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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Deset Gled" data-source="post: 9758002" data-attributes="member: 7808">I'd have to say that sounds like a really sad summary.- Broadly, exploration:  A good dungeon crawl is an exercise in exploring new places, new monsters, new architecture, new magic, new treasure, new art.  Just all around new things.  New should be fun.  If it isn't, someing might be wrong with your game.- Resource management:  A delve into a dungeon is a place where players aren't in complete control of their resources.  Hit points, light, food, ammunition, time.  If you want to get really detailed, spell components, clothes, and even air can become precious commodities in certain circumstances.  Obviously, different games and editions support this to different levels (5e is particularly soft on this front), but there's always something if you try hard enough.- Puzzles:  Sure, there are small ones that require solving a riddle to unlock a door.  But how about big ones that involve the entire dungeon rearranging itself.  Puzzles that require backtracking, Metroidvania style.  Puzzles that require magic.  Puzzles that require not using magic.  Puzzles that pull in character's backstories.  Puzzles of every size and shape beyond just opening a door or finding a pixel.- Traps:  A trap door every once in a while is fine.  But there can be so much more.  Traps that separate the party.  Traps that have an effect 5 rooms from now.  Traps that play with the afforementioned resource management.  Traps that effect how much treasure the party gets.  Traps that can be turned on enemies.  Traps that make members of the party take on roles they wouldn't normally attempt.  Traps are a great way to get creative.- Mysteries:  What secrets does the dungeon hold for the players to find?  Hopefully a lot more than just doors and monsters.  A good dungeon crawl is a celebration of the unknown.- Active stories: A big bad.  A missing child.  An evil cult.  A legendary treasure.  Narratives can lead you to and through a dungeon, the same as they can lead you to a town, a person, or a macguffin- Backstories:  Dungeons can have their own narratives, on top of any story the party already happens to be following.  What's the history of the dungeon?  Why is it here?  What populates it?  There could be multiple layers of history from it's original creation through any number of ages, infestations, and owners.  And every layer can give the players clues, expectations, or sometimes just history and mythology for the sake of enjoying history and mythology.  - DM opportunities:  Has the party been getting bored or lazy about certain things?  Do they think that all encounters with [insert low level monster] are easy kills, that [insert skill] isn't valuable?  Do you just want to shake things up for the sake of shaking things up?  A dungeon crawl is an opportunity to funnel the characters into encounter that they can't get out of by relying on their old bag of tricks.- Testing new content:  Do you have a new book, or just a new idea that you want to try out but you're worried that introducing new content into the game could break the worldbuilding or the balance?  A dungeon crawl is a handy way to try out new stuff with a level of containment.  If it doesn't work out, there's nothing stopping you from sealing off the dungeon and washing your hands of it.And that's just off the top of my head.  I'm sure there's lots more.</blockquote>

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