Converting a game into another style?

[NineThePuma]

Okay, so I know that D&D is typically used for a 'dungeon crawl' where you go on a mission, clear it, go back to the 'hub' and are done. But can it be converted to a Metroidvania style game?

[Eldariel]

Okay, so I know that D&D is typically used for a 'dungeon crawl' where you go on a mission, clear it, go back to the 'hub' and are done. But can it be converted to a Metroidvania style game?

You mean a pipe run? Sure, World's Largest Dungeon is pretty much that, for example, and it's a premade module. And really, the shape of the adventure is pretty free in D&D; as long as you account for the party capabilities (don't expect "Long distances" to be a relevant challenge for a party with Teleport, for example), you can pretty much run whatever style you want. Urban adventures, even horror games can work pretty well in 3.5.

In games I've played, while dungeons exist they're usually only a side spice along the actual game (they mostly take the form of some safeholds of some powerful magic items/artifacts, and bases of operations of evil organizations; and the occasional Dragon's Lair).