10 Questions to Create Better Dungeons
1. Why is the dungeon there?
Is it the lair of a monster? Was it a prison? Did a strange wizard make it? Did it come from ancient peoples who used it for storing potatoes — po-tay-toes!!
2. What has happened to the dungeon since it was built?
Is it still in perfect condition? Are there skeletons of dwarves everywhere? Did they dig too deep? Has someone else moved in? Did an earthquake open a rift to the Plane of Fire? Has part of it collapsed? Flooded?
3. Who lives there now?
Is it a bunch of random monsters or a colony of giant centipedes? Has the Spider-Dragon moved in? Do the monsters get along or do they fight? Is it empty? Don’t make it empty. Is a lich in charge? Why isn’t a lich in charge? Liches are awesome!
4. What do the monsters want?
If a bunch of monsters live in the dungeon, what do they want? Are they just living there? Is it their home? Are they planning to raid the town? Are they doing evil secret things? Are they summoning fiends? Are they just playing card games?
5. Why should the characters go there?
What makes them want to explore? Ancient knowledge? Magical power? Treasure? Evil monsters that need to be slain? Evil monsters that just need a friend? Rumors of a magic sword? A captured prince? To stop a ritual?
6. Why are the traps still active?
It is fun to create traps that have been set off by now dead explorers. That shows it is dangerous and creates a sense of doom! If the traps are still active it means no one has come this way yet… or they have been reset by someone.
7. Why are there secret doors?
Secret doors are fun but they should have a reason to exist. They are no fun if your players never find them. Make them easy to find and hard to open. Do they lead to treasure? Escape paths? Rituals rooms? Don’t make them lead to the toilet.
8. How big should it be?
Huge dungeons are fun to draw and it is scary when you are 9 levels down and monsters are closing in. But it can be boring if you don’t make it a living dungeon. A dungeon with 4 or 5 rooms can be perfect to explore but doesn’t drag on forever.
9. Should you add some puzzles?
Add puzzles if you want to bring your game to a screeching halt and spend an hour listening to your players say the answer ten times but never make a decision. Unless your players like puzzles… then add as many as you want. Make them easy.
10. How should the monsters react to the characters?
If the characters make a lot of noise or drop a bucket into a well, the monsters in the dungeon should react. Do they come in huge numbers and attack the party? Do they set traps? Do they ambush the party? Try to flee?
