D&D Adventure PlannerIf you are ready to design your first RPG adventure, or learn how to improve the adventures you've already got, you've come to the right place. The "Adventure uilder" will cover all the !ases, from hoo"s to !ac"ground to traps and treasures.This time out, we'll cover the foundation you need to !uild a great adventure. It's not the !ac"ground, the stat !loc"s, or even the main villain. It's monster selection, and figuring out the si#e and style of the adventure. How Big is Your Design?A common rule of thum! among the $i#ards of the %oast design staff is that a typical group of adventurers will level up after a!out &' successful encounters of the party's encounter level ()*+.That's a great num!er to wor" from, especially if you want to design a large adventure that spans multiple levels.In an adventure with do#ens of encounters, the party will level up half,way through. -ince the party will !e tougher and more capa!le from that point on, the adventure you've planned for them needs too scale up as well. It's !etter to scale up the second half of the adventure appropriately, !ut if you don't want the P%s to level up midway through your epic you can prevent it !y "eeping your num!er of encounters small or !y lowering their )* (to reduce the .Pper encounter+.At the same time, /ust !ecause you map an encounter doesn't mean that it will !e played. -ome areas are never e0plored, after all, and not every encounter leads to com!at (some are resolved ordefeated through stealth, magic, !ri!ery, or roleplaying+. -o if you do want the P%s to level up after your adventure then you'll need more than &' party,level encounters to provide enough options and fall!ac"s if the party doesn't follow the e0pected path.-o, not too many encounters and not too few. As a general idea, you want to prepare a!out 12 to 13 encounters for your party per level of advancement. If you prefer mostly lower )* encounters, perhaps closer to 13 to '2. If you run marathon play sessions every wee"end, you might want to prepare 42 to 32 encounters ahead of time, and assume the second half will !e at a higher level. If you run short game sessions, you'll want to ma"e sure that the adventure !rea"s into small sections of ' or 4 encounters with a satisfying conclusion to each.5ow you "now how many encounters you should prepare. $hat should !e in those encounters6 And what mista"es should you watch out for6Common design mistakes There are four fairly common errors in !eginning adventure design. $hen I wor"ed on Dungeon maga#ine I saw them constantly, and the errors haven't changed. &+ too much useless !ac"story1+ slow starts'+ random encounters4+ too many encounters )ach of these is easy to fi0. 7ere's how you do it.Simple Backstory8 9ost :9s and designers hate to hear it, !ut much of the time lavished on history and !ac"ground is wasted energy. Players never find out who dug the tom!, how the wi#ard was !etrayed !y her apprentice, or why the assassin guild changed sides and disappeared.$or"ing on !ac"story doesn't improve the gameplay e0perience for anyone !ut the !ards and scholars o!sessed with legends or lore. ;nless it connects directly to action in the current timeframe (and the P%s have a way of learning it+, s"ip the involved history. -ave that for source!oo"s. This is not to say cut it all. :etails of which faction can !e turned against another, which guard might ta"e a !ri!e, or what the villain ultimately plans to do if the party doesn't stop him are all appropriate. 9a"e sure your !ac"story is recent and relevant< avoid anything that starts "Thousands of years ago..."Start the Action uickly8 $hen players arrive at the game, they are loo"ing to roll some dice. =ou can start the action immediately and draw the players away from pi##a and other distractions!y giving them what they want8 a short, simple com!at encounter to start off the game. Ideally, the encounter is pitched at an encounter level ()*+ no more than one level a!ove or !elow the party's level.The !est of the "start in midstream" "ic",offs are aimed at all the P%s when they are together, and raise >uestions that lead the party to the adventure hoo". ?or instance, the party might see raiders attac"ing an inn where they had planned to spend the night ,, survivors of the attac" tell the party a!out the !lac" "night who leads them. @r a teleporting e0traplanar threat might appearduring !road daylight and accuse a cleric of !rea"ing his vows ,, and threaten to sacrifice his corrupt church elders to a greater power. $here these encounters go ultimately isn't the most important thing8 they can !e a little tangential to the plot, as long as they get the party thin"ing ofthe right sort of threat.I'll discuss this in more detail ne0t time in "Adventure 7oo"s.".Don!t Be "andom8 Time is precious, so !e careful how many tangents and red herrings you include in your design. In particular, random encounters might !e fun, or can !e useful to get a dawdling party going, or to wor" off that frustration players sometimes get where they /ust need to have their characters "ill something, !ut they don't usually ma"e your adventure any !etter. If they are tied into the core adventure, then they shouldn't !e random at all< those clues should !e !uilt in to the design. If they aren't tied in to the adventure core, then you are /ust wasting game time on an encounter that doesn't advance the mission or the story goals for you or your players. #rim $%cess $ncounters8 If you create too many encounters and you don't play every day, players forget what their mission was, or start to lose hope of ma"ing progress. They wind up grinding through so many nuisance encounters that they lose sight of the important clues, or theydon't tal" to the important 5P%, or they don't search the critical room for documents ,, !ecause they are too !usy grinding through com!ats. If the encounters are /ust there to fill up space on a map, they might as well !e random. *eave some rooms empty to speed up play.$ncounter Selection& 'itting #ogether a CastThe real challenge is !alancing encounters to present a variety of challenges for every mem!er ofthe party. The adventure, after all, is a chance for the heroes to triumph over opposition (or fail misera!ly and go home+. -electing for a %oherent *oo" and ?eel-tory, setting, and immersion are all easier to pull off if your monsters fit a theme. That theme might !e "united tri!es of humanoids" or it might !e "desert raiders", !ut either way it cuts out many choices. Avoid the "itchen sin" approach of /ust ta"ing creatures that match the party level.Instead, ma"e good use of the )* chart in the Dungeon Master's Guide (page 4A+ to create encounters of small groups, pairs of monsters, and single creatures.In particular, consider lin"ed encounters for your cast. A guard dog or a sentry might !e a much lower )* encounter from a com!at perspective ,, !ut if the party fails to use a silence spell or a snea" attac" to ta"e it out >uic"ly then it could ma"e later encounters more difficult.Balancing (y $) and (y ClassThe Dungeon Master's Guide offers direct advice on how many easy, challenging, very difficult, and overwhelming encounters a typical adventure should contain (see page 4A+. 7int8 not many overwhelming encounters.$hile this !rea"down is good advice, it's not complete. =ou'll want to !e sure that your 12 or 13 encounters include encounter variety !y class as well as !y )*. That is, ma"e sure to include each of the following types of encounters, to give every class and every player a chance to shine.*+ #wo Skill $ncounters8 These are creatures or o!stacles that can !e defeated !y stealth or s"ill, such as guards, castle walls, cliffs, informants, or low,hp creatures that can fall to a single snea" attac".,+ 'our Pure Com(ats8 =ou need some no,negotiation, straight,up com!ats that play to the fighter classes. Thin" orcs, wolves, ogres, giants ,, or dragons. %onsider tactics first here8 am!ushes, charge, !ull,rush, something to ma"e it more than /ust attac" rolls and damage rolls.-+ #wo .agical Challenges8 Include two magical challenges that re>uire a knock, a fireball, or whatever other strengths your arcane spellcasters have. They might !e lore,!ased challenges, such as "nowing the wea"nesses of an e0traplanar creature, or they might re>uire the use of %oncentration or -pellcraft to manipulate a magical o!/ect or unravel a mysterious warding./+ 0ne Divine Challenge8 The divine caster in the party is more than /ust a medic, so give him or her something to do with at least one undead turning, Bnowledge (Religion+, or nature,"nowledge encounter (if your divine caster is a druid+.1+ 0ne Pu22le or #rap8 This could !e as simple as finding the "ey to a tough loc", deciphering an ancient script, or finding a secret door with -earch, !ut you should include traps and pu##les for your party to solve. If the party doesn't have a rogue in it, use Bnowledge s"ill chec"s as a su!stitute.3+ #wo "oleplaying $ncounters8 -ocial s"ills play an important part of the game too, and !ards don't li"e to /ust sit and do their stuff in the !ac"ground. Provide at least two roleplaying encounters that can !e defeated !y the right social s"ills, !ri!es, e0change of services, or clever conversation. )0amples include a scholar with a clue that the party needs to !ypass some defenses or wardings, or a devil who will ally with them against a common foe.4+ 0ne .ook $ncounter8 This should !e against foes of at least 1 %R less than the party, and ideally ' or 4 less. Thin" "o!olds, !andits, s"eletons, wild animals, or any other group of many foes that play to %leave and area,effect spells. It's fun to see heroes cutting a swath through hordes of foes.5+ 0ne Polder8 "Polder" is a :utch word descri!ing land reclaimed from the sea, !ut here it's a more general term. As descri!ed in detail in Dungeon &'3, polders are safe havens for adventurers, places where the party can regain strength. Thin" Rivendell in Lord of the Rings. =our polder could !e a 0enopho!ic elven tree city, a magical rope that generates rope tric" spells as a charged item, a !ound archon who wards a treasure, or a dwarven merchant caravan. If the party wishes, they can heal up to full strength and level up.6+ 0ne Bigger 'ish8 To "eep the !lood flowing, you should have one overwhelming encounter that the party can't handle without serious ris" of a total party "ill. This could turn into a roleplaying !it of :iplomacy, a chase, or a stealth challenge, depending on how the party handlesit ,, !ut they should see that not every encounter in every adventure should !e fought.*7+ Big 'inish8 A grand finale encounter with all the trimmings8 villain, minions, and a room or terrain that provides interesting com!at options.That list of recommended encounter types covers &C encounters out of the 12 to 13 in your adventure, !ut you could easily dou!le up on any of those categories. ?or e0ample, if you "now that the players li"e intense com!at you could set up the remaining encounters as pure com!ats. If you "now that your arcane caster is itching for a magical duel ,, or that the rogue will always try reconnaissance first ,, prepare those "inds of encounters.Tailoring an adventure to show the heroes in the !est light means more fun for everyone. 9a"ingan adventure that plays to the party's wea"ness might !e fun for you, !ut will only frustrate your players. :on't ta"e away their spells, snea" attac"s, or com!at items very often ,, those are the tools of heroism and the "ey to fun. Instead, give those strong points a challenge and a chance to shine.To further tailor an adventure, consider some special encounter types if you have, say, a mounted"night, an archer, a mon", or a paladin in the group. &+ A mounted encounter1+ A ranged attac" encounter'+ A chase (see Dungeon Master's Guide II page 3C for chase rules+, either hunting or !eing pursued.4+ A single,com!at encounter or challenge from an honora!le foe3+ Another class,specific encounter, such as one that re>uires !ardic song, !ar!arian trac"ing, or fighting a ranger's favored enemy.ConclusionAdventures wor" if they are fun and easy to play, and give every "ind of hero a chance to shine in different encounter styles. The most important part of design isn't the details of a stat !loc", !ut the type and variety of opponents and encounters. Setting the Hook%ompare the following two starts to an adventure8"You meet a guy in a bar and he tells you about a dungeon outside town." "During the midnight watch someone shoots an arrow into your cam!. "here's a note attached written in #l$ish."@ne is old news, and won't get much of a welcome from players. The other li"ely will have themas"ing >uestions and !eing drawn into DwhateverD follows that arrow8 a threat6 an offer of parley6 an alliance6 Regardless, it immediately launches the action and the adventure.The adventure hoo" is what "ic"s off the action, and what !rings the players into the game. In fiction, it would !e called the "inciting incident." $ithout a strong hoo", your adventure !ecomesa matter of players going through the motions dutifully !ecause "that's where the adventure is this wee"." $ith a strong hoo", the P%s will !e curious and will start planning their actions, aggressively moving the game forward for you. A wea" hoo" means that you'll have to push the action forward with !ig "Adventure 7ere" signs.Pick a .otive There is no one perfect hoo", /ust as there is no perfect lure in fishing. :ifferent fish respond to different flies, /igs, and worms< different groups and even each different player responds !est to different rewards and motives. Playing with a group will give you an idea of whether a particularplayer or character is li"ely to respond to the pleading penniless merchant, the scholar with a mystery, or the rich landowner offering rich land.The si0 most common motives are listed here, with a typical 5P% comment and sample hoo"s. *+ Curiosity& "5o one "nows what's down there. It's never !een e0plored." This hoo" wor"s very well for certain players who love the un"nown. *ost cities, ancient tom!s, hidden mountain valleys, deadly fey forests, maps to Atlantis, all fall into this category. ,+'ear8Survival& "If you don't stop the raiders at the oasis, we'll all dieE" The !eauty of this hoo"is its immediacy. There's a threat, and the heroes have a chance to shine. It doesn't wor" if it's overplayed, such as telling low,level P%s to fight a demon lord or the li"e. Typical e0amples include raiding giants, a swarm of formians or other insects, a!oleth or drow slavers, or the clichFd invasion from another plane.-+ 9reed& This is the classic hoo" for simple adventures. "*oot that tom!, and you'll !uy a!le to !uy all the magic and supplies you'll ever wantE" This hoo" usually wor"s, !ut it's a la#y way to start an adventure for most designers. To ma"e it more memora!le, at least try to ma"e the treasure under discussion more interesting than gold. This motive also includes wages ("I'll pay you to do this /o! for me"+, although wages are pro!a!ly the worst of motives for real heroes. 9oney is useful, !ut !oring. Real heroes /ust want it to fund their ne0t set of heroics. Typical e0amples of this hoo" include a mysterious guide to the city of gold, a long,lost dragon hoard, anunopened tom! of mage,"ings, or looting rich princes of the %hurch. =ou might also consider an emperor's patronage, a gift from a magic ringma"er's wor"shop, or even the tried,and,true promise of pirate gold./+ Heroism& -ome people want to !e noticed and admired< others /ust want to do the right thing. ?or heroes, it's usually a!out !eing remem!ered for their deeds. "ards will sing of your glory if you /ust hold the pass for a day." This sort of hoo" wor"s !est for parties that care a!out what their peers thin" of them, !ut it doesn't really wor" for rogues and tric"sters. Typical e0amples include saving the wea" from slavers, holding a fort, !ridge or pass against a mo!, tournaments of s"ill, and single com!ats to the death. This hoo" type is ama#ing for certain characters who are loo"ing for a !la#e of glory ,, you should ma"e sure that a spectacularly good death against swarms of unrelenting evil is availa!le for those who see" it.1+ )oyalty: honor and duty& "The dwarven ancestors smile on those who escort the caravan through the mines." -ometimes, a race, class, or prestige class comes with some underlying assumptions a!out a code of conduct. =ou can e0ploit this to as" a mon" to underta"e a mission for his sensei, a paladin for his church, or a dwarf for his clan and chieftain. Players can, of course, refuse such >uests, !ut they usually don't, especially if the mission is one their character naturally gravitates toward. The loyal P% pulls everyone else along in their wa"e. Typical e0amples include carrying sacred scrolls to a new temple, a pilgrimage, lifting the siege of a clanholding, restoring a !ride's honor, or proving the innocence of a relative.3+ "evenge& "They "illed your !rother and stole your father's swordE" This is !est used in a long,running campaign with a recurring villain, and can !e neatly connected to e0isting plot threads. It's even more effective if the crime that calls out for revenge happened when the affected characters were on watch, or in charge. Typical e0amples include vendettas and revenge "illings, "idnappings, capturing a criminal, stealing !ac" the stolen goods or idols, horse or pegasus rustling, and arson..ake ;t PersonalThe !est hoo"s tie in to the e0isting characters, such as hinting at a holy sword for a paladin, at an ancient lost invocation for a warloc", or at a chance to shine in the eyes of a high priest and congregation for a cleric. If any players have a character !ac"ground that descri!es their friends, mentors, or family, you can use that !ac"ground to ma"e a hoo" more powerful ,, !y threateningthe character's nearest and dearest. e ruthless, too ,, if the party doesn't act, the threatened danger happens.The hoo" needs to offer something to the players who are most li"ely to sei#e the day and go for it. If your party leader is playing a halfling thief, greed is the right path. If the party leader is a paladin, no!le >uests and heroism. If you don't "now what type of adventure the players want most, as". They'll !e happy to tell you.=ou can also com!ine hoo"s, to suit more than one player's strongest motives. If a paladin and a greedy halfing are the party leaders, you might try "=ou must destroy the evil temple to lay the spirits to rest ,, and their treasury is rumored to !e very rich indeed.".ake ;t Concrete and #ough to "euest, or information of their own. If the monsters don't gain what they want, the encounter ends in failure for the party. This might mean they hear "I can't help you" from the scholar they consult, or it might mean that the giant considers them too wea" to !argain with and decides to eat them all instead.?or the most part, I design roleplaying encounters to have three stages8 discovering what the monster wants, actual roleplaying !etween :9 and players, and a s"ill chec",driven resolution, either positive or negative. If the role,playing resolution is negative, the result is often com!at.:iscovering what the monsters want is usually the easy part< if a P% as"s, most monsters will answer. @f course, most monsters will as" for more than the minimum. $hether the party can haggle successfully depends on their style and s"ills. >sing Skills and Class A(ilities uire design and prep wor" to have ma0imum impact, and usually the ones that wor" really well are remem!ered much longer than most com!ats. Copper Bits and 9leaming Hordes?rom the player's perspective, there are /ust two reasons to ris" character's life and lim!8 e0perience points and fat loot. This time around at Adventure uilder, we'll ta"e a loo" at com!atgear, mundane treasure, tric" treasure, magical treasure, information treasures, and more. #he #reasure Curve?irst though, we'll consider the Treasure %urve. The idea here is to spread out the si#e of treasures, increasing the difference !etween low and high,treasure encounters at any given )*.? o< $ncounters #reasure 'ound$) * $) -$) 643J *ittle or no treasure up to &3 gp up to 32 gp up to 122 gp12J 7alf treasure &32 gp 432 gp 1,132 gp12J -tandard Treasure '22 gp A22 gp 4,322 gp&2J :ou!le Treasure K22 gp &,L22 gp A,222 gp3J 7oard, &20 standard ',222 gp A,222 gp 43,222 gpThe standard treasure line on the Treasure %urve ta!le is e>uivalent to the value provided in Ta!le ','8 Treasure Galues per )ncounter (Dungeon Master's Guide page 3&+. The values a!ove and !elow that line show the little, half, dou!le, and hoard values.ecause many encounters using the treasure curve provide little or no treasure, the total amount of treasure per adventure is e0actly the same as if you gave e0actly standard treasure on the usualta!le. The few dou!le and hoard treasures ma"e up for the lac" of small !its of loot ,, and they have a *@T more impact on the players. A &st level party finding ',222 gp of gold, gems, and magic is more impressed than the same party finding &2 treasures of '22 gp each. :ifferentiatingthe si#e of treasures ma"es the !ig ones more memora!le, and ma"es it easy to determine /ust how !ig a dragon's hoard or an evil *ord %ardinal's treasury ought to !e at any level. Hidden and Buried #reasuresPlayers invest in -earch ran"s for their characters for a reason8 treasures are often hidden. -o any:9 who wants to ma"e an adventure interesting will hide at least 12J of the treasures to !e had,and possi!ly much more. =es, a dragon li"ely sleeps on a !ig pile of coins and gems ,, !ut it might hide the ru!ies and sapphires it values most. *i"ewise, the commander of a garrison of ho!go!lins pro!a!ly "eeps his treasure loc"ed up ,, and possi!ly "eeps it sealed in a chest at the !ottom of a well, e0cept on payday.7iding and !urying treasure poses two pro!lems in gameplay. The first is that P%s need to have enough ran"s in -earch to ma"e the :% chec"s (which should pro!a!ly not run much higher than&2 plus average character level, since only the rogue is li"ely to have ma0imum ran"s in -earch, and may!e not even him+.The !igger pro!lem is that of hiding things too well8 no one wants to spend an entire gaming session saying, "@"ay, we dig up that floor, and po"e around the attic under the eaves," for every room they search. This is where roleplaying encounters and documents can help. If the party is smart enough to capture a minion, he might well offer to reveal the location of hidden or !uried treasure in e0change for mercy. :ocuments can help as well, !ut most people don't write out "I !uried the treasure here," no matter what pirate movies might have you !elieve. They hide the information in code, they draw maps that only ma"e sense to themselves, and they general o!fuscate the issue. That's fine if you have the inclination to ma"e up similar pu##les for your players, !ut they can eat a lot of prep time. To get around that, I recommend allowing uses of :ecipher -cript and the dwarven stonewor" racial a!ility to help guide them to the loot. A clever use of a locate ob%ect spell could help too. If the P%s learn (from a minion, for e0ample+ what one item of the larger hoard is, they can use that with locate ob%ect to find the entire treasure. *etthem figure that connection out for themselves.If you !ury a treasure, ma"e sure you create at least one or two paths for the party to find it. Theydon't have to !e easy paths, and they'll have a greater sense of satisfaction if they do a little deduction than if you had /ust hand the treasure to them !y saying "It's right there in the middle of the room."'alse #reasures %ertain things loo" li"e treasures, !ut aren't really. -ome of these are false treasures, things that fill out a room with the loo" of fat loot !ut that can't !e ta"en away and sold. A false treasure might !e a collection of cheap glass "/ewels" that glitter from the doorway, !ut are worthless once appraised, or a huge pile of gold and silver coins that turns out to !e almost all silver. ;se these sorts of treasure sparingly, especially if the fight to win them is a tough one.?alse treasures really are worth nothing when e0amined closely. This is what distinguishes them from what I call "challenge treasures", which are truly valua!le !ut difficult for the party to ta"e away and sell, or a challenge to recogni#e as treasure in the first place.Challenge #reasuresA !arrel of wine eight feet tall or a four,ton statue are /ust too heavy to !e looted easily without special e>uipment. ut !eware of calling them false treasures< some players /ust love a challenge. Put that !arrel into ten smaller "egs and presto ,, that old wine I- worth a fortune. Theparty /ust has to figure out how to rig the harnesses on their mules to carry the "eg, and off they go with vintage wealth.A statue too !ig to carry6 9ay!e not ,, add in a shrink item spell and a bag of holding, and presto, it's off to the mar"et. If the party finds the reducing spell on a scroll and figures it out, they deserve to wal" with the money. In most cases, if an item is worth a lot then serious players will struggle to ma"e it wor". As the :9, you should emphasi#e the "struggle" part of that e>uation. The wine might need to !e carried over a mountain pass. The !ag of holding might rupture when the shrink item spell wears offE Thin" of those challenges when you place the treasure, rather than scram!ling to /ustify the difficulty when the party decides to melt down an "unmova!le" mithral pillar !y !uilding a dwarven smelter onsite.%ertainly in every case where a treasure is merely unwieldy, the P%s might struggle with the weight and trou!le, !ut unless you impose fatigue and e0haustion penalties (followed !y a !anditencounter or ro!!er !arons+, the players don't mind putting the heroes through hell to !ring the treasure home. Appraisa(le #reasures-ome players love unusual treasures, even if their monetary value isn't that high, !ecause they have a high coolness factor. %onsider the following list8 Ancient coins, green with verdigris Illuminated (illustrated, not glowing+ manuscripts pic"ed out in golden in" and colored with lapis la#uli :usty !ottles of elven wine, sealed with !lue wa0 -tained glass windows :ecanters !rimming with halfling !randy A spotless red temple cateats the hec" out of &22 gp or a silver !racelet, no6 $hile the gp value of these treasures could !e a!out the same as a standard chun" of coins, these treasures are all a little more memora!le ,, and they provide an opportunity for Appraise chec"s.A party rogue or s"ill character who invests in Appraise proves his worth with these "inds of treasures. After all, some old coins are /ust old coins, some manuscripts are religious screeds from forgotten cults, and some !ottles of wine are truly !est used as coo"ing vinegar ,,, all "treasures" not worth carrying around. $hen you do place treasures li"e this, ma"e sure that !oththe valua!le and /un"y variety are present. After all, if every dusty !ottle is a treasure, the party will never learn to use the Appraise s"ill on them ,, they'll /ust carry every crate to town for someone else to appraise.5ot every memora!ly treasure is rare, collecta!le, or valua!le, of course. The rangers and animalhandlers in the party might !e amused to find simple cas"s of ale, !ushels of oats and rye to feed a village, a herd of o0en, or a valua!le !reeding mare famous for her !loodlines. The party that figures out that the !est treasure in the adventure is a mare worth ten times the normal cost of a warhorse deserves the e0tra cash ,, many groups will /ust sell her without any idea of what they've found.)and and Status9any of the richest treasures aren't either cash or physical goods. In fact, the truly wealthy medieval times depended on several things far more than money8 land, fiefdoms, and status. These non,monetary treasures could !e found in physical form as treasures, or they could !e granted as gifts !y a grateful "ing, no!le, or city,state. In either case, set them up ahead of time with entry re>uirements. These sorts of treasures should !e associated only with complete success on !ig adventures, not side tre"s or partial success.In some cases, the treasure can !e a written one8 crucial genealogical information a!out a family's heritage, for e0ample. That information might reveal that a P% has a claim to a fiefdom, that the current no!le lord is actually a !astard son, or that someone else might have a !etter claim to a title (and that someone would presuma!ly !e happy to reward the P%s for telling him a!out it+. Physical status might also !e a matter of owning status items, items !est identified !y identify spells or !y the legend lore a!ility of the !ard. An a0 that loo"s pretty mundane and does not light up under a detect magic spell still might !e hugely valua!le if it is the a0 of the clan ancestor or a famous dwarven defender, a named weapon of song and story. The dwarf who findsand recogni#es that a0 will have found a terrific treasure, and might use it to claim clan leadership or a fiefdom, even if it is only a masterwor" item.$hat a!out those fiefdoms6 In medieval times, a fief was /ust a holding that a vassal got from a feudal lord. It was usually land, !ut not always. 9ore interesting fiefdoms included the right to collect !ridge or river tolls at a crossing, or the right to levy a tariff on goods at a har!or. ?antasy fiefdoms might include a hunting fief in an elven "ingdom, a mining fief among dwarves, or even the right to ta0 magical artifice in a ma/or ur!an center. If the party helps a group of elves, dwarves, or artificers out of a fi0, they might !e rewarded that way rather than with standard treasure.Plot Coupons& ;nuence. These can !e encounters se>uenced in time or in space.Chronological )inear PlotsAdventures that are linear through time include things li"e sieges, re!ellions, regicides, or naturaldisasters, where the events unfold in a logical progression ,, !ut the party either helps or hinders that progression. The party can act only when it has information to act on or when circumstances around the P%s change. As the :9 is the gate"eeper of game information, you control the pace of the game. If the vital ship hasn't arrived yet, or the crucial message hasn't reached its recipient,the adventure doesn't progress. The party can ma"e preparations, or do research, or go on other adventures ,, !ut the chronological adventure moves when you say it does. This can !e a great help if you are designing, say, an adventure with the first scene played at &st level, the second ma/or scene at 4th level, and the finale at Kth level, !ut it's an unusual way for most designers to wor". )ssentially, a chronological design li"e this is a one !ig set of linear triggered encounters (see !elow+, and it's often more linear than it needs to !e.7ow can you tell that a chronological design might !e too linear6 The flow chart for the design doesn't !ranch anywhere< the party /ust waits for you to provide the action and responds. That sounds worse than it is< the level of control of timing can create memora!le action, !ut it's not what most players thin" of as a "standard :M: adventure". 9eographic )inear Plots*inear plots li"e this are usually either a road adventure or a dungeon. Road adventures or >uest adventures are linear !ecause the important encounters happen on a road, river, trade route, or other path. "he (obbit is a fine e0ample, !ut Lord of the Rings is not !ecause the party splits up and events happen in divergent locations that all affect the end result.:ungeons are often touted as the perfect linear adventure, especially dungeons that contain cho"e points such as gates, single staircases, or air shafts that the party must traverse to reach thene0t section. And they are linear adventures, !ut in some ways they can often !e !ypassed !y a clever party with disguises and stealth, with teleportation or other movement magic, or simply !ydigging a tunnel from one section of the dungeon to another. In most cases, dungeons are designed to offer at least a few !ranching paths for players to e0plore, to avoid !eing !oringly linear.Road adventures are really the most satisfying approach to linear adventures, at least for the :9.They allow a :9 to showcase his favorite e0otic scenery, to throw nuisance encounters at the party, and to grant or ta"e away polders (discussed in Adventure uilder N& and Dungeon &'3+. =ou have total control over the pacing. If you need an important 5P% to show up early, /ust move him one day's travel closer to the party. If the party is too fresh or too stealthy, you can adda weather encounter, !andits, or even /ust an annoying group of #ealous pilgrims who want to travel along with the party. If the party wants to complete the adventure, they have to follow the road. It's the perfect e0ample of a railroad plot, with all its strengths and wea"nesses. #he #rou(le with )inear Plots-o if linear plots are so wonderful from the :9 perspective, why doesn't everyone use them6 $ell, they do, in !oo"s and movies, where the narrative is presented complete and whole and thereader or viewer /ust soa"s it in. ut players want to feel a sense of mastery and control8 what's the point of !eing a !ig shot hero if your actions don't matter and your fate is already totally determined6 5o group of players wants to wal" through a completely linear A,,% se>uence of rooms that ends with some !ig mastermind encounter. It's logical, it's a progression of suspense and tension, and it's totally unsatisfying. Players want to see their choices (or at least the illusion of choice+ affect the gameplay.-o, linear adventure designs need to manufacture the illusion of choice.The illusion of choice is /ust what it sounds li"e8 no matter what decisions the players ma"e, theywind up where you want them to wind up. All 5P% wi#ards can translate the *ost oo" of Golgamar. -ome dungeon caverns are red herrings !ut the only way to the second level leads through the !ig !oss's room. All taverns contain one of the cardinal's spies. All roads lead to 9ount :oom. It doesn't matter what they choose.ut of course, it should never loo" that way. To the party, choices should matter, and if you hint otherwise, players have every right to !e annoyed and frustrated with your game. If you give them nothing !ut tactical com!at choices to ma"e, you might as well !e playing a miniatures wargame. They need to have at least some control.)ven if choice is an illusion in your design, it shouldn't always !e an illusion of success. -ome oftheir false choices should appear to !e failures. ut !etter yet, your adventures shouldn't !e entirely linear. They should contain !ranching or matri0 elements as well..atri% Plots9atri0 plots are looser plots that don't progress from A toto %, !ut may /ump around in any order. Three factions fight for dominance in -igil, the %ity of :oors, and the P%s may align themselves with one or more of them. A plague threatens a "ingdom, !ut the clues that point to the culprit can !e found in any order. 9atri0 plots may move ahead over time with or without theP%s' input. They are more typical for mystery adventures, city adventures, and horror adventures.9atri0 adventures depend on triggered encounters or site,!ased encounters. These correspond to the !asic encounter types in chronological or geographic linear plots, !ut wor" a little differently.#riggered $ncountersTriggered encounters happen when the trigger is pulled8 when the stars are right, when the red lantern hangs from the attic window, when a horned man comes to town, when the murder weapon is found, or when the party goes to as" for help from the seven,eyed wi#ard. The triggerscan !e anything, !ut in a linear adventure, they set each other off li"e dominos. To meet the horned man, you need the stars and the lantern first. In a matri0 adventure, the order doesn't matter ,, and that ma"es design much more comple0. The num!er of what,ifs is tougher8 if the stars aren't aligned yet, does the horned man "now when they will !e aligned6 ut if the stars are already aligned, that's unneeded information. The num!er of permutations >uic"ly grows, which is why I recommend that a matri0 plot have /ust three ma/or triggers, and that everything else !e a standard linear element. Go for four ma/or triggers if you feel am!itious, !ut reali#e that each trigger is a little li"e a separate act in a play< itshould change the player's goals, or their understanding of the situation in some way.@nce you "now what those three elements are, you can design around all the ma/or permutations.Typical triggers are clues (finding a map, meeting the ghost of a dead twin, or deciphering a runestone+, time triggers (chimes at midnight, the arrival of a courier+, and significant actions (reforging a sword, visiting an oracle+. ?or each of those triggers, I li"e to have a separate finale scene in mind (see !elow+, !ut that's pro!a!ly not necessary. Iust ma"e sure that the villain or final !attle can ta"e place at any of the trigger locations.SiteABased $ncountersIf you want to, you can thin" of site,!ased encounters as plot elements are triggered !y location, !ut that underestimates their importance in game design. *ocation is )G)R=T7I5G in dungeon adventures, !ecause the map constrains the se>uence that players can approach things. To reach the !ig !ad evil guy's ultimate lair, the party must wal" the road. This is why site,!ased encounters and linear plots so often go hand,in,hand8 location determines the order of scenes, theprogression of the plot, the unraveling of clues. ut sites can also !e a useful way of organi#ing your matri0 plot< the party often visits places on the map until they run out of ideas. 7aving a map is a way of "eeping the party loo"ing around, even if the ultimate encounter isn't even on the /ungle map at all, !ut hidden deep in a cenote, a sin"hole and sacrificial well deep !elow the /ungle floor.-imply !y ma"ing the map of sites go through certain cho"e points, your design guarantees that the party does what you want ,,, !ut in matri0 adventures, the locations are each a small part of alarger mosaic. In a perfect matri0 design, there's enough little !its of the larger picture scattered around that, for instance, after getting any 3 out of the L ma/or encounters, a group of players will have enough information to see the finale coming.'inalesThe three most important scenes in any adventure are the inciting incident (which gamers call thehoo"+, reversals, and finale. The reversal is usually the point at which a trigger changes the party goals, and the finale is simply that moment when the party finally, finally gets to ta"e down the ig ad. -tructuring a finale, though, is tric"y. :M: design at $i#ards of the %oast usually assumes that the final encounter has an )* of at least the average party level plus 1, and often as much as average party level plus 4. The tric" to !alancing this crucial com!at, though, is that it's hard to "now /ust how !eat up the party will !e at the start of it. @verdo it, and it's a total party "ill. 9a"e it too easy, and the party wal"s all overthe encounter that should challenge them the most.This is why minions, summoned monsters, and henchman can !e so valua!le to designing a finale8 they're a catchup factor that lets you dial in the difficulty. If the party is very hurt, they may /ust fight some of the villain's underlings and retreat, and the finale itself is saved for a second fight (if the party can find the villain again+. If the :9 is generous, a party that "ills the villain demorali#es all the henchmen, and the fight is effectively over ,, the minions flee.If the party is very strong at the end of the adventure, the minions and other secondary creatures "eep coming, "eep fighting, and !ring in more and more reinforcements ,, until at last the party ta"es down their ma/or opponent, and the night ends as a !ig success. As a designer, you should consider designing the final encounter with a varia!le num!er of underlings to ma"e it as tough as it can !e, without going over.ConclusionBnow what "ind of design you want at the start, and !uild to suit8 a straight line, a matri0, or a little of each. )ither way, the plot should point to a single finale that can !e modified on the fly for ma0imum entertainment at the ig ?inish.#errain: Ha2ards: and #raps=ou can spend a lot of time wor"ing on stat !loc"s for an adventure. ut you can have /ust as much fun, and create a much more challenging play e0perience, if you spend at least a little of your design time wor"ing on the environment. After all, in fantasy !oo"s and movies, you hear a!out the !itter stone lands of 9ordor or see the flaming geysers in the ?ire -wamp of 'rincess +ride. 5ot every challenge comes with fangs or a sword.The environment provides more than /ust encounter variety< it also gives rogues a chance to show off their s"ills, gives fighters tactical opportunities in com!at, and ,,, well, o"ay, arcane and divine casters don't li"e traps and difficult terrain. Tough luc". They can dispel certain magical traps and ha#ards, and that's usually a!out it for the scroll and holy sym!ol crowd.As a designer, you gain adventure depth and richness from the environment design wor" you do. I thin" a!out environmental challenges in terms of !road solutions, channeling movement, and story effects. $e'll loo" at each in turn.>nuic"sandThat last one is a ha#ard that fighters might have the !est luc" with, as it could re>uire either a Iump chec" or raw -trength to escape. All of the a!ove could !e added to e0isting encounters to provide more options in com!at. In fact, most ha#ards should !e !uilt with tactics and miniatures com!at in mind8 pools of superheated mud for !ull,rushing enemies into, a tilted floor around a pit of sna"es, and ground that crum!les !eneath the P%s' feet (and eventually vanishes entirely+. 9any of the o!stacles andha#ards that ma"e com!at interesting should !e designed with fighter class s"ills in mind8 %lim!,Iump, and -wim. A few should always !e magical (magical fogs, guards and wards, permanent cloudkill spells, runes, etc+, so their auras can !e detected and disarmed !y the spellcasters.This isn't to say that ha#ards and traps aren't for the rogues in the party. :eli!erate magical or mechanical traps will usually re>uire rogues and arcane casters to defuse, !ut anyone with a few -pot ran"s can see the teetering !oulder and landslide that giants threaten to unleash on the party.A ranger might notice footprints near a pit trap, and a druid might use a war! wood spell to disarm a !allista trap or open a castle gate that is stuc" closed. As a designer, you want to avoid ma"ing terrain and traps "/ust a rogue thing".Channeling with Ha2ards and #errainIf a particular direction on your adventure maps includes, say, a magma field or a necromantic fog, the party may decide that it's not worth overcoming that o!stacle. In some cases, that's e0actly what you want. $hen you say "there's a raging wall of fire down the left,hand corridor, and echoing dar"ness to the right," you're ma"ing it easier to go one way rather than another. =ou're channeling the party with not,too,su!tle terrain hints.?or instance, a field full of ra#orvines in one of the outer planes is essentially a >uic" way for the:9 to say ":on't go there." The party might have a fly spell to go over it (more on that later+, !utit's /ust not something that the party wants to !urn hit points and cures on. $hen you are channeling the party in a particular direction, it pays to !e o!vious.)ven !eing o!vious doesn't always wor", of course. -ometimes the party sees the o!stacle as a sure sign that some great treasure lies in that direction, or assumes "that's where the adventure is." This sort of metagame thin"ing can !urn a lot of time at the ta!le as the party chec"s out every dead end. =ou can either let them continue !urning resources until they decide it isn't worth it, or give them an out. The out could !e a helpful 5P%, a map, or clue that points in another direction, or even /ust reaching the end of the ha#ard O with nothing to show for it. 5e0t time, they may spend a little more energy on scouting or research !efore they ta"e on the ?orest of Infinite ram!les or the :eath ?og. It's o"ay for P%s to learn the hard way that some o!stacles are /ust... o!stacles. -martparties learn to avoid e0pending their energies for unclear goals. Ha2ards uire speed< if youare going to run traps and ha#ards effectively, you must play them >uic"ly. 5othing frustrates players li"e hearing "=ou hear a clic", and a trap goes off O wait a second, I've got to loo" this up." It creates some suspense, !ut not the good "ind. The game is at a halt. People wander off forchips and a soda.The solution is to do the loo"ups !efore the game. $rite down the page num!ers for special rulesli"e drowning, !ull rushing, deep snow, or whatever applies O !etter still, use !oo"mar"s or copy and paste the sentence you need from the -R: into your adventure. -tructure the encounter to !e>uic" and !e done. Read aloud one or two >uic" physical details, as" for the re>uired rolls, then move on. 9ay!e throw in a !last of music or a sound effect if it matches the encounter type.7ow is this "worth it" for a party6 It's a fun scare. They might not admit it, !ut shoc" value is sometimes part of the fun.Drama #errain& 7a#ards and other "passive" terrain can have a powerful dramatic effect on a party. ?or instance, the waters of the River -ty0 can wipe out memory, or a waterfall or cave,in can split the party, or a particular hall may !e full of magical echoes and voices from the past. In each of those cases, you've designed in a change to the whole adventure !ecause you've manipulated the situation to change the party's goals. :oes a split party continue6 :oes the scholarly cleric spea" with the dead in the hall of whispers O or ris" calling attention from incorporeal undead6 The description of the terrain affects the party's options enough that it could !ecome a side >uest.The other way to thin" a!out drama terrain is to provide the hams and show!oat players with a golden opportunity. If a princess is surrounded !y a la"e of fire, the paladin may step up to rescue her ,,, and may fry for his trou!le. The important design of drama terrain is that you !uildin difficulty through !oth the description and through a series of saves or s"ill chec"s. A single ?ortitude save and some fire damage might !e one way to design the dramatic "wading through fire" scene. ut it is much more effective if you write three pieces of te0t8 one as the character approaches the danger (the ",re you sure-" moment in gamemastering+, one as the character !egins to overcome the ha#ard, and one to up the sta"es. The first of these is pretty familiar, and is something li"e "You feel the heat of the fire and smell your leather boots begin to smolder. Do you walk into the flames-"The second is a little tougher. The fire damage is automatic since the character is deli!erately wal"ing through it, !ut once you assign the first round of fire damage, you could as" for a $ill save to "eep going. )ven tough guys and firemen "now that wal"ing through fire hurts, and somecharacters might not !e a!le to push themselves through that. -o read "Your hair and eyebrows are charred your eyes water and your lungs burn. "he end of the fire looks a long way off." If hema"es the save after that, he's won !ragging rights (and if he doesn't, the other players will moc"him+.The final !it of drama is when things get worse. -ure, the character was e0pecting fire damage (afew hit points off the sheet, no !ig deal+. -o ma"e it a !igger deal. "You are sinking into the coalson the floor almost u! to your knees and the stra!s and wooden !ieces of your armor and gear are catching fire. you can barely see. If you continue the boots may burn right off your feet." If the P% moves ahead, assign more automatic fire damage for staying and then as" for some item saving throws. If he ma"es it through that, it's a lot more rewarding than /ust "=ou ta"e &2 points of fire damage and wal" to the island." y playing up the drama with multiple chec"s and increasing ris", you've made that fire wal" much more memora!le.)uring #errain& Put a !ig o!vious sign that what they want is !eyond a section of oo#ing gassy swamp, or up on a tall, slic" pillar, and watch the party come up with clever ways to !ypass all your ingenious, lethal, heavy,on,the,saving,throws design. *uring terrain usually re>uires three things8 an o!vious reward, a cost, and enough time for the P%s to decide if they want to pay that cost. ?or instance, they might hear that a holy sword is hidden in paladin's shrine, and that !oth forces of evil and of good want to "eep it there (for different reasons, of course+. $hen they arrive, theysee that the entire shrine is guarded !y archons and the sword itself is contained in a pillar of divine light that !urns everyone around it O and they see the fire a!solutely incinerate a devil thattries to steal the sword away. :o they want to fight the archons6 9ay!e. :o they want to suffer divine fire6 They'll have to do so or find another way to succeed. The terrain in this case is designed to ma"e the party consider !argaining with the archons O leading to a carefully,designed roleplaying encounter O !ut the party may decide it's worth going the o!vious com!at route instead. The paladin's ghost may not appreciate their techni>ue...#he 'light Pro(lem9any traditional traps in adventures are really targeted at wal"ing intruders8 the rolling !oulder, the trigger plate, the pit full of acid or the moat full of dire crocodiles. They can !e avoided !y any flying creature. )ven castle walls are su!/ect to this pro!lem once the party includes spellcasters with flight spells.The solution6 ?lying traps and trap!uilders who are ready for flying trespassers.A flying trap uses the same elements as a normal trap8 a trigger and a payload. The triggers could!e tripwires strung from wall to ceiling and painted !lac", floating seeds or feathers, superthin spider sil", or enormous soapli"e !u!!les that pop if touched. They could !e area triggers8 if a certain s>uare is flown through, the aerial distur!ance releases the trap. @r they could !e li"e the swarm of !loodhaw"s guarding Tenser's tower in Return of the )ight< all the villagers "now that flying visitors get mo!!ed !y masses of !loodthirty raptors O only fools fight their way through.$hat are the payloads of a flying trap6 They could !e poison gas, darts, cross!ow !olts, or e0plosives, !ut those are fairly standard. $hy not !e more original and use ray spells, or a nasty downdraft that forces a flying creature onto the spi"es !eneath it, or a hailstorm that ices a flying mount's feathered wings6 A normal,loo"ing cloud of deadly poisonous spores. There are /ust as many things deadly to a flying character as to a wal"ing one. $hile one or two flying traps or ha#ards might !e appropriate, don't overdo. If a party is !urning resources flying around your cunning pits, we!s, and oo#es O well, at least they are using their P% resources. Those fly spells and potions won't !e availa!le later.ConclusionTerrain and traps are more than nuisance encounters< they can add variety, drama and spice to your games. :on't forget to add richness to com!at encounters and movement parts of the game !y the careful use of terrain and ha#ards to give each adventure area its own sense of place, danger, and mystery.@ther things to use in encounters*evelsPhasesItems$avesArea %onditionsTerrain;sea!le )ffectsAspects of a Great AdventureI+ GillainII+ *ocationsIII+ -toryPAgendaIG+ 7enchman P AntagonistsG+ RewardsGI+ RepercussionsI+ Gillain (7e is the driver !ehind the adventure+A+ Good 9otivation &+ $hat do they want61+ $hy are they doing what they are doing6'+ If they die (and they pro!a!ly will+ who will ta"e their place6+ Good 9ethod of @peration %+ $hat they thin" they are doing is right.:+ 9emora!le Traits (&,'+&+ Ger!al1+ Physical'+ Power)+ 5eeds to !e visually proactive and reactive&+ Players need to see the plan unfolding in some way. 1+ =ou need to feel his hand at wor" from !eginning to end. '+ 9eans and will to do !ad things to your players and react against them. a+ Assassins!+ ri!e c+ Political Power (shops stop selling to them, temple wonQt heal them+d+ Bidnaps characterQs family?+ Interacts with players multiple times (similar to previous+ &+ -end messages via gem, mirror, illusion II+ *ocation (@ften most memora!le aspect of the adventure+A+ @ften recogni#a!le visual motif&+ ?ind a simple thing and !low it out for your motif and ma"e it the defining trait. 1+ ?amiliar, ?unctional, and ?antastica+ ?amiliar O)very!ody "nows that it is li"e!+ ?unction , =ou "now why this place e0istc+ ?antastic , 9agical or ever !urning torches, scintillating colors. + -hould move the story foreword somehow&+ Go to defeat villain1+ Go there to get info to find villain%+ %hallenging and :angerous &+ Ta"e familiar than cran" up dangera+ 9onsters or traps or terrainIII+ -tory and AgendaA+ -tory is developed as PlayerQs ta"e actions so you canQt predict a whole lot+ =ou need to esta!lish a clear picture of what the villain is trying to accomplish.&+ All his actions and goals will !e tied around this. 1+ :onQt have to reveal the motivation from the !eginning. a+ $hen do you reveal6!+ set up, "eep secret for a!out 1,' encounters than reveal,%+ 9a"e the interesting stuff o!vious&+ If you are going to do a reveal, than !uild up to it:+ 9a"e sure threat is appropriate for heroQs level)+ 9a"e sure that you are a!le to react to what the playerQs do and what your antagonistdoes. Players should feel they effect the story.?+ %hallenge player e0pectations is good !ut if you do it all the time they will have no e0pectations. G+ :onQt throw out red herringsIG+ 7enchmen P AntagonistsA+ 9ust contri!ute to the villains plans in some way. + 9ust !e henchmen he can reasona!ly have. %+ Good connections with the henchmen., 1 types of henchmen are interesting (7uman and elementals i.e.+ :+ *et 7enchmen react li"e the villain does., 5ot all henchmen fight to the death)ncounters%om!at and 5on %om!at(:onQt do road !loc"ers+A+ rea" up com!at encounters&+ @rcs, e0plore encounter, more orcs1+ Give them rest and create !alance. '+ Traps and s"ill encounters+ @" to have encounters that are too easy&+ They donQt all have to !e "noc" out drag out1+ 1 guards protect door'+ -ome should go a little >uic"er%+ @nly use empty rooms if they provide some sort of purpose, such as secret door or info. :+ Toss in a few traps to mi0 things up)+ )0ploration encounters are great to communicate story information. (Paintings, scratch mar"s, history !oo"s+Allies P 5P%sA+ $rite a sentence a!out what they do "now and what they donQt+ 5o 5P% should have all the pieces to the pu##le%+ 5P%s need to !e reactive /ust li"e the villain.a. If a villain is "illed may!e an ally ta"es his spot. !. )ven villain 5P%s can !ecome an allyc. The P%s li"e the idea of other 5P%s owning them favors and doing things for them. d. %reate allies who complement the characters occasionally. e. 5P%s can !e neutralG+ RewardsA+ Pic" Items that ma"e your heroes feel important., Give them rewards that have story !ehind them. GillainQs sword is his icon that allows him to run his church.+ =ou can create your own items !ut ma"e sure they have something to do with the story. %+ e generous with consuma!le items (potions, eli0irs, etcR+:+ Items that only wor" in the conte0t of the campaign. , Political power wor"s here, lac" ledger that contains !lac"mail to frame other people, Give them Beep and %astle !ut !eware that they will stay and protect it.GI+ RepercussionsA+ -hould !e long lasting though they donQt have to !e severe+ Players should see the difference%+ 7igh level P%s love to see their reputation go ahead of them. :+ *et the story move on !ecause of the P%s actions