How Long (in game) do your dungeon crawls last?

[takasi]

The Vault of Tshalschlthazar-doowoopdiddie Rho (DCC #2) took way too long. In game it was about four days and in real life it was six sessions at four hours a pop (24 hours). It burned my group out on dungeon crawls for awhile.

Funny thing is I go back and look at a 1st Ed modules like ToEE, I ask myself how can people game like that for such a long time? That sucker is HUGE!

Yeah, we've been playing that one online. We're still on the first dungeon level and we've probably spent a good 8 hours of gaming and at least a week worth of game time going back and forth to town. Of course, it doesn't help that I keep repopulating the caves.

 

[Klaus]

The Forgotten Forge (from the Eberron Campaign Setting) dungeon (at the end) took 2 minutes.

 

[T. Foster]

Three to four hours, up to maybe 8 to 12 hours for an extended delve. Camping "overnight" inside the dungeon is generally considered a bad idea (unless you like being attacked by wandering monsters in your sleep) but isn't completely unheard of (and sometimes, if they get lost or trapped, they don't have a choice in the matter...).

 

[Shadowslayer]

Up to this point, most of my dungeon crawls have been small ones....mostly lairs. I tend to like to have them played out in a single evening...so maybe somewhere between 4 and 8 "in game" hours.

But, with some of the stuff I've been lifting out of Dungeonscape, I might try a really huge dungeon....something worthy of a real "expedition" into the depths.

To the OP, I'm curious if it was Dungeonscape that made you think of going larger?

 

[Hussar]

Well, let's see, I think my bunch have been in the World's Largest Dungeon for about 120 days so far.

 

[molonel]

Having just finished the World's Largest Dungeon, I will say with complete sincerity:

Never, ever, EVER that long again.

 

[Rothe]

So far 8 days in The Caverns of Thracia. Looks like only 1 or two more in game days to go at most.

Normally they would camp outside but they have made alliance with creatures in the dungeon; so they actually rest inside at these creatures behest. The player's are also methodical mofo's and explore almost every nook and cranny, and believe in cleaning out the level behind them. This has added to the extensive time inside.

Otherwise, most other "dungeons" we use are really lairs and it is typically 12 hours at most inside.

 

[KrazyHades]

Up to this point, most of my dungeon crawls have been small ones....mostly lairs. I tend to like to have them played out in a single evening...so maybe somewhere between 4 and 8 "in game" hours.

But, with some of the stuff I've been lifting out of Dungeonscape, I might try a really huge dungeon....something worthy of a real "expedition" into the depths.

To the OP, I'm curious if it was Dungeonscape that made you think of going larger?

Nope. I've just been thinking that it seems strange that all these dungeons are basically in and out in less than a day. And there's all sorts of cool things one could do with a multi-day dungeon dive, such as actually having it important when people memorize/pray for spells, or how they barricade a room and keep a night watch, or whatever. And ACTUALLY using rations. Things like that. Make the PCs really splurge on equipment instead of solely armor, weapons, potions, scrolls, etc, if the PCs know ahead of time they CANNOT get back to town the way they came. They might have to purchase things like drills, shovels, rations, fresh water, a packmule, ROPE!, grappling hooks, ladders, 10 ft. poles, plenty of ammunition, some kits, such as climbing kits, rubber balls (see Arms and Equipment guide for some VERY good uses), a saw, a battering ram, etc...The sort of equipment NEVER bought, or bought by a PC sent back to town when a problem is reached. It would be a REALY dungeon expedition.

 

[el-remmen]

At least 5 days. . . sometimes weeks.

 

[Rothe]

Nope. I've just been thinking that it seems strange that all these dungeons are basically in and out in less than a day. And there's all sorts of cool things one could do with a multi-day dungeon dive, such as actually having it important when people memorize/pray for spells, or how they barricade a room and keep a night watch, or whatever. And ACTUALLY using rations. Things like that. Make the PCs really splurge on equipment instead of solely armor, weapons, potions, scrolls, etc, if the PCs know ahead of time they CANNOT get back to town the way they came. They might have to purchase things like drills, shovels, rations, fresh water, a packmule, ROPE!, grappling hooks, ladders, 10 ft. poles, plenty of ammunition, some kits, such as climbing kits, rubber balls (see Arms and Equipment guide for some VERY good uses), a saw, a battering ram, etc...The sort of equipment NEVER bought, or bought by a PC sent back to town when a problem is reached. It would be a REALY dungeon expedition.

These things can be cool if you are palyers are into it. For us arrows have become a very precious commodity. More excitment was generated two sessions ago over finding a quiver of steel tipped crossbow bolts than 1000's of gp. The 2,000 gp and a few gems gets a yeah more gold, the 20 bolts a high five. Cool (to us).

Rope is getting used up as well. And funny you mentioned the 10 foot pole. They lost one of those setting off traps. They are also running out of spikes/pitons. On spell components we are being a little lax but they are only casting first, and just very recently, second level like spells which have pretty mundane components.

The players stocked up since the dungeon is set IMC on a remote island, so there is no getting back to town. The nearest town is at least a week away by ship away. All the more reason to make local allies. It's fun for us.