DMs:Do you ever over do it?

[Tinker Gnome]

In terms of dungeons do you ever over do it? Like disabling all fly spells in it and having an area that has floating platforms that move along a track and there are holes in the track and if the PCs fail a jump check it drops them off into oblivion. And they have to jump from one up above to one below. I have not done this myself, but I am tempted to. A cookie for anyone who knows where this idea came from.

 

[Pants]

Do I get to eat Mushrooms and shoot fireballs and jump on the backs of turtles as well?

 

[Tinker Gnome]

Do I get to eat Mushrooms and shoot fireballs and jump on the backs of turtles as well?

Nope, no cookie for you.

 

[Sunderstone]

Just gimme a second to put on my armor and find my Railgun.

 

[Telperion]

I have been known to ward stuff quite a lot. Some examples:

1. No scrying into BBEG's study/workroom
2. Anti-magic fields in doorways where BBEG wants to set up defensive posts
3. No teleporting out of pits, traps or labyrinths
4. No Stone Shape in labyrinths

Those are exceptions, since I rarely build dungeons that have spell casters capable of the kind of magic required for the above mentioned stuff. However, when a BBEG decides to live in a dungeon I like to put something "extra" in there as well. Here are some rules that I use for creating such things.

1. Nothing that can kill or seriously damage a character is permanent
2. Effects that hinder and/or weaken characters are better than damage effects or Save-or-Die effects
3. Whatever the BBEG puts in his dungeon must be to the benefit of himself and his miniions
4. If something can easily be used as a weapon against the BBEG then that feature/item/etc is either removed or stored away safely

EDIT: oh...never mind...

 

[Gez]

In terms of dungeons do you ever over do it? Like <imitating a videogame>.

Nope, but I've seriously thought of ripping whole parts of various plot or setting elements from CRPGs. I would not imitate directly the gameplay, though.

But the Ethereal Void from Ultima? Yep. Soul-powered magic items à la Elder Scrolls? Yep.

 

[Prince of Happiness]

Sounds like you've been playing the Gutsman stage on MegaMan too much there, fella. Can't blame ya though!

<----Big Mega Man geek.

 

[Wormwood]

I *love* writing areas that require Jump and Climb checks to fully explore.

They party could simply bypass the extra treasure and cool encounters, but I enjoy giving the Monks and Rogues opportunities to shine.

 

[Gez]

True, but you won't depict this treasure as large, floating, spinning, golden disks that you gather just by running into them.

 

[Tinker Gnome]

Sounds like you've been playing the Gutsman stage on MegaMan too much there, fella. Can't blame ya though!

<----Big Mega Man geek.

*Gives him a cookie*

Yep, that part gave me a lot of trouble. I did get past it though.