Dungeon design - any tips?
- Thread starter Olive
- Start date
Set up everything so that it Makes Sense why it's there.
In other words, don't have a mindflayer sitting in a cave, and 20 feet down a tunnel, sitting in another cave, is an ettin.
If this was a real case, the Illithid would be Controlling that Ettin.
However, if you can come up with some clever ways on how monsters can co-exist, go for it. Like a nest of kobolds who train Stirges to protect them from the Chuul that lurks in the water caves under them (Chuuls have no defense against stirges, since their AC is pure Nat, and stirges ignore that).
Things with ecological reasoning are always good. Like, little rivers that have fish, animals, edible lichen on the walls (Glowing lichen is awesome
). That way your monsters have something to Eat, and live, and so forth.
What's the underground thing like? Natural caves? A constructed, deserted fortress? More details will help.
In other words, don't have a mindflayer sitting in a cave, and 20 feet down a tunnel, sitting in another cave, is an ettin.
If this was a real case, the Illithid would be Controlling that Ettin.
However, if you can come up with some clever ways on how monsters can co-exist, go for it. Like a nest of kobolds who train Stirges to protect them from the Chuul that lurks in the water caves under them (Chuuls have no defense against stirges, since their AC is pure Nat, and stirges ignore that).
Things with ecological reasoning are always good. Like, little rivers that have fish, animals, edible lichen on the walls (Glowing lichen is awesome
). That way your monsters have something to Eat, and live, and so forth.What's the underground thing like? Natural caves? A constructed, deserted fortress? More details will help.
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Olive
Explorer
Well... on eof my players is a serious lurker on these boards (go away simon!!! 
), so i don't want to say to much. Basically it;s a cve complex that was used as a burial ground by the local humans a long time ago.
thee is soemthing in there the PCs have to get out, but it's been traped and... infested by those who don't want the thing retrieved.
), so i don't want to say to much. Basically it;s a cve complex that was used as a burial ground by the local humans a long time ago.thee is soemthing in there the PCs have to get out, but it's been traped and... infested by those who don't want the thing retrieved.
Sammael99
First Post
Based on my experience as a DM, I would suggest the following :
* Don't make the cave complex endless. A dozen or so areas is probably enough for most players provided there are interesting encounters/challenges in there. Most players will start getting bored if it's bigger than that.
* Try to make it so combat is not the only challenges around. A burial ground could be a nice place for interaction with ghosts, old tombs to be plundered, spiritual mysteries to unfold, etc. In other words, avoid the plotless dungeon like the plague.
* Underground adventures can be a good excuse for environmental challenges : check out the rules for suffering exposure to extreme cold in the DMG, for example...
* Don't make the cave complex endless. A dozen or so areas is probably enough for most players provided there are interesting encounters/challenges in there. Most players will start getting bored if it's bigger than that.
* Try to make it so combat is not the only challenges around. A burial ground could be a nice place for interaction with ghosts, old tombs to be plundered, spiritual mysteries to unfold, etc. In other words, avoid the plotless dungeon like the plague.
* Underground adventures can be a good excuse for environmental challenges : check out the rules for suffering exposure to extreme cold in the DMG, for example...
Discription, think about the color of the walls as the light of the parties torches play on them, the uneven floors, the drip of water in the background, the chill of the air (50 degrees year round), how sounds carry and echo. How the party has to enter the cave, stepping into dropping from the bats that make their home in the cave, the bugs and frogs that live in that mess crawling up their legs and how the smell hangs around them.
Think about the the side view of your cave, think about the nature of the cave, is it a route to the underdark? Is it a sinkhole?
A simple burial cave would be rather boring, as it would be used and maintained. There would be protection spells and such and I see traps such as pits for the catching of animals that would eat the dead. For the most part the party world face the undead and very few other creatures (those known to eat dead flesh), unless the cave connects to something more. Oh, cults and clerics, don't forget that if the cave is still in use (even if not), you will have people maintaining it, this could be a lone crazy monk, to a cult of murders! Build a myth around the cave!
Think also of layout, were kings and other important people given special rooms, or placed with the mass of commoners. Were the commoners stacked as firewood in side passages? Were important people buried with their foes at their feet?
Think about the the side view of your cave, think about the nature of the cave, is it a route to the underdark? Is it a sinkhole?
A simple burial cave would be rather boring, as it would be used and maintained. There would be protection spells and such and I see traps such as pits for the catching of animals that would eat the dead. For the most part the party world face the undead and very few other creatures (those known to eat dead flesh), unless the cave connects to something more. Oh, cults and clerics, don't forget that if the cave is still in use (even if not), you will have people maintaining it, this could be a lone crazy monk, to a cult of murders! Build a myth around the cave!
Think also of layout, were kings and other important people given special rooms, or placed with the mass of commoners. Were the commoners stacked as firewood in side passages? Were important people buried with their foes at their feet?
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For $5, a ton of advice (Dungeon Builder's Guidebook, PDF download):
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http://www.svgames.com/tsr9556esd.html
Storminator
First Post
Remember the water table! I just ran a "dungeon" in the swamp for my players, and even tho none of them care (all new players) I could bring myself to have nice dry underground caves.
So I put the whole thing on a little hill (get parts of it out of the water) and anything that went too deep was full of water. And the killer frogs in the pool with the slippery mud was nasty!
Even if your cave is stuck in the side of a mountain and doesn't worry about water, think of the natural environment and work it into your design. That way each dungeon you design will have a bit of character based on where its found.
PS
So I put the whole thing on a little hill (get parts of it out of the water) and anything that went too deep was full of water. And the killer frogs in the pool with the slippery mud was nasty!
Even if your cave is stuck in the side of a mountain and doesn't worry about water, think of the natural environment and work it into your design. That way each dungeon you design will have a bit of character based on where its found.
PS
Storminator said:Remember the water table! I just ran a "dungeon" in the swamp for my players, and even tho none of them care (all new players) I could bring myself to have nice dry underground caves.
So I put the whole thing on a little hill (get parts of it out of the water) and anything that went too deep was full of water. And the killer frogs in the pool with the slippery mud was nasty!
Even if your cave is stuck in the side of a mountain and doesn't worry about water, think of the natural environment and work it into your design. That way each dungeon you design will have a bit of character based on where its found.
PS
Good point, think about that coal mine a few weeks ago. Now think about about a party coming on a steal metal door, wizard locked...don't open that door!
Flash floods could and should be an issue in some caves.
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