resting in dungeons? [Archive] - Wizards Community

resting in dungeons? [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
simex
03-13-07, 10:22 AM I'm about to run a very hack-n-slash dungeon crawl for which I'm designing the dungeon. I'm wondering if there is a general rule of thumb for allowing players to camp out in the dungeon? My fear is that if I don't let them barricade themselves in a room and get some rest, there'll be a lot of "ok, we follow the path we took, leave the dungeon and set-up camp." which I guess is ok, but then there should probably be random encounters in the halls so it's not just a "poof! you're outside" thing. On the other hand, there could be rooms in which they could barricade themselves and rest. But wouldn't the inhabitants of the dungeon eventually figure out that the room was barricaded and break down the doors?

Right now I'm leaning towards the latter, and then rolling the d% to determine if some baddies find them and break down the door. I'm hoping there's a tried and true method, though. I scoured the DMG and found nothing about this.

This is our first time doing a dungeon crawl (and my first time DMing), we always wind up playing really story-driven, anti-dungeon crawl adventures, which is exactly why I'm running this one.
Furious D 18
03-13-07, 10:37 AM Who lives in this dungeon? Is it a natural cave that has become inhabited by monsters? Is it an old ruin that has been claimed by an inteligent race? Or has it been built by the current inhabitants?

I would suggest planning on them wanting to rest at some point, especially if there is a wizard or other primary spellcaster in the party. Once they depleat their spells per day, there're looking for a place to rest. They will backtrack to the entrance if they need to, but they will find a way to sleep.

You can prevent them from resting by somehow giving them a time deadline, but the encounters should be a little easier so that they don't have to rest. You can add obstacles to prevent them from backtracking, like a collapsed ceiling, or other natural obstacle, depending on their level. If they are high level, they'll have ways around any obstacle.

I'd suggest putting in a room that has really good defenses, so they feel comfortable sleeping in that room.

But remember, if they fortify their defenses to rest for 8 hours, it gives the enemies 8 hours to fortify their defenses too.
LCD2YOU
03-13-07, 10:44 AM Resting is a problem.

If the place is a Castle, there are patrols, etc. If they are discovered, there will be no rest. If it is an old and unused lair that some monsters are hiding, the "creepy crawlers", rats, carrion eaters and more come on out. They can be pretty disruptive.

In short, there is no "free lunch". I know what the levels are before the players go in. If it is too tough, they best figure that out early and leave.
simex
03-13-07, 11:03 AM The dungeon is an abandoned underground wizard's lair. So there's plenty of vermin and some monsters that may be remnants of the wizard's magical tinkering. There's also some goblins who've stumbled upon the lair and are using it as a base (though they're unaware of what the dungeon once was).

I'm totally fine with the characters resting, they're gonna need it, but I don't want them to be able to just rest, go open a room, deal with whatever's inside, and then just go back to their safe-room and rest again. I'd like them to have to tackle several encounters before they're able to rest. This is why I'm leaning towards the idea of goblins possibly stumbling on their safe-room. It's quite a large dungeon, so even if the goblins were looking for them, they still might be able to find a good hiding spot to spend the night.
Furious D 18
03-13-07, 11:27 AM Throw in random, inexplicable earthquakes. The party can rest once, but during that time, the earth shakes, indicating that the lair is becoming unstable. Whenever they rest and you don't want them to, tell them there is another earthquake, this one slightly longer and more violent. The quake could even destroy their barricades or open up new passageways with new monsters.

They might realize as players that you don't want them resting every encounter. Or they might realize as characters that they better take care of business and get the heck out of there.

You could tie it to the ambiant arcane energy left by the wizard, or something like that. Plus, this could change the way the goblins act, and make other wild creatures act erraticly and attack when they normally wouldn't.
Krusk
03-13-07, 11:51 AM Suggest they take a few of the extra dimensional house spells.

If they dont, the method i usually use if there is a 25% chance you are discovered during the night, and if the room is not secured attacked.

If they put effort into concealing they can lower this number.

Throw in random, inexplicable earthquakes. The party can rest once, but during that time, the earth shakes, indicating that the lair is becoming unstable. Whenever they rest and you don't want them to, tell them there is another earthquake, this one slightly longer and more violent. The quake could even destroy their barricades or open up new passageways with new monsters.

If you do do this, make sure to have earthquakes times when they are not sleeping too. I would get annoyed if everytime i sat down there was an earthquake. But as soon as i stood up there were none.
nightwyrm
03-13-07, 12:47 PM There's always the rope trick spell.
olshanski_home
03-13-07, 12:48 PM I don't see anything wrong with "poof, your outside".

Siege tactics are a common method of dungeon exploring.

If the dungeon has intelligent creatures inside, sometimes they will beef up thier defenses if the party retreats (or set a trap in a presumed "safe" area).

If the party is known to be exploring the dungeon and has a lot of loot, perhaps some opportunistic bandits might try to ambush the party as they leave the dungeon, expecting the party to be both weakened AND wealthy.
Lord Nedd
03-13-07, 11:55 PM The dungeon is an abandoned underground wizard's lair. So there's plenty of vermin and some monsters that may be remnants of the wizard's magical tinkering. There's also some goblins who've stumbled upon the lair and are using it as a base (though they're unaware of what the dungeon once was).

I'm totally fine with the characters resting, they're gonna need it, but I don't want them to be able to just rest, go open a room, deal with whatever's inside, and then just go back to their safe-room and rest again. I'd like them to have to tackle several encounters before they're able to rest. This is why I'm leaning towards the idea of goblins possibly stumbling on their safe-room. It's quite a large dungeon, so even if the goblins were looking for them, they still might be able to find a good hiding spot to spend the night.

Give a few of the goblin patrols folks with Track. Have them track the players into their favorite hideouts and let them sweat it out a bit. That would be a reasonable response to someone snooping around the area. It will force the players to potentially move around. The tracking will make it so that they are repeatedly returning back to the same spot that the Goblins and or others are likely to stumble upon them.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
simex 03-13-07, 10:22 AM	I'm about to run a very hack-n-slash dungeon crawl for which I'm designing the dungeon. I'm wondering if there is a general rule of thumb for allowing players to camp out in the dungeon? My fear is that if I don't let them barricade themselves in a room and get some rest, there'll be a lot of "ok, we follow the path we took, leave the dungeon and set-up camp." which I guess is ok, but then there should probably be random encounters in the halls so it's not just a "poof! you're outside" thing. On the other hand, there could be rooms in which they could barricade themselves and rest. But wouldn't the inhabitants of the dungeon eventually figure out that the room was barricaded and break down the doors? Right now I'm leaning towards the latter, and then rolling the d% to determine if some baddies find them and break down the door. I'm hoping there's a tried and true method, though. I scoured the DMG and found nothing about this. This is our first time doing a dungeon crawl (and my first time DMing), we always wind up playing really story-driven, anti-dungeon crawl adventures, which is exactly why I'm running this one.
Furious D 18 03-13-07, 10:37 AM	Who lives in this dungeon? Is it a natural cave that has become inhabited by monsters? Is it an old ruin that has been claimed by an inteligent race? Or has it been built by the current inhabitants? I would suggest planning on them wanting to rest at some point, especially if there is a wizard or other primary spellcaster in the party. Once they depleat their spells per day, there're looking for a place to rest. They will backtrack to the entrance if they need to, but they will find a way to sleep. You can prevent them from resting by somehow giving them a time deadline, but the encounters should be a little easier so that they don't have to rest. You can add obstacles to prevent them from backtracking, like a collapsed ceiling, or other natural obstacle, depending on their level. If they are high level, they'll have ways around any obstacle. I'd suggest putting in a room that has really good defenses, so they feel comfortable sleeping in that room. But remember, if they fortify their defenses to rest for 8 hours, it gives the enemies 8 hours to fortify their defenses too.
LCD2YOU 03-13-07, 10:44 AM	Resting is a problem. If the place is a Castle, there are patrols, etc. If they are discovered, there will be no rest. If it is an old and unused lair that some monsters are hiding, the "creepy crawlers", rats, carrion eaters and more come on out. They can be pretty disruptive. In short, there is no "free lunch". I know what the levels are before the players go in. If it is too tough, they best figure that out early and leave.
simex 03-13-07, 11:03 AM	The dungeon is an abandoned underground wizard's lair. So there's plenty of vermin and some monsters that may be remnants of the wizard's magical tinkering. There's also some goblins who've stumbled upon the lair and are using it as a base (though they're unaware of what the dungeon once was). I'm totally fine with the characters resting, they're gonna need it, but I don't want them to be able to just rest, go open a room, deal with whatever's inside, and then just go back to their safe-room and rest again. I'd like them to have to tackle several encounters before they're able to rest. This is why I'm leaning towards the idea of goblins possibly stumbling on their safe-room. It's quite a large dungeon, so even if the goblins were looking for them, they still might be able to find a good hiding spot to spend the night.
Furious D 18 03-13-07, 11:27 AM	Throw in random, inexplicable earthquakes. The party can rest once, but during that time, the earth shakes, indicating that the lair is becoming unstable. Whenever they rest and you don't want them to, tell them there is another earthquake, this one slightly longer and more violent. The quake could even destroy their barricades or open up new passageways with new monsters. They might realize as players that you don't want them resting every encounter. Or they might realize as characters that they better take care of business and get the heck out of there. You could tie it to the ambiant arcane energy left by the wizard, or something like that. Plus, this could change the way the goblins act, and make other wild creatures act erraticly and attack when they normally wouldn't.
Krusk 03-13-07, 11:51 AM	Suggest they take a few of the extra dimensional house spells. If they dont, the method i usually use if there is a 25% chance you are discovered during the night, and if the room is not secured attacked. If they put effort into concealing they can lower this number. Throw in random, inexplicable earthquakes. The party can rest once, but during that time, the earth shakes, indicating that the lair is becoming unstable. Whenever they rest and you don't want them to, tell them there is another earthquake, this one slightly longer and more violent. The quake could even destroy their barricades or open up new passageways with new monsters. If you do do this, make sure to have earthquakes times when they are not sleeping too. I would get annoyed if everytime i sat down there was an earthquake. But as soon as i stood up there were none.
nightwyrm 03-13-07, 12:47 PM	There's always the rope trick spell.
olshanski_home 03-13-07, 12:48 PM	I don't see anything wrong with "poof, your outside". Siege tactics are a common method of dungeon exploring. If the dungeon has intelligent creatures inside, sometimes they will beef up thier defenses if the party retreats (or set a trap in a presumed "safe" area). If the party is known to be exploring the dungeon and has a lot of loot, perhaps some opportunistic bandits might try to ambush the party as they leave the dungeon, expecting the party to be both weakened AND wealthy.
Lord Nedd 03-13-07, 11:55 PM	The dungeon is an abandoned underground wizard's lair. So there's plenty of vermin and some monsters that may be remnants of the wizard's magical tinkering. There's also some goblins who've stumbled upon the lair and are using it as a base (though they're unaware of what the dungeon once was). I'm totally fine with the characters resting, they're gonna need it, but I don't want them to be able to just rest, go open a room, deal with whatever's inside, and then just go back to their safe-room and rest again. I'd like them to have to tackle several encounters before they're able to rest. This is why I'm leaning towards the idea of goblins possibly stumbling on their safe-room. It's quite a large dungeon, so even if the goblins were looking for them, they still might be able to find a good hiding spot to spend the night. Give a few of the goblin patrols folks with Track. Have them track the players into their favorite hideouts and let them sweat it out a bit. That would be a reasonable response to someone snooping around the area. It will force the players to potentially move around. The tracking will make it so that they are repeatedly returning back to the same spot that the Goblins and or others are likely to stumble upon them.