Dungeon Variety

[raithe]

Me I'm the transmuter type. I love to throw things at my players they think they know all too well. Mostly because I tend to run games for players who like to memorize game books. (The poor saps think that gives them an edge)

Should say DUNGEON variation not monster up there, sigh.
Should have also mentioned I just meant in terms of mixing things up not general dungeon construction, but just those odd bits now & then.

[Deleted]

I'm with you on this one, raithe. While I certainly use & mix up all the options you listed, I love the looks on my players' faces when the Kobold blasts them with a Fireball. Or when they encounter a beholder who justs want to chit-chat. ;D

[dwayanu]

I voted "puzzle master," because I see D&D in all its elements basically as a puzzle game. Some people detest "fun house" dungeons, and they can find DMs with similar tastes. As a player, I loved Castle Amber, Tomb of Horrors, White Plume Mountain, Lost Caverns of Tsojcanth, the Dungeonland modules and Mordenkainen's Fantastic Adventure. I am also very fond of In Search of the Unknown, with its focus on exploring and investigating.

I like to set up strange and wondrous situations with "rules" the players can discover. If something seems like "overkill," that's a clue that there's an advantage to find and secure (or at least a way to avoid the encounter).

Tunnels & Trolls was probably a big influence on me, along with computerized adventure games. The latter suffer from lacking the flexibility of a human moderator.

A T&T dungeon tends to be pretty "packed." Following the guidelines in Vol. 3, my D&D dungeons have more "empty" chambers and rather random, less-cunning encounters. Also, I generally avoid linear "gauntlets" -- giving players plenty of options is central to my map design.

[ffilz]

I voted other because I think more of a combination is how I want to play. Some puzzles, a bit (or a lot) of strategy, and sure some transmuter surprises (but to define play by that leaves me thinking of a game where the players can't strategize at all, because all of the monsters might as well be little black balls, if you can't "learn" the monsters etc.).

If forced to pick one of the above, I guess strategy would do it because that can encompass the other styles as bits and pieces.

Frank

[crimhthanthegreat]

While I do use all of the above, I voted for other since I use transmuter, mazelord and battlemage alot with no clear choice between them. While I like puzzles, I don't use a lot of them, since that is not one of my strengths. I have to work too hard to create puzzles so I don't do a lot of them.

[raithe]

have to agree dwayanu T&T gave me a lot of dungeon ideas, and grimtooth of course.

[Finarvyn]

I voted for "Puzzlemaster" but I hope I provide a mix of all styles in my Dungeon. Some of my dungeons are more mindless than others, but my group really enjoys puzzles.

[Rhuvein]

dwayanu said:

I voted "puzzle master," because I see D&D in all its elements basically as a puzzle game. Some people detest "fun house" dungeons, and they can find DMs with similar tastes. As a player, I loved Castle Amber, Tomb of Horrors, White Plume Mountain, Lost Caverns of Tsojcanth, the Dungeonland modules and Mordenkainen's Fantastic Adventure. I am also very fond of In Search of the Unknown, with its focus on exploring and investigating.

I like to set up strange and wondrous situations with "rules" the players can discover. If something seems like "overkill," that's a clue that there's an advantage to find and secure (or at least a way to avoid the encounter).

Well said. I'm with dwayanu.

I didn't start out with this method in mind, as my players were new and young, but now that they have gained experience ~ in game and out, I'm moving full force in this direction of style and play.

So far my group is liking it!!

;D

[makofan]

I find OD&D has freed me. There are no Giant Spider stats, so I make up my own. Screaming Tarantulas with a paralysing shriek. Giant Spiders with 7 HD, werespiders - whatever I want!