D&D Map, Mega Dungeon Level 1

I begin creating the map of the 1st level of our megadungeon project. Level 1 is full of traps and tricks that we worked on in the last video.
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[@al2642]

Many DnD vloggers and artists showed how to "draw" a dungeon, focussing on tips and arts. But I think no one actually showed the entirety of the creative process with all its time-consuming efforts and the ins and outs of the reasons for each detail: from the presence of a room to the number and types of monsters in an area, from the shape of a space to the placement of a trap or a secret door. What you're doing here is like a DnD university course!

[@BanditsKeep]

Ah yes, I can’t say my cartography is beautiful so I feel like showing the building blocks could be helpful, thanks!

[@jackdeth5009]

Hi Daniel, having a great time following along with your creations. Very inspiring!

[@BanditsKeep]

Thanks Jack!

[@BlackJar72]

Very good. I notice you come up with the important rooms first and draw the map to fit, which I think I'm going to adopt since drawing (or randomly generating) the map first and trying to come up with things to put in the rooms afterward sometimes makes it difficult to fit some ideas to the map. I recently created and ran my first dungeon since the 80s, but then had reasons to expand part of it. The first part I used a random map from Donjon for the underground level, but the second part (done this morning) I created a few room ideas first and then drew the extra map -- much easier and better results.

[@BanditsKeep]

Awesome!

[@timpowers6406]

This video is pure gold

[@BanditsKeep]

Thank You!

[@AlexGreenwoodLux]

Really enjoyed this video. It’s interesting to use randomization tables but then try to make it fit to your setting and your dungeon and style. Really helped me with my very first attempt at creating a little map for a d&d session I’m planning.

[@BanditsKeep]

Awesome! Let me know how your session goes!

[@christopherbollinger86]

I love this series.

[@BanditsKeep]

Thank You!

[@Goblinerd]

Thanks for sharing your process, this is very inspiring. On a side note, if we have ideas/suggestions to contribute to your dungeon, how can we best share?

[@BanditsKeep]

Post here in the comments! I’d love to hear your ideas.

[@usapatriot4163]

Great stuff! Enjoy watching you design a dungeon from scratch! Like your DM style as well as your personality! Hope to see this done as an actual play someday.

[@BanditsKeep]

Thank you for your kind words - yes , as I’m developing this I am getting the urge to run it!

[@Grimlore82]

Humans all the way. Cling to that torch!

[@BanditsKeep]

Ha ha yes! 🔥

[@DarkHorseCom]

Now you're talking my language... 1st edition Dungeon Masters Guide! In my younger days I knew that thing cover to cover. I recently tried to buy a copy through eBay, send it back immediately because the of the moldy smell and over poor condition. Love the ways you're making a theme and applying random tables too. Bravo. Thanks for the video... I'm trying to follow very closely.

[@BanditsKeep]

Yeah, I picked up a couple of cheap DMGs that were in bad shape, but eventually found one that was decent and not crazy expensive. Probably the one book I would take if only allowed one

[@HoosierLarry]

@Bandit's Keep: You can do a diagonal in ProCreate if you draw your line and then hold it instead of lifting up at the end. Then drag the end point to where you want it.

[@BanditsKeep]

Oh nice!

[@krystal2423]

This is all great. Some suggestions I would add if anyone reads this and would like additional inspiration... Statues of stuff: Statues (like curtains) scare the heck out of players, you could put like a dragon statue in the area south of 2c just because you know players will think "It's either going to come alive or reveal a hidden passage." Actually, it does nothing and never really has to be explained, I mean dragons are cool and anyone could put a dragon statue somewhere just for the heck of it. One-way doors: For example where the secret door is in level five, make it secret, and perhaps only one way. That way if players find it they have a quick way out, but if they want to go back for some reason they have to take the long way around. Flooded rooms/corridors: A tough obstacle and something that players are typically reluctant to traverse through unless they are prepared for it. You could also put magic on the water so it's super dark, or you could put undead that can reach out to try and drowned anyone attempting to pass them. You could put a storage room down there that has treasures, nobody has gotten this treasure because no one has braved the waters yet. The halfling treasure map might map out another area of the dungeon leading off 9C that can only be found if they have the map describing how to access it. Maybe it contains a magical phrase that opens part of the wall, or maybe the concealed door is just so clever the party couldn't figure it out without knowing it. As for how the halfling learned how to access it, could just be left as a mystery "Yeah, how did he learn about this?"

[@BanditsKeep]

Some cool ideas there!

[@jonwooldridge3766]

Good stuff, Daniel. Long corridors...I do the same thing for the same reason. Dark vision is the bane of dungeon design, so you have to be clever. Smoking candles, winding corridors (as you mentioned), and illusionary terrain. Just a thought, could the Minotaur's maze extend to Level 2 and be connected to the inverse ziggurat?

[@BanditsKeep]

🤔 maybe with sloping passages... I like it

[@jonwooldridge3766]

Or, a chute trap...

[@Gustobot3000]

This has been the best dungeon design series I have ever seen. Simple, practical, and concise. Just enough theory talk to lay the groundwork but enough examples and direct application to carry through the process. I often see other people start with things like "what is the purpose of the structure" which leads me to a question I had: if one wants to make a dungeon like this, to what extent does it need to "make sense" because after looking at this it is clear no real structure would follow this design, but some of the things you mention like "reasons why the treasure is still there" prevent this from feeling entirely like a fun house dungeon.

[@BanditsKeep]

I tend to think of dungeons as either “mythic underworld” or something built a long long time in the past so the reason is lost to time

[@old_scaly]

Dang, I can't find Adventure Review -- Did they take down their channel, or rename it?

[@BanditsKeep]

Unfortunately the channel has been removed

[@old_scaly]

@@BanditsKeep bummerwave -- Thanks for confirming!

[@jakob8412]

what program are you using to draw?

[@BanditsKeep]

Procreate

[@jakob8412]

@@BanditsKeep thanks so much. do you prefer it over dedicated dungeon mapping programs or?

[@BanditsKeep]

@@jakob8412 I prefer drawing on actual graph paper with a pencil - this was the closest I could come and be able to stream it with my set-up