Encounter-a-Day

In today’s installment of Dynamic Domains, it’s time for some spelunking as I brainstorm features to make your subterranean combats more interesting.

Stalactites & Stalagmites: If you ever forget which is which, a good mnemonic (in English, at least) is the ‘c’ or ‘g’ in the middle of the two structures’ names. Stalactites hang from the ceiling, while stalagmites protrude from the ground.

Stalagmites are useful for cover, but could also be ripped out of the ground by larger monsters and used as weapons. Stalactites, being heavily-weighted, sharp spears hanging above the heads of the combatants, just beg to be dropped on them.

Water: Underground rivers are a staple of any genre which ventures beneath the ground, and can be used in the same way as above-ground rivers. In addition, there can be pools of standing water which might be natural hazards which spread disease. Another fun thing is that you can get a new angle on rivers when you’re underground… Imagine a large explosion busting a hole in a thin cave wall which has a river on the other side. Suddenly the combat has changed into a fleeing scene where all the characters madly try to escape the rushing waters flooding in.

Difficult Terrain: One of the downsides of caves is that they can be very small and cramped. However, by adding in lots of difficult terrain you virtually expand the size of the area, since you’re reducing how quickly all of the combatants can move.

Flora: Caves are damp and dark and the perfect breeding ground for various molds, slimes and spore-laden mushrooms. A sticky mold might immobilize foes, or beds of mushrooms release noxious spores when disturbed.

Darkness: PCs love to forget about light sources… Sometimes, it can be fun to make sure they don’t.

Unstable footing: Carpets of slippery mold; damp, slick rocks; and slopes of loose gravel are all opportunities for skill checks to avoid falling down.

Poor structural integrity: Falling rocks are always a hazard, but cave-ins and weak floors can separate and isolate people.

Lava: ‘Nuff said

Elevation: Caves give you an almost free playground for making weird elevations and ideal perches for snipers and other ranged attackers.

Oxygen: Most caves don’t come with built-in air purifiers. Without some good knowledge checks, a party might wander deep into a system of caves and have no idea how much danger they’re in until they start feeling short of breath…