Which Edition for a Megadungeon Campaign? Why?

[Snarf Zagyg]

OD&D.

Like Coca Cola, it’s the real thing. Accept no substitute. I’m looking at you, RC.

 

[Reynard]

OD&D.

Like Coca Cola, it’s the real thing. Accept no substitute. I’m looking at you, RC.

And just like that, Snarf's back on the dark side.

 

[Sacrosanct]

2e. I chose that because with the change in how thief skill progression goes from earlier editions, it offers a better chance at success at lower levels and you'll need it. It makes thieves important and contributing at level 1, rather than having to level up several levels before they have a good chance at anything besides climb walls.

My ideal megadungeon? Well, having written one (Felk Mor), one thing really important is to have its own ecology if it's that large. A place or places where PCs can use as a base of operations and can defend. A food source. Allies they can lean on to train and heal.

 

[Snarf Zagyg]

And just like that, Snarf's back on the dark side.

 

[Retreater]

Out of curiosity what do you do with random encounters or wandering monsters? Do they become ad hoc cinematic set pieces, or do you deal with them by way of a "combat skill challenge" (does 4E have a "fast battle" system like Savage Worlds?) or do you just not include random encounters?

Just to clarify - I haven't run a megadungeon in 4e, but it would be an experiment I would be most excited to try. (I've participated in megadungeons in all other editions already.)
I think random encounters/wandering monsters are antithetical to the design principles of 4e, where combats are intended to be more dynamic and exciting affairs (not to mention are more time-consuming in practice).
So I would use the concept of the Quick Encounters (like in Savage Worlds) and retool the experience of wandering monsters as combat skill challenges. Randomly determine surprise so if the party surprises the monsters, they can use Stealth based skills and others to avoid the conflict. If the monsters aren't surprised, roll to see their Reaction, and if they're not outright hostile, make it a social encounter.
If the monsters detect the party and are hostile, then roll some combat skills. Have failed checks result in losing Healing Surges or (maybe) random daily powers to reflect the attrition of combat.
I would handle simple traps the same way.

 

[Jack Daniel]

No hypotheticals here. I'm running a mega-dungeon campaign right now, taking my biggest and best-developed dungeon out for its fourth official spin. The system is red box OD&D, suitably modified. I picked that system initially because it was my go-to system when I was first creating the dungeon, and because it's exceedingly well-suited to mega-dungeon play right out of the proverbial box. The dungeon-stocking algorithm (for each room, roll 1d6; 1-2 = empty, 3 = trap, 4-5 = monster lair, 6 = special weirdness; empties have a 1-in-6 chance of unguarded treasure, traps a 2-in-6 chance, and monsters a 3-in-6 chance) and the treasure and magic item tables make actually crafting the dungeon a breeze (and one all too easily automated if you have some rudimentary coding chops).

My dungeon is called "Shade Abbey" -- I've discussed it before on one of your previous threads, @Reynard, and also shown off a bit more illustration on this thread.

 

[thullgrim]

Adopting Savage World Quick Encounters to handle random encounters and simple hazards in 4e is a great idea
Mega dungeon or not. And for a tactical dungeon crawl I agree I’d run it in 4e.
I also have a soft spot in my heart for PF1. I think a core rule book PF1, 1-12 mega dungeon would be a huge amount of fun.

 

[payn]

Im going to say 3E/PF1 just cause its the system I have the most experience running. I seem to be able to make it do anything I want at this point. For me megadungeon is most fun when you have a variety of challenges from easy to nightmare. Loading up on loot to deck out your PCs is also fun which 3e/PF1 is all about.

I think 5E with its bounded accuracy would be 2nd choice for me. Its a system that handles a variety of challenges, including many combats in a single day easily. My absolute last choice would be PF2 because of its level banding making a variety of challenging encounters nearly impossible. That is up to taste though as I could also see a megadungeon that's "level 1 is level 1, and level 2 is level 2" but find that a little too gamey for my taste with the lack of variety that I like. YMMV.

 

[Malmuria]

I would go with OSE. Characters are quick to make and have abilities specifically helpful for dungeoneering, as a dm you'll have all the rules/info you need but not rules that you don't for the most part, and the random encounter and treasure tables will produce consistent results.

 

[CleverNickName]

If the choice were mine, I'd run it in BECM, because it's my favorite.
But the choice isn't really mine to make. If I decide to run it in anything besides 5th Edition, I won't have more than 1 player. :-/