Solving the Dungeon Problem

 

I've never been happy with how dungeons work in D&D. It often feels like a fantasy version of 20 questions.
I believe that D&D should play to its strengths, and describing hyper-specific areas down to minute details isn't one of them. D&D is best when the players' imagination fills in the gaps. With that in mind, I came up with this: Instead of drawing a map and consulting a dungeon key to describe what they players see, you write down a few simple details on each card, and lay them on the table as they come up. Here is Cragmaw Hideout from the starter set adventure, the Lost Mines of Phandelver, done in my format:

Outside of Cave Mouth
Sight: Cave mouth, 30 feet tall, 4-foot tall brier bushes on riverbank
Sound: Stream of water, flowing from cave
Smell: Fishy, dirty river
Touch: Cold humidity coming from cave

We've already made a very dry and dull area more interesting and immersive, especially if the GM creatively narrates this information. The GM would still have the dungeon notes, but now they have a card sitting on the table in front of everyone, which keeps the description fresh. With their full notes, the GM know there are goblins hiding behind the bushes. Let's move into the dungeon.

Kennel
Sight: River leading uphill into cave. Side chamber on the right side
Sound: Rattling chains, heavy breathing
Smell: Wet dog smell, feces
Touch: Uneven stone steps, narrowing cave

I’ve forgotten where I first saw the "Five Senses" description, but it’s incredibly useful, but also easy to forget. This system helps keep it in mind.

The goal here is the reduce the number of questions players ask. Often, players don't catch every part of a description, and so end up wasting time asking the GM to reiterate existing information. We want them to ask questions that reveal new information.

Here's another one!

Sloping Passage
Sight: Powerful flowing stream. Narrow natural walkway against the right wall
Sounds: Almost-deafening noise from stream
Smell: Cleaner air, open space
Touch: Dramatic uphill slope, cold air, splashing water

Note that it's important to only describe the area as it's perceived when your players find it. You don't include every single detail. The players will naturally ask follow-up questions. For instance, in this area I didn't describe the bridge overhead, or the overlooking cliff off to the left. These are things that players might overlook. Conceivably, they would be looking at their feet as they traverse the narrow walkway. As players notice substantial details, simply have one of the players write that new information on the card.

I would love to see someone convert a few Tomb of Annihilation dungeons into note card format.

Try it!