DM Q&A - Dungeons with multiple levels

[MTGPackFoils]

With dungeons that have multiple levels (example: Kobold cave), or overland areas with multiple sections (Goblins in the woods), is it frowned upon to visit those areas more than one time per trip?

I have a feeling it is but I want to make sure I don't do anything wrong when playing.

[DM Flash]

Hey MIP, thanks for asking and it's a question I've chatted with a few people about recently so let's use the Greatgaunt Catacombs and the Kobold Caves as good examples of multiple levels and/or multiple entrances or exits. Even before I became a DM, the short answer given to me on a subject like this was "Yes, it's frowned upon" and I'll do my best to try and explain the reasoning behind that.

Let's say a player does the 1st lvl catacombs, sell/rest, go straight to the lvl 2 catacombs, sell/rest, or repeat some combination of that until they either finally complete the whole dungeon or retreat/die. That is technically a violation of the guidance in rule 10. Similarly there's the South of GG Kobold cave, sell/rest, and return through the Bridge of Fallen Men to the bottom level of said Kobold Cave. That is considered the same dungeon, and would also not be permitted. Let's also say for the sake of this discussion that no other rules are being broken, players are RPing and using resources and not double-looting or double-killing, but following some rules does not grant clemency on breaking others.

In a sense it tiptoes a line when talking about staff enforcement vs player integrity and the guidance about refraining from power leveling or farming, and it spreads the wrong impression. We don't allow revists like that anywhere else on the server and learning that starts with the Greatgaunt areas. The other guidance about double loot/kill, taking the shortest path if you have to backtrack through an area, etc also follow in alignment with this.

The delineations that have already been made in rule 10 would apply: For levels 1-5 that's once per day. For levels 6 and beyond that's once per 7 days, with the following exceptions:

- Revisiting an area while playing an alternate character.

- Scouting the area for a party that intends to enter the area immediately. For example, checking the cave entrance to make sure the party wont be ambushed.

- The attempted rescue of a slain character/party with the express purpose of retrieving the fallen and bringing them to safety. When revisiting an area for a rescue one should only fight monsters in the path of reaching the characters in need of rescue and no loot containers should be accessed.

- Travel through an outdoor area with the purpose of getting to the next transition point to continue on a journey to a further destination. For example, taking the most direct route through an area from transition A to transition B. This means not hitting all the spawns in the area beyond the most direct route.

- The previous visit was during a DM run event which brought the character(s) to the area.

So when it comes to not just these dungeons mentioned here but any dungeon players visit, and whether they're online to RP or just blow off some steam, that players give it their best shot and then respect the cooldown regardless of the outcome. When in doubt just play it safe and wait it out.

[MTGPackFoils]

This is a great response and the tomb in GG is a great example. I don’t think I fully illustrated my question so here it goes:

Let’s say I enter and explore level 1. When done with that I stay in there and explore level 2, and so on. Then on the way back out I fight in the areas I have already “cleared” that have respawns.

Again I would do all of this in one trip. Is that frowned upon?

[DM Flash]

Yea that would be frowned upon too. If you go to the GG Catacombs and do lvl 1, 2, and 3 then turn around to head back out, the doors are all centrally located so that an easy direct exit is possible. Taking the time to go back through both sides of lvl 2 and redoing lvl 1 would be double-kill double-loot.

Learning that in GG then goes on to help with places like the Mistwood Lizards where I've seen players do Map 1 then Map 2 and then redo all of Map 1 on their way out. Players should take the most direct path out and not reloot containers or rekill the entire map...just whatever spawns in their most direct path out.

[DM Maleficent's Kiss]

Eventually when timers go into place this will be a non issue since each creature will spawn independently. If you cleared half of the GG catacombs for instance you could re-enter later to finish and the only creatures left would be any you hadn't already spawned and killed.

[gorirah]

Thanks for the clarity on the rules here, and good to know there's a potential scripted solution too.

[MTGPackFoils]

Yes thanks everyone. Appreciate it.