A classic element or two... Idols with gems for eyes. Secret passage behind a waterfall. Statues coming alive. Torch sconce that opens a secret door. Eyes of a portrait that follow you – animate art object or peepholes for a hidden observer? Okay, so most classic elements are about EYES and SECRETS and STATUES. Crystals, too. Crystals, fungi, tentacles. Classic archetypical dungeon stuff that gives you a buzz when it shows up. We don't get to play often. So don't skimp on the classics.
Variety and
reveals. A big change in the dungeon is always cool. Two thirds of the dungeon
might be dwarven-engineered corridors. But then you suddenly transition into a
large natural cave area. Or maybe a section is flooded. Somehow a flooded area
is the biggest fear or many players – it is a gamechanger, your lights and
movement are not as you are used to.
ROPE PLAY.
A good dungeon always provides opportunity for rope play. And masks! Uh... I
mean. Yeah, the dungeon must have places where players can satisfy their urges
to fix ropes to each other. Grappling hooks, basic mountaineering.
Verticality.
This ties in with the rope play aspect, but not only. I love balconies,
overhands, BRIDGES, esp. rope bridges, stairs, ramps. When the way forward is
also above or below. And the opportunity to spy a place before reaching it.
Which also
leads to cool architecture. You don’t have to make every room special, but
rectangular boxes become boring quickly. A couple of pillars, niches,
platforms. Think about the ceiling, is it flat, domed, vaulted? Are all doors
rectangular slabs of wood? Vault doors. Airlocks. Arched passageways. Dunno,
horizontal slits for all those slithering creatures.
Anyway, I
just wanted to put this in writing quickly.
Obligatory
links to the OSR’s classic posts, Goblin Punch’s Dungeon Checklist and
Grognardia’s Old School Dungeon Design.
don’t
forget,
ROLE PLAY
IS ROPE PLAY
and the
game is the door game
AD&D DMG, p. 68
