a pre-made storyline.

FINAL THOUGHTS

Both homebrew campaigns and pre-made modules offer fantastic experiences for D&D players, but the choice depends on your personal preferences, your DM style, what your players want from the game, and how much time you're willing to invest. If you enjoy creativity and have the time to build a unique world, homebrew is a great choice. On the other hand, if you're looking for a tried and tested, more streamlined way to run a campaign with less preparation, pre-made modules can give you a polished and ready-to-play experience.

Ultimately, whether you choose a homebrew campaign or a pre-made module, the most important thing is that everyone at the table has fun. The magic of Dungeons & Dragons lies in the storytelling, the camaraderie, and the excitement of shared adventure - no matter how you get there.

Crit well, friends x