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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Quickleaf" data-source="post: 6072824" data-attributes="member: 20323">[MENTION=463]S'mon[/MENTION]Those are good observations you've made, and I definitely agree with you about the tweaking needed to account for longer fights.I am running my group thru Dragon Mountain, which I converted from 2e to 4e over here: <a href="http://www.enworld.org/forum/showthread.php?331204-Dragon-Mountain-(4e-conversion)" target="_blank">http://www.enworld.org/forum/showthread.php?331204-Dragon-Mountain-(4e-conversion)</a> It is either a small mega-dungeon or just a frickin' big dungeon depending on your perspective. I'll try to extract some of the design principles I've learned from the little I've run so far...1. Combination of Set-Pieces & Random EncountersEstablishing sub-goals within the dungeon that lead to set-piece fights is, I think, one of the most important things in 4e. Essentially, having mini-bosses that stand out from the easier random encounters, and giving PCs a reason to explore (this ties in with your advice about ample use of quest XP).2. Random Encounters with Minions & Lower Level FoesThis speeds up combat and makes it far easier to adjudicate PCs avoiding combat thru other means, such as ambushing and one-hit killing most of the enemy force. Also forces enemies to get smarter and use the mega-dungeon to their advantage if they hope to challenge the PCs.3. Skill Challenges as Pacing MechanismHaving some kind of exploration skill challenge which PCs must deal with really drives home the feel of a sprawling mega-dungeon and can be tied to other things: random encounters, random check failure tables, the ability to take a rest, etc. The guidelines I worked up for when to make checks are:1. When the PCs explore off the map2. When the PCs are in an area with some kind of mounting pressure3. When the PCs face a challenging area transition4. When the PCs spend a certain amount of time in the same areaBeyond that, I think much of the advice about mega-dungeons ("jacquaying", sub-goals, distinctive area themes) on the Net is just as true for 4e as it is for any other edition.</blockquote>

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