Help me understand "The Delve"

[Badwe]

With the coming of "dungeon delve" on march 3rd (damn printing errors!) my excitement grows! However, I'm relatively new to the concept of the delve, and I'd like some extra details.

What defines a delve, as in what are characteristics all delves MUST have or even most delves will have?
Where did the idea of the delve come from?
What are the advantages of using a delve format? Disadvantages?
Are there sites or threads dedicated to suggestions for creating your own delves or repositories of existing delves?

My general understanding is a delve is 3-4 encounters loosely tied together with a simple plot that is meant to be easy to include in any adventure/campaign.

 

[malraux]

My general understanding is a delve is 3-4 encounters loosely tied together with a simple plot that is meant to be easy to include in any adventure/campaign.

That's my understanding of the book as well. Its a book of interesting locations and creatures of probably around 3 encounters per delve. It's not a full adventure, but easy to integrate into a longer adventure if you want.

 

[fba827]

With the coming of "dungeon delve" on march 3rd (damn printing errors!) my excitement grows! However, I'm relatively new to the concept of the delve, and I'd like some extra details.

What defines a delve, as in what are characteristics all delves MUST have or even most delves will have?
Where did the idea of the delve come from?
What are the advantages of using a delve format? Disadvantages?
Are there sites or threads dedicated to suggestions for creating your own delves or repositories of existing delves?

My general understanding is a delve is 3-4 encounters loosely tied together with a simple plot that is meant to be easy to include in any adventure/campaign.

Yeah, you pretty much have it.
(My understanding) That particular product has 3-4 encounters per level, for levels 1-30. The encounters can be used in another campaign or stand alone. It is very light in terms of plot and more so about predeigned encounter setups.

 

[Badwe]

I understand the product itself. However, I've gotten the impression - while reading about this book - that the term delve has relevance beyond the book. Kind of like the "5 room dungeon" or the "mega dungeon" or the "one-shot"

 

[WalterKovacs]

The idea of the delves is that they can be used s a guantlet/challenge (that is how they are used at the conventions). There is supposed to be some scoring system in the book for if groups want to test ther party. The idea is to have each encounter be seperated by short rests, but that there won't be an extended rest until it is completed. So, while they are seperate encounters, the delve as a whole is a test of resource management, saving your action points and daily powers for the right encounters, keeping enough healing surges. And there is sometimes a time limit involved, especially for convention events.

 

[Wik]

For what it's worth, this isn't the first time there's been a D&D book built towards this particular idea. The 1e Book Of Lairs series (and there were a few themed ones for FR, and maybe Dragonlance as well) did this some twenty-plus years ago.

I loved the Book of Lairs series (I used them at school when we played at lunch hour, and the short adventure format works great in that situation), and I'm hoping Dungeon Delve is just as good. I'm looking forward to it more than I am to, say, the PHB 2.

 

[Gort]

That's really cool. I kinda hated how all the current modules out are just a bazillion encounters with a very thin plot stretched over them.

3-4 encounters with a bit of a plot, well, that's a good one-shot adventure! Not so short it's no good, and not so long you get tired of endlessly chasing Kal-El through every hobo in his dungeon.

 

[Badwe]

I definitely do like the format. I found this link:

Mystery Dungeon Delve at NYCC

detailing how they wanted delves formatted for new york comic-con. Would people who regularly participate in them consider these overly stringent or par for the course (excepting the parts about 13+ content and using DDM minis)?

I'm most interested, at this point, in the delves as a way to put out options for my players to investigate if they get bored with my main plotline, or to at least help them feel like they can choose their own destiny (without me having to over prepare).

 

[thedungeondelver]

The Delve(r) abides.

 

[Festivus]

The monthly delves I have been ordering for the FLGS contain a very light plot (perhaps two paragraphs) followed by four encounters. Each of these encounters fits on a two sided cardstock sheet. I expect the delve book to have a similar format, two facing pages, with everything you need for the encounter. Create four encounters per level and you get a book with 120 encounters, roughtly 240 pages in length... putting the book a bit short on pages at 160. So probably closer to two encounters per level, or shorter encounters.