New Sport: Dungeon Speedrunning!

[molten_dragon]

Our group has developed a new Pathfinder sport in our latest campaign. Dungeon Speedrunning! It's basically the exact opposite of the 15-minute adventuring day, you try to clear an entire dungeon in as few rounds as possible.

It started by accident when we had to clear out a keep of demons, and had a limited time to do it in for plot reasons. Being level 4, we didn't have much in the way of spells, spell durations, rage rounds, etc. Since we had to do it fast anyway, we decided the best bet was to buff up and blitzkrieg the place before the buffs ran out. It was a ton of fun, and we since decided to start doing it on purpose.

We're now tracking each dungeon by the number of rooms and the number of rounds to clear it of all enemies. So far our best is ~2 rounds / room, but we're hoping to eventually lower that to 1 or less.

Has anyone else ever tried this, and if so do you have any tips for speeding up our times?

[Garktz]

that should be up to the party composition and level of said party....

I mean, cleric, druid, wizard, wizard, all lvl 20 should 1 round every dungeon if enough preparation....

[rockdeworld]

Since we had to do it fast anyway, we decided the best bet was to buff up and blitzkrieg the place before the buffs ran out.
That's what a 15-minute adventuring day looks like when it's done right. Good on you guys for keeping track of this and trying to get better at it. I've never tried it myself, but it seems that the traditional scry-and-die tactic would work once you reach level 7. Assuming a multi-room dungeon, that would bring your rounds/room down to the low fractions.

At level 5, locate object helps on missions where a unique object is involved. A supercharger 1-shotting enemies helps too, but it sounds like you're already doing that. Do you have a Master Summoner with 3+ dire tigers out at all times?

[molten_dragon]

The party is a barbarian, a paladin, an oracle, and a wizard (conjurer or transmuter I think, not exactly sure). We're level 6 at the moment.

[Slipperychicken]

Seconding Master Summoner. This was my experience:

>Have Augment Summoning and Superior Summoning.
>Buff rounds
>Spam like 4x summon monsters (1d3+1 earth elementals per casting, all have +4 strength and con) before the fight
>Haste
>Rush in
>GG

[rockdeworld]

The party is a barbarian, a paladin, an oracle, and a wizard (conjurer or transmuter I think, not exactly sure). We're level 6 at the moment.
Ah, then starting next level (for the wizard, assuming conjurer) you can start doing things like the wizard prepares Scrying and 2x DimDoor. Casts Scrying before going into the dungeon, Oracle buffs the Pally and Barb to Hell and back*, rush to within 680' of the place scry'd, DimDoor the Pally and Barb in there, they slaughter while the wizard provides support, DimDoor back, escape.

*Bless, Magic Weapon, Shield of Faith, Aid, Bull's STR, Bear's CON, Eagle's CHA on the Pally, Weapon of Awe, Magic Circle against Evil, Protection from Energy (if needed), Sky Swim, Wrathful Mantle are good ones that I can see.

And if the scrying fails, try again tomorrow. unless you're in a rush for some reason.

[Alefiend]

It's not exactly a new sport. Tournament rules from at least as far back as 1st Ed AD&D awarded points based on how fast (or if) you completed the adventure within the time limit. [/grognard]

[Beneath]

It's not exactly a new sport. Tournament rules from at least as far back as 1st Ed AD&D awarded points based on how fast (or if) you completed the adventure within the time limit. [/grognard]

Reminds me of the adamantine door story I heard once.

basically, from what I remember: tournament dungeon with that constraint. Points awarded for treasure taken and quick return (with treasure). The dungeon was designed full of features to slow adventurers down, including a giant pair of adamantine double doors as its front door (time spent opening them counted on the clock). The winning party took the doors and left to sell them.

[Shalist]

This reminds me of the most recent Dresdan Files for some reason...

"Parkour! Parkour!"

[Inevitability]

4e has something like this. It's called 'Lair Assault' and the premise is:

-The whole dungeon is one giant encounter. No resting inbetween, and even when there are no enemies to be seen, time is measured in combat rounds.

-You only have a limited number of rounds to complete the dungeon.

-The dungeon is full of traps and features to screw with you. That includes teleporters that randomly split the party up, enough monsters to make any normal party cry and one of the only mentions of instant death I've ever seen in any 4e book.

[AuraTwilight]

Now add the sport in-universe.

Any adventuring party who rests in the middle of a dungeon is treated as basic-level scrubs by everybody. Everyone walks into the bar and all the patrons just giggle behind your backs.

[molten_dragon]

Ah, then starting next level (for the wizard, assuming conjurer) you can start doing things like the wizard prepares Scrying and 2x DimDoor. Casts Scrying before going into the dungeon, Oracle buffs the Pally and Barb to Hell and back*, rush to within 680' of the place scry'd, DimDoor the Pally and Barb in there, they slaughter while the wizard provides support, DimDoor back, escape.

*Bless, Magic Weapon, Shield of Faith, Aid, Bull's STR, Bear's CON, Eagle's CHA on the Pally, Weapon of Awe, Magic Circle against Evil, Protection from Energy (if needed), Sky Swim, Wrathful Mantle are good ones that I can see.

And if the scrying fails, try again tomorrow. unless you're in a rush for some reason.

That sort of breaks the spirit of what we're trying to do. The idea is to do the dungeon in a continuous manner, as fast as possible. Not to do it in one-round chunks spread out over several days.

[rockdeworld]

That sort of breaks the spirit of what we're trying to do. The idea is to do the dungeon in a continuous manner, as fast as possible. Not to do it in one-round chunks spread out over several days.
Why would you ever do the whole dungeon when you can just defeat the BBEG? Except in the occasional case that your goal is "clear out the dungeon."

[Seclora]

In the campaign I currently play in; this sport is part of not-the Olympics. You get one break in a three stage dungeon, taken at a time of your choosing. The goal is to light the torch at the end; simple, right? We got three rounds of prep time, you lose if you leave (pass through the walls, teleport out of bounds, etc...), and the enemies already know who you are and how you fight.

[molten_dragon]

Why would you ever do the whole dungeon when you can just defeat the BBEG? Except in the occasional case that your goal is "clear out the dungeon."

For XP and treasure. Why else?

[rockdeworld]

For XP and treasure. Why else?
Ah, you guys play with the kind of DM that only awards XP for killing monsters (as opposed to bypassing them). Then it's understandable.

[molten_dragon]

Ah, you guys play with the kind of DM that only awards XP for killing monsters (as opposed to bypassing them). Then it's understandable.

We don't necessarily have to kill them, but we don't get XP for things we don't encounter. If we're able to roleplay our way past a monster, or it escapes or something, we get XP. If we skip past it altogether then we don't get anything, because there was no encounter.

Plus it's more fun that way. And also roleplaying reasons.