Why Megadungons? A Campaign Structure for Modern Lives (icastlight.blogspot.com)

submitted 4 days ago by copacetic@discuss.tchncs.de to c/rpg@ttrpg.network

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[-] sbv@sh.itjust.works 4 points 4 days ago

I feel like that's more how megadungeons. Yeah, megadungeons have a history in our hobby, and they're great, but why should I prefer a megadungeon over a sandbox or linear campaign?

I get a kick out of people who express non-dungeon campaigns as a megadungeon. That kind of meta is helpful for game design.

[-] P1k1e@lemmy.world 3 points 4 days ago

Agreed, and isn't a country or kingdom a dungeon in itself? Generally mega dungeons have towns, wilderness, ruins, forts, named monsters, sub factions and leadership.....ya know, like anywhere the hell else. Who cares if your dungeon has a rock roof or an air one

[-] sbv@sh.itjust.works 3 points 4 days ago

Yeah. That's how I would look at it. I can see how a dungeon simplifies description: I wouldn't expect to see as much stuff in a dungeon hall, as I would in a Shadowrun street. That in turn can constrain challenges: getting over a spike pit has fewer options than convincing a bouncer to let you into the club.

[-] P1k1e@lemmy.world 2 points 4 days ago

I remember hearing or reading somewhere that Gygax basically insisted on only running dungeons, and that PCs were supposed to lose all their cash in between adventures cuz they lived lavishly or the local economy scrubbed their pockets super fast.

I always wondered why have a roll playing game with LESS roll play or even world building for that matter

Like isn't the crappy town sucking them dry more monstrous than Halaster? Is not the tyranny of the legitimate king or local lords or merchant guild more devious than some cult summoning demons on level 8? Probably not but its nice to have the option

[-] sirblastalot@ttrpg.network 3 points 3 days ago

IIRC you spent gold on XP by carousing; basically, blowing all your cash on ale and brothels was how you leveled up.

[-] sbv@sh.itjust.works 3 points 4 days ago

Wasn't the original D&D more of a war game than role playing?

I dunno, I'm all for weird limits and mechanics in games so long as everyone is having fun. I'm sure I'll run dungeons again, and hopefully it'll be in a system that is designed for it.

[-] Tim_Eagon@dice.camp 1 points 4 days ago

@P1k1e @sbv That basically comes from Fritz Leiber's Lankhmar stories. Fafhrd and the Gray Mouser were always going broke between adventures.

[-] Maestro@fedia.io 3 points 4 days ago

I love a well designed megadungeon. I think it's really sad that The Angry GM never finished his megadungeon project. I really loved seeing how he designed that: https://theangrygm.com/category/megadungeon/

this post was submitted on 01 Oct 2025

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