D&D 5E Dungeon Difficulty: post your dungeon stats

[GuardianLurker]

I basically only use the quick stats method. In this case, since the traps are objects, I basically take their damage and cut that CR in half, then fudge it based on detection and disabling DCs.

Having just transformed the DMG traps into creatures for use in FG, most of them end up with a CR of 3 or less. The Sphere I put at CR 20 because of the detection difficulty, consequences, and stated inability to disarm it. However, it could be reasonably argued as much less, since avoiding it defeats it.

(Oh, and for clarity's sake the CR 10 traps are 10d10 (type1) damage plus 10d10 (type2), and have no disarm.)

 

[Bawylie]

Working with [MENTION=97077]iserith[/MENTION] & @highscorekid on a one-shot for 4-5 3rd level PCs.

The difficulty isn't really quantifiable in the sense that it comes from time and resource management running up hard against quest-goals.

I'd say it's hard. And fun. But not strictly bc of the math.


-Brad

 

[mestewart3]

Goseph's Observatory: Adventure for 4-5 level 1 PC's Expected to run for 1-2 sessions.

• Locked Door which casts Confusion on the party when they meddle with it.
• Rug of Smothering (it won't kill the party only knock them out and roll them out the door).
• Endless Staircase trap with an astral construct to warn off guests not invited to the upper floors (using Spectre stats without the life drain who only knocks the party out and throws them out of the tower).
• 1x Animated Armour armed with a longsword that it wields two handed.
• Library room and living quarters. The library is a false one filled with mundane book, one low level spellbook, and a small amount of coin. A secret portal in the fireplace takes the party to the real observatory room.
• 1x Ghoul with a wand of Magic Missle and 3x Homunculus (The wizard astral projected into the far-plane and went mad, his Homunculus still guard their masters maddened corpse).

 

[Whirlingdervish]

Temple of the sleeping god (homebrew adventure homebrew world)

30 1/4(50 xp) goblins Spread out across the the temple in groups of six


One duergar smith(200 Xp) Can be be bargained with)


2 trapped books one paralysis the other shocking grasp (100 xp a peice)


one illusion trap rope descending into darkness players lea out to grasp the rope rope disappears and the player falls 60 feet (6d6 falling damage) (200 xp)


1 goblin Boss (200xp)


gray ooze (100 XP)


2 shadows (200 XP)


1 Naga Priestess of the sleeping god possessed by the essence of a usurper god due to an amulet that was forced on her (Indian Naga which are more like Yuan ti purebloods)(200 XP)


1 bugbear (200 xp) Controlled by the Naga, Controls the goblins






3000 exp

my group almost TPK'ed during the very first encounter with 6 goblins who had set themselves up in the foyer of an ancient temple they had crates stacked to provide cover and in the opening round my dice were on fire as the party had made no attempt to stealth walking down the stairs into the kill box i critted on on the group cleric and and magic user scored normal hits on everyone else forcing the group back into the stairway leading to the surface. that one encounter set the tone for the entire level of the dungeon (there are three more each increasingly harder) they muddled along soaking damage from the goblin patrols until they got to the naga and bugbear and for two combat rounds none of the party noticed the black pulsating amulet the priestess was wearing Mainly because the bugbear was romping through them at the rate of one player per round by the time they noticed and managed to get the amulet off the priestess the bugbear had laid waste to the entire party.

I thought maybe i had designed it a little to hard but when i asked for player input at the end of the night the only complaint i got is that my dice were really hot and that maybe should use a different set next time.

 

[Rhenny]

Here's a short dungeon adventure for 3 or 4 1st level PCs. The group has to explore an abandoned excavation site to try to find some archaeologists who were killed or taken prisoner. They get 150 xp for finding each of the 3 archeologists (even the dead one). I tried to make this one that the pcs could complete in 1 day. There are many ways to use the environment to their advantage and since the goblins are mining, noise makes it hard for the noise of battle to be heard (I try to give PCs a chance to do stealth and or use environment when possible).

1. 2 goblin archers and 2 goblin warriors in a tower guarding. (200 xp)

2. A guard dog sleeping, chained and hidden in a pit near the site entrance. (I used a 2x hp wolf for this - 100xp)

3. A great room with scaffolds on three walls. 2 goblin archers on each scaffold (6) with a goblin leader directing them to chip away at the walls (they are excavating). (One hostage in this room) (500 xp plus 150 for hostage) (PCs can knock down the scaffolds to do some damage to the goblins on it...2d6).

4. A large cave area where goblins are mining. 4 goblins with pick axes and 1 bugbear urging them on. (There is a chest in this room with a few healing pots and about 120 gp). (400 xp)

5. A cave of refuse and 3 wolves (guard dogs). (Remains of dead Archeologist are buried in the garbage along with a gold ring on one finger - 50gp value) (150 xp plus 150 for finding dead guy)

6. A room with a stream running through it, a hostage hiding under heavy cloth on the other side of the stream, and 6 Stirges. (150xp plus 150 for finding hidden hostage)

7. A hidden doorway in the rear hall that leads into a tomb. 4 skeletons behind the doorway in another hall that leads to the resting chamber/coffin. (200 xp)

8. Inside the coffin Sayer Valdam, an ancient evil noble, rises as a sentient zombie (double hit points) wielding a +1 longsword. (Some gems in the coffin total of 120 gp value) (about 200 xp)

2350 xp total (if my math is right)
Treasure: 2 healing pots, 290 gp value of treasure and +1 Longsword (longsword optional depending on magic in campaign).

 

[Satyrn]

Rappan Athuk. . .

Ditto. Although now the PCs are level 10 and they've barely scratched the surface since I got sidetracked into side adventures. I'm considering having them now delve way down deep into the place to retrieve some magic item to help them power up some other magic items to defeat Orcus and his plan to release that thing down the Well.

The treasure this dungeon gives out in its early levels is more than enough for high level characters, and the monsters can be hideously devastating too.

 

[feartheminotaur]

I'm doing a hexcrawl for 4-6 PCs level 7-9 (I did the calculations based on five 8th level PCs). There are 4 "plot" encounters worth 10k each (Copper Dragon, Rakshasa Warlord, Archdruid, Evil Mage). There are 5 "location" encounters worth 10k each (Abandoned Wizards Tower, Forest Ruins, Evil Shrine, Abandoned City, and the Deadlands). So, assuming they finish adventure, that's 90k.

These are the random encounters. They are a mix from easy to deadly; 1/6 of easy and deadly each, 2/6 of hard and medium each (base die is d6). There are 196200 XP worth of random encounters.

Ideally, the party would move up 1 levels over the course of the adventure (plot and location encounters) and up to 2 levels of random encounters (so, that will vary). Treasure would be DMG table coins (about PCs x 10k), PCs x 1 uncommon permanent item, PCs x 3 uncommon consumable, and 1 rare item (BBEG's).

Random Encounters:

Adventurers : Mage (2300) + Gladiator (1800) + Bandit Captain (450) + 2 Priests (900) + Spy (200)
Ankheg Infestation : 7 Ankhegs (3150)
Beast Herd : 5 Elephants (5500)
Centaur Hunters : 5 Centaurs (2250)
Chimera : 2 Chimera (4600)
Crocodile : 2 Giant Crocodiles (3600)
Cyclops : 2 Cyclops (4600)
Demon Wanderer : Glabrezu (5000)
Demon Hunting Party : 1 Yochlol (5900) + 1 Shadow Demon (1100)
Demoted Archdevils : Court Wizard (8400)
Devil Soul Searcher : Erinyes (8400)
Devil Slavers : 2 Bearded Devils (1400) + 4 Imps (800)
Drow Slavers : Drow Elite Warrior (1800) + 9 Drow (450)
Elementals, Air : Air Elementals (1800) + Invisible Stalker (2300)
Elementals, Earth : Earth Elementals (1800) + Xorn (1800)
Elementals, Fire : Fire Elementals (1800) + Salamander (1800)
Naga : 1 Spirit Naga (3900) + 1 Mimic (450)
Gnoll War Band : 1 Gnoll Fang of Yeenoghu (1100) + 2 Gnoll Pack Lords (1800) + 20 Gnolls (2000) + 3 Giant Hyena (300)
Goblin Raiders : 1 Goblin Boss (200) + 9 Goblins (450) + 10 Wolves (500)
Grassland Monsters : 1 Lamia (1100) + 2 Ettins (2200)
Griffons : 5 Griffons (2250)
Hag Coven : 3 Green Hags (5400)
Half Dragon Bounty Hunter : Half Dragon Vet (1800) + 2 Cult Fanatics (900) + 2 Hellhounds (1400)
Haunting : 4 Ghosts (4400)
Hill Giants : 1 Hill Giant (1800) + 2 Dire Wolf (400)
Hydras : Hydra (3900) + Will-o-wisp (450)
The Guardian : Iron Golem (13000)
Kobold Trappers : 12 Winged Kobolds (600) + 20 Kobolds (500)+ 10 Pit Traps (1000)
Lizardfolk Warriors : Lizardfolk Shaman (450) + 12 Lizardfolk (1200)
Carnivorous Dinosaurs : 7 Allosaurs (3150)
Mountain Giants : 2 Stone Giants (5800)
Mountain Monsters : 1 Behir (7200)
Oni Searchers : Oni (2900) + Mage (2300) + Imp (200)
Oozes : 3 Gelatinous Cubes (1350)
Orc War Party : Orc War Chief (1100) + Eye of Gruumsh (450) + 2 Orog (900) + 20 orcs (2000)
Herbivorous Dinosaurs : 6 Anklyosaurus (4200)
Shamblers : Shambling Mound (1800) + 3 Needle Blights (450)
Red Dragons : 1 Young Red Dragon (5900)
Restless Dead : 3 Wights (2100)
Serpent Cultists : 1 Cult Mage (2300) + 1 Cult Gladiator (1800) + 2 Cult Veteran (700) + 2 Cult Fanatics (900)
Shadow Swarms : 10 Shadows (1000)
Swamp Swarm : 10 Swarm of Insects (1000)
Swamp Spiders : 10 Giant Spiders (2000)
Trolls : 2 Trolls (3600)
Undead : 25 Zombies (1250)
Were Outcasts : 2 Wereboars (2200) + 2 Weretigers (2200)
Wolf Pack : 5 Winter Wolves (3500)
Wyverns : 2 Wyvern (4600)

 

[meomwt]

Earlier this week, the party (Great Old One Bladelock, Cleric (custom-made Diplomacy Domain), Blademaster, Assassin and Moon Circle Druid) cleared out another little sequence of rooms in the Temple of Elemental Evil.

They saw off:
Wave 1 - 4 Gnolls (CR 1/2) and a Gnoll Warlock (CR2)
Wave 2 - 4 Gnolls in a room with a net trap (clever use of Spiritual Weapon got the Blademaster out of trouble here).
Wave 3 - 5 more Gnolls, 2 Hobgoblins (CR 1/2) and a Hobgoblin Captain (CR 3)
Wave 4 - 2 Ogres (CR2)

I rolled badly, they rolled well and used great tactics. The Druid has now discovered how effective turning into a Giant Constrictor Snake is, and the Bladelock made good use of Hex throughout the combats.

 

[derelictjay]

Not really a dungeon. But my players are heading into a forest to clear blights (from MM) taking it over. This is my first time DMing in years (been a player) and first time playing 5e ever. Got me 5 to 6 players at level 3.

The way this will be run relies heavily on random encounters (haven't done this since 2e days). The map is just a blank piece of grid paper. There are 4 "set" locations. Two of which should be non combat. How this works, whatever direction the players find the first location, from there they are told about two of the other locations, and finally at one of those they are told where the last location is. In between are a whole bunch of random encounters, made mostly of wolves, blights and/or zombies, with a few other beasties in the mix. There are also 4 or 5 random locations, these are one time random encounters that when rolled show up on the map. This all means the amount of XP handed out is gonna be random along with treasure.

Set Locations
The Dryad's Grove 470 xp
Dryad, cave bear and a couple of commoners
NOTE: First of the non combat locations, safe place to rest and get information.

Satyr's Camp 600xp
Bunch of satyr zombies and various blights

Witch's Glade XP varies
3 Sea Hags (Coven)
NOTE: other non combat (should be at least) location. They tell the location of the big bad as well the guthias tree, of which they want it's fruit as payment.

Guthias tree
Not yet designed, big bad is a satyr, bunch of blights and wolves. Want to come up with some lair actions. Maybe a zombie or two.

Random Locations
Thornfist's Clearing 950xp
Thornfist (from en5ider) and several blights
Treasure Potions of healing, art objects

The Burial Mound 1100xp
A banshee; I could actually see my players leaving this alone so avoiding this one.
Treasure gemstones potion of heroism, sending stones

Dragon's Pond 450xp
A green dragon Wyrming
Treasure coinage, gemstones, potions of healing

 

[The Crimson Binome]

Tower of Wishes
Just going by memory, this is the last dungeon that the party raided. Aside from the humanoids, everything was just straight out of the book. The PC-built adventurers came out around CR 7 each. The Archmage and Lich at the end were modified to account for magic items, and had straight 20s for stats. There were no deaths in the party, though a couple of PCs were knocked out in the last fight.

Party: 5 PCs + 1 ultra-cool NPC with twin scimitars.
Party Level: 16

First Floor: 3 x Empyrean - non-hostile, did not engage
Second Floor: 1 x Lich - defeated
Third Floor: 1 x Ancient White Dragon + 12 x Troll - defeated
-Short Rest-
Fourth Floor: 2 x Dragon Turtle - used diplomacy
Fifth Floor: 6 x Level 16 PC-built adventurers - defeated
-Short Rest-
Sixth Floor: 1 x Death Knight - defeated
Seventh Floor: 2 x Empyrean - defeated
-Short Rest-
Eighth Floor: 1 x Archmage - upon defeat, transforms into
1 x Ancient Black Dragon - upon defeat, transforms into
1 x Lich - upon defeat, transforms into
1 x Kraken - upon defeat, is restored anew as
1 x Kraken - defeated

Treasure: 10000pp, large ruby (50000gp value), Robe of the Archmage, Staff of Power, Pact Rod +3, Maul +3, Supreme Healing Potion x 5
XP Earned: ~330,000 (66,000 per character)