Wednesday 25 September 2019

Random 5 Room Dungeon Generator

I had meant to do this for the August RPG Blog Carnival but missed it due to real-life problems.  However the idea stuck in my head so now it's here, hope you enjoy.

Image (cc) miszla
This generator uses the 5 Room Dungeon model, which I always think works better as themes/areas than explicit rooms so the results are designed as hooks and inspiration so it fits better into your campaign.  As always, roll a set of polyhedral dice or use the JavaScript roller at the bottom of the post...

[Update: I made a sci-fi RPG version too]

The d20 - The entrance:
  1. is up (or down) a sheer cliff.
  2. has become the lair of a beast.
  3. is hidden by thorny undergrowth.
  4. has soldiers camped outside.
  5. has sunk underwater.
  6. is guarded by a magical construct.
  7. was magically sealed.
  8. is guarded by an intelligent undead.
  9. has collapsed, is there an alternative?
  10. is haunted by vengeful spirits.
  11. requires a lost key (or keys) to open.
  12. is guarded by the local militia.
  13. is not located where the maps say it is.
  14. has been infested with giant vermin.
  15. can only be accessed using magic.
  16. is the home of an elemental or similar.
  17. is opened by machinery that is missing a part.
  18. is trapped in some way.
  19. is known only to a select few.
  20. is one of many, the rest are decoys or deathtraps.
The d6 - A group of:
  1. bandits
  2. refugees
  3. outcasts
  4. worshippers
  5. deserters
  6. criminals
The d10t - Challenge the party because they:
  1. have set many traps inside.
  2. want something from inside the dungeon.
  3. want something from outside the dungeon.
  4. have created a fiendish puzzle.
  5. seek help against the other inhabitants.
  6. are protecting the dungeon inhabitants.
  7. are frustrating the PC's efforts.
  8. race the party for their objective.
  9. want to claim the dungeon for another power.
  10. died here or are dying, messily or agonisingly.
The d12 - The setback:
  1. a fake item or object
  2. switchbacks and dead ends
  3. lingering illusions
  4. a person who is not as they seem
  5. something from a character backstory
  6. a threat that was previously ignored
  7. the actions of a traitor
  8. the intervention of a divine force
  9. the intervention of an evil force
  10. hostages or bystanders
  11. something missing or incomplete
  12. sudden changes to the layout
The d4 - ...mean(s) that:
  1. precious time may be wasted.
  2. resources may be used up.
  3. the party may get split up.
  4. a hard choice must be made.
The d8 - The final encounter:
  1. is the reverse of what was expected
  2. is hampered by the surrounding environment
  3. requires the party to split their focus
  4. has been designed as a lure or ambush
  5. features traps the enemy has set
  6. is against the clock
  7. is centred around a device or maguffin
  8. can be affected by something elsewhere
The d10u - The revelation:
  1. a former ally is revealed as an enemy
  2. a former enemy is revealed as an ally
  3. the treasure or objective is missing
  4. there is a hidden treasure hoard or map
  5. in the confusion, something is stolen
  6. in the confusion, something is dropped
  7. a clue highlights a new plot thread
  8. a clue turns a situation on its head
  9. a clue sheds light on something half known
  10. a clue reveals a hidden connection


As always let me know your thoughts, you can find more RPG random generators here or on my twitter and I would love to hear the dungeons you create in the comments!

5 comments:

  1. Excellent job on the Generator Tom!

    ReplyDelete
  2. I put this up on Perchance: https://perchance.org/plastic-5room-dungeon

    ReplyDelete
  3. The entrance is guarded by an intelligent undead. The challenge: a group of worshippers want to claim the dungeon for another power. The setback: the intervention of an evil force mean(s) that precious time may be wasted. The final encounter is against the clock. The revelation: there is a hidden treasure hoard or map.

    This is great, thanks! OK so:

    A banshee haunts the entrance to her abandoned ancestral home, she's obsessed with a family heirloom and will let PCs past if they promise to retrieve it - but expects the promise to be honoured on pain of death

    A group of demonic cultists are in the process setting up altars and magical circles etc. They are unaware of the treasure horde but have found out how to bypass the banshee - tying some of her hair around a finger renders you invisible to her - and will kill any who try to stop them with great zeal.

    The cultists are panicked and in a rush to get set up - the chosen one will be possessed at midnight but if the preparations are not completed then the demon won't be contained and the mansion and surrounding area will be destroyed/corrupted. They're not trying to summon the demon - they are trying to contain it and limit its powers until it can be banished for another generation...

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. That's a great idea, thanks for sharing and glad to have given you inspiration :)

      Delete

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