Dungeon Crawls - need pointers and help.

[Zaruthustran]

I guess a better question is how do you judge time and placement when going from non-combat to combat or critical situations?

Just follow this rule: nothing happens until something happens.

The inter-encounter stuff is uninteresting and not worth obsessing over. Here's an example of how we handle dungeon crawls:

Start Example:
DM: ...and you finish looting the bodies. You find this (hands over pre-printed sheet of loot, including sale values).
PC: Okay, we continue down the corridor, Searching as we go.
DM: (Rolls, compares to crib sheet that lists each player's Search modifiers--no one notices the secret door). Okay, you move about 20' down the corridor. You can tell it opens up into a larger room.
PC: We cautiously peek into the room.
DM: (notes marching order). Okay, the room is about 20x30 and is apparently deserted. There's a wooden door on the north wall. Some boxes and debris are along the west wall. In the middle of the room is a statue.
PCs: The Wizard and Cleric watch our back, the Fighter investigates the crates, the Rogue searches the statue.
DM: Okay (looks at notes). As the Fighter approaches the crates, a bunch of dark forms leap out and attack him! (draws room). Okay place your figures. The Rogue was about 10' from the statue.
/End Example.

To sum, the tricks we use are:
1. Nothing happens until something happens. We don't draw corridors or rooms unless we need to--unless there's an encounter that requires more than roleplaying and social skill rolls.

2. The DM has a list of each player's Spot, Listen, and Search skill modifiers. He rolls these as needed. Often, he'll pre-roll a bunch of d20s and reference these rolls during the game, so as not to tip off that the elf just walked by but failed to notice a secret door (for example).

3. Players establish a marching order at the beginning of the adventure, and unless specified otherwise, it's assumed that the characters follow that marching order. Often, we'll also establish standard door opening procedures (Listen, Search for Traps, Open) or encounter procedures (everyone freezes and Spots, except for the rogue (who Hides and moves away) and the Paladin (who Detects Evil)). It saves a lot of time if you can just say "We move down the corridor, get to the door and open it--standard procedure." or the DM can say "You see a shadowy shape down the corridor. The Elf can make out that it's a humanoid, armed with sword and shield. The Paladin does not sense evil."

4. Don't draw and place minis until the combat or other encounter actually starts. In the example above, if the DM had drawn out the room when we first entered it would have been a giveaway that there were monsters in the room.

Going off 4, say for example that there was a pit trap between the door and the statue. If the rogue said "I investigate the statue" then the DM can assume that the rogue took the most direct path--right across the trap.

Unless you're in combat, there's no need to draw out the entire room and carefully track movement per round. Just trust your players, trust yourself, and focus on the important things: description and fun.

-z

 

[Mark]

Mark, I can see why you dont draw the corridors. Lines are the best for this. As for the lighting idea, you know how far the characters can see, and you know if they are trying to be quiet or not. If an elf character sees somthingin the dark, then he may or may not convey the info to one of the other characters.

The little line drawing, when I draw them, is basically meant to represent their sketchy memory of where they've been. I make no notes as to size, though I do describe it along the way. If they are hurrying, I make vague references and draw less precisely. If they are moving cautiously, I try to draw it more or less to scale. If they want a spot-on, accurate map, they need to draw it themselves.

It all goes together pretty well. Its amazing how easy (and cheap) things get when you put thought behind them.

You will still need to compete with me for the title of King of the Cheap-o's!

(I like your other ideas, btw, but snipped them to comment on the more direct-to-me comments. )