Search the site
You are here: Home » Dungeon Blog

Dungeon Blog

Download Print Send a summary of this page to someone via email.

Gaming Stuff

These are the musings of Monte in regard to Dungeonaday.com content, advice, game design insights, general gaming thoughts, or any other topic related to this website.

Feel free to make comments on the blog entries if you're a member, but if you're commenting on an entry more than a week or two old, you might have a better chance having your comment read by Monte and other members on the forums.

If you're new here, start with the Welcome! blog, and perhaps The Dungeon as a Campaign.

You might also like to listen to Listen Check, the Dungeonaday.com podcast.

 

 

 

Recent Articles

  Rivenyk's Realm
Thoughts on coping with player actions in area 231.
  Reaper Recommendations
Here's a list of figures you could use for various encounters in the first half of Level 7.
  Running Demons
Demons are tricky to use as a DM, because they have a lot of strange abilities. In addition to whatever various spell-like abilities they have, almost all have the ability to summon more of their kind and to teleport. This is going to really change the way a fight goes with a demon as opposed to some other creature.
  Good with a Capital G
The saying goes that doing good should be its own reward. But that only goes so far, right?
  Reaper Recommendations
Here's a list of figures you could use for various encounters on Level 6.
  Bestial Host versus Brindenford
When Sheriff Erro Mansan and Lord Mayor Anra Saddana learn that the Bestial Host has established a large camp not terribly far from town, they're going to want to gird the town's defenses as best as they can.
  Finding the Path: Dangerous Experiments (Part 2)
Last time, we started converting the denizens on level five of the Dragon's Delve. This time, we are here to finish the experiment and examine our conclusions.
  In Defense of Random Encounters (Part 2)
Random encounters can come as a surprise to the DM as much as the players. Personally, this has led to some fantastic game experiences for me, on both sides of the screen.
  Finding the Path: Dangerous Experiments (Part 1)
The first installment of converting Level Five of Dragon's Delve to the Pathfinder Roleplaying Game.
  Listen Check Episode 7
Monte discusses one of his favorite kind of encounters: the experimentation encounter.
  In Defense of Random Encounters (Part 1)
Over the last 10-15 years (or more) random encounters and wandering monsters have taken some flak. Story-focused DMs don't like to use them because they seem to distract from the flow of their narrative with an unrelated fight.

I don't think it will surprise you to discover that I don't agree with this point of view, both in general and in particular for a big dungeon crawl like Dragon's Delve.
  A Few Level 7 DMing Tips
Some suggestions on how to run specific encounters on Level 7.
  In and Out
Getting into and out of the dungeon is a tricky process both for the PCs and for the group (the players and the DM).
  The Holy Sword, Part Two
I've already written about the importance of the Holy Sword of Baine Strongbow. But what happens when the PCs finally take up the sword and use it?
  Level 7 Overview
Although much of the background of Rivenyk is still to be revealed (although it's coming up soon), there's a lot of disparate elements of Level 7. Here's a kind of heads-up overview regarding the inhabitants of the place over the years and how that's created what the PCs find now.
  Invasion of the Host
The Bestial Host are an important part of the early parts of the Dragon's Delve campaign, and in the mid-levels they return with the threat that their name promised from the beginning--the PCs must deal with a full-blown host.
  The Importance of Failure
It's funny to me that sometimes I have to defend the importance of dice in the game. You see, sometimes people believe that dice actually detract from the fun. I think that's a crock.
  Demons are Not Nice (TM)
The Sprawl of the Demon Liege has more grisly scenes in it than the levels so far. This will be even more true the deeper we go.
  Reuse and Rebuilding
This dungeon has been used and reused by others, often with the power to reshape the dungeon further.
  Handling the Demon Face
Area 187 offers PCs the opportunity to learn about the level or its inhabitants ahead of time. They get to talk to a demon possessed image that might answer some of their questions. But some of what it says might not be true.
  Introducing Level 7
Truly wicked foes like demons and their ilk have long been favorites of mine. Thus the Sprawl of the Demon Liege is probably the largest single level of Dragon's Delve.
  Wrapping Up Level 6
So the PCs have dealt the Venom Cult a serious blow. Now what?
  Organized Defense of the Venom Cult
Unlike every level of Dragon's Delve so far, most of Level 6 is a well-organized complex filled with intelligent individuals able to communicate and coordinate with one another. In the hands of the right DM, this makes Level 6 really, really dangerous.
  The Venom Cult in Ptolus
For DMs running a Ptolus game, the Venom Cult is a breeze to incorporate.
  Rituals and Rites of the Cult
To help run the temple of the Venom Cult, here are the basics of how the temple runs when they're aren't adventurers assaulting it.
  Initiative Part 2
I once had an ex-FBI agent--very familiar with close-quarters combat situations with plenty of first-hand experience--tell me that "being ready" for something means very little. The truth is, most people's reflexes aren't as good as they think they are.
  Initiative Part 1
No matter what edition of the game I've played, if there's one thing I've seen people routinely have trouble with, or stumble over, it's initiative. Lots of times, however, DMs don't even realize they're having trouble. The issue is when do you roll for initiative, and the problem is, handling it consistently.
  Poison and Venom Cultists
Each of the clerics of the Venom Cult has a couple of ad hoc special abilitities.
  Finding the Path: Geometric Madness
A conversion of the fourth level of Dragon's Delve.
  The Assassins
There are two assassins on Level 6. Just one of them can really ruin someone's day.
  A Variant Way of Doing Poisons
I like the fact that poison typically inflicts ability score damage, but I always forget to ask the victims to make the second save one minute after the first save. Here is an alternate way of handling poison without altering the poisons themselves.
  Reaper Recommendations
Here's a list of figures you could use for various recent encounters on the island of Khorant
  Easy Fights
The western end of Level 6 is set up more or less like a standard dungeon with a mix of encounter difficulties, but with each generally being around EL 6. That is to say, each encounter should be a typical challenge for a 6th level group. With the eastern end, however, I'm doing something a little different.
  Listen Check Episode 6
Monte breaks the long podcast hiatus to give a sneak peek at upcoming dungeon levels.
  Site Features
It's easy to get into the rut thinking that Dungeonaday.com is nothing more than a new encounter each day, a couple of blogs, and often a bonus encounter. But there's more to it than that.
  Finding the Path: Towering Challenge
Terregaunt's Tower can make for a very entertaining change of pace from the vast levels of the Dragon's Delve. If you are using the Pathfinder RPG rules, there is one snag.
  Their Life with Master
Master Mui Yan is one of the interesting figures that's been hiding in the Dragon's Delve Rumors article since the site started.
  Finding the Path: The Unseen River
Its time to convert the Unseen River to the Pathfinder RPG. Much of the conversion work done on this level in the "Water, Water, Everywhere" blog is still quite valid with only a few notes.
  Wrapping Up Khorant
Tomorrow, the very last Khorant encounter will be posted. With the completion of the Unknown Temple, Khorant is fairly well detailed for your use and it's time to transition back to the dungeon.
  Using the Unknown Temple Elsewhere
I won't lie to you. I really like the Unknown Temple. Designing it was a lot of fun.
 
more articles >>