5 room dungeon

[Jasperak]

Does anyone out there remember an article about designing an adventure with only five rooms. I know I read about it somewhere but cannot for the life of me remember. Thanks

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

I'm guessing one of them features an orc and a pie.

 

[ZombieButch]

Does anyone out there remember an article about designing an adventure with only five rooms. I know I read about it somewhere but cannot for the life of me remember. Thanks

Here you go.

http://www.roleplayingtips.com/readissue.php?number=156#1

 

[Corsair]

I'm guessing one of them features an orc and a pie.

... and four empty rooms.

 

[Jasperak]

Thank you for the link. I am starting up a game for a few friends that have not played for awhile and wanted to make something small so we could all get our feet wet again. I figured a simple little adventure might do the trick.

Orc and Pie
Tomb of Orc and Pie
Return to the Tomb of Orc and Pie
The Village of Orc and Pie
The Isle of Orc and Pie
The Lost Orc and Pie
Expedition to the Orc and Pie
The Vault of Orc and Pie

Many a fine adventures questing to smite Orc and eat Pie.

 

[Delta]

That's an interesting article. A few things spring to mind.

First, consider module B2 that has most of the monster lairs pretty small in that range, 5-7 rooms each or so (with guard/trqp entrance, main area, forgotten storeroom w/foreign critter, and boss-champions, often with secret exit at back to another zone). Also I immediately thought of module X1 with its stock 5-7 room cave systems.

Second, I've recently gotten nearly maniacal about applying the "7+/-2" rule, which says most people can conveniently juggle from 5 to 9 items at most in their short-term memory. I want no more than that many options in practically any aspect of my gaming anymore. So a short dungeon would keep every room memorable in that regard. (More at: http://deltasdnd.blogspot.com/2007/04/magic-number-seven.html ).

Third, I might disagree with the author's first point that some truly dreadful opponent has to be in the initial guardian room (or else the dungeon would be pre-looted). I've recently been playing Diablo again on some breaks, and I realize the system does something really clever -- nearly every dungeon level setup starts with a nearly empty starting space, followed by a room with exactly one guard monster (of the type common to the level, and easily beatable). That allows the player to be a bit surprised, beat the monster, and then regroup and think about the best way to attack the next one, or strategize against the most likely follow-up challenges using the same monster type.

I'd almost prefer that, mostly hand-waving that you're simply the first hero to think of adventuring here, and specifically starting off with a weak entry chamber, so players can get their bearing to start with. It's absolutely not realistic in real life but I think I'm convinced it's the best way to shape the game (consider also something like module G1 where the entry guards are made sleeping off a drunk for just the same reason).

 

[KingCrab]

Wasn't there an extended version of this in Dungeon Magazine?

 

[Wik]

Wow. The five room dungeon (exactly as described) was also described in an issue of DUNGEON magazine, about two years ago.

 

[Flynn]

Wow. The five room dungeon (exactly as described) was also described in an issue of DUNGEON magazine, about two years ago.

It helps that it was the same guy, John Fourr, that puts out RoleplayingTips.com and who wrote that article. I think you'll find it in the DM's Toolbox column on page 96 of Dragon #320.

Hope That Helps,
Flynn

 

[Jasperak]

That's an interesting article. A few things spring to mind.

First, consider module B2 that has most of the monster lairs pretty small in that range, 5-7 rooms each or so (with guard/trqp entrance, main area, forgotten storeroom w/foreign critter, and boss-champions, often with secret exit at back to another zone). Also I immediately thought of module X1 with its stock 5-7 room cave systems.

Second, I've recently gotten nearly maniacal about applying the "7+/-2" rule, which says most people can conveniently juggle from 5 to 9 items at most in their short-term memory. I want no more than that many options in practically any aspect of my gaming anymore. So a short dungeon would keep every room memorable in that regard. (More at: http://deltasdnd.blogspot.com/2007/04/magic-number-seven.html ).

Third, I might disagree with the author's first point that some truly dreadful opponent has to be in the initial guardian room (or else the dungeon would be pre-looted). I've recently been playing Diablo again on some breaks, and I realize the system does something really clever -- nearly every dungeon level setup starts with a nearly empty starting space, followed by a room with exactly one guard monster (of the type common to the level, and easily beatable). That allows the player to be a bit surprised, beat the monster, and then regroup and think about the best way to attack the next one, or strategize against the most likely follow-up challenges using the same monster type.

I'd almost prefer that, mostly hand-waving that you're simply the first hero to think of adventuring here, and specifically starting off with a weak entry chamber, so players can get their bearing to start with. It's absolutely not realistic in real life but I think I'm convinced it's the best way to shape the game (consider also something like module G1 where the entry guards are made sleeping off a drunk for just the same reason).

Very interesting article. I agree that it is easier for new players to learn the game when they are not bombarded with so many choices. I wish they put more starting packages in so new players could see how to build their own characters to match certain archtypes.