Dungeon Master's Design Kit

Last updated
Dungeon Master's Design Kit
TSR9234 Dungeon Master's Design Kit.jpg
Author Harold Johnson and Aaron Allston
Genre Role-playing game
Publisher TSR
Publication date
1988

Dungeon Master's Design Kit is an accessory for the Advanced Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game.

Contents

Contents

Dungeon Master's Design Kit is an aid for Dungeon Masters (DMs), with advice and tables for creating different kinds of adventure scenarios. [1]

Book I: Adventure Design includes information on creating an adventure scenario and demonstrates with a brief sample scenario. [1] Book II: Forms Book includes a number of different types of blank design forms. [1] Book III: Adventure Cookbook contains ideas to inspire the creation of settings, and plots for adventures. [1] This book identifies and discusses many of the conventional plot, characterization, and thematic features of the fantasy role-playing game genre. [2]

Publication history

The Dungeon Master's Design Kit was designed by Harold Johnson and Aaron Allston, with a cover by Keith Parkinson and interior illustrations by George Barr. [1] It was published by TSR in 1988 as three 32-page books and an outer folder. [1] It was edited by Christopher Mortika. [2]

Reception

Ken Rolston reviewed Dungeon Master's Design Kit for Dragon magazine in July 1991. [2] He began his review by expressing his disappointment, saying, "the Dungeon Master's Design Kit is based on the use of scads of fill-in-the-blanks forms." [2] He felt that while the forms are "useful reminders of all the details that may be needed in an adventure design," they seem to imply that the Dungeon Master should plan and record all those details before running an adventure even when "no one method of planning and recording details will be satisfactory for all, or even many, DMs". [2] He also said that "Almost any instinctive narrative impulse is likely to produce a more lively adventure than following the suggested procedures in this kit." [2] Rolston found the Adventure Cookbook to be the most interesting reading, but said that while newer DMs would find it worthwhile, more experienced ones would find the book too remedial and boring. [2] He considered the later Campaign Sourcebook and Catacomb Guide to be a better DM aid in general, one that gives DMs the ability to create rather than just presenting lists of ideas. [2] Rolston concluded the review by stating: "This supplement is nonessential. Exceptionally organized and compulsive DMs who love forms and summary sheets may find it exciting, and some of the plot, setting, and character-building tips could be useful to a DM trying to improve his adventure design. Instinctive or veteran DMs don't usually have the problems this book tries to solve. If you are having trouble designing or organizing your own adventures, however, you might give this a try." [2]

Lawrence Schick, in his 1991 book Heroic Worlds, noted the similarities of some of the forms in Forms Book to the ones in Wilmark Dynasty's Roomscapes, and called Adventure Design and Adventure Cookbook "quite good". [1]

Reviews

Related Research Articles

<i>Dungeon Masters Guide</i> Role-playing game rulebook

The Dungeon Master's Guide is a book of rules for the fantasy role-playing game Dungeons & Dragons. The Dungeon Master's Guide contains rules concerning the arbitration and administration of a game, and is intended for use by the game's Dungeon Master.

<i>In Search of the Unknown</i> Dungeons & Dragons adventure module

In Search of the Unknown is a module for the Dungeons & Dragons roleplaying game, designed for use with the Basic Set of rules. It was written by game designer Mike Carr and was first published in 1978 by TSR, Inc. The module details a hidden complex known as the Caverns of Quasqueton. Reviewers considered it a good quality introduction to the game that was written in the so-called dungeon crawl style, where the primary goal of the players is the exploration of a dangerous labyrinth to battle monsters and obtain treasure.

<i>The Gem and the Staff</i> Dungeons & Dragons adventure module

The Gem and the Staff, by John and Laurie Van De Graaf, is an adventure module for the Dungeons & DragonsExpert Set. Rather than being a typical group adventure, The Gem and the Staff was designed for head-to-head tournament-style play, with players separately playing the same adventure and competing against each other for points earned by accomplishing certain goals. The adventure is only playable with one dungeon master (DM) and one player.

<i>The Veiled Society</i> Dungeons & Dragons adventure module

The Veiled Society is an adventure module for the Basic Rules of the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game published in 1984. The adventure's product designation is TSR 9086.

<i>In Search of Adventure</i>

In Search of Adventure is an abridged compilation adventure module published by TSR, Inc. in 1987, for the Basic Set of the Dungeons & Dragons (D&D) fantasy role-playing game. Its product designation was TSR 9190. This 160-page book features cover artwork by Keith Parkinson.

<i>Nights Dark Terror</i>

Night's Dark Terror is an adventure module for the Dungeons & Dragons (D&D) fantasy role-playing game written by British game designers Jim Bambra, Graeme Morris, and Phil Gallagher. It was designed specifically for campaigns transitioning from the D&D Basic Set to the D&D Expert Set. The player characters (PCs) journey from a farmstead into uncharted wilderness, where they encounter new hazards and contend with a secret society. The adventure received a positive review from White Dwarf magazine.

<i>Kings Festival</i>

King's Festival is an adventure module for the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game.

<i>Quagmire!</i>

Quagmire! is a 1984 adventure module for the Expert Rules of the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game.

<i>Lankhmar – City of Adventure</i> Tabletop role-playing game accessory by Douglas Niles

Lankhmar – City of Adventure is an accessory for the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game, first published by TSR in 1985.

<i>Dungeons & Dragons Immortals Rules</i> Tabletop role-playing game supplement for Dungeons & Dragons

Dungeons & Dragons Immortals Rules, written by Frank Mentzer, is a boxed set for the Dungeons & Dragons (D&D) fantasy role-playing game first published by TSR in 1986 as an expansion to the Basic Set.

<i>The Book of Lairs</i> Book by Jim Ward

The Book of Lairs is an accessory book for the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game, first published by TSR in 1986. It contains an assortment of monster-themed mini-adventures. A second volume was published in 1987. TSR coded the accessories REF3 and REF4 respectively, as part of a series of similarly-coded accessories. Both volumes were received well by critics, with the second being seen more positively than the first.

<i>The Official RPGA Tournament Handbook</i> D&D module

The Official RPGA Handbook is an adventure module for the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game, set in the game's World of Greyhawk campaign setting. TSR, Inc. published the module in 1987 for the first edition Advanced Dungeons & Dragons rules. It is part of the "C" series of modules, a set of unrelated adventures originally designed for competition play.

<i>The Complete Priests Handbook</i> 1990 book by Aaron Allston

The Complete Priest's Handbook is a supplemental rulebook published in 1990 for the 2nd edition of the Advanced Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game. Accompanying manuals are The Complete Fighter's Handbook, Thief's Handbook, and Wizard's Handbook.

<i>The Complete Wizards Handbook</i>

The Complete Wizard's Handbook is a supplementary rulebook published in 1990 for the 2nd edition of the Advanced Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game. Accompanying manuals are The Complete Fighter's Handbook, Priest's Handbook, and Thief's Handbook.

<i>Puppets</i> (module)

Puppets is an adventure module published by TSR in 1989 for the fantasy role-playing game Advanced Dungeons & Dragons.

<i>Campaign Sourcebook and Catacomb Guide</i>

Campaign Sourcebook and Catacomb Guide is an accessory for the Advanced Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game.

<i>Arena of Thyatis</i> Dungeons & Dragons adventure module

Arena of Thyatis is an adventure module published in 1990 for the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game. This module is linked with Legions of Thyatis.

<i>Legions of Thyatis</i>

Legions of Thyatis is an adventure module published in 1990 for the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game.

<i>Covenants</i> (Ars Magica)

Covenants is a supplement published by White Wolf Publishing in 1990 for the fantasy role-playing game Ars Magica.

<i>The Halls of the Dwarven Kings</i> Tabletop role-playing game adventure

The Halls of the Dwarven Kings is an adventure published by Integrated Games in 1984 for any role-playing game system.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Schick, Lawrence (1991). Heroic Worlds: A History and Guide to Role-Playing Games. Prometheus Books. p. 95. ISBN   0-87975-653-5.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Rolston, Ken (July 1991). "Role-playing Reviews". Dragon . Lake Geneva, Wisconsin: TSR (#171): 83–84.
  3. "Casus Belli #051". 1989.