The last time I designed my own megadungeon was in 1E. I used 9 pages per level with 10' per space, which gave me plenty of room between areas. Since I had several players of mixed groups that went into the dungeon, I wanted to make sure there was plenty of stuff on each level. I eventually ended that campaign with about 26 levels in the dungeon...
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Are megadungeon still a viable play experience?
- Thread starter Pog
- Start date
Lots of good advice which I heavily agree with.
So far, in terms of mapping, I have used simple squared paper for the side-view and the individual locales (sub-dungeons), though obviously the scale varies. For those sub-dungeon sections that won't have full maps the scale is variable.
but basically, square paper hand drawn
So far, in terms of mapping, I have used simple squared paper for the side-view and the individual locales (sub-dungeons), though obviously the scale varies. For those sub-dungeon sections that won't have full maps the scale is variable.
but basically, square paper hand drawn
Emirikol
Adventurer
I have good nostalgia about having built a megadungeon when I was a kid. Now when I look at the stacks of my old D&D products, I simply have no more interest in them. I've got to have plot..and dungeons simply don't carry enough plot outside of how the organisms "get along."
If a GM of mine presented me, and my 40 year old-ish players, with a megadungeon, it simply wouldn't hold much interest. Exploration of the aspects of Gygaxian dungeons kind of faded for me.
If a GM of mine presented me, and my 40 year old-ish players, with a megadungeon, it simply wouldn't hold much interest. Exploration of the aspects of Gygaxian dungeons kind of faded for me.
the Jester
Legend
One of the best ways to use a megadungeon is as a location for adventures, rather than as an adventure in itself.
In other words, instead of "Clear out the megadungeon!", it's more like "Find the Holy Avenger in the megadungeon" or "Find the way down to the next level of the megadungeon" or "Chase this criminal who escaped into the megadungeon and bring him or his corpse back".
I also think it's important for dms and designers to recognize that their megadungeon may never be fully explored by pcs.
That said, I love megadungeons where the pcs explore, then leave, then come back later to explore some more, etc.
In other words, instead of "Clear out the megadungeon!", it's more like "Find the Holy Avenger in the megadungeon" or "Find the way down to the next level of the megadungeon" or "Chase this criminal who escaped into the megadungeon and bring him or his corpse back".
I also think it's important for dms and designers to recognize that their megadungeon may never be fully explored by pcs.
That said, I love megadungeons where the pcs explore, then leave, then come back later to explore some more, etc.
Lanefan
Victoria Rules
This raises another point to consider: can the party (relatively) easily get out of and back into the dungeon, or is it a situation of once you're in, you're in until you finish and-or find your own way out?
Highly relevant in that if your game has requirements to train up on level advance, and-or your group values its downtime for treasury division and identification, rest and recovery (and reviving the dead!), information gathering, and so forth they need to be able to leave and re-enter (mostly) at their own choice and pace.
The nearest I've ever come to running a megadungeon was ToEE a long time ago; I made the mistake of having it be too hard to get to (a *very* long way from civilization) and as my games have training rules for advancement the party gave up after a few forays and a few cross-half-continent trips back and forth.
Lanefan
ExploderWizard
Hero
The original megadungeon concept included fairly easy access points (at least from SOME levels
) and a location that was not too far away from a town so that beginning adventurers could have a chance to explore it and return to base if their skill and luck permitted.
For one of these to remain interesting for any length of time there needs to be interesting personalities doing interesting things beyond the monsters, traps, and treasures. In this respect a megadungeon is like any other adventure. It really doesn't matter what the plot happens to be, if there are no fascinating personalities doing cool stuff then the "plot" will be just as flat as the setting.
I prefer my megadungeons to have many connections to the world around it on many levels (both literally and figuratively). All kinds of adventure ideas can lead from the surface, to the megadungeon, back out, and so forth. A fairly good sized body of rumors is a gread starting place for adventure seed fodder. Think about groups that might have a presence in the megadungeon, their agendas, and who might be allied with, or working against them on the surface.
I like to make sure when mapping out the levels, that a large portion of the map won't be actively inhabited. These areas provide a buffer between active factions, as do actual different levels. The "empty" areas can serve all kinds of uses. Wandering monsters can still be found there, some of which may be able to burrow creating new exits, entrances, and even connections to entirely new areas. Empty rooms provide a place to retreat from monsters or to set up ambushes for them.
When designing the inhabited portions, think about the inhabitants who will live there. If they are living then they will need food & water sources, and also some kind of sewage disposal. For groups that have been in an area for a very long time, think about what features they might have added or any remodeling that they might have done.
The megadungeon can still be as fun as ever but it needs LIFE! A static environment gets boring above or below ground.
) and a location that was not too far away from a town so that beginning adventurers could have a chance to explore it and return to base if their skill and luck permitted. For one of these to remain interesting for any length of time there needs to be interesting personalities doing interesting things beyond the monsters, traps, and treasures. In this respect a megadungeon is like any other adventure. It really doesn't matter what the plot happens to be, if there are no fascinating personalities doing cool stuff then the "plot" will be just as flat as the setting.
I prefer my megadungeons to have many connections to the world around it on many levels (both literally and figuratively
). All kinds of adventure ideas can lead from the surface, to the megadungeon, back out, and so forth. A fairly good sized body of rumors is a gread starting place for adventure seed fodder. Think about groups that might have a presence in the megadungeon, their agendas, and who might be allied with, or working against them on the surface. I like to make sure when mapping out the levels, that a large portion of the map won't be actively inhabited. These areas provide a buffer between active factions, as do actual different levels. The "empty" areas can serve all kinds of uses. Wandering monsters can still be found there, some of which may be able to burrow creating new exits, entrances, and even connections to entirely new areas. Empty rooms provide a place to retreat from monsters or to set up ambushes for them.
When designing the inhabited portions, think about the inhabitants who will live there. If they are living then they will need food & water sources, and also some kind of sewage disposal. For groups that have been in an area for a very long time, think about what features they might have added or any remodeling that they might have done.
The megadungeon can still be as fun as ever but it needs LIFE! A static environment gets boring above or below ground.
Libramarian
Adventurer
The model of a megadungeon where the PCs make forays from a little nearby village leaves me cold. It's not so much the repetitiveness of the dungeoncrawling but the repetitiveness of the above-ground stuff that bothers me (go to the same old inn to rest, and to the same old market to buy some new gear). I would rather have a megadungeon that the PCs never leave with friendly factions and underground cities all down there, or a megadungeon that they can enter into while travelling around on the surface (e.g. by shamanistic dreams or teleportation gates).
Or else above ground is a big city that the players gradually explore and climb socially as they get richer/more powerful from dungeon expeditions.
However you do it you need the rest/downtime part to change and reflect what the players accomplish in the dungeon.
Or else above ground is a big city that the players gradually explore and climb socially as they get richer/more powerful from dungeon expeditions.
However you do it you need the rest/downtime part to change and reflect what the players accomplish in the dungeon.
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