Generating unique settings for your tabletop sessions doesn’t have to be a chore. If you’ve been looking for the fastest and easiest way to create random dungeon maps for D&D or your favorite TTRPG, I’ve found a fantastic hack in the ShadowDark rulebook. It’s a clever method that turns a handful of dice into a fully fleshed-out adventure site in just a few minutes.
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What You’ll Need to Get Started
Before you begin, grab a few basic supplies. You’ll need a blank sheet of 8.5 by 11 paper (plain or graph paper works great), a d6, and up to twelve d10s. You’ll also want a pencil and your favorite resource for monsters and traps. While these steps are found on pages 130 to 131 of the ShadowDark book, you can easily adapt them to your own game.
Step-by-Step Random Dungeon Maps
To start, roll a d6 on the Site Size table to determine how many dice you’ll need. A roll of four, for example, gives you a medium-sized site, which requires eight d10s. Next, roll another d6 on the Site Type table to see if you’re building a cave, a tomb, deep tunnels, or ruins.
Now for the best part: take your d10s and roll them all at once onto your paper. It’s a legitimate favorite for many because of how tactile it feels. Once they land, draw an outline around the dice. This creates the overall shape of your map. You can then sketch in walls and passages that match your site type. If you rolled a cave, you might draw narrow tunnels and rocky dividers to make it feel organic.
Populating Your Dungeon
Once you’ve drawn your layout, write down the number showing on each die. This is how you generate random mapswith specific room types. Each number corresponds to a table that tells you what’s inside. For example:
- 1: Empty rooms
- 3: Traps (like a sturdy mechanical trap)
- 4: Minor hazards (like enfeebling magic)
- 6: NPCs (perhaps a wounded character for roleplay)
- 7: Monster mobs (stealthy outcasts or reckless minions)
- 8: Major hazards or boss monsters
If you don’t roll a ten, just pick the highest die for your boss encounter. You can even roll for the overall danger level of the dungeon. A roll of six means the area is “Deadly,” which is a great way to challenge your players.
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This hack is a straightforward way to create random dungeon maps that feel unique every time. It’s all about using the dice to spark your imagination and let the context of your campaign fill in the gaps.
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