D&D General AI isn't all that great when it comes to D&D

[bedir than]

For this exercise I used Canva's Magic Write, which is their AI writing service. It's not as great as ChatGPT, but I only have ChatGPT for work, so didn't want it to have a bunch of prompts about the elf game.

My prompt: Write 7 fantastic locations you would find in D&D

• The City of Brass – a large metropolis built atop a massive brass disk, home to all manner of creatures and races.
• The Haunted Forest – an eerie wood filled with all manner of ghouls and ghosts.
• The Underdark – a vast underground cavern system full of strange creatures and dangerous monsters.
• The Feywild – a magical realm home to many of the fairy-like races.
• The Astral Plane – an ethereal plane of existence between the Material Plane and the Outer Planes.
• Sigil – the City of Doors, a mysterious and powerful gateway to countless worlds.
• The Astral Sea – an immense ocean of stars, home to powerful dragons and other powerful entities.

That isn't great if you're looking for new ideas. In fact they're old ideas, some almost certainly Intellectual Property.

 

[QuentinGeorge]

Strange creatures AND dangerous monsters, you say?

 

[Benjamin Olson]

That isn't great if you're looking for new ideas. In fact they're old ideas, some almost certainly Intellectual Property.

Um... yeah it's giving you a report on established D&D locations, which is a fair interpretation of the question you gave it, if you have accurately reported your prompt. It's actually the more natural interpretation of "you would find in D&D" than original D&D locations which would fall under "you might find in D&D".

I'm not particularly impressed with its answer, which, as per usual for AI text sounds like a school report by someone who did some work but is trying to rhetorically hide how little they know about the subject ("home to all manner of creatures"? Okay name one). But lack of originality is not the problem unless you ask it clearly to try to be original.

 

[Oofta]

Who's think that a haunted forest would be haunted? AI is definitely coming for my DMing position any day now!

 

[J.Quondam]

That prompt specifically asks about D&D, so I guess it's not too surprising it spat back actual D&D locales. Maybe a more generic prompt that divorces it from the D&D brand? A prompt like "7 unique locations for a fantasy adventure game" might generate something less obviously ripped from D&D.
But yeah, these "AIs" seem to be generally okay-to-good at remixing stuff, but can't truly invent anything much beyond their training data.

 

[bedir than]

Um... yeah it's giving you a report on established D&D locations, which is a fair interpretation of the question you gave it, if you have accurately reported your prompt. It's actually the more natural interpretation of "you would find in D&D" than original D&D locations which would fall under "you might find in D&D".

I'm not particularly impressed with its answer, which, as per usual for AI text sounds like a school report by someone who did some work but is trying to rhetorically hide how little they know about the subject ("home to all manner of creatures"? Okay name one). But lack of originality is not the problem unless you ask it clearly to try to be original.

Create 7 new fantastic locations you would find in a fantasy adventure game

• A secluded island with a hidden temple full of powerful artifacts
• A mystical forest with a powerful druid order
• A long-forgotten kingdom with a mysterious ruler
• An underground cavern with a city of goblins
• A magical library full of ancient knowledge
• A towering mountain with a dragon's lair
• A magical waterfall with a hidden portal to another world

 

[Reynard]

I think this is a garbage in-garbage out problem. If you give the AI a terrible prompt, you get terrible responses. If you use just a little bit of creativity you get a little bit more interesting results:

ChatGPT Prompt:
describe an interesting location for a fantasy adventure to take place

Response:
One interesting location for a fantasy adventure could be a hidden underground city, hidden deep within a network of ancient caves and tunnels. The city could be home to a variety of different cultures and races, all living in harmony despite their differences. It could be ruled by a council of wise leaders, who are responsible for maintaining the peace and prosperity of the city.
The city itself could be filled with all sorts of magical and technological wonders, with streets lined with magical lanterns, buildings made of shimmering crystal, and a bustling marketplace where all sorts of exotic goods are traded. There could be hidden libraries filled with ancient tomes and scrolls, containing knowledge that has been lost to the rest of the world.
The city could also be home to powerful magical artifacts and ancient relics, which could be used as quest objectives for the player characters. They might have to navigate through treacherous traps and puzzles in order to reach these artifacts, and they might have to face off against powerful guardians who are determined to keep the relics safe.
Overall, this hidden underground city would be a unique and exciting setting for a fantasy adventure, filled with mystery, magic, and danger at every turn.

Not especially unique but enough of a seed to start thinking more deeply.

Follow up prompt:
What kinds of factions operate in the city?

Response:
There could be a variety of different factions operating within the hidden underground city, each with their own agendas and goals. Here are a few examples:

1. The Council: The council is a group of wise leaders who are responsible for maintaining the peace and prosperity of the city. They might be made up of representatives from different races and cultures within the city, and they could have a variety of different motivations and ideologies.
2. The Guilds: There could be various guilds operating within the city, each representing a different profession or trade. These might include guilds of magic users, mercenaries, craftsmen, and merchants. The guilds could be powerful political players within the city, and they might be in competition with one another for influence and resources.
3. The Thieves' Guild: Every city needs a thieves' guild, and this underground city is no exception. The thieves' guild could be a shadowy organization that operates in the shadows, pulling the strings of power from behind the scenes. They might be willing to work with the player characters, but only for a price.
4. The Rebel Faction: There could be a group of rebels within the city who are unhappy with the council's rule and are seeking to overthrow them. These rebels could be made up of a variety of different races and cultures, and they might be willing to work with the player characters if they share a common goal.
5. The Cult: There could be a mysterious cult operating within the city, worshiping some dark and ancient deity. They might be seeking to unlock forbidden knowledge or power, and they could be willing to go to great lengths to achieve their goals. The player characters might have to confront the cult in order to stop them from unleashing some ancient evil upon the world.

Again, not super unique, but now there's some meat on the bones for further development.

Tell me more about the cult. What forbidden knowledge do they seek?

The cult that operates within the hidden underground city could be seeking a variety of different forbidden knowledge or power. Here are a few examples:

1. The cult could be seeking to unlock the secrets of immortality, believing that by tapping into the power of ancient deities or magical artifacts, they can achieve eternal life. They might be willing to perform dark rituals or make sacrifices in order to attain this power.
2. The cult could be seeking to unlock the secrets of ancient magic, believing that by studying ancient tomes and scrolls, they can gain access to powerful spells and abilities that have been lost to the rest of the world. They might be willing to go to great lengths to acquire these relics, even if it means resorting to theft or violence.
3. The cult could be seeking to uncover the location of a powerful magical artifact, such as a magical sword or a cursed artifact that is said to grant great power to whoever possesses it. They might believe that by obtaining this artifact, they can use its power to shape the world to their will.
4. The cult could be seeking to awaken an ancient deity or powerful entity, believing that by performing the necessary rituals and sacrifices, they can bring this being back to life. This entity could be a powerful god or demon, and the cult might believe that it will grant them great power or knowledge in return for their devotion.

Overall, the cult within the hidden underground city could be seeking any number of forbidden knowledge or power, and it will be up to the player characters to stop them from achieving their goals and potentially unleashing great harm upon the world.

My point is, if you are strapped for inspiration, throwing out a few well crafted prompts and follow ups can provide more than a list of existing D&D settings. I wouldn't ask AI to write a campaign or adventure for me, but I would certainly use it for inspiration if I was suffering from writers block.

 

[bedir than]

It's not as great as ChatGPT

ChatGPT Prompt:

 

[Lakesidefantasy]

Prompt for GPT3: describe a four different zombies for a dungeons and dragons game

1. Plague Zombie: This undead creature is created when a corpse is exposed to a powerful magical plague. Its body is bloated and discolored, and its skin is often translucent. Its movements are slow and jerky, and its attacks are slow and clumsy. It emits a putrid stench that is sickening to anyone nearby.

2. Feral Zombie: This zombie is created from a corpse that has been exposed to a powerful curse. It has a feral aspect and moves quickly and aggressively. It is relentless in its pursuit of living prey and will attack anyone in sight. Its attacks are strong and vicious, often tearing apart its victims with its razor-sharp claws.

3. Frost Zombie: This zombie is created from a corpse that has been exposed to a powerful ice elemental force. Its body is covered in a layer of frost and it moves slowly and clumsily. Its attacks are slow, but powerful, and its icy touch can freeze a victim in place. Its icy breath is also deadly, and anyone who breathes it in will be frozen solid.

4. Shadow Zombie: This zombie is created from a corpse that has been exposed to a powerful shadow magic. Its body is wreathed in a dark cloud, and its movements are eerily silent. Its attacks are devastating, sapping the life force out of its victims. It also has the ability to create copies of itself, making it a formidable enemy to any adventurers brave enough to confront it.

These aren't bad, but if we change "different" to "idiosyncratic we get...

Prompt for GPT3: describe a four idosyncratic zombies for a dungeons and dragons game

1. The Undead Jester: This zombie has a macabre sense of humor and wears a motley of mismatched clothes. It only attacks when provoked, but when it does, it uses a range of deadly jokes and puns to make its victims laugh themselves to death.

2. The Bathing Zombie: This zombie is always covered in a layer of grime, and it seems to relish the idea of taking a dip in any available body of water. It prefers to make its home in murky swamps or sewers, and it’s known for attacking unsuspecting victims with its slimy hands.

3. The Burning Zombie: This zombie is constantly engulfed in flames, and it has an insatiable appetite for brains. It can only be killed with magical weapons, as its fireproof hide is too powerful for physical weapons to penetrate.

4. The Crawling Zombie: This zombie moves very slowly, and its only mode of transportation is crawling. It has a wide range of abilities, including the ability to climb walls and ceilings, and it prefers to lurk in dark corners, waiting for unsuspecting victims to pass by.

Interesting.

 

[Reynard]

Ok, but that wasn't your thesis.