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Elements: The Classic Dungeon Crawl

Started by Werekoala, August 24, 2007, 10:15:35 AM

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Werekoala

August 24, 2007, 10:15:35 AM
What, in your mind, are the elements that make up a classic 1st Edition style Dungeon Crawl? Think back to the days of minimal plotting, where story was secondary and the opening scene was something along the lines of "You stand before the ancient stone doors of the Crypt of Elangdor" or somesuch.

I'll go first: Skeletons. Lurves me some skellies.
Lan Astaslem


"It's rpg.net The population there would call the Second Coming of Jesus Christ a hate crime." - thedungeondelver

Aos

#1
August 24, 2007, 10:16:38 AM
Secret doors.
You are posting in a troll thread.

Metal Earth

Cosmic Tales- Webcomic

Nicephorus

#2
August 24, 2007, 10:21:16 AM
At least one room with a magical effect that's odd and is beyond a normal character's ability to replicate - mogical pool, reverse gravity, etc.
 
Living slime/jelly/ooze
 
traps

Abyssal Maw

#3
August 24, 2007, 10:22:16 AM
Staircases.
Download Secret Santicore! (10MB). I painted the cover :)

One Horse Town

#4
August 24, 2007, 10:28:41 AM
Poison needle traps.

A magic mouth on a door or chest warning of impending doom or alerting the wicked magic user.

KenHR

#5
August 24, 2007, 10:38:24 AM
Good stuff so far!

Pit traps.  With SPIKES.

Rooms getting tougher to map the deeper you go.

The pile of rags that contain an elven cloak & boots.
For fuck\'s sake, these are games, people.

And no one gives a fuck about your ignore list.


Gompan
band - other music

Haffrung

#6
August 24, 2007, 10:52:26 AM
Pit traps.

Secret rooms and sub-levels.

More than one way between levels - some of them unpleasant (chutes, pits).

Deeper = deadlier.

Wandering monsters.

Treasure with magical protection/traps.

Gelantinous cubes and other wandering slimes/oozes.

Undead guardians.

Laboratories/workshops/libraries.

Magic fountains and pools.

Teleportation traps.

Magic mirrors.

Crypts.

Portcullis traps.

Ramps.

Refuse pits/ latrines with monsters and hidden treasure.

Giant spiders.

Magic mouth alarms.

Well that leads to the surface.

A dragon.
 

Drew

#7
August 24, 2007, 10:58:02 AM
Quote from: NicephorusAt least one room with a magical effect that's odd and is beyond a normal character's ability to replicate - mogical pool, reverse gravity, etc.

Yes!

Also:

A helpful NPC who is actually a Chaotic psychopath.

Animated Statues.

An evil wizard.

No sense of monster ecology.

Every object valuated by it's worth in gold pieces.
 

Aos

#8
August 24, 2007, 11:00:05 AM
an ongoing orc-goblin war for dominence.
You are posting in a troll thread.

Metal Earth

Cosmic Tales- Webcomic

Danger

#9
August 24, 2007, 11:45:50 AM
Monsters that are just roaming around the damn place for some reason, and don't even try and make some kind of ecologically based argument for them to be there either!  

"Look, the fucking chart says "tiger," and that's what I rolled, okay?  Roll for initiative."
I start from his boots and work my way up. It takes a good half a roll to encompass his jolly round belly alone. Soon, Father Christmas is completely wrapped in clingfilm. It is not quite so good as wrapping Roy but it is enjoyable nonetheless and is certainly a feather in my cap.

Werekoala

#10
August 24, 2007, 12:05:23 PM
Quote from: DangerMonsters that are just roaming around the damn place for some reason, and don't even try and make some kind of ecologically based argument for them to be there either!  

"Look, the fucking chart says "tiger," and that's what I rolled, okay?  Roll for initiative."

Addendum: People not minding that there's a tiger in a 10'x10' room on the third level of the Lair of the Petty Tyrant.
Lan Astaslem


"It's rpg.net The population there would call the Second Coming of Jesus Christ a hate crime." - thedungeondelver

cmagoun

#11
August 24, 2007, 01:40:02 PM
Mapping and being able to actually be lost in the dungeon was a big part for my group. That means stuff like teleport rooms (or the more insidious, teleport to a room that looks identical, but is really on the other side of the map), the "gently" sloping passage so that some point along the way the mapper is scratching his head and wondering how these hallways can scroll, and the pit trap that dumps your party on the next level and you have to figure out how to get back.

Good times.
Chris Magoun
Runebearer RPG
(New version coming soon!)

dar

#12
August 25, 2007, 10:27:14 AM
Hand drawn dungeon maps,  hopefully in light blue with white squares.

Oh, rooms that have wall lengths that are evenly divisible by 10' unless they are caverns or unfinished works.

Drew

#13
August 25, 2007, 11:11:11 AM
Quote from: darHand drawn dungeon maps,  hopefully in light blue with white squares.

This more than anything else sold me on the Dungeon Crawl Classics line. The first time I flicked through 'Idylls of the Rat King' I was overjoyed that a publisher was prepared to go the extra mile to make it look authentic.

Since then I've bought a number of the DCC line and have had a great time playing them. It's truly heartwarming to find someone out there producing this sort thing.

EDIT: And Erol Otus covers!
 

jrients

#14
August 25, 2007, 11:15:18 AM
Falling walls, chutes, and other traps designed primarily to split up the party.
Jeff Rients
My gameblog
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