D&D 5E Do you like dungeon crawls?

[oriaxx77]

My party quickly lose interest in big dungeons. Dungeons just don’t have enough opportunities to make interesting social interactions (compared to cities etc). Small dungeons are cool though.

 

[iserith]

We really push the action. That's not a criticism of Blue's style at all. I readily concede it is much closer to the game most people want these days. It's just not our style. A 5-room dungeon is two hours of game play for us.

I start at least 50% of our sessions with "Roll for initiative!" We love exploration and combats and in a four hour session we usually have around ten combats.

This matches my experience as well. The other night one of my regular DMs ran a one-shot which was hexcrawl in a desert with numerous small dungeons. Three of the players had played with us before and two did not. Those two were blown away with how much we did in just 4 hours compared to their usual adventures. Most people nowadays just aren't used to that kind of pace in my experience.

 

[iserith]

My party quickly lose interest in big dungeons. Dungeons just don’t have enough opportunities to make interesting social interactions (compared to cities etc). Small dungeons are cool though.

If the adventure location is populated by competing groups with their own agendas, there is a ton of possible social interaction. Adventurers showing up to a dynamic dungeon like this can easily be seen as a useful tool to tip the balance of power and proactive players can use such temporary alliances to their advantage.

 

[oriaxx77]

If the adventure location is populated by competing groups with their own agendas, there is a ton of possible social interaction. Adventurers showing up to a dynamic dungeon like this can easily be seen as a useful tool to tip the balance of power and proactive players can use such temporary alliances to their advantage.

Too superficial compared to cities. Usually it smells. (I am a dev)

 

[oriaxx77]

Dungeon crawl is more like a table top game and not an rpg. It is mainly about exploration and/or murder hobo bloodfest. If you like social elements and good stories it sucks. For these you need more space and variety.

 

[iserith]

Dungeon crawl is more like a table top game and not an rpg. It is mainly about exploration and/or murder hobo bloodfest. If you like social elements and good stories it sucks. For these you need more space and variety.

Couldn't disagree more.

 

[pogre]

Dungeon crawl is more like a table top game and not an rpg. It is mainly about exploration and/or murder hobo bloodfest. If you like social elements and good stories it sucks. For these you need more space and variety.

That's like saying, 'Your story based, plot heavy adventures are more of a cooperative narrative brainstorming and not really a game at all.' On its face I find the above claim and your statement both come close to "the right way to playism", but worse denigrates other play styles.

I think vibrant and fun stories often come out of the dungeon - I disagree with your premise.

Not your style - that I can certainly accept. Not roleplaying - I don't buy that at all.

 

[slipshot762]

Couldn't disagree more.

Same here, convincing the goblins in the northern ruins to act as a distraction so you can sneak past the hydra in the cistern and rope down to the next level w/o getting a tpk is certainly roleplay I'd think.

 

[Stoutstien]

I know this is going to sound pedantic but is it possible to play DnD without it being some sort of Dungeon crawl? once you connect 2 or more encounters together you have a 'dungeon' starting to form. the setting doesn't really influence the structure of it so where the iconic delve into the crypt to kill the mummy is a dungeon so is transgressing a thick jungle or moving about Waterdeep.
i might sound crazy for all i know .

 

[prabe]

I know this is going to sound pedantic but is it possible to play DnD without it being some sort of Dungeon crawl? once you connect 2 or more encounters together you have a 'dungeon' starting to form. the setting doesn't really influence the structure of it so where the iconic delve into the crypt to kill the mummy is a dungeon so is transgressing a thick jungle or moving about Waterdeep.
i might sound crazy for all i know .

Ah. The "Every Adventure is a Dungeon" school. I suppose you can look at it that way, but I think the question was intended more literally. Also, play in literal dungeons is frequently different than in other settings, because of expectations/tropes like traps and random monsters and such.