6 Dungeon Design Tips YOU NEED!

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What are some level design elements you can use to improve your D&D and Pathfinder dungeon levels? There are lots of various options out there, but these six ideas should add lots of interest and engagement to your dungeon maps!

[@DungeonMiser]

My favorite one-way door is the falling door. If a door is opened with a key, it functions normally, but if the character smashes through it, a slab falls and fills the doorway.

[@timhaldane7588]

I'm a huge fan of responsive dungeon design like this, where it isn't just a series of independent, roll-to-pass roadblocks, but there are consequences for HOW the party solves each problem. Like the entire dungeon is a puzzle or elaborate trap designed to identify whether the PCs belong there and deal with them accordingly, or identify some other qualities and funnel them toward a destination that capitalizes on that knowledge. This is especially ominous when the party knows the dungeon is occupied. The PCs exited the room by moving the heavy boulder? Must have someone strong. That's why the next room has a dart trap with strength sapping poison.

[@ArvelDreth]

How do you actually justify the falling door coming down only when all the players have gone through? Or is it designed to split the party?

[@GameSetPatch]

@@ArvelDreth magic mechanism? So let's say you have a door, a lock, and a trap. The door sits there waiting to be opened. The lock is in the door and is enchanted to react to the use of a specific key. And beyond this door is a trap that drops the aforementioned stone slab. If the players find and use the key, the lock will deactivate the primed trap waiting in the next room. But if the players smash the door and barge into the next room, the trap goes off and triggers the stone slab and whatever else the DM feels in appropriate. This could change the layout of the room, introduce environmental hazards, or even seal off parts of the dungeon, forcing the players to take more elaborate paths to get to their goal, due to a brash action. Alternatively, the lock and trap mechanism could be used to cause something comically beneficial to happen in the party's favor, due to the creator of the dungeon expecting certain behavior, and the players refusing to cooperate. For instance, the "trap" might have just been a trigger that operated some function or utility within the room, so by not activating this trigger, perhaps the players can explore unmolested by obstacles and combatants for a bit, before they eventually stumble into a puzzle or manual means for activating the intended function of the room. DM discretion as to which of these is more fitting a consequence for the table and the setting.

[@ArvelDreth]

@@GameSetPatch yeah I thought about this more after I made that comment. I think it would be reasonable for the falling slab to have a simple time limit on it. Like after a minute it falls or something. Within a minute the whole group would have likely moved through and the slab falls suddenly while they're looking around the new room.

[@GnarledStaff]

@@ArvelDreth Could work immediately but dropping the slab in an area the party already passed, cutti g off retreat. That wya the party gets to hear a big "thump" and knows immediately that such actions have consequences.

[@VestigialLung]

Regarding your empty room suggestion, one of the coolest dungeon-related moments I ever had came in the GameCube remake of the original Resident Evil in the mansion portion. There’s a section, where you have to traverse a hallway to get access to a safe room that you will be revisiting several times over the course of the game. Upon entry, the camera orients to center a couple of windows in the shot, obviously telegraphing that something is going to be coming through those windows, but nothing does. Every subsequent time it’s the same, camera acts shady, but nothing happens until you come to register the hallway as safe. Then, after several trips through the hallway, two zombies burst through the windows. Absolutely scared the shit out of me when that happened, and it was a master stroke in manipulating tension and expectations. Hat’s off to whoever came up with that idea.

[@Abelhawk]

I love how outside-the-box these tips are. Just thinking about these makes me excited as a DM and as a player to see them implemented.

[@Merlinstergandaldore]

Good tips as always, though I only situationally agree with your thought that all problems should have built in solutions. It's totally valid for tough and challenging dungeons, especially as characters rise in level, to have no inherent ways to cure things that happen to players. Sometimes they will have to work with what they have, and it may not always be enough. Therein lies the excitement.

[@InfSoldier365]

I agree to a point. Imho, this is also a good argument that for players to gather information, perform reconnaissance, and/or otherwise just prepare and plan ahead.

[@reactionarydm]

Agreed. That, and sometimes it just doesn't fit the setting. Say a demonic themed dungeon. Sure, holy water heals a lot of demonic afflictions... doesn't mean there's holy water available in the dungeon. It just wouldn't make sense. Player level would be a big influence on if that "realism" should be kept intact or not, though.

[@Merlinstergandaldore]

Yes! 100%! But that's totally different from players blindly stumbling into a dungeon with the expectation that a DM will provide solutions to all the mysteries.

[@andrewshandle]

I think it's important that whatever is contained in the dungeon is logically consistent, especially traps. For example if a dungeon has wandering, mindless undead, having traps that are set off by just walking in areas is just silly and it feels a lot like the DM is just putting it in there because the dungeon _needs_ a trap. Even the idea of a room full of trapped chests, something like that needs to make sense within the lore of the dungeon, otherwise it just doesn't feel as fun for players as it should be.

[@Xenuite81]

The dungeon builders might not have anticipated mindless undead wandering around in their trapped tomb. In this case, it would be logical to find a trap that has been set off by a zombie wandering through it. This will alert the players that there may be traps, but that it's also possible to lure the enemy into them.

[@paulcoy9060]

What if the undead wear a certain amulet which allows them to bypass the traps, because the high priest wanted that option? PCs who watch for clues can see them walk through a trap, and the DM might give a Perception check to spot the common denominator, especially if a zombie who lost his amulet gets squished.

[@andrewshandle]

@@paulcoy9060 yes, and this would pass the "logically consistent' test. ;)

[@andrewshandle]

@@Xenuite81 definitely, set off traps would make sense which was my point. Unfortunately, all too often in dungeons un-sprung traps exist that would have been tripped by the occupants of the dungeon long ago which is silly.

[@BillNyeTheBountyGuy]

Traps as the loot is something I enjoy doing. The mechanisms of a resetting wall blade trap are likely very valuable, albeit heavy. There are those that would pay top dollar for any number of the components or full apparatus! Don't want to slow down the game with the logistics of removing and moving a big trap, simple, that piece of information is ALSO valuable! Selling the knowledge of the location and exact specifications could be worth most of the value of the trap as well, and prevent derailing the fun.

[@Derry_A_Deryni]

What about micro breaks? Hang 10 in a cleared space so that they each regain 1 hit point per wound (merely by binding wounds, stopping a possible blood trail) & can journal, make a charcoal rubbing, ritual cast, examine an item, conjecture on symbols/heraldry...[stack the looted dead neatly, chalk an arrow in the floor indicating a trap that was sprung or disarmed & jammed]...

[@RedHandedBandit11]

Put a hidden, empty room that's perfect for resting directly before a one-way valve taht keeps them from going back to that room to rest. The first time you do it, make sure the party doesn't NEED a rest. From then on, the party knows that if they don't take the opportunity to rest. that might not get the chance.

[@CossackGene]

I run Call of Cthulhu more often than D&D and I can't emphasize enough the importance of sound and smell for atmosphere and signaling danger. I've run CoC games where my players ended up jumpy about certain sounds *in real life*. That's when you know you nailed it.

[@aled857]

Love the quick , full of info, dungeon "theory/design/concept" videos, they put me in the right mindset for running a game, thanks again man

[@KnarbMakes]

I love the valve/oneway door concept. Need to do more of that in my dungeons.

[@syrupchugger421]

Really great ideas. I especially like the idea of empty space to mix it up and giving story based hints of upcoming dang rbor solutions. I will definitely use these. Thank you

[@prinnydadnope5768]

I really like your channel. It's full of short and logic advices that you can think of naturally, but you do the extra step of putting it into words in a portable manner to make it easier to think in concepts. Thank you.

[@Micsma]

I'm thinking of a dungeon valve as literally a valve. Door-shaped. Two portcullis doors, or wedge doors or whatever, lever between them. One door is open, allowing access to the lever. Pull the lever, one door opens and the other closes. The lever is old and worn, snaps upon first use. Players can shove a sword in there or some other suitably slim object, with a dc25 check of some kind, probably strength, they can operate the door again, but that slim object is now stuck real good. Edit: if that's not enough to get em moving, they start to feel a rumble beneath their feet as small rocks fall from the ceiling.

[@Bonobo_JoJo]

Thought it was super cool that the thumbnail uses a dungeon from Acquisitions Incorporated. Absolutely loved that module.

[@CaptUvula1]

Absolutely love your videos. Always makes me think and helps me create bigger and better things!

[@jeffbostic6660]

Very Cool. Love watching and listening, and taking notes.

[@paulcoy9060]

Intro -- I've found that my dungeon design mostly revolves around how big is my graph paper. That's why I bought some big sheets from Staples with 1 inch grids for tactical maps, and a 3' x 3' white board for quick drawings and layouts which aren't to scale, such as: "Town A is here, the waterfall is here, and the entrance to the dungeon is here. It takes about a day to reach it."

[@dyllanaldridge1044]

VERY insightful thoughts presented here. The use of smell in particular is something one sees in professionally written dungeons that easily takes the game's experience to the next level.

[@nathanaelthomas9243]

Thanks for the video! I really enjoyed it.

[@filkearney]

Solid advice as usual! Looking forward to What's Next. :)

[@miguelvillaruel7667]

Thank you for the helpful tips!

[@RIVERSRPGChannel]

Some good tips I try to use some of these in my dungeons

[@dabash00r]

Nice reference with stress and danger and that darkest dungeon fan art :) And as always: good video :)

[@fractal_gate]

Another great video as always!

[@Teacko]

First? Edit: would have literally been the only time I’ve ever been first for any video 😅 For the video, I learned a lot from Morrowind Dungeon layouts to create narrative experiences for seemingly random dungeon crawls

[@Derry_A_Deryni]

Enjoy the 1sts! I do, because it means I was syncronized with the publishcation.

[@markcampbell4080]

Great advice. I mummy tomb I'm working on right now I planning on giving the tomb a little more atmosphere by having them step over the tomb robbers who set off the traps before them. And I love the smells, I try to include smells whenever possible but what does a mummy's tomb smell like?

[@Derry_A_Deryni]

good question! "Fenugreek spice" used extensively (member of the pea plants), myrrh, cassia (evergreen tree bark -- haha! blue spruce smells like cat piss =), Chalastra Natron smells like glass but Wadi Natron smells like ash, also clean linen (think Bounce dryer sheets for fun {I'd so whip out a few sheets of bounce when they are a room away at my table}), with an aromatic hint of jerky (they are dried flesh).

[@mathmusicandlooks]

Awesome reply… … but when in doubt, make up something that sounds like it makes sense. It’s doubtful any of your players have ever been in an environment like any of your dungeons, let alone robbed a mummy’s tomb. They’ll appreciate your effort to making a immersive, sensory experience regardless of how accurate it is.

[@Derry_A_Deryni]

@@mathmusicandlooks ashes & glass, or Lassie's ass, greeting the dog's & jackals in the pyramid scheme, looking for gold, but still collecting the artifacts of brass.

[@WeltenbauerClub]

Thanks for sharing

[@thesudaneseprince9675]

Just what I needed, lovely

[@dylansteenbergen8125]

Gonna put these tips to use for the dungeon23 challenge!

[@haphazardninja]

Good stuff. please continue drungeon

[@fearandloathinginnorway7541]

At this point I'm just watching for the same goofy smile at the end of each episode

[@kevinsmith9013]

I like using modular paths through a dungeon. Opening 1 door closes another, or inhabitants of the dungeon modify it in response to the players actions and path thus far. Things like that.

[@marcosmiotti7399]

Hey, Baron, I wish I could see your tips in a practical context. Maybe you could record your sessions to make YT shorts, in which you show when and how you applied the tips from your videos.

[@mslabo102s2]

I watch many of these videos but I never got around to implement many of them. I feel most of these concepts "doesn't fit" with the theme of dungeons I want to make, despite feeling there has to be a way. How can I deal with this?

[@thesinfultictac5704]

Very appropriative of this thank you

[@mathmusicandlooks]

First time DM, and my players have just stumbled into their first real dungeon (session 9). My dungeon is pretty simple and straightforward, though. No trick doorways, in fact barely any doorways at all. That’s because it’s a series of secret tunnels that were never supposed to have been discovered, and are just being used to save up a bunch of zombies for later. People don’t generally place traps in a stable or storage area. My question: is that reasoning supporting the immersiveness of the world/campaign, or do you think it detracts from the players’ fun?

[@thrombocyte2054]

I'd guess that discovering "stored zombies" surely isn't what the creator of the zombies wants and therefore traps - e.g. with poisonous gas that don't "damage" the zombies - are justified to make quick word of anyone who might stumble upon them. Also there might be preparations so that the zombies don't shuffle off when disturbed for whatever reason...

[@andrewshandle]

So is there an area where the person/entity that is storing the zombies would be or is the entire dungeon just a holding pen for the zombies? If its' the latter, then yeah there wouldn't be any traps it's just a hamster cage for Zombies after all. If it's the former, they'd likely want some way to protect themselves if someone they didn't want entered the series of tunnels. It just can't really be anything the Zombies would trigger on their own or those traps would have been set off long before the players ever got there. The one exception might be the actual exit might be trapped, say it requires a special key or something, because Zombies wouldn't try and access a door.

[@michealbohmer2871]

Just wondering: do you prefer to GM or play?

[@joshuacaban1160]

I love dungeons and dragons best fantasy game ever made I can't wait for the new movie coming out in 2023 can't for it I am so happy love it

[@crapphone7744]

A McGuffin is a device to advance the plot but which in and of itself has no intrinsic value. I don't think carrying a terrible disease or affliction as the goal of a quest qualifies as a MacGuffin. Everybody is misusing this term these days, and as a grammar Nazi it's driving me nuts! You seem like the kind of presenter who would want to know this. It's not a criticism just a point of information. Thanks for your great content!

[@AlexPBenton]

What I am learning is that this guy loves him some spores!

[@DungeonMasterpiece]

They are insidious

[@bonbondurjdr6553]

Using language barriers in D&D is a great way to make players curious about everything. 😄

[@rufuslynks8175]

Improving the sense of smell is not hard. One method is to first practice clearing the pallete. Find a way that works to reset smell. Maye smelling one's own skin is one way. Like your upper lip as a way to teach your mind to ignore that scent. Then step into a room (subway, closet, outside) and first take a short shallow inhale adn ponder it. Then after describing that set of scents, take a slow longer sniff and describe its contents. Watch how a dog sniff-interrogates an object. Many short sniffs, followed by a long exhale, maybe more short sniff then longer sniffing. They are aggregating the scent around the "dectectors." Cat sniff differently because they use scent for social identification more than dogs and their efforts to idetnify others, track prey, and danger. Cats will phlem - a tecknique of scrunching up their snouts to concentrate scents for mating. We can improve our sense of smell similarly. And... as it relates to this video, once we get handle on idetntifying what we are smelling we can better describe the nuances to others. If I say you smell "burning wood," you will interpret that differently than if I said, "burning dried leaves and detrittous on the forest floor after a week and only see light gray whispy smoke." That is verses denser darker smoke indicating an incomplete burn.'

[@davidbeppler3032]

Most valuable treasure in the old castle? The 800lbs rug. 24 feet long and 18 feet wide. Worth $2k. Good luck.

[@charlie_c1373]

Love your channel, maybe ease up the Gesticulation? Feel like your running for congress.😏

[@vefafox]

✨Engagement✨

[@godsamongmen8003]

This video still leaves me with one question: Who built the dungeon? Nobody puts in the time and money it would take to excavate a foundation and build an entire underground building as a home for some random monsters. And nobody builds their own home like a labyrinth with a bunch of one-way doors. Isn't it a bit immersion-breaking when you can't look at a place and reason out why it was built?

[@dkbibi]

Funny I design my adventures in exact opposite : I provide problems, but I don't plan de any solutions. That way players have the burden of finding solutions which is where the fun reside.

[@CooperAATE]

99th!

[@ChrisEllorris]

Okay you talk about treasure rewards at the beginning there, but treasure is mostly meaningless in 5th edition. Why do players care about acquiring gold when there's nothing you can really do with it?

[@WandererEris]

I disagree with providing solutions in the dungeon. That feels too video gamey to me and prevents there being any long-term consequences to the decisions the players make. If they figure out that no matter what the diseases or poisons or whatever have cures within the dungeon itself then they stop being a threat and stop being treated as serious. It also means you couldn't, say, wall off an area with dangerous spores the players can't traverse yet, only for them to come back later when they have a solution to it. It makes it so that the dungeons feel less alive and more like a one-and-done location they can forget about when they've gotten the final treasure.

[@amelio7737]

Dude thinking it like a videogame disregarding logic, sometimes it works, sure, but how likely is it to find a fungus that heals a specific illness exactly where you caught it from a rat, how lucky do you have to be? focus on creating a credible dungeon, let characters resolve problems, not the dungeon itself

[@granttrain3553]

When you say empty you mean free of danger which is not what that word means. I say this as its common advise that is not helpful. A safe room should still contribute to the story the table is creating.