Dreadful Deeds: Chapter 3 “Dungeon Edition”

So it’s been a busy week for the community so far, we have our newfound character builder, a virtual tabletop announced and lots of talk about the Monster Vault. Another cool prop by SlyFlourish and Living Traps over at the Save vs Death blog were some personal highlights for me.

I managed to eek out two more Left 4 Dead zombies for my Pixels & Polyhedrals series (now all complete with video examples), and I’ve got just one left then it’s on to final revisions and release into the community via .monster files! I also got to take part in the DM Roundtable podcast which was awesome and I hope to do again sometime!d

This week’s #D5C is dedicated to dungeons, because I love them and because I know you do too! I love the responses I’m getting from people and I hope the series is helping us feed off of each others ideas as well as maybe earn a few people some new followers for their genius ideas! Enjoy!

DM’s – what game / story (or meta) elements make your players the most nervous at the game table?

@TheWeem – The unknown. Ex: Showing them something seemingly more powerful than them that uses mechanics outside the “rules” box

@BlindGeekUK – the NPC’s knowing all about them.

@TheShaggyDM – Pulling out a big, mean-looking mini, plonking it on the table, and saying “all you have to do…is get through this.”

@ExaltedDarkness – as far as game elements, I think math is the hardest for my PCs, lol. Combat modifiers get pretty tricky…

@Neldar – Dragons, 3D terrain, zombie dragons, sand, overwhelming helplessness

@DigitalDraco – I find sound effects and frenetic (or otherwise appropriate) battle music are particularly useful!

@TheAngryDM – I have a d20 that I have for 15 years that has become famous at my table for crits. My players fear it like nothing else

DM’s – When in a dungeon maze, your preferred form of threat that looms over your PC’s is…

@Neldar – I threaten time and traps. Time can be in relation to stopping rituals, messengers, war councils, etc.

@Rolling20s – Suffocation. In #d20 and#Pathfinder, the suffocation rules are vicious.

@WolfSamurai – That they’ll run into a batch of monsters ~and~ have to deal with a trap/puzzle at the same time.

@SlyFlourish – ongoing damage…I’m a terrible DM

@d20PlusModifier – Here’s an idea, the maze is slanted and filling with water. Moving to higher ground quickly is imperative, swimming too. Also, runes litter the floor, they electrify if occupied for more than six minutes

@Soklemon – Minotaur. Big minotaur.

@TrollitC – I prefer a competing party, coming at them from the other direction. Or Minotaurs.

@WastexGames – I did the minotaur once, also like shifting walls and caving in ceilings! Randomly rolling dice behind the screen & grinning at them but not giving any information. I do it just for fun!

@LawyerDM – Animated statues. Brass golems are a personal fave

@SamlDanach – Noises in the walls. Could be rats, or Tucker’s kobolds, or a trap activating. But nothing is visible.

@TheAngryDM – Time. A sense of urgencey.

@ExemplaryDM – Kruthicks. Gave the PCs partial group invisibility, had them stealth/navigate through a 3D hive chamber.

@D20Monkey – darkness effect w/ light sensitive shadow demons. Heroes grouped around dwindling light sources searching for escape

@TWWombat – A competing party of incorporeal undead minotaurs with fear auras that cause ongoing psychic damage.

@PDUnwin – Well, not minotaur, but I do like there to be a variety of denizens hunting or helping the party.

@Nupperibo – time. Nothing says worry like a ticking hourglass

Traps inside dungeon crypts should always involve….

@TheRealEdwin – something funny.

@D20Monkey – pit traps, poison darts, and sharp blades.

@Neldar – Other traps! Push into pits, flood into crushing walls, explosive runes!

(Twitpocalypse happens – WotC makes VT announcement, so the question falls short – but not the next one!)

The PC’s have managed to finally reach dungeons end or escape, the best way to disturb their newfound sense of security is…

@D20Monkey – an insight check reveals the “exit” to be illusory room within the crypt.

@EtherWorld – to discover someone in their party is actually missing.

@Brindy – have an aggressive army waiting for them outside the exit.

@TheRealEdwin – An unexpected event occuring with nearly permanent repercussions.

@TwoScoops1 – while the party was busy, BBEG was causing mayhem!

@Neldar – Change the entire world while they were gone.

@B_S_Lynn – Exit changes locations (portal) place them where DM wants, can randomly decide where they R going or reward creative thought

@DeadOrcs – They all wake up and it was just a dream. Also, They encounter a little bald dude in a robe. Standing next to him is a small bleaty unicorn.

“This room is completely empty and devoid of notable details” Is there really something there? How dastardly of a DM can you be?

@Soklemon – DM: “There is Nothing here.” PCs: ” We spend 30 mins investigating” DM: “nothing” PCs: “consult Mystic sages” Sages: “THE ROOM IS EMPTY”

@WolfSamurai – Coin flip. Half the time, there is something there. Half the time there isn’t. All the better to ramp up tension.

@EternalDarkness – empty rooms are great just as empty rooms – watch the PCs go NUTS, completely sure something is there.

@TWWombat – “When you try to enter, you are sucked into the transparent gelatinous cube that fills the room.”

@TheAngryDM – “Methane and radon are both odorless, colorless, and tasteless. And deadly. Methane asplodes. Radon causes ‘disease’.”

DM’s, what is your favorite cursed / tricky item you like to place deep into a dungeon?

@D20Monkey – a Ring of Mirrored Desire (a ring of reverse wishes, essentially).

@Soklemon – Wishing Gem. The one that twists the wish around. (Attacked by wished-for weapon, etc)

@PDUnwin – I’m fond of anything that lets the enemy spy on the party.

@DreadGazeebo – Innocuous gazebos that turn out to be rather dreadful

1 Comment

  1. “The room is completely empty….”
    Suddenly, an unconcious baddie X crashes through the back wall and skids to a stop in a twisted heap. Moments later, baddie Y emerges from the new hole, stooping to fit his hulking frame though. He raises his (insert weapon), and delivers a finishing blow to baddie X. Then, he turns his gaze towards you….

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