D&D 5E Sell me on a megadungeon

[Mercurius]

I want to buy a megadungeon for my impending new campaign, as one of the options to explore in a sandbox context. Right now my top three choices are:

1. Barrowmaze
2. Rappan Athuk
3. Forbidden Caverns of Archaia


I don't own any and they're all expensive, so just want to go with one for now. I do own the 3E versions of Whiterock, Larin Karr, Abysthor, Barakus, and Thracia, but both want something more "mega-y" and also already converted to 5E (I realize Whiterock is a true megadungeon, but the others are borderline). I also own Dungeons of the Mad Mage and the first Undermountain box set, so that could factor in.

Basically I want something easy to drop in and out of, with a relative diversity of rooms (minimal tedium ala Undermountain's many empty rooms). I would also like it to be interesting to read, with tons of tidbits of lore and mysteries. Unique creatures and magic items or artifacts are a plus.

Suggestions?

 

[DND_Reborn]

Some day I am going to have to dig out my old AD&D megadungeon, "Ultimatum", and convert it to 5E... maybe I'll even try to publish it. It has 88 levels and over 2000 encounters--more than enough to go from zero to hero LOL. I can't imagine how much it would cost to have the maps done professionally for publication, though.

 

[Mercurius]

Some day I am going to have to dig out my old AD&D megadungeon, "Ultimatum", and convert it to 5E... maybe I'll even try to publish it. It has 88 levels and over 2000 encounters--more than enough to go from zero to hero LOL. I can't imagine how much it would cost to have the maps done professionally for publication, though.

I am tempted to design my own, but at least want to buy one of the ones listed for inspiration. Nice thing about designing them is that you can basically build as you go. Plus, its just fun.

 

[Retreater]

I don't own the Forbidden Caverns of Archaia, but I can give you at least a bit of info about Barrowmaze and Rappan Athuk (and contrasting them with Dungeon of the Mad Mage).
First, I've run sections of Rappan Athuk and a few levels of Dungeon of the Mad Mage. Read through Barrowmaze, but haven't run it yet.
Here are some snippet reviews...
Rappan Athuk - A true megadungeon, with over 600 pages of dungeon material, numerous side levels and interconnected passages to explore. It's a true Jacquays-style dungeon. It has been built up over decades of play by numerous designers, and there is a lot of flavor. It's also going to be kind of complex and challenging to run. Each level is full of character and inspiration.
Barrowmaze - Has a great town to interact with, numerous small crypts before you get into the "dungeon" proper. It has a more old school, linear layout when you get into the dungeon itself, not a lot of various levels and such. It's also written by a single designer, so it's more thematic, but also probably less "lived-in" feeling and diverse than Rappan Athuk. It is has a more modern layout and is better organized than RA, so it would be easier to run.
Dungeon of the Mad Mage - It's probably the worst megadungeon I've seen in recent memory. Your players can explore for hours in real life and find nothing of interest. It's ... uninspired (to put it nicely).

 

[Oofta]

Hey, have I got a mega dungeon for you! This is a piece of art that put the mega in mega dungeon if you know what I mean. This baby has it all! Killer traps, loads of monsters, so many levels you'll lose count! Best yet, it's only been explored by a group of little old ladies from Pasadena. I mean, sure it has a few rough edges, but what dungeon doesn't? I mean, who doesn't want a bit of a fixer-upper, am I right?

So what do you say? I've got the other buyers on the line real interested in this baby so you better jump on it now, I'm not sure how long it's gonna last!

Oh, wait. You want me to sell you on one of those mega dungeon modules? Well then, never mind.

 

[Mercurius]

@Retreater , I've read really mixed reviews. Of course experience differs, but I've seen enough opinions like yours to turn me off of running it. I may steal bits and pieces if I design my own.

@Oofta , shades of Dwimmermount there .

 

[DND_Reborn]

I am tempted to design my own, but at least want to buy one of the ones listed for inspiration. Nice thing about designing them is that you can basically build as you go. Plus, its just fun.

The biggest thing IME of designing the Ultimatum was the story. If you can come up with some real reason for such a dungeon to exist, it makes exploring it so much more fun.

But, give it a try and just go one level at a time (or so).

 

[Voadam]

I recently read through a bunch of Barrowmaze, it does the horizontal level with barrows so east to west or whichever direction gives you the toughness gradient. Be aware it has a heavy undead theme which is pretty harsh in the OSR Labyrinth Lord, but much more forgiving in 5e mechanics.

Rappan Athuk has been a while but IMO was decently interesting and mixed to start but there comes a point with a city ton of goblins which looked like it could bog down. 5e does a better job of them being relevant in combats with bounded accuracy, but if it is a place to pop in and out it will probably work better than a dedicated slog. It's overall theme is Orcus.

I do not have the third one but it is more stuff from the Barrowmaze guy.

Right now for the next week Frog God Games has its 50% off sale so it is a decent time to pick up Rappan Athuk. For 5e it is $25 for the PDF, if you just want the inspiration it is $12 in Swords & Wizardry and Pathfinder editions. Check out the other Frog god stuff as well, a ton of others with some really deep sales on some in some editions, like Slumbering Tsar, 852 pages of Orcus wasteland and base megadungeon in Pathfinder for $6.

 

[ninjayeti]

If you are just looking for lots of content that your PCs may only see a part of I think FCoA might be the best bet of the three. It isn't really a megadungeon at all - it is more like Caves of Chaos expanded to campaign length. There is a moderate sized wilderness with various humanoid tribes having lairs within them. It struck me as being a bit too much of a grind to run straight through but it could be useful for what you are looking for.

Rappan Athuk - I only owned the 3E version of this so it has been a while but my recollection was that it was very much a "deathtrap" dungeon. I you want to run a game about cleverly killing PC's (or PC's cleverly escaping certain death) it does that well but I don't know that it would mesh well with a more conventional campaign.

Barrowmaze - Is designed as an "old school" dungeon experience. It is intended to use a lot of the mechanics like wandering monsters, encumbrance, XP for treasure, henchmen, etc. I ran a few sessions of it using Labyrinth Lord years ago and it went great, but I think if you wanted to use it like a standard 5E dungeon you would end up with the TV cut of a Tarintino movie - you are eliminating most of the stuff the creator though made it great. The lore is pretty minimal and you are mostly fighting various undead (some cultists and mongrelmen tossed in for variety) in order to take their treasure.

 

[Mercurius]

Thanks, @Voadam . Tempted to pick up Rappan Athuk up just to browse for ideas, but I have a hard time spending $25 on a PDF - even for all of those pages. I'm old-fashioned.

I watched a (rather entertaining) comparison video of Barrowmaze and Rappan Athuk that convinced me towards the former, partially due to it including tons of fun art, while evidently RA has pages upon pages of text only, making it harder to digest. Here's the video: