How to Create Easy Dungeons for D&D: A Step-by-Step Guide (Dungeons and Dragons | GM Tips)

[@harannandfriends9681]

I really like how you turned the monster manual into a random table! I love using random tables for game prep!

[@GMJosh-sw9hp]

@@harannandfriends9681 I do as well. Every book can be a random table if you're willing to roll enough dice lol.

[@Zahlmiac]

Yeah, simple and clever, which is generally a great combination 😀👍

[@FrostSpike]

Canonically, beholders usually lair in spacious (they are Large creatures) cavern complexes with entrances up high so that they can fly above any intruders and hit them with their eye beams whilst ducking into tunnels for cover and sending their copious minions against them. A Beholder won't passively wait for the party to come to them when intruders are detected. They think in three-dimensions (if not more) and, having INT 17 (which is, statistically, something like an IQ 145) are very smart opponents. Eye Tyrants in particular carve out huge complexes for their enslaved and loyal minions to reside in. They are also super-paranoid - they trust absolutely no-one - and will always have an escape route planned. Their telekinesis and disintegration rays can handle really fine work for purposes of sculpting and manipulation.

[@Zahlmiac]

I followed along, creating the basis for the next adventure. The random rolls really help spark the imagination 👍

[@GMJosh-sw9hp]

That’s awesome to hear! 🎉 Random rolls are such a great tool for sparking creativity-they take you in directions you might not have considered otherwise. I'm thrilled you followed along and started building your next adventure! If you ever want to share how it turns out, feel free to drop an update. I’d love to hear about the dungeon your rolls inspired!

[@zomgsignupnow]

The ai art in the thumbnail is terrifyinggg

[@GMJosh-sw9hp]

Really? Why is that?

[@GMJosh-sw9hp]

Do you mean the kind of weird proportions and facial expressions? Because those are a bit weird lol.

[@vodostar9134]

Good process and well explained.

[@GMJosh-sw9hp]

@@vodostar9134 Boom! Thank you!

[@chriswandell3570]

what would happen if a paaldin of Mystra appeared in the dungeon? :P

[@GMJosh-sw9hp]

Good question! I'm not totally sure lol. I used to play that, in my campaign, celestial servants of Mystryl were like fantasy versions of Time Lords, sort of like from Dr. Who! lol

[@GMJosh-sw9hp]

In fact, one of my players intentionally created a 'time paradox' one time and got perma-banned by Mystryl from the material plane. He became a 'Time Lord' for her because she owned his soul. Then he ended up visiting the material plane as a messenger in future missions.

[@BeardedDevil-cn9tw]

...and now for a different approach that I call "Build-A-Dungeon" In the following Ill be using primarily the 5e DMG, as well as DMGs from older editions (see below), to illustrate how an adventure kinda flows from the dungeon and not the other way around. Please note that this represents about 5 minutes worth of active dice-time, and not the entirety of a dungeon...call it a demonstration that you can continue to experiment with using the tools listed below. All results were rolled randomly, no dice were harmed in the making of this project... LOCATION: on a mountain peak [5e DMG pg. 99] CREATOR: giants (specifically Stone Giants) [5e DMG pg. 100] *special - all measurements are tripled to reflect the cyclopean size of the ancient builders PURPOSE: a mine [5e DMG pg. 101] HISTORY: abandoned [5e DMG pg. 101] CHAMBER PURPOSE: use "mine" table [5e DMG pg. 293] STARTING AREA [5e DMG pg. 290+] --- Configuration: Circle, 120' diameter, 1 passage for each of the cardinal points (i.e., 3 tunnels (left, straight ahead, right) plus the entrance. This will be chamber will be labeled #1 on your map key Current chamber state: converted into a temple (Cultist!!!) - Chamber contents: Dungeon Hazard with treasure. Hazard: green slime, treasure [trapped] - 150gp, 150pp in metal urns, trap (DC 15 to notice) - spring-trap, 1d3 poisoned darts (reflex save DC15) Treasure is located on the altar at the center of the chamber. Green slime located in puddles around the chamber, will attack when PC gets within 30ft. Will drop from ceiling as well at random intervals. Left Passage (30ft wide/40ft tall) - Straight for 60ft, door on the right, continues for an additional 20ft... Door - massive, wooden, unlocked Beyond the door: Chamber 60' x 60' --- 2 exits on left wall (nearest is a door [wooden, unlocked], furthest is a corridor 30' long, 15w x 30h). Chamber purpose: smithy. Chamber hazard: pool of water. Chamber content: monster --- id4+2 (3) kobolds (kobolds initial mistake party for other kobolds, will attack when within 30ft of PCs once they realize that the PCs are not kobolds) ....the rest is to be completed by You. Okay, now for some flavor The adventure begins with the party visiting a cozy mountain village nestled at the base of the mountain. Rumor has it that a mysterious religious group (aka a cult aka the Church of the Starry Wisdom) has been preying on the villagers, leaving blood-drained livestock with weird runes carved into the flesh. The only one who even has an inkling of where the cult hangs its hat is Jeb, the local ale connoisseur and sometime mountain guide. Jeb will gladly escort the party to the last known location of the cultists: a mountain hideout. It takes 2 days of climbing the mountain to locate the spot: a narrow rift in a rumble-strewn section of the mountain. With a DC15 perception check, the PCs will notice that some of the boulders look like worked stone. Jeb stays outside (he will camp out for 1d4 days to wait for the PCs, then he will return to town). The narrow passage is pitch black (all of the 1st level of the dungeon is lightless unless otherwise inticated), and continues for 20ft before opening into a wider passage for 60ft before the main chamber.... RESOURCES: 5e DMG (pp 99-101, Appendix A 290-301) 3e DMG [level 1 dungeon encounter table for the kobolds] (chapter 3, page 79) 1e DMG [treasure, that it was trapped, and what the container was] (Appendix A, page 171) 1983 Basic Set [monster reaction chart] (pg D22) *note: use keyword "anyflip" when searching for a free online version of the above resources...if they're not already on your bookshelf...

[@GMJosh-sw9hp]

Nicely done! Very cool!

[@BeardedDevil-cn9tw]

@GMJosh-sw9hp just out of curiosity...what level are the PCs supposed to be in your example?

[@GMJosh-sw9hp]

@@BeardedDevil-cn9tw I was designing it to be a good match for my 7th level party. But honestly, that dungeon wouldn't be a whole lot of a 'dangerous' challenge for them unless I beefed up the enemy stat blocks.

[@BeardedDevil-cn9tw]

@GMJosh-sw9hp uhhh...a death tyrant beholder is a CR14 all by itself, add the xorn and goblins and the EL just goes up from there.

[@BeardedDevil-cn9tw]

Dude....Mystryl is a goddess from Forgotten Realms, not Greyhawk. How did you flub that up?

[@GMJosh-sw9hp]

@@BeardedDevil-cn9tw ah, a lot of the time I just lump those all together. I'm definitely not a lore expert.

[@BeardedDevil-cn9tw]

@GMJosh-sw9hp didn't you say that you played a lot of Greyhawk?

[@GMJosh-sw9hp]

@@BeardedDevil-cn9tw I did. I just always sort of used whatever lore I wanted. And borrowed a lot from other places.

[@GMJosh-sw9hp]

@@BeardedDevil-cn9tw definitely was not accurately cannon lol

[@BeardedDevil-cn9tw]

@@GMJosh-sw9hp Mystryl is kind of a footnote in the 3e Forgotten Realms campaign setting. A bit of background for Mystra and all that.