What's a Gamma Delve?
Gamma Delves are designed to be used for quick, out-of-the-box play with the core D&D Gamma World game. Each delve is written for a specific level, with three encounters of increasing difficulty. These can be used as fast introductions to the game or as a night's diversion from a larger storyline, or an enterprising Game Master can string together a series of Gamma Delves to create a whole campaign.
Each Gamma Delve adventure follows certain additional rules:
- The delve must use the maps included with the D&D Gamma World game. The order of encounters cannot be the same, or partially the same, as that of the sample adventure “Steading of the Iron King,” from chapter 6 of the D&D Gamma World Rulebook
- The delve must use the monster tokens included with the D&D Gamma World game. (This imposes certain limits on the number and types of monsters; for example, a delve can't have more than 3 dabbers, because there are only 3 dabber tokens.)
- The delve can't use the same monsters in the same locations as the sample adventure, “Steading of the Iron King.” This means, for example, that badders and porkers can't be used on map 1A, the path to the tower – but yexils or parns or seps could be used.
If you'd like to create and share your own Gamma Delve, please do so!
Currently Available Delves
Delve A1: Scales and Salvage (level 1) by Caoimhe Ora Snow. While exploring the ruins of an Ancient temple of learning, the players discover a dug-out entrance that leads to the basement level beneath a collapsed building.
Delve F1: Underlord of the Roots (level 6) by Caoimhe Ora Snow. A local merchant's caravan was attacked by grens, but instead of looting his valuable guns and ammunition, the green folk stole his teenage daughter! Can you enter the grens' fortress-tree and mount a rescue before she's sacrificed to the rootlord?
Under Development
none right now
(Delve code numbers are based on the level; A = level 1, B = level 2, up to J for level 10. The next digit is simply the order in which they're created. If you want to make a delve, let me know before you start and I'll tell you what number it'll be.)
As a suggestion for the next one, a Hard/Average level 2 or 3 encounter chain would be excellent.
boldpueblo.com/downloads/gammaworld/GW-d...
Enjoy!
You have a real knack!
ETA: There was a mistake in the Bextra Totlen description in the third encounter, which I fixed. I've uploaded the fixed version of the PDF to the same location linked above.
Any chance of a filler adventure (or two, or...) to get players from where they are at the end of the Iron King (~level 3) to where they could handle this?
(I'm currently taking some friends through SoIK, but this is my first time as GM, so I don't feel confident in my ability to produce a well-balanced intermediary challenge for them...)
Thanks again!
-Thvor
Wow, thanks for this.
Any chance of a filler adventure (or two, or...) to get players from where they are at the end of the Iron King (~level 3) to where they could handle this?
(I'm currently taking some friends through SoIK, but this is my first time as GM, so I don't feel confident in my ability to produce a well-balanced intermediary challenge for them...)
Thanks again!
-Thvor
Take the level 1 delve, and "level up" the monsters - +10 HP, +2 to modifiers (that's two levels). They'll hit harder and more often but won't be overpowered.
If your players make mincemeat out of the monsters, then reduce the XP award at the end. If they fail miserably, play the delve "as written" with fresh level 1's.
Wow, thanks for this.
Any chance of a filler adventure (or two, or...) to get players from where they are at the end of the Iron King (~level 3) to where they could handle this?
(I'm currently taking some friends through SoIK, but this is my first time as GM, so I don't feel confident in my ability to produce a well-balanced intermediary challenge for them...)
Thanks again!
-Thvor
I'm working on a level 3 delve with levels 3, 4, and 5 encounters!
Probably next week.
I've started making a level 2 delve, but I'm hitting a creative block. I'm having trouble designing the encounter using only the included maps.
What do you think about making some simple maps that could be printed out or drawn on one of those marker battlemaps?
Thanks for the work you've put in so far!
-Swirv
I really like this idea, especially sharing these delves among the community.
I've started making a level 2 delve, but I'm hitting a creative block. I'm having trouble designing the encounter using only the included maps.
What do you think about making some simple maps that could be printed out or drawn on one of those marker battlemaps?
Thanks for the work you've put in so far!
-Swirv
Have you thought about using any of the game day maps?
Otherwise, I have a ton of maps from the D&D games and a couple from Star Wars Saga. So I'm not short on maps, it's just putting them in a delve may not be usable to some people.
I would prefer something freely available online rather than something that must be purchased. If we have a general idea of the setting someone might be able to dig up an existing online resource too.
I have a ton of maps from the D&D games and a couple from Star Wars Saga.
That's a fair point: players might start getting burned out on the Gamma World maps after a few adventures, and most DM's should be comfortable improvising or hand-drawing. I personally would love to see delves using Star Wars and D&D maps (or even Dungeon tiles or hand-drawn maps).
I have a ton of maps from the D&D games and a couple from Star Wars Saga.
That's a fair point: players might start getting burned out on the Gamma World maps after a few adventures, and most DM's should be comfortable improvising or hand-drawing. I personally would love to see delves using Star Wars and D&D maps (or even Dungeon tiles or hand-drawn maps).
Yes, I agree that whatever map you use either has to be either with the set, or delivered with the Delve in printable form. Using exotic or rare maps might be problematic for those than don't have them. I think that you could find most of the gameday maps in pdf format to include.
Baring that, you could solicit aid within the community to produce the graphics of your map in printable format. There are some very talented and creative people here that would love to help out.
Here's the basic idea:
Setting: Underground laboratory, entered through a bunker (can use the "tower" map)
Hooks:
-hired by the professor to clear it out (he's been out doing research and wants it checked out before he returns)
-the characters find clues to the lab somewhere else (laptop belonging to the professor with research notes)
-simply stumbling onto encounter 1, and then investigating within
Encounter 1 - Greedy porkers trying to break into the bunker (the tower map)
Encounter 2 - Some Gren have broken into the Lab and are trying to sabotage it - the room they are in was used to study Menarls, so those creatures and their slime are also in the room
Encounter 3 - The Finale, the professor returns, having followed the characters in and now wishes to rid them from the lab (Professor is a Serf Dragoon, plus several robots in the room, plus an out of control robot arm that swings around the room)
I also thought of some additional encounters that can lengthen the delve (either in the middle or end)
Encounter 4 - Porker revenge (More porkers, may be stopped if the players barred the bunker door after coming in OR they're waiting outside...)
Encounter 5 - Restorationists (Also looking for the technology, some kind of NPC plus hired dabbers)
I haven't fleshed it out, but I also thought of an idea for a skill challenge - right before the Professor dies, he activates a self destruct. So the players can try to disable or delay it, or escape the lab in time.
Kerry
I just completed an adventure. It has its own maps so I'm not sure it qualifies as a "delve", but you can download it from Google docs.
Kerry
So Cool! Can't wait to read it when I get home tonight.
I just completed an adventure. It has its own maps so I'm not sure it qualifies as a "delve", but you can download it from Google docs. EDIT: The adventure name is Quest of the One-Armed Robot.
I just uploaded a new version of the adventure. The maps have been greatly improved (although the swamp map could still use some work) and the file size is much smaller. It can be downloaded from the same link above.
Kerry
The maps have been greatly improved
Heyyyy... nice. Printable battlemaps. Those look great!
mvincent likes.I have about 9 or 10 "delves" or encounters for Gamma World but I have nowhere to post them. Any ideas?
You could get a free Google docs account and then post them there. That is where I've posted my GW material (although I hope to eventually move to my own website).
Kerry
I have about 9 or 10 "delves" or encounters for Gamma World but I have nowhere to post them. Any ideas?
You could get a free Google docs account and then post them there. That is where I've posted my GW material (although I hope to eventually move to my own website).
Kerry
I should have thought of that, thanks. Kerry, I looked at your adventure (very cool) how did you get the format to look like the WoTC template? I have no Photoshop skills, is there a way I could do it?
Great maps too, BTW.
-Chris
Kerry, I looked at your adventure (very cool) how did you get the format to look like the WoTC template? I have no Photoshop skills, is there a way I could do it?
The lack of Photoshop skills would only hamper the creation of the maps, not the adventure. I wrote the adventure in MS Word with appropriate fonts and colors and then created the pdf. (You could probably do something similar in OpenOffice if you don't have Word or limited funds.)
I used Gimp, an open-source *and free* alternative to Photoshop, to create the maps. I'm still learning how to play with graphics, but I was fairly pleased with the results.
Kerry
Kerry, I looked at your adventure (very cool) how did you get the format to look like the WoTC template? I have no Photoshop skills, is there a way I could do it?
The lack of Photoshop skills would only hamper the creation of the maps, not the adventure. I wrote the adventure in MS Word with appropriate fonts and colors and then created the pdf. (You could probably do something similar in OpenOffice if you don't have Word or limited funds.)
I used Gimp, an open-source *and free* alternative to Photoshop, to create the maps. I'm still learning how to play with graphics, but I was fairly pleased with the results.
Kerry
I have a Mac, I'll see what I can do with pages. Thanks, Kerry.
I just completed an adventure. It has its own maps so I'm not sure it qualifies as a "delve", but you can download it from Google docs. EDIT: The adventure name is Quest of the One-Armed Robot.
I just uploaded a new version of the adventure. The maps have been greatly improved (although the swamp map could still use some work) and the file size is much smaller. It can be downloaded from the same link above.
Kerry
Slick adventure man. It's nice to have a nice level 1 adventure as an alternative to Steading of the Iron King for when my group is bored and wants to have a good GW run and I don't have time to prep anything. Oh, and the maps are fantastic. Printable maps are always a huge plus.