Ok so I’m making an underwater dungeon for a 7th level party, and I have zilch ideas. I read the similar forum from 2021, but with three posts, it wasn’t much help. The session is this Sunday so any and all ideas are welcome , no matter how fleshed out they might be. The only thing I have is the treasure room.
“In a hole in the ground there lived a hobbit. Not a nasty, dirty, wet hole, filled with the ends of worms and an oozy smell, nor yet a dry, bare, sandy hole with nothing in it to sit down on or to eat: it was a hobbithole, and that means comfort.”
1) If the party doesn't have ready access to the ability to breathe underwater then you need to provide it.
2) If the party is relying on a spell to breathe underwater then a dispel magic trap works really well since they may start to drown but either the party needs to be able to restore the magic or there is some place nearby that the characters can find air.
3) An anti-magic area in the submerged dungeon can make for an interesting challenge since the anti-magic area will suppress but not end the magic ... however, then placing an encounter with sharks or something more challenging in the anti magic area might be fun.
4) Typical choices would be a sunken temple, the ruins of a castle on land that subsided or was magically lowered, an underwater settlement occupied by Sahuagin, a ship wreck, the lair of an underwater creature that is a threat to shipping in the area (baby Kraken?) ... lots of options, just depends on what you want to run and what might work for your group.
5) Perhaps toss in some water related traps/puzzles.
Thanks! I already have a location(sunken tomb) I’m just really looking for trap/monster ideas. And heartofjuyomk2 you’re great! Again, any and all contributions!
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“In a hole in the ground there lived a hobbit. Not a nasty, dirty, wet hole, filled with the ends of worms and an oozy smell, nor yet a dry, bare, sandy hole with nothing in it to sit down on or to eat: it was a hobbithole, and that means comfort.”
My personal favorite trap in this sort of situation is a room with air, not breathable air mind you, but air. Party comes up out of the water, moves around a little, then starts making con checks for no discernible reason. (it's mostly only carbon dioxide that triggers a choking response) If I actually wanted to kill them, I would stick to the rules of suffocation, which have no save, they just die after a certain amount of time with no indication why. Since I don't generally want to kill them, con saves to avoid exhaustion levels, investigation checks if I need to beat them over the head with why they're dying.
I mean ... one thing about water is that it's surface is reflective. So in a dark, flooded room, the light from a torch extends only to the surface of the water.
I had a great fight, once. A set of buildings in a flooded chamber. The PC's could walk on the roofs, and near the entrance they came from, three buildings were connected by rotten old ... 'bridges'. However, they needed to cross the chamber to find the McGuffin, which was in a temple of sorts.
It wasn't a particularly dangerous fight - there were some lizardfolk under the water, but they were effectively invisible, had better movement in the water (obviously, they tried to knock the PC's into the water), and their numbers were unknown.
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Blanket disclaimer: I only ever state opinion. But I can sound terribly dogmatic - so if you feel I'm trying to tell you what to think, I'm really not, I swear. I'm telling you what I think, that's all.
Some standard creatures you could find are Sahuagin and Sea Hags. Here is a link to the Monster page on DDB filtered by the environment to "underwater," which could give you some ideas.
Note: The monsters displayed may be contingent on what if any, books you have purchased online, but you should be able to get the Basic Rules monsters.
Also don't forget to throw in a monster that deals lightning damage. Give it a highly telegraphed ability that charges up so that the PCs know they have to stop it or take a ton of damage.
You could have lightlt or heavily obscured water along with rules for swimming, holding your breath to make thungs unusual and uneasy.
Boiling water causing fire damage or othwrwise water cold, necroric, poisonous etc dealing respective damage and conditions such as blinded, incapacitated, payalyzed, exhaustion, disease or even madness.
Some water could be luminescence and blinding and cause a saving throw or get Supernatural Gift like a charm or boon etc
Rooms and corridors with current actiing as forced movement dragging you around into traps
Mold and onze rampant, lichen causing slippwry surface potentially taking you prone
“In a hole in the ground there lived a hobbit. Not a nasty, dirty, wet hole, filled with the ends of worms and an oozy smell, nor yet a dry, bare, sandy hole with nothing in it to sit down on or to eat: it was a hobbithole, and that means comfort.”
Underwater Corals, or Giant Clams that act like Ropers, can be trap or monster, Electric Eels, venomous Lampreys, gigantic crabs (mantis shrimp? XD), tunnels full of tall, rubbery water plants with glowing orbs that burst and release acid gel when touched . Players need to dex their way through there, because cutting it down bursts X orbs at once for every 5 feet cleared.... just spitballing.
Edit: Hypnotic Anglerfish? Paralyzing or Charming to come closer?
A couple people mentioned lightning in water but as far as I know there is no RAW modification for lightning damage in water? I know that all creatures have fire resistance when immersed in water but I haven't seen anything changing the AoE or damage for lightning (unless I missed it?).
You could put in some house rules for lightning in water but be sure to put in clues/hints that lightning might behave differently in the water.
Fire damage is reduced in water. It could be interesting to try running a more powerful fire monster so the players are encouraged to rely on the water defensively. For example a dragon or something else with a powerful aoe fire attack. It's pretty rare for players to be able to use terrain like that so it could be interesting.
Spells like freezing sphere have interesting effects on water that players rarely get to see. You could have a magic orb on a pedestal and a dangerous bit of water to cross. There sphere is a freezing sphere as soon as they pick up the orb they roll initiative and after x rounds it explodes unless they throw it somewhere. The sphere could be used to bridge the water by freezing it but the players may just freak out thinking they've triggered a trap.
The control water gives you rules for a whirl pool which makes a descent hazard
The wastrilith has rules for corrupting water. It probably too powerful for your party to fight directly but it could be an interesting monster to play hide and seek with. The toxic water itself can also make a good hazard
The aboleth has rules for a disease which forces players in to water and a mucous that allows temporary water breathing. Its also an interesting psychic enemy that is in the boss range for your party. The aboleth, it's mucous or it's tentacle toxin can make for interesting features of and aquatic environment.
the spell spike growth can provide a structure for things like sharp coral terrain
Under water volcanic activity could also be interesting with areas of water too hot to swim in and or possible steam explosions
Side note if you want an electric trap for water you can steal this one from pf2e just change the dcs.
How is this dungeon flooded? Is it connected to an underground river, a surface lake, the ocean, or a portal to the Elemental Plane of Water? That can influence what sorts of critters would be found in it.
Kuo-toa are a subterranean, semi-aquatic race that rarely get used. If it's fresh water you could have bullywogs. A flooded saltwater dungeon might have Merrow.
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Find your own truth, choose your enemies carefully, and never deal with a dragon.
"Canon" is what's factual to D&D lore. "Cannon" is what you're going to be shot with if you keep getting the word wrong.
“In a hole in the ground there lived a hobbit. Not a nasty, dirty, wet hole, filled with the ends of worms and an oozy smell, nor yet a dry, bare, sandy hole with nothing in it to sit down on or to eat: it was a hobbithole, and that means comfort.”
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Ok so I’m making an underwater dungeon for a 7th level party, and I have zilch ideas. I read the similar forum from 2021, but with three posts, it wasn’t much help. The session is this Sunday so any and all ideas are welcome , no matter how fleshed out they might be. The only thing I have is the treasure room.
“In a hole in the ground there lived a hobbit. Not a nasty, dirty, wet hole, filled with the ends of worms and an oozy smell, nor yet a dry, bare, sandy hole with nothing in it to sit down on or to eat: it was a hobbithole, and that means comfort.”
Include some sort of puzzle that involves raising and lowering the water level in a half-submerged room. Sorry I'm not of much more use.
1) If the party doesn't have ready access to the ability to breathe underwater then you need to provide it.
2) If the party is relying on a spell to breathe underwater then a dispel magic trap works really well since they may start to drown but either the party needs to be able to restore the magic or there is some place nearby that the characters can find air.
3) An anti-magic area in the submerged dungeon can make for an interesting challenge since the anti-magic area will suppress but not end the magic ... however, then placing an encounter with sharks or something more challenging in the anti magic area might be fun.
4) Typical choices would be a sunken temple, the ruins of a castle on land that subsided or was magically lowered, an underwater settlement occupied by Sahuagin, a ship wreck, the lair of an underwater creature that is a threat to shipping in the area (baby Kraken?) ... lots of options, just depends on what you want to run and what might work for your group.
5) Perhaps toss in some water related traps/puzzles.
Thanks! I already have a location(sunken tomb) I’m just really looking for trap/monster ideas. And heartofjuyomk2 you’re great! Again, any and all contributions!
“In a hole in the ground there lived a hobbit. Not a nasty, dirty, wet hole, filled with the ends of worms and an oozy smell, nor yet a dry, bare, sandy hole with nothing in it to sit down on or to eat: it was a hobbithole, and that means comfort.”
My personal favorite trap in this sort of situation is a room with air, not breathable air mind you, but air. Party comes up out of the water, moves around a little, then starts making con checks for no discernible reason. (it's mostly only carbon dioxide that triggers a choking response) If I actually wanted to kill them, I would stick to the rules of suffocation, which have no save, they just die after a certain amount of time with no indication why. Since I don't generally want to kill them, con saves to avoid exhaustion levels, investigation checks if I need to beat them over the head with why they're dying.
I mean ... one thing about water is that it's surface is reflective. So in a dark, flooded room, the light from a torch extends only to the surface of the water.
I had a great fight, once. A set of buildings in a flooded chamber. The PC's could walk on the roofs, and near the entrance they came from, three buildings were connected by rotten old ... 'bridges'. However, they needed to cross the chamber to find the McGuffin, which was in a temple of sorts.
It wasn't a particularly dangerous fight - there were some lizardfolk under the water, but they were effectively invisible, had better movement in the water (obviously, they tried to knock the PC's into the water), and their numbers were unknown.
Blanket disclaimer: I only ever state opinion. But I can sound terribly dogmatic - so if you feel I'm trying to tell you what to think, I'm really not, I swear. I'm telling you what I think, that's all.
Some standard creatures you could find are Sahuagin and Sea Hags. Here is a link to the Monster page on DDB filtered by the environment to "underwater," which could give you some ideas.
Note: The monsters displayed may be contingent on what if any, books you have purchased online, but you should be able to get the Basic Rules monsters.
Also don't forget to throw in a monster that deals lightning damage. Give it a highly telegraphed ability that charges up so that the PCs know they have to stop it or take a ton of damage.
You could have lightlt or heavily obscured water along with rules for swimming, holding your breath to make thungs unusual and uneasy.
Boiling water causing fire damage or othwrwise water cold, necroric, poisonous etc dealing respective damage and conditions such as blinded, incapacitated, payalyzed, exhaustion, disease or even madness.
Some water could be luminescence and blinding and cause a saving throw or get Supernatural Gift like a charm or boon etc
Rooms and corridors with current actiing as forced movement dragging you around into traps
Mold and onze rampant, lichen causing slippwry surface potentially taking you prone
Highly lightning conductive water
Dope!
“In a hole in the ground there lived a hobbit. Not a nasty, dirty, wet hole, filled with the ends of worms and an oozy smell, nor yet a dry, bare, sandy hole with nothing in it to sit down on or to eat: it was a hobbithole, and that means comfort.”
Underwater Corals, or Giant Clams that act like Ropers, can be trap or monster, Electric Eels, venomous Lampreys, gigantic crabs (mantis shrimp? XD), tunnels full of tall, rubbery water plants with glowing orbs that burst and release acid gel when touched . Players need to dex their way through there, because cutting it down bursts X orbs at once for every 5 feet cleared.... just spitballing.
Edit: Hypnotic Anglerfish? Paralyzing or Charming to come closer?
A couple people mentioned lightning in water but as far as I know there is no RAW modification for lightning damage in water? I know that all creatures have fire resistance when immersed in water but I haven't seen anything changing the AoE or damage for lightning (unless I missed it?).
You could put in some house rules for lightning in water but be sure to put in clues/hints that lightning might behave differently in the water.
Side note if you want an electric trap for water you can steal this one from pf2e just change the dcs.
https://2e.aonprd.com/Hazards.aspx?ID=94
How is this dungeon flooded? Is it connected to an underground river, a surface lake, the ocean, or a portal to the Elemental Plane of Water? That can influence what sorts of critters would be found in it.
Kuo-toa are a subterranean, semi-aquatic race that rarely get used. If it's fresh water you could have bullywogs. A flooded saltwater dungeon might have Merrow.
Find your own truth, choose your enemies carefully, and never deal with a dragon.
"Canon" is what's factual to D&D lore. "Cannon" is what you're going to be shot with if you keep getting the word wrong.
This is all great!
“In a hole in the ground there lived a hobbit. Not a nasty, dirty, wet hole, filled with the ends of worms and an oozy smell, nor yet a dry, bare, sandy hole with nothing in it to sit down on or to eat: it was a hobbithole, and that means comfort.”