Simple system to let party manage their dungeon?

[eleclipse]

So i'm dming an evil campaign, and the party just managed to put their hand on a "dungeon" i was wondering if ther is any simple system (like a kingmaker-lite ) to let them manage it.

Sort of a Dungeon Keeper.

Thanks in advice for any help.

[carn]

The problem about dungeon building (which also was a problem of dungeon keeper) is that no intelligent planer knowing some heroes will one day bash in the door would design a dungeon players are used to. The monsters would not be spread out, but concentrated as far as possible, to kill any intruders.

[MagiMaster]

Monster concentration shouldn't be a huge problem, since non-undead would not want to be so densely concentrated.

The first question you should ask though is what the point of the dungeon is. For example, the classic "guarding a macguffin" dungeon would be better handled by either burying the macguffin in as much stone as you can manage (if you don't need it later) or keeping it with you (if you do). Finding a way around this kind of issue will be a huge first step.

(I know that doesn't really answer your question though.)

[DM_aka_Dudemeister]

My goodness what a wonderful mini-game to add to an evil campaign. Dungeon Keeper was a classic game for a reason.

I'm going to throw something together for this, and understand that this is a draft that's just off the top of my head.

WARNING: LONG

Dungeoncraft: Rules for Building and Maintaining a Base of Operations

The Three Scores:
A roll of 1 is always a failure, a roll of 20 is always a success.

Spoiler:

Defense
Your Defense score is a catch-all score that your Dungeon uses to defend against mobs of angry villagers, rival dungeon lords and of course roving do-gooders. Your base Defense Score is 0, but increases as you add rooms and troops. Chaotic Dungeons tend to be more dangerous and thus gain a +2 bonus to Defense.

Stability:
Your Stability score is what determines how satisfied and happy your guardians are, how well-maintained your traps are and generally how your dungeon deals with internal strife. Neutral Dungeons tend to be more willing to compromise and thus gain a +2 bonus on Stability.

Resources
Your resources represent your treasure, your ability to attract new monsters, your workforce and food-stores. Resources are increased by defeating adventurers, tapping valuable resources, and evil-doing. Lawful dungeons tend to be better disciplined when it comes to resources and thus gain a +2 no Resources.

The DCs:

Spoiler:

Crisis
Your Crisis DC is a catch-all term to describe external threats to the dungeon. The larger and richer your dungeon the higher the Crisis DC becomes.
Determining Crisis: 10 + Rooms + Turns since last failed check.

Control
Your Control DC is a catch-all to determine how disciplined your dungeon is.
Determining Control:
10 + Rooms + Troops

Consumption
Your Consumption score is a catch-all to determine feeding guards and guardians, maintaining their weapons, trap resetting, research and building.
Determining Consumption:
10 + Number of PCs + Rooms

Dungeon Roles:

Spoiler:

Dungeon Master (Any Score) The Dungeon Master is usually the mastermind behind a dungeon, or the character who has attracted monsters to his banner. The Dungeon Master may add an ability score bonus of his choice to any one score.

Engineer (Con or Wis The Engineer oversees expansion operations and dungeon maintenance. He adds his Con or Wis to either Dungeon Stability or Dungeon Defense.

Quartermaster (Dex or Int) The Quartermaster sees that the dungeon is well stocked, that the traps are regularly poisoned, and that monsters are fed or their weapons are maintained. The Quarter master adds his Dexterity or Intelligence to the Dungeon's Resources score.

Warlord (Str or Cha) The Warlord sees that the dungeons warriors are trained and ready for battle, and leads sorties to the surface for precious resources. The Warlord adds his physical ability score of choice to the Dungeon's Defense score.

Assassin (Str, Dex or Con) The Assassin keeps unrest down to a minimum, and kills anyone that threatens peace in the dungeon. The Assassin adds his Strength or Dexterity to the Dungeon's Stability Score.

Caster (Wis, Int or Cha) The Dungeon's Caster sees that magic is maintained in the Dungeon, oversees weapon enchantments and watches for opposition's scrying. The Caster adds his mental ability score of choice to any one other Score.

The Phases:

Step 1 - Upkeep
(You may skip this step on your first turn)
Make a Stability Check vs your Control DC. If you fail then roll a d6.

Spoiler:

1: Minor Rivalry: -1d4 on Stability Until end of next Upkeep.
2: Information Leak: -1d4 on Defense until end of next Upkeep.
3: Gluttonous Eater: -1d4 on Resources until end of next Upkeep.
4: Big Rivalry: -1d6 on Stability until end of next Upkeep.
5: Sabotage: -1d6 on Defense until end of next Upkeep.
6: Theft: -1d6 on Resources until end of next Upkeep.

If you succeed gain a +2 bonus to a score of choice.

Step 2 - Expansion and Recruitment

A. Expand Dungeon

Spoiler:

You may expand your dungeon by 1 room per turn. Simply make a Resources Check vs your Consumption DC in order to do so, on a failed check you lose 1 consumption. On a successful check you lose 1 consumption. If you roll a 1 you suffer a Setback (and take a 1d4 penalty to Resources until the end of your next Turn). If you roll a 20 you find a lode of precious materials or a previously created cavern/room (gain a 1d4 bonus to Resources until the end of your next turn).

Special Rooms, these rooms are a little more costly to build and this is reflected in an increase to the Consumption DC when you try to build them.

Spoiler:

Barracks (Consumption DC +2): Barracks are a place to belay troops. You may station up to two units of humanoid troops without increasing your Consumption DC.

Trap Room (Consumption DC +3): Trap Rooms are rooms filled with devious traps. These traps have a CR = to the Number of Rooms. Each Trap Room adds a permanent +1 bonus to your Dungeon Defense Score.

Dark Temple (Consumption DC +8): Dark Temples are shrines to dark and grim gods. You may station one unit of Outsiders without increasing your Consumption DC in a Dark Temple.

Crypt (Consumption DC +4): A Crypt is a place to inter bodies, and perform necromantic magics and experiments. You may station one unit of undead with no penalty to your Stability.

Laboratory (Consumption DC +4): A Laboratory is a place to perform twisted experiments on hapless victims. You may station one unit of aberrations with no penalty to Consumption or Stability (your choice each time).

Dragon's Lair (Consumption DC +10): A Lair in which to keep a dragon. A Dragon's Lair reduces the Consumption increase for a Dragon troop by half. A second Dragon's lair reduces the consumption to a quarter. A third reduces a Dragon Troop's consumption to 0.

Mine (DC +5): A mine, for precious gems, minerals, metal or stones permanently increases your Resources by +1.

Sewer (DC +3): A sewer keeps your dungeon feculence free, and also attracts vermin. Your dungeon gains +1 stability and you may station one unit of Vermin in a sewer with no increase in Consumption.

Torture Chamber (DC +3): A torture chamber is a place to torture captured prisoners for information. Each time you win a Crisis against Adventurers or Militia gain a 1 point bonus to Resources until the end of your next turn. Multiple torture chambers stack.

Scrying Chamber (DC +5): A place to watch things from afar. Once per turn you may re-roll a d20, you must take the second result even if it is worse. Multiple Scrying chambers do not stack.

Dungeons (DC +3): A place to store prisoners or food. Any time you win a Crisis check you gain a 1 point bonus to your Resources until the end of your next turn. Multiple dungeons stack.

Library (DC +8): A place to research, or keep forbidden tomes. Once per month you may take a 20 on any knowledge check. Additionally you may recruit arcane spell-caster NPCs to your dungeon.

Shrine (DC +8): Add +1 to your Dungeon Stability. Additionally you may recruit divine spell-caster NPCs to your dungeon.

Arena (DC +8): Add +1 to your Dungeon Defense. Additionally you may recruit martial NPCs to your dungeon.

Thieve's Guildhall (DC +8): Add +1 to your Dungeon Resources. Additionally you may recruit skill NPCs to your dungeon.

Vault (DC +6): Penalties to your Resources score are reduced by 1 (to a minimum of 1).

Monster Cage (DC +4): A cage for a particularly vicious monster. This cage increases Stability by 1, and reduces the consumption of a single Magical Beast or Aberration by 1.

B. Recruit Troops:

Spoiler:

In order to recruit Humanoids you must make a Resources Check against the Consumption DC of your dungeon.

In general a troop is a group of monsters with a CR equal to the number of rooms. For example if you have 2 rooms and you recruit some orcs, then you have 4 orcs (CR 2). You may place those orcs anywhere in those two rooms. Note a single room may only contain a maximum number of monsters equal to the CR of the dungeon.

Humanoids: Goblins, orcs, trolls. A Troop generally has a CR equal to the number of rooms in your dungeon. Consumption Increase 1.

Classed or Monstrous-Humanoids: Humanoids with class-levels have NPC levels unless you have a room for a shrine/arena/thieve's guild hall etc. Classed humanoids have a CR equal to the Rooms in the dungeon. Classed Humanoids increase Consumption by an amount equal to their CR.

Undead: Skeletons, zombies, mummies. (Consumption DC +4), Undead have an initial upfront cost but cost little to maintain. Their tendency to eat other denizens and low intelligence tend to cause other problems when left unattended. The Control DC of your Dungeon increases by +1 for each Undead Troop.

Intelligent-Undead: Vampires, Ghouls. (Consumption DC +6). Intelligent undead work like Classed Humanoids and require a special room. An individual Intelligent Undead has a CR equal to the amount of rooms in a dungeon. Intelligent Undead that consume blood or flesh increase your Consumption Score by an amount equal to their CR.

Outsiders: Demons, Devils, Daemons. (Consumption DC +6). Difficult to control without expensive sacrifices to dark gods. Outsiders permanently increase Consumption by 3 per troop.

Dragons: Black, Red, White, Blue, Green. (Consumption DC +8). Dragons are powerful defenders of a dungeon and increase the consumption of a dungeon by 8.

Aberrations: Chokers, Seugathi. Aberrations are alien creatures from the deep places, or horrible experiments gone awry. In either case they increase consumption by 2 per troop, and increase Control DC by 1.

Vermin: Rats, Spiders, Centipedes. Vermin are easy to attract to filthy dungeons. Vermin troops increase Consumption by .5

Magical Beast: Owlbear, Hydra, Chimera. Magical beasts are usually singular monsters that occupy the dungeon. You may attract a magical beast (or beasts) with a CR = to the number of rooms.

Mixing Monster Types: Having more than 2 types of monster in a dungeon increases Control by 1.

Simple Raid and Defend
[spoiler]
Each turn you may send some of your troops out into the world for Resources, but risk retaliation.

Make a Defense Check against your Crisis DC. If you succeed then you gain a +1d6 bonus divided any way you like among your scores.

If you fail roll a d4, do not reset your Crisis Score until after you have resolved the below:

[spoiler]
1: Adventurers
2: Militia
3: Rival Dungeon
4: Roll twice (Re-Rolling this result)

Adventurers:
1d6
1: Adventurers defend the Town: Defense Check or Lose 1 troop.
2: Adventurers attack your Dungeon: Defense Check or Lose 2 troops.
3: Adventurers loot your dungeon: Defense Check or -1d6 to Resources
4: Adventurers vandalize your dungeon: Defense Check or 1 room is Broken (Special Room needs to be repurchased, an empty room is collapsed, your DCs do not decrease).
5: Adventurers demoralize troops: Defense Check or -1d6 Stability until end of next turn.
6: Adventurers assault your dungeon: Defense Check or -1d6 to all three scores, lose 1 troop, lose 1 room.

Militia:
1d4
1: Militia Defend the Town: Defense Check or lose 1 troop.
2: Militia Assault the Dungeon: Defense Check or Lose 1 troop.
3: Militia Use Area's Resources: Resources Check vs Consumption or Consumption Increases by 1d6 until end of next turn.
4: Militia Recruit Adventurers: Roll on Adventurer Table.

Rival Dungeon:
1d4
1: Rival Dungeon Poaches troops: Stability Check or Lose 1 Troop.
2: Rival Dungeon Sabotages Dungeon: Stability Check or Lose 1 room.
3: Rival Dungeon Attacks Town First: Roll on Militia Table.
4: Rival Dungeon Tricks Heroes: Roll on Adventurer Table.

Natural Disasters:
1d4
1: Underdark Monster Attack: Defense Check or a monster eats 1 Troop.
2: Earthquake: Stability Check or Lose 1 Room.
3: Flood!: Stability Check or lose 1 room and 1 troop.
4: Fire!: Defense Check or Lose 1 Troop, 1 Room and increase Consumption by 1d6.

Income:

At the end of each turn roll a Resources Check. You gain 10 gp x Difference Between Resources and Consumption.

[DM_aka_Dudemeister]

Disclaimer: I pulled these numbers from the air. I make no promises as to game balance.

[eleclipse]

Thank you so much! This could really work! :)