Dungeon stats (or, dungeon as a character)

Qo's picture
Published by Qo on Mon, 11/11/2019 - 12:28
Forum: 
Design

Something else that's been playing on my mind, is it possible to create a dungeon by giving it stats?

Of course it doesn't have to be a dungeon, could be an encounter, or a setting, but I've been figuring our the next adventure in an ongoing D&D 5e campaign so that's where my head's currently at.

The process could go:

  1. Roll the usual 6 stats with 3d6: STR, DEX, CON, WIS, INT, CHA
  2. Figure out the modifiers (minus 10, divide by 2)
  3. Use the modifiers somehow...

And that's as far as I got. At the minute my thinking is mostly using it to help generate the dungeon setup or ecology...

Maybe the modifier could be the number of rooms in the dungeon, each with challenges relating to the appropriate stat, or they could signify the type of creature(s) in residence, or maybe it's all lair actions with the DCs being modifier+10 with some creatures scattered around.

So yes, mostly this is just a half-formed thought so far but thought it might be of interest (equally, might not!).

shimrod's picture

shimrod - Sat, 11/16/2019 - 17:22

Maybe the modifier could be the number of rooms in the dungeon, each with challenges relating to the appropriate stat

I think it's interesting that this is very intuitive, but ends up creating quite the opposite effect than what the same stats mean on monsters.

If a high-Str, low-Wis dungeon means many challenges of main force, and few mental fortitude challenges, it will be best approached by a strong, physical character.

A high-Str, low-Wis monster will be best approached by somehow punching it in the Wis, rather than a strong, physical character meeting it on its own terms.

A simple way might be to apply the modifiers to the monsters and difficulties: so in a high-Dex dungeon, all the orcs dodge better and all the secret doors are better hidden than usual. Possibly too simple to be interesting, and the effect might be lost in the noise?

Kinds of creatures makes sense, with some stats and some monsters easier to map than others: a big brute as a Str-monster or a mind controller as a Cha-monster is easy, but what's a good Con-monster or a Wis-monster?

Interesting idea!