You’ve got towns, you’ve got overworlds, but the place where D&D adventures live or die is in the dungeon. Naturally, you’ll want to give your players the best dungeon experience you can. But dungeons can be tricky things, and a poorly built one can leave players feeling like they’re just walking down identical tunnels with no purpose.
But get it right? And you can end up with a pretty memorable tabletop experience.
We've seen a lot of dungeon maps created in Dungeon Scrawl, and we’re excited to see how the community has supported our latest tools!
So, what makes the difference between engaging dungeons and boring ones? It comes down to a handful of design principles. Let's talk about what makes dungeons work.
The Best Dungeons Give Players Meaningful Choices
The biggest mistake in dungeon design is relying too much on the “linear corridor.”
You know the type: the entrance leads to a hallway… the hallway leads to a room… the room has one door to the next hallway.
Rinse, wash, repeat. Until the boss chamber (again, often at the end of a hallway).
So, the first rule of thumb for dungeon map making? Good dungeons offer choices!
At almost every decision point, your players should have options to pick from. Do they take the left path, or follow that sound down the right? Does the most obvious route make the most sense?
This principle is called Jaquaysing (named after legendary designer Jennell Jaquay), and it involves creating loops and decision points throughout your dungeon.
For example, rather than relying on a straight line from entrance to boss, try to create interconnected routes where players can circle back. Maybe they’ll do so to flank enemies, or they’ll discover that the "dead end" they passed earlier connects to where they are now.
In Dungeon Scrawl, our tip is to sketch out your main path first, then add secondary corridors that loop back to earlier areas. Use the rectangle tool to draw your routes, but don't just create parallel corridors – make them intersect and reconnect in interesting ways.
Multiple Entrances Matter More Than You Think
Sure, everyone loves the big, ominous cave opening or ancient door. But every dungeon should have more than one way inside.
Some players may prefer the direct approach. But give them alternatives!
Try adding a side entrance that's harder to find but less guarded. Or add in a crumbling wall they could break through. Secret tunnels from the sewer are always a fun idea.
Why add different entrances? Because they create opportunities for strategic decisions. The front door might be heavily defended, but it gets them closest to their objective. Let players weigh these options.
When building in Dungeon Scrawl, make sure to mark your entrances clearly when designing. Use the door tool (or just leave gaps in walls) at multiple points. Even if you're not sure players will find the alternative entrance, having it on your map lets you drop hints (and remember you put it there yourself!)
Secret Areas Reward Exploration
Secrets are dungeon gold. They are great places to reward players who take the time to search carefully and question unusual features.
You’ll want to add a few secret doors and hidden passages to add depth to exploration. Maybe there's a concealed corridor or a secret chamber that contains treasure.
In Dungeon Scrawl, creating secret passages is simple. Just draw your hidden corridor normally, then use erase mode (press E) to create a small gap in the wall. Keep it small, just one or two grid squares wide. That's your secret door!
Don't hide everything, though. If every room has three secret doors and five hidden compartments, you’re getting into tedious territory. The occasional discovery should feel special, not mandatory.
Vary Your Room Shapes and Sizes
If you’ve ever walked through a real castle or cave system, then you’ll notice that no two rooms are the same size or shape. Apply this rule to your design.
Mix it up as you create. Include some small square chambers as well as large circular halls. If you’re underground, make sure to include irregular cave formations as well as vast rectangular chambers.
In many cases, the size of a room will communicate its importance. For example, your map’s boss chamber will likely be noticeably larger than regular rooms.
But you don’t have to stick to just boss chambers. The main hall, where ceremonies once took place, can dominate the map. But keep that guard closet is tiny!
In Dungeon Scrawl, you can get creative with size by using the regular polygon tool (press B 4) to create circular rooms. Click corner-to-corner with the rectangle tool to create irregular shapes. You can also combine the wall tool with erase mode to create natural-looking cave formations.
Don’t Forget to Add Vertical Elements
Remember, just because your map is flat doesn’t mean your dungeon is. Dungeons exist in three dimensions!
As you make your map, include elevation changes. Add in stairs leading up to a raised platform or a pit dropping into darkness. Vertical elements make exploring more interesting, and they naturally create tactical depth for combat.
When designing in Dungeon Scrawl, make sure to mark any elevation changes clearly. Use the stairs tool (press B 0) for obvious staircases.
As you do, add notes about elevation in your key: "This platform is 10 feet higher" or "The floor drops 20 feet to a lower chamber here." Even though you're drawing in 2D, think about how the space works in 3D.
This will lead you to creating multi-level dungeons. Don’t let complexity scare you away! Layer your dungeon vertically with staircases or shafts connecting different levels.
Make Rooms Serve A Purpose: Exploration vs. Combat
You’ll need to strike a balance in determining what your dungeon’s “rooms” exist to do. Every room should have a purpose, and it should extend beyond just combat.
To pick the right rooms, think about what the dungeon is.
- Is it a fortress? Then you need barracks, armories, kitchens, throne rooms, and prisons.
- A temple? Include shrine rooms, meditation chambers, libraries of sacred texts, and ceremonial halls.
- Maybe it's a natural cave system full of monsters? Show where they sleep, where they store food, where they've piled their treasure.
The D&D Dungeon Master's Guide has excellent random tables for room purposes if you're stuck in the purpose mode. But honestly, just think about who lives here and what they need.
But don’t forget about combat! Good combat arenas have features. Cover for archers, elevation for advantages. Add in a few choke points.
Don't make everything a combat arena, though. Some rooms are just rooms. For the locations where you're planning significant fights, think tactically.
You can build out these areas with purpose using Dungeon Scrawl. Place pillars using the regular polygon tool, and then add furniture from the asset library.
Don't Forget the Doors
This sounds obvious, but it's worth stating: use doors liberally. Why? Because doors naturally create suspense. What's behind it? Why’s it locked? Wait.. it was just open, but now it’s slammed shut!
In Dungeon Scrawl, the door tool lets you add doors to your map fast. Just click where walls meet corridors or where rooms connect to passages and add your doors!
Final Tip: Test Your Design!
One more tip: before you run your dungeon, walk through it mentally as if you're the player.
Can they reach the boss without choices? That's too linear. Is there only one path through? Add some loops.Do all the rooms look the same? Vary them.
Taking the time to think through how your dungeon will play can help you design better. But your dungeon doesn't need to be perfect! The more you create, the better you’ll get!
The goal isn't to create a map that will live in the annals of D&D lore. It's to create a playable, fun dungeon that your players will enjoy. So get to building your dungeon map on Dungeon Scrawl now!
Have a particularly good map you want to share? Share it with our community on Discord!