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Post by Ironnerd on Jun 20, 2021 22:34:49 GMT
I find that I make my dungeons a bit too complex. They take forever to create and populate, then the players bomb through it and kill everything, deal with the traps (by triggering and healing afterward) while not even looking for the secret doors leading to the really cool part of the dungeon. So, I figures this would be a good place to post. First we need to figure out what a Five Room Dungeon (5RD) looks like. There are a few basic layouts.
5RD have an Entrance (where you enter the dungeon), a Puzzle, a Setback, a Boss Fight, and a Reward.
For a pretty good article on the concept, click this link |
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Post by Ironnerd on Jun 21, 2021 15:15:08 GMT
A quick table for generating random 5RDs (borrowed form the internet somewhere... when I find it again, I'll give the author credit)
The d20 - The entrance...
01. is up (or down) a sheer cliff.
02. has become the lair of a beast.
03. is hidden by thorny undergrowth.
04. has soldiers camped outside.
05. has sunk underwater.
06. is guarded by a magical construct.
07. was magically sealed.
08. is guarded by an intelligent undead.
09. has collapsed (is there an alternative?).
10. is haunted by vengeful spirits.
11. requires a lost key (or keys) to open.
12. is guarded by the local militia.
13. is not located where the maps say it is.
14. has been infested with giant vermin.
15. can only be accessed using magic.
16. is the home of an elemental or similar.
17. is opened by machinery that is missing a part.
18. is trapped in some way.
19. is known only to a select few.
20. is one of many, the rest are decoys or deathtraps.
The d6 - A group of:
01. bandits
02. refugees
03. outcasts
04. worshipers
05. deserters
06. criminals
The d10 - Challenge the party because they:
01. have set many traps inside.
02. want something from inside the dungeon.
03. want something from outside the dungeon.
04. have created a fiendish puzzle.
05. seek help against the other inhabitants.
06. are protecting the dungeon inhabitants.
07. are frustrating the PC's efforts.
08. race the party for their objective.
09. want to claim the dungeon for another power.
10. died here or are dying, messily or agonizingly.
The d12 - Unfortunately, :
01. a decoy (fake) object/item.
02. switchbacks and dead ends
03. lingering illusions
04. a person who is not as they seem
05. something from a character backstory
06. a threat that was previously ignored
07. the actions of a traitor
08. the intervention of a divine force
09. the intervention of an evil force
10. hostages or bystanders
11. something missing or incomplete
12. sudden changes to the layout
The d4 - ...mean(s) that:
01. precious time may be wasted.
02. resources may be used up.
03. the party may get split up.
04. a hard choice must be made.
The d8 - The final encounter:
01. is the reverse of what was expected
02. is hampered by the surrounding environment
03. requires the party to split their focus
04. has been designed as a lure or ambush
05. features traps the enemy has set
06. is against the clock
07. is centered around a device or maguffin
08. can be affected by something elsewhere
The d10 - The revelation:
01. a former ally is revealed as an enemy
02. a former enemy is revealed as an ally
03. the treasure or objective is missing
04. there is a hidden treasure hoard or map
05. in the confusion, something is stolen
06. in the confusion, something is dropped
07. a clue highlights a new plot thread
08. a clue turns a situation on its head
09. a clue sheds light on something half known
10. a clue reveals a hidden connection
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Post by hengest on Jun 23, 2022 23:17:28 GMT
19, 5, 5, 4, 3, 5, 8 Entrance known only to a select few. Group of deserters protecting the dungeons inhabitants. Unforunately, there is a person who is not as they seem.The party may get split up. Final encounter features traps set by enemy. In the reveal, a clue turns the sitch upside down! Let's see... The entrance to the dungeon, through a hidden door in the side of the fountain in the town square, is known only to a few thieves and other lowly folk. Within there hide a group of deserters unwilling to fight in the skirmish warfare against the neighboring kingdom. Having been there for over a month, they have fallen under the charm-sway of the true inhabitants of the dungeons, a set of water elementals in the form of ageless human women. Among the deserters, however, is an ancient wizard wearing a glamor. His plan is to manipulate the deserters into turning against and slaying the elementals to enhance his own power (once he can figure out how). It would be easy for the party to be split by the activatable magical barriers he has set up between chambers. Yet, if someone asks the right questions, the wizard might slip and reveal that he is himself a puppet of a greater power... Edit: cool thread! The Semi-Retired Gamer, don't know why, but I thought of you here, would like to see your take on this scenario or on the generator in the OP! |
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Post by The Semi-Retired Gamer on Jun 24, 2022 0:44:05 GMT
19, 5, 5, 4, 3, 5, 8 Entrance known only to a select few. Group of deserters protecting the dungeons inhabitants. Unforunately, there is a person who is not as they seem.The party may get split up. Final encounter features traps set by enemy. In the reveal, a clue turns the sitch upside down! Let's see... The entrance to the dungeon, through a hidden door in the side of the fountain in the town square, is known only to a few thieves and other lowly folk. Within there hide a group of deserters unwilling to fight in the skirmish warfare against the neighboring kingdom. Having been there for over a month, they have fallen under the charm-sway of the true inhabitants of the dungeons, a set of water elementals in the form of ageless human women. Among the deserters, however, is an ancient wizard wearing a glamor. His plan is to manipulate the deserters into turning against and slaying the elementals to enhance his own power (once he can figure out how). It would be easy for the party to be split by the activatable magical barriers he has set up between chambers. Yet, if someone asks the right questions, the wizard might slip and reveal that he is himself a puppet of a greater power... Edit: cool thread! The Semi-Retired Gamer , don't know why, but I thought of you here, would like to see your take on this scenario or on the generator in the OP! I'm a BIG fan of the 5 Room Dungeon layout. I run across the Gnome Stew blog post several times a year and keep meaning to commit some ideas to paper. Putting my thinking cap on... |
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Post by The Semi-Retired Gamer on Jun 24, 2022 0:55:24 GMT
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