So, I've got several dungeons, each with a theme. Most are more or less complete (or as complete as I can get them before they need to be accessible for players - if I get more time I'll slap in extra rooms, they're not mapped, just planned) but I've got one more to do.
The theme is an illusion dungeon. I haven't put it into any sort of order yet, but ideas include:
-3 PCs see the same illusory thing, which is, say, a vicious monster. 4th PC sees a young woman crying for help, saying that she was cursed so that only the pure of heart could see her true form and that all others would see only a monster.
-Illusory traps with a few real ones hidden amongst them.
-Abyss with an invisible path across it, Indiana Jones style.
-PCs have a compulsion to fight each other.
-Door that only opens when it can't be seen.
-A little boy illusion leading them directly into danger.
Native monsters include Displacer Beasts and Mimics.
What else could I include? Points for creativity without it being too overcomplicated.
It looks like a storage room with one exit. Real exit is behind a painting hung on the wall, locked with an arcane lock spell. The unlocking trigger is opening a specific container. Two mimics have copied that container and are on other sides of the room. The rest of the objects have to be stacked to build a stairway to get to the painting. Have the answer to unlocking the doorway be a riddle and put pieces of the answer in other parts of the dungeon.
You can even put some random broken ladders in the room as well to give the players options on how to get to the door.
There was an old AD&D module that involved running through a pyramid to defeat a cult of marauders. When you get to the lower floor of this pyramid, it starts in a maze.
Map is a grid where every intersection was about 8'x8'. Filling this maze was a dense fog that inhibited any ability to gain a sense of direction. So when you walk straight to the next intersection, you can see past your current grid square in any direction and you have no idea which way is which except the way you came.
To make matters worse, there was a surprise on about 60% of the squares/inrersections. Gold, loot, monsters, or traps would await the party. Luckily being an interior maze, the solution was simple. Go straight until you hit a wall, then hug then wall until you find the exit.
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Characters:
Grishkar Darkmoor, Necromancer of Nerull the Despiser Kelvin Rabbitfoot, Diviner, con artist, always hunting for a good sale Bründir Halfshield, Valor Bard, three-time Sheercleft Drinking Competition Champion, Hometown hero
I had a bunch of players walking down a hallway when they heard the sound of footsteps rushing them from behind, but when they turned around all they saw was the empty hallway. When they turned around again, there was suddenly a large stone wall in front of them, blocking the path they were just going down. They learned quickly to have their characters walking back to back so things like that couldn't happen again.
Love the idea, but the key is design. Can be great or horrible. If it is all illusion, you have the party move 5', disbelieve, all roll saves, move 5', repeat.
Key is mixing. I ran an encounter where the party took arrow fire from the flank. Finally figured out it was two archers behind an illusion of a wall. Then, arrow came from the right and missed. Barbarian charged into a real wall that the illusionary arrow had "sprung" from.
I am designing an adventure that is a very nice wizard mansion hidden by a permanent illusion of old crumbled ruins. I am sure there will be more illusions inside to confuse and distract.
Finally, see major image. Disbelief is an action. So if you mix well, and have other things going on, disbelief becomes "expensive."
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
--
DM -- Elanon -- Homebrew world
Gronn -- Tiefling Warlock -- Amarath
Slim -- Halfling Cleric -- CoS (future Lord of Waterdeep 😁)
Bran -- Human Wizard - RoT
Making D&D mistakes and having fun since 1977!
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So, I've got several dungeons, each with a theme. Most are more or less complete (or as complete as I can get them before they need to be accessible for players - if I get more time I'll slap in extra rooms, they're not mapped, just planned) but I've got one more to do.
The theme is an illusion dungeon. I haven't put it into any sort of order yet, but ideas include:
-3 PCs see the same illusory thing, which is, say, a vicious monster. 4th PC sees a young woman crying for help, saying that she was cursed so that only the pure of heart could see her true form and that all others would see only a monster.
-Illusory traps with a few real ones hidden amongst them.
-Abyss with an invisible path across it, Indiana Jones style.
-PCs have a compulsion to fight each other.
-Door that only opens when it can't be seen.
-A little boy illusion leading them directly into danger.
Native monsters include Displacer Beasts and Mimics.
What else could I include? Points for creativity without it being too overcomplicated.
Puzzle/illusion room.
It looks like a storage room with one exit. Real exit is behind a painting hung on the wall, locked with an arcane lock spell. The unlocking trigger is opening a specific container. Two mimics have copied that container and are on other sides of the room. The rest of the objects have to be stacked to build a stairway to get to the painting. Have the answer to unlocking the doorway be a riddle and put pieces of the answer in other parts of the dungeon.
You can even put some random broken ladders in the room as well to give the players options on how to get to the door.
Doorway that can only been seen/used in the reflection of a mirror
Door/hatch that can be placed on different walls/floor or ceiling to lead to different location
Non-magical optical illusion- walls that strobe for example and therefore cannot be switched off.
Evil duplicates of characters OR idealised versions to highlight their failings.
If you play on a game mat maybe a Runic design legible only when reflected- could literally hand one of your players a mirror.
Tried to keep very simple but have been looking to implement in wizards keep myself so have been ruminating a while
Invisible monsters and visible illusions.
Passable walls.
Just an average metalhead who plays DnD in his spare time.
PbP Character: Roberta Thalan, Void Beyond the Stars Otherside
PbP Character: Primus Eidolon, Eotha 2
PbP Character: Usmor Illiqai, Tomb of Corrosion
PbP Character: "Templar" Danver, You're the Villains
Homebrew stuff
There was an old AD&D module that involved running through a pyramid to defeat a cult of marauders. When you get to the lower floor of this pyramid, it starts in a maze.
Map is a grid where every intersection was about 8'x8'. Filling this maze was a dense fog that inhibited any ability to gain a sense of direction. So when you walk straight to the next intersection, you can see past your current grid square in any direction and you have no idea which way is which except the way you came.
To make matters worse, there was a surprise on about 60% of the squares/inrersections. Gold, loot, monsters, or traps would await the party. Luckily being an interior maze, the solution was simple. Go straight until you hit a wall, then hug then wall until you find the exit.
Characters:
Grishkar Darkmoor, Necromancer of Nerull the Despiser
Kelvin Rabbitfoot, Diviner, con artist, always hunting for a good sale
Bründir Halfshield, Valor Bard, three-time Sheercleft Drinking Competition Champion, Hometown hero
I had a bunch of players walking down a hallway when they heard the sound of footsteps rushing them from behind, but when they turned around all they saw was the empty hallway. When they turned around again, there was suddenly a large stone wall in front of them, blocking the path they were just going down. They learned quickly to have their characters walking back to back so things like that couldn't happen again.
You're doing a bang up job
Love the idea, but the key is design. Can be great or horrible. If it is all illusion, you have the party move 5', disbelieve, all roll saves, move 5', repeat.
Key is mixing. I ran an encounter where the party took arrow fire from the flank. Finally figured out it was two archers behind an illusion of a wall. Then, arrow came from the right and missed. Barbarian charged into a real wall that the illusionary arrow had "sprung" from.
I am designing an adventure that is a very nice wizard mansion hidden by a permanent illusion of old crumbled ruins. I am sure there will be more illusions inside to confuse and distract.
Finally, see major image. Disbelief is an action. So if you mix well, and have other things going on, disbelief becomes "expensive."
--
DM -- Elanon -- Homebrew world
Gronn -- Tiefling Warlock -- Amarath
Slim -- Halfling Cleric -- CoS (future Lord of Waterdeep 😁)
Bran -- Human Wizard - RoT
Making D&D mistakes and having fun since 1977!