What's your favourite dungeon crawl "engine"?

[phreedh]

Super Dungeon Explore

Sorry mate, too cutesy.

First of all take a look at Dungeonslayers : Link.
This is an old fashioned roleplaying game.

Hm... not half bad, actually. Will have to take a closer look. Cheers!

Next idea, Dungeoncrawl : Link. This is classic HeroQuest with some ad ons (for example a very nice skill system!)

Knew of it since before, but thanks for bringing it back to my attention.

Have you seen the new Wizards of the Coast games

Yup, I've read up on them when they were released. Have most of the minis and all of the floor plans allready. Not too impressed with what I've read about the games from my current perspective, but would be interested to play them as beer & pretzel boardgames.

Cheers for all suggestions guys! At the moment, it looks like Labyrinth Lord is the closest match.

[Damien]

Hi phreedh, I`ve had this very idea kicking around in my head for a while (I think we all have to some extent). The idea was revived when I saw Blacksmith`s 10mm dungeon bash:

http://leadadventureforum.com/index.php?topic=27542.0

So here are the rules I would like to try in the future:

1.  The guys at the Fubar website have a set of rules called Dungeoneer (9pgs), Matakishi has an adventure on his website for these rules.

http://thegamesshed.wordpress.com/2009/04/05/dungeoneer/

http://www.matakishi.com/downloads.htm

2. I was going to try the free Pendraken rules (already mentioned).

3. Was also going to try the DragonSlayers rules (also free, also already mentioned).


Are you going to play with pen and paper or are you thinking building a dungeon? I was thinking of getting the Pendraken 10mm dungeon. Doesn`t take much room and not very expensive plus they have all the dungeon accessories for sale as well (chairs, tables, traps, etc).


Cheers

Damien

[Booboo]

Yeah, the holy grail. count me as one of the many looking for it too.  I was looking at Dungeon Slayers.  Loved the look of the game.  But it is way to too far into the RPG sepctrum and would need a bit of work transferring it to table top (ranges, areas of effect, etc.)

Also looked at Dungeon Plungin.  http://www.oversoul-games.com/oversoul_download.html  Had some good ideas in the rules.  Can't get past the overly cartoon look

Then there was Chronicles   http://chroniclesgame.wordpress.com/

I don't think I saw Dungeoneer mentioned (not the atlas games game by that name), and one that I think has some potential.  A freeby that I think was released about two months ago.

http://www.rebelpublishing.net/pdfs/Dungeoneer.pdf

The big downside is the over generalization of the monsters.  Though I think that might be fixable.

[mweaver]

We tried Castle Ravenloft, and were not overwhelmed.  We will probably try it again, since sometimes you don't obtain a good feel for a game after one outing.

Perhaps a hybrid would work - use the Warhammer Quest set-up rules but the Mordheim combat system.  A few years ago we did some dungeon exploring using the Mordheim rules and it was quite fun. 

[Heldrak]

Sorry mate, too cutesy.

So just use the rules, not the cutsey figures, etc.

It seems like it does what you want in terms of simple mechanics, etc.

[phreedh]

So just use the rules, not the cutsey figures, etc.

It seems like it does what you want in terms of simple mechanics, etc.

I might be dismissing it unfairly... Will have a look at it. So far, Labyrinth Lord really looks like the mutt's nuts though. =)

[otherworld]

I might be dismissing it unfairly... Will have a look at it. So far, Labyrinth Lord really looks like the mutt's nuts though. =)

Are you familiar with the Holmes version of basic D&D?  You may find that closer to your needs than LL.

There's also a passable random dungeon generation section in the 1st Ed AD&D DMG.

[Erny]

Not certain but I think the, "same", tables can be had free by down loading Osric.

I get jolly mixed up with these early D&D edditions, is Holmes the first version with LL being Moldvay?

If so what does Holmes have that Moldvay doesn't?

[phreedh]

Are you familiar with the Holmes version of basic D&D?  You may find that closer to your needs than LL.

Nope, not at all. Is it available digitally? What's special about it?

There's also a passable random dungeon generation section in the 1st Ed AD&D DMG.

I think that's the smallest problem for me, really. Toying with the idea of making a deck describing rooms and corridors, instead of just putting a picture of the dungeon tile on it (as in WHQ). Could make it less dry and more atmospheric to have to read it aloud and collectively deciding on which tile to place based on the description. It is, after all, closer to the old "mapping from the DM narrative" method which we loved.

I actually started editing the Labyrinth Lord rules yesterday to cut away all the fluff and just keep the meaty rulesy parts.

[Damien]

There are also hybrid boardgames that could work, I have a game called 'Citadel of Blood' that is a dungeon crawl game works with chits. 1 - 6 players, lots of different classes to play.

http://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/3248/citadel-of-blood

It is from the 1980's only reason I am mentioning it is that a new version seems to have come out (2011). Now instead of chits, the dungeon is made with tiles. Looks cool, slight mods might be in order though.

http://boardgamegeek.com/image/703157/citadel-of-blood


Damien

[otherworld]

Nope, not at all. Is it available digitally? What's special about it?

It's the basic (blue book) version, with the cover pic of an archer and a mage attacking a dragon sitting on his treasure pile.  I'm pretty sure it's not available digitally (legally, anyway), but you can often pick it up on eBay for a few quid/euros/kronor.  It's a very simple, straight-forward version of the original D&D rules, well-written and concise, dealing with basic characters up to 3rd level.  I still use it as an intro for new players who haven't RPGed before.

[Backyardpatrol]

How about AD&D Battlesystem Skirmish? I have a copy I bought at half priced books and it is interesting...
I'd love a Mordheim/WH Quest Hybrid!

[Craig]

We chaps at the Forge of War Yahoo Group also have a range of one page RPG's. The one you might be interested in is called Dead Simple Fantasy and can be found here:
http://thegamesshed.wordpress.com/2010/07/19/dead-simple-rpg-rules/
it has a number of one page supplements covering games-mastering, dungeon design, cities, monsters various etc.

The rules are free, open source and supported by the developer community of the Forge of War Yahoo Group.

The same engine is used in a range of other one page rpgs covering Oriental Fantasy, SciFi, Steampunk, Superheroes and more.

[Oliver]

I'd love to see how you get on with making LL for Dungeon Crawling

Oh and another suggestion Skulldred it's currently free as it's only in beta but it does include rules for dungeon crawls..

[Bako]

Dungeon crawling y'say? Dungeons & Dragons 3.5ed is my preferred method, obviously not your cup of tea though. Space Hulk is another "crawl" I fancy.