What's your approach to dungeon-building?
- Thread starter Palaner
- Start date
Psion
Adventurer
In what sense? Laying out the maps? Coming up with an idea? Setting up the challenges?
Mine are usually dictated by the story flow. If there is a static spot along the way that contains something the players must get out, that becomes a "dungeon". I stock it with stuff that would logically be there and/or fits a theme, and matches the capabilities and interestes of the party.
Mine are usually dictated by the story flow. If there is a static spot along the way that contains something the players must get out, that becomes a "dungeon". I stock it with stuff that would logically be there and/or fits a theme, and matches the capabilities and interestes of the party.
ThirdWizard
First Post
Room by room. Then I connect them all and decide how they will work together.
Each room has its own trick, and sometimes two rooms will work together to finish a trick. For example, in one room archers might shoot barrels above the PCs heads dousing the PCs in hot tar, then run. Later, those same archers will use flaming arrows. Or something like that.
I also like to have a twist in it somewhere. Something unexpected. Ghouls being kept in a dark cage, or racks of halfling tenderloins waiting to be cooked, or something. Just an oddity that makes sense later, but at the time the PCs don't see coming.
There are always pits. Always. Maybe the PCs will fight over a precipace. Maybe there'll be a trap that sends the PC falling down 50 feet. Preferably they'll be in combat with something when the pit is involved, but that isn't a hard and fast rule. The rule is: there is always a pit.
Each room has its own trick, and sometimes two rooms will work together to finish a trick. For example, in one room archers might shoot barrels above the PCs heads dousing the PCs in hot tar, then run. Later, those same archers will use flaming arrows. Or something like that.
I also like to have a twist in it somewhere. Something unexpected. Ghouls being kept in a dark cage, or racks of halfling tenderloins waiting to be cooked, or something. Just an oddity that makes sense later, but at the time the PCs don't see coming.
There are always pits. Always. Maybe the PCs will fight over a precipace. Maybe there'll be a trap that sends the PC falling down 50 feet. Preferably they'll be in combat with something when the pit is involved, but that isn't a hard and fast rule. The rule is: there is always a pit.
AntiStateQuixote
Enemy of the State
While I have varied my method of madness over the years I find that recently the following works pretty good:
1) Roll up 16 encounters using the encounter tables in the DMG for the party's current level. Some of these encounters will be higher or lower than the current party level, and some will not necessarily be enemies.
2) Pick a half dozen or so traps from the DMG appropriate for the party's current level.
3) Figure out which critter(s) from step 1) above "run" the dungeon. Also figure out which ones are allies of the boss(es).
4) Map out an undergound lair of sorts that makes sense for said critters. I'm a big fan of sprawling natural caverns with a few "worked stone" areas thrown in for good measure. Place the critters from step 3) in the "dungeon" appropriately.
5) Figure out which critters from step 1) are enemies of the critters in step 3) above. Find a place for them in the "dungeon."
6) Place traps from step 2) in reasonable spots.
7) Place remaining critters from step 1) above in reasonable spots. Try to tie them in to what the other critters are doing here.
8) Tie it all together with some loose storyline that makes a modicum of sense. Group x wars with group y. Group z hides from both, but moves around freely due to higher intelligence. The animals of group w serve group x.
9) Make up a good reason for the PCs to go to said dungeon. This does not necessarily mean "kill the bad guys." It could easily be "sneak in and find the great treasure" or anything else that suits your party.
10) Sprinkle in enough cool treasures and such to give the PCs a "level's worth" of treasure.
This process will build a dungeon that will easily level up a party of four characters. If there are more than four PCs then add extra monsters to each encounter. Keep the total number of challenges around 20. Hopefully the PCs won't face and defeat all of the challenges.
Repeat again in about four game sessions.
1) Roll up 16 encounters using the encounter tables in the DMG for the party's current level. Some of these encounters will be higher or lower than the current party level, and some will not necessarily be enemies.
2) Pick a half dozen or so traps from the DMG appropriate for the party's current level.
3) Figure out which critter(s) from step 1) above "run" the dungeon. Also figure out which ones are allies of the boss(es).
4) Map out an undergound lair of sorts that makes sense for said critters. I'm a big fan of sprawling natural caverns with a few "worked stone" areas thrown in for good measure. Place the critters from step 3) in the "dungeon" appropriately.
5) Figure out which critters from step 1) are enemies of the critters in step 3) above. Find a place for them in the "dungeon."
6) Place traps from step 2) in reasonable spots.
7) Place remaining critters from step 1) above in reasonable spots. Try to tie them in to what the other critters are doing here.
8) Tie it all together with some loose storyline that makes a modicum of sense. Group x wars with group y. Group z hides from both, but moves around freely due to higher intelligence. The animals of group w serve group x.
9) Make up a good reason for the PCs to go to said dungeon. This does not necessarily mean "kill the bad guys." It could easily be "sneak in and find the great treasure" or anything else that suits your party.
10) Sprinkle in enough cool treasures and such to give the PCs a "level's worth" of treasure.
This process will build a dungeon that will easily level up a party of four characters. If there are more than four PCs then add extra monsters to each encounter. Keep the total number of challenges around 20. Hopefully the PCs won't face and defeat all of the challenges.
Repeat again in about four game sessions.
1. What kind of dungeon it is. I have three.
....> Stand-alone: is just some empty that the party can explore
....> Campaign: is a location the party can keep coming back to
....> Hook: party is there because of plot - item location, big bad hide out...
2. Theme
....> Stand-alone: What was the dungeon, a prision, a guard post, ruin?
....> Campaign: Why can the party keep coming back to this location, what makes it special? Healing waters, holy site, gold, portal, passage way, etc...
....> Hook: What sent them, what are they after, what watches it.
3. Population
....> Stand-alone: it could be anything, level driven.
....> Campaign: monsters and enounters will not change for the most part.
....> Hook: Level of character driven.
....> Stand-alone: is just some empty that the party can explore
....> Campaign: is a location the party can keep coming back to
....> Hook: party is there because of plot - item location, big bad hide out...
2. Theme
....> Stand-alone: What was the dungeon, a prision, a guard post, ruin?
....> Campaign: Why can the party keep coming back to this location, what makes it special? Healing waters, holy site, gold, portal, passage way, etc...
....> Hook: What sent them, what are they after, what watches it.
3. Population
....> Stand-alone: it could be anything, level driven.
....> Campaign: monsters and enounters will not change for the most part.
....> Hook: Level of character driven.
Ralif Redhammer
Legend
For dungeons, I always try to have a unifying theme. I think about what the dungeon's original purpose was. Was it a prison, a random cave, a stronghold of evil, so on and so forth.
For a time, I stopped using graph paper for mapping, but have recently re-discovered how enjoyable it is to use.
For a time, I stopped using graph paper for mapping, but have recently re-discovered how enjoyable it is to use.
Last edited:
BiggusGeekus
That's Latin for "cool"
After researching caves and mideval mines, I've taken to just drawing maps and making the walls all crinkley. "Authentic" settings kind of suck for combat.
I try to have a theme, but I'm not afraid to break with it. If you give the PCs the same kind of monster to kill over and over they get bored.
I try to have a theme, but I'm not afraid to break with it. If you give the PCs the same kind of monster to kill over and over they get bored.
Mishihari Lord
First Post
Here's how I do it. I've always assumed everyone does pretty much the same thing.
1) Determine why the party will want to go there
2) Pick an appropriate type of dungeon (building, sewers, labyrinth, mines, ice tunnels, etc) based on the party's mission and the dungeon's location.
3) Pick the types of inhabitants based on the type of dungeon and desired challenge level.
4) Make a list of encounters I'd like the party to have.
5) Sketch out a map. Every location has both a) a logical reason for being built by the original maker of the dungeon, and 2) a reason for being there story-wise, even if it is just to illustrate the atmosphere of the adventure.
6) Assign inhabitant locations in a general way. e.g. "orcs here in this region, basilisk family in this reason" This helps determine the features of the dungeon, e.g. the orcs build barriers between their region and the basilisk reigon.
7) Set specific locations for encounters. Encounters that I don't want the party to miss get several alternate locations or are left locationless to be used at the appropriate time.
8) Determine possible effects the party will have on the dungeon. e.g. If a group of orcs is attacked, one will get to the alarm bell and ring it in a few rounds then all of the orcs will rush to the PCs last known location together, entering the location through multiple doors if possible. e.g. If the barrier in 6) is torn down there will be an encounter in the orc area with a group of petrified orcs than an encounter with a basilisk.
9) Review the whole thing and change anything that doesn't make sense or interferes with the story.
1) Determine why the party will want to go there
2) Pick an appropriate type of dungeon (building, sewers, labyrinth, mines, ice tunnels, etc) based on the party's mission and the dungeon's location.
3) Pick the types of inhabitants based on the type of dungeon and desired challenge level.
4) Make a list of encounters I'd like the party to have.
5) Sketch out a map. Every location has both a) a logical reason for being built by the original maker of the dungeon, and 2) a reason for being there story-wise, even if it is just to illustrate the atmosphere of the adventure.
6) Assign inhabitant locations in a general way. e.g. "orcs here in this region, basilisk family in this reason" This helps determine the features of the dungeon, e.g. the orcs build barriers between their region and the basilisk reigon.
7) Set specific locations for encounters. Encounters that I don't want the party to miss get several alternate locations or are left locationless to be used at the appropriate time.
8) Determine possible effects the party will have on the dungeon. e.g. If a group of orcs is attacked, one will get to the alarm bell and ring it in a few rounds then all of the orcs will rush to the PCs last known location together, entering the location through multiple doors if possible. e.g. If the barrier in 6) is torn down there will be an encounter in the orc area with a group of petrified orcs than an encounter with a basilisk.
9) Review the whole thing and change anything that doesn't make sense or interferes with the story.
Similar Threads
