Friday 26 June 2015

Recipe for an Old School Dungeon

This is a romp and some assembly is required - Read the list, get a map, populate the dungeon. These are mostly all from my favourite modules of  old - with the serial numbers filed off. Depending on the crawl you might want a whole heap of empty rooms also - but i'll be buggered if i'm going to amend the list, you can do it when you prep.

1. Super deadly enemy defending hidden shortcut to 32.
2. Moderately deadly trapped entrance disarmed with logical puzzle.
3. Monsters with unique 'trick' and comedy unaligned npc.
4. Potentially dangerous shortcut to 30.
5. Classic 70's D&D monster.
6. Habitat to justify creature from 3 living in dungeon.
7. Unusual or comic method of travel with potential damage or side effect  (travel to 8.)
8.  Enemies hidden in area with an effect (natural or man made) that provides concealment and is harmful to just the players.
9. Large group of low level enemies, plus items for later difficult combat in 28.
10. Magic trap that alters distance or time, with clues and loot.
11. Stairs incline up or down - mundane
12. Dangerous terrain with very deadly ambush monster.
13. Secret door shortcut to 14.
14. Deadly trap/insane combat encounter with pop culture reference.
15. Mechanical deathtrap
16. shortcut to 21 with potential of damage through movement.
17. shortcut to 22 with 50% chance of summoning monster.
18. Dungeon furniture gives random boon to players if figured out.
19. Trapped door with logical puzzle to bypass.
20. A trap that changes physics or the rules with good loot.
21. Delicate loot.
22. Monster that reduces PC effectiveness.
23. Amusing enemy - pop culture references/irreverent diversion.
24. Trapped item - item makes later encounter easier.
25. Complicated or magic trapped door - two fail States one deadly, one amusing.
26. Friendly NPC and trapped false door.
27. Make a sacrifice to unlock C.
28. REALLY hard combat unless have collected earlier items from 24.
29. Natural stuff living in its environment - offer a stealth or creative way around.
30. A primitive minded monster that doesn't attack just reacts.
31. Ambush cave critters' hunting ground.
32. Death trap.
33. Omnipotent dungeon controller tests players morals/integrity/knowledge etc,  with some oddball deadly ways to kills characters - plus a free escape is offered.

Potential reward Rooms (One, Some or all of them)
A. Treasure horde.
B. Massively overpowered monster - kill everyone.
C. McGuffin - preferably unlocked by 27.

#luckyifyoumakeitoutaliveyeah?

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