For me, this has always been a ruined city. I like the reveal moment, when a party steps out of the forest or over the last hill and sees that big sprawl of broken buildings. I enjoy the freedom of encounter types a ruined city gives you as well, since It is effectively a wilderness setting and a subterranean setting all in one.
There is practically nothing you can’t do with a good ruined city. There is no better venue for a good dragon fight, with the PC’s scrambling for cover as great gouts of fire/acid/ice/etc. are unleashed from overhead. This is also a great place to maybe dust off some old, obscure, classic creatures like the goldbug (ok, so that one is basically just a trap) or quicklings (now we’re talking!).
You can also let your imagination run wild when it comes to descriptions: great trees erupting through buildings, a cracked anvil hinting at the ruins of a blacksmith’s shop, a child’s toy buried in the rubble of a hearth. You have a great opportunity to convey a sense of history and past purpose that is often lost in sprawling dungeon complexes.
Related articles
- 30 Day D&D Challenge, Day 12: Favorite Dungeon Type/Location (wishfulgaming.blogspot.com)
- 30 Day D&D Challenge, Day 12: Favorite Dungeon Type/Location (timbrannan.blogspot.com)
- 30 Day D&D – Favorite Dungeon Type/Location (bigballofnofun.blogspot.com)
- 30 Day Challenge: Day 12 – Favorite Dungeon Type/Location from Tower of the Archmage (towerofthearchmage.blogspot.com)
- Favorite dungeon type/location (mikemonaco.wordpress.com)
- Day 12, Favorite Dungeon Type/Location (fractalbat.wordpress.com)
- [almostoldschool] Day 12: Favorite Dungeon Type / Location [w/ map!] (almostoldschool.wordpress.com)
- Day 12: Favorite D&D Dungeon from A Life Full of Adventure (alifefullofadventure.blogspot.com)
The Rambling Roleplayer Archives 