Putting The Scare Into A Dungeon Crawl

Dwayne at The Tabletop Tavern

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3 months ago

I am about to embark on a very light dungeon crawl in my campaign. It got me thinking....

Dungeons and Dragons as we know it was built on the bones of " Chainmail" which was itself a tactical combat game and early DnD was all about exploration and discovery. The " fear" of what was around the corner as opposed to blindly running down halls setting off encounters. While DnD has some basic systems to limit player exploration on a turn p[er turn basis; Daggerheart does not and shouldn't. So the question lingers...how do you install the vibe of exploration in a dungeon without grinding the narrative to a halt? Specifically how to do that while using a premade map of the environment versus theater of the mind.

This post isn't meant to solve the dilemma but stay open for ideas.

Idea 1: " Inject the feels" in real life and in popular media heroes are always cautious and concerned when they enter confined spaces. Claustrophobia, anxiety or even just plain nerves. In A TTRPG these emotions NEVER manifest as it seems players are always confident and ambitious leading to " running" through the dungeon to see whats in it.

Maybe insert a game mechanic that limits the players movement? Have the players overcome a presence roll vs the environment before they can even make a spotlight. They can MARK A STRESS to veto the roll and take the spotlight regardless?

Idea 2: Limit movement by using a system similar to the above?

Maybe these ideas should even be standard for any dungeon environment you make....again just ideas but I am very curious as to what you may have as ideas to get that good ol' dungeon feel in your games.

I am about to embark on a very light dungeon crawl in my campaign. It got me thinking....Dungeons and Dragons as we know it was built on the bones of " Chainmail" which was itself a tactical combat game and early DnD was all about exploration and discovery. The " fear" of what was around the corner as opposed to blindly running down halls setting off encounters. While DnD has some basic systems to limit player exploration on a turn p[er turn basis; Daggerheart does not and shouldn't. So the question lingers...how do you install the vibe of exploration in a dungeon without grinding the narrative to a halt? Specifically how to do that while using a premade map of the environment versus theater of the mind.This post isn't meant to solve the dilemma but stay open for ideas.<blockquote>Idea 1: " Inject the feels" in real life and in popular media heroes are always cautious and concerned when they enter confined spaces. Claustrophobia, anxiety or even just plain nerves. In A TTRPG these emotions NEVER manifest as it seems players are always confident and ambitious leading to " running" through the dungeon to see whats in it.</blockquote>Maybe insert a game mechanic that limits the players movement? Have the players overcome a presence roll vs the environment before they can even make a spotlight. They can MARK A STRESS to veto the roll and take the spotlight regardless?<blockquote>Idea 2: Limit movement by using a system similar to the above?</blockquote>Maybe these ideas should even be standard for any dungeon environment you make....again just ideas but I am very curious as to what you may have as ideas to get that good ol' dungeon feel in your games.

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Dwayne at The Tabletop Tavern

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3 months ago

also..... Instinct reaction rolls to " guide the players" ?

Jeffery Estes [Moderator]

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2 months ago

I have not yet mastered the Dungeon crawl in DH vs how I did things in D&D. My table has rejected Theatre of Mind Play for most scenes (Mostly due to aphantasia for a PC or two). So we've kind of gone the D&D Route with maps and movement (in combat). I'm still experimenting with this myself on the whole "use an environment" play that DH encourages.

Dwayne at The Tabletop Tavern

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2 months ago

I am torn on this as well. Its hard nowadays to replicate the classic dungeon craw...even playing DnD. I feel a lot of it comes down to how the game/ crawl is perceived. There is a underlying thought that the Dungeon needs to be "beat" versus " experienced". Sort of a urgency to complete it and defeat everything that comes their way versus a sense of exploration that used to be prevalent back in the 80's.

This is my experience and may not be yours. Thats why for Daggerheart I focused on adding features to the environment stat block that would pull out the tone and feel of the dungeon. trying to prolong the experience instead of a race to the finish line.

These are just thoughts and not really any solutions. I am in the same boat and also about to embark on a crawl in my Tuesday campaign.

GoodBossfights

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3 weeks ago

I would say focus on the other aspects of dungeon crawls. Traps are fine and all but I feel like most players don't enjoy checking every tile on the floor for a trap when I run a dungeon I prefer things the players react to instead of things they have to look for. Like reacting to a puzzle or reacting to a large green ooze barrelling down a tight corridor. With traps you have to be constantly poking every nook in cranny with a 10 foot pole. I also wouldn't encourage HP slogs where they are just trading hitpoints with enemies. Dynamic combat where they need to reach the end of the hallway as the floor collapses because of a giant minotaur chasing after them or releasing a tortured direwolf from its cage so it can turn on it's captives. Whenever I run combat against enemies that aren't bosses I have a rule where there NEEDS to be an objective beside deal damage. Like capture the flag with a mystical artifact.

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Putting the scare into a dungeon crawl

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Suggested topics

Environments and Player Knowledge

A FUN birch forest!

A fun abandoned farm

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