D&D 5E How big does a dungeon have to be to be a megadungeon?

[Blue]

I know this is a pretty subjective question, but I was wondering if there was some kind of consensus... Clearly a 5 room dungeon is not mega, and a 1000 room one definitely is, but in between...

Is it merely a question of size? Are other characteristics important?

To me, a megadungeon is a sandbox that can (and needs be) adventured at a good range of levels.

Big enough to have distinct sections and themes. Choices about where to go so it's not linear (though you will need to get through some parts to get to others). And enough content to last for levels. Including that some places will repopulate, groups are dynamic, etc.

 

[Ancalagon]

I should perhaps admit what caused me to wonder. I'm running the gates of firestorm peak and I was wondering if it qualified...

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[BigBadDM]

Barovia is a good use of a megadungeon.
Undermountain, is also a megadungeon but poor in design.

 

[Blue]

Barovia is a good use of a megadungeon.
Undermountain, is also a megadungeon but poor in design.

Undermountain doesn't have that "dungeon feel" to me, but that may have just been how it's been presented by DMs.

 

[Satyrn]

If it's just Peace Sells, So Far So Good, and Rust In Peace, I'd be ok with it.

Can we at least add Hidden Treasures to that list?

 

[Zardnaar]

Basically the megadungeon is a campaign or most of one. Probably around 10 levels worth of gaming. I regard a 100 room dungeon for example as a large dungeon, a 500 room one as a megadungeon.

 

[BoldItalic]

It's basic math. A Megadungeon is a million dungeons, and a Gigadungeon is a billion dungeons. We don't have the technology to create Terradungeons yet, but soon...

On that basis, a is Megadungeon equal to 1000 killer dungeons ?

 

[jgsugden]

To me, a megadungeon is a dungeon that is at the center of an extended campaign. The PCs will spend most, if not all, of their career focused on that dungeon. I've done the megadungeon campaign twice in D&D, both times in the FR. The first was Undermountain, the second Myth Drannor. Both in the AD&D era. There was a weak storyline keeping the PCs going into the dungeon, but in general I found the campaigns boring as a DM.

 

[ScrubbWizard]

Would OotA be considered a mega?

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[Zardnaar]

Would OotA be considered a mega?

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Not really IMHO. A megadungeon is more of a single complex. Rappan Athuk, ToEE, Undermountain.