D&D 5E Building a dungeon that Meta-games
Dragongrief
Explorer
It sounds like it could be fun, but you'd need to make sure that doesn't just turn into a "screw the PCs" dungeon (otherwise they should leave it alone after a couple trips in). The easiest way to do that would to be having built-in limitations on what it can do. Some have already been discussed (how fast it can change/repair areas, only knowing what it has directly seen).
I would recommend giving it a resource that it spends to create, fix, or change things. That way you can have it expend those resources when the PCs retreat to adapt to what it has learned about them (or anyone else who has tried to come through the dungeon). As it spends them, it becomes less able to create new challenges, and will have to decide whether pulling resources from other areas is better than creating new challenges. Also, to keep things fair for the dungeon, the longer the PCs take between visits, the more its resources will recharge.
Example Thoughts:
*Simple Change (opening/closing a door): -0 or -1 point
*Complex Change (move walls): -2 to -4 points
*Create a Trap: -CR in points
*Create a Monster: -CR in points
*Repair a Trap/Monster: -1/2 original points
*Switch Damage/Resistance Type: -1 or -2 points
This should allow both side some leverage in trying to "game" each other. The dungeon is trying to make changes against the strengths & weaknesses that the PCs have shown, and the PCs (once they realize what is going on) can try to hit as hard, fast, and often as possible while not showing all of their abilities.
I would recommend giving it a resource that it spends to create, fix, or change things. That way you can have it expend those resources when the PCs retreat to adapt to what it has learned about them (or anyone else who has tried to come through the dungeon). As it spends them, it becomes less able to create new challenges, and will have to decide whether pulling resources from other areas is better than creating new challenges. Also, to keep things fair for the dungeon, the longer the PCs take between visits, the more its resources will recharge.
Example Thoughts:
*Simple Change (opening/closing a door): -0 or -1 point
*Complex Change (move walls): -2 to -4 points
*Create a Trap: -CR in points
*Create a Monster: -CR in points
*Repair a Trap/Monster: -1/2 original points
*Switch Damage/Resistance Type: -1 or -2 points
This should allow both side some leverage in trying to "game" each other. The dungeon is trying to make changes against the strengths & weaknesses that the PCs have shown, and the PCs (once they realize what is going on) can try to hit as hard, fast, and often as possible while not showing all of their abilities.
Eltab
Lord of the Hidden Layer
If you want inspiration for what the dungeon might create - or try to - look at the old Grimtooth's Traps books.
For fun, one 'archer trap' fires sharpened telephone poles (maybe not very fast) instead of crossbow bolts.
OTOH, how hard is it to poison some water? Just put a mold/slime in the bottom of the pool.
I created (but never ran) a campaign world where Grimtooth had built a trap into every dungeon in the area. You knew it was around because his face was carved into the wall, much like the "Kilroy was here" symbol. If you were caught by the trap, the face would be laughing when you returned by it. If you defeated the trap, the face looked mad (or embarrassed if you totally blew past it).
For fun, one 'archer trap' fires sharpened telephone poles (maybe not very fast) instead of crossbow bolts.
OTOH, how hard is it to poison some water? Just put a mold/slime in the bottom of the pool.
I created (but never ran) a campaign world where Grimtooth had built a trap into every dungeon in the area. You knew it was around because his face was carved into the wall, much like the "Kilroy was here" symbol. If you were caught by the trap, the face would be laughing when you returned by it. If you defeated the trap, the face looked mad (or embarrassed if you totally blew past it).
