Teleportation: an expanded view (warning: longer than normal)

"Ingress and egress are vital components of a megadungeon. As such, they must be well designed." -me on Facebook earlier today.

While writing my Mord Mar Monday post last night, I talked about teleportation in Mord Mar. I asked some friends on Facebook about the subject. I received some excellent responses. Here was my post:

"A question for the historians of Dungeons & Dragons: Did Gary gygax allow teleportation to be used in castle greyhawk? I dimly remember reading something about it a long time ago, but my google fu is weak.

Follow up question: Do those of you with your own Mega dungeons allow teleportation in them?"

Having my Facebook friends respond to my post was very enlightening. I found that Gary Gygax did in fact allow teleportation into and out of Greyhawk Castle. And, it seems most megadungeon creators do allow for teleportation to work within their creations. Undermountain colored my perception more than I had realized.

To recap, here's what I said was going to happen with the Mord Mar:

"My conclusion to the Teleport Dilemma is a randomization. As I was thinking about the teleport nodes that line the entrance corridor, I decided that Egg devised the system. He built it, but it is pervasive throughout Mord Mar. 50% of the time the teleport spell taps into the system, and dumps the people being teleported into the nearest teleport node (or activation point). 25% of the time, they teleport as intended (with the usual teleport chances of failure), and 25% of the time the spell simply fails."

In 1E AD&D, teleport has a casting time of 2 segments, with only a V component. So, it is quick and easy to cast. The weight limit may factor into successfully using the spell in combat. I just looked up the S&W version of teleport, and I'm a bit surprised. Here it is, from the newest printing of the Complete Rules:

Spell Level: Magic-User, 5th Level Range: Touch Duration: Instantaneous

This spell transports the caster or another person to a destination that the caster knows, or at least knows what it looks like from a picture or a map. Success depends on how well the caster knows the targeted location, as follows:

1. If the caster has only seen the location in a picture or through a map (so that knowledge is not based on direct experience), there is only a 25% chance of success, and failure means death, for the traveler’s soul is lost in the spaces between realities.

1. If the caster has seen but not studied the location, there is a 20% chance of error. In the case of an error, there is a 50% chance that the traveler arrives low, 1d10 x10 feet below the intended location (with death resulting from arrival within a solid substance). If the error is high (over the 50% chance for a “low” arrival), the traveler arrives 1d10 x10 feet above the targeted location – likely resulting in a deadly fall.

1. If the caster is well familiar with the location, or has studied it carefully, there is only a 5% chance of error. On a 1 in 6 the teleport is low, otherwise it is high. In either case, the arrival is 1d4 x10 feet high or low.

This version of the spell obviously does not provide enough advantage to warrant a problem. It is only a single person. It honestly seems a bit weak for a 5th level spell. Looking at Labyrinth Lord, it seems to be very similar to the S&W version. This may be why settings like Barrowmaze, Rappan Athuk and Castle of the Mad Archmage don't mention teleport.

Compare that to the Pathfinder version, which is HERE. PF ramps up the power level considerably for this spell. I would assume D&D 3.0/5 would be about the same.

HERE is the 5E version, for reference as well. Again, a very different spell than LL or S&W. Also considerably more powerful than 1E.

This brings me to the conclusion that the rules system for the game will have a large impact on the effectiveness of teleport. Mord Mar started as Pathfinder, which may be the root of my consternation.


"Mega's are all about navigation- at higher levels PCs have more options and should be able to use them. That said, high level GMing for Megas is about challenging resources - so I limit teleportation. In my newest Mega, the dungeon itself has MR you have to overcome"

Mister Z said that. I want to study it for a moment. The first sentence is why I have the Teleportation Dilemma. I agree that players and characters should have access to the things that they earn. It's beginning to look like I should re-revisit teleportation in Mord Mar.

Another friend of mine, JJ, said "With the additional possibility of spell failure? Why not?" This makes me think that I am on the right track.

For now, I think I'm modifying the original percentages: 25% to hit a node, 25% to hit a  rune, and 50% chance to work normally.

Mord Mar Monday

This past week I have been spending more time on Mord Mar, and less time on blogs, and other gaming-related activities. I have had a couple of solid breakthroughs on design and writing.

First, I have been moving forward on writing the sequel to Goblins. Mord Mar: Denizens of the Citadel has 4000 words written. I have made it to a room that is overwhelming me. There's just too much to describe. I'm pushing through it, trying to find a way to write it that won't overwhelm the reader. Nine different objects need describing.  It is a challenge that I will overcome. In the next couple of days, I will find a format that works.

The flip side of that overwhelming room is the adventure is outlined, and will move quickly once the room is done. I love the different challenges that are going to be presented. Combat, puzzles, and exploration will really be at the forefront in Denizens of the Citadel. I'm excited about the history and setting that is becoming organic to the module.

On a different note, I think I have finally found a solution to the Teleportation Dilemma. This problem has been nagging at me for years. For those of you that don't know what the Teleportation Dilemma is, allow me to explain. Teleportation can screw up a mega dungeon. The ability to come and go at will removes a large portion of danger. It allows the quick transportation of loot. Teleportation can allow access to areas that the GM has not fully prepared.

With all of this, most mega dungeon creators limit or remove the use of teleport. Look at Undermountain as a great example. Here's a quote from The Ruins of Undermountain Campaign Guide to Undermountain, page 16: "Old, but still potent, protective magics placed by Halaster prevent many forms of teleportation and similar spells - word of recall, dimension door, succor, and even passwall from functioning within (and into or out of) Undermountain. No magical methods of escape are possible unless such magics don’t touch or pass through any stone walls, doors, floors or ceilings."

Removing such a powerful spell from the party has caused many of my players consternation. In some games they have had to find the spell, in others they chose it as a spell when leveling. Either way, they hated not having it available. They felt punished, simply because of the setting that we were using.

My conclusion to the Teleport Dilemma is a randomization. As I was thinking about the teleport nodes that line the entrance corridor, I decided that Egg devised the system. He built it, but it is pervasive throughout Mord Mar. 50% of the time the teleport spell taps into the system, and dumps the people being teleported into the nearest teleport node (or activation point). 25% of the time, they teleport as intended (with the usual teleport chances of failure), and 25% of the time the spell simply fails.

Changes are a coming

Earlier today, I posted on Facebook that I would be changing some of the teleporters in Mord Mar.  It is a significant change to how the whole campaign world works, and I thought I should expand on the idea.

As I tune Mord Mar to a convention playtest, I have been looking at all of the overall mechanics of the campaign.  I already did away with the Meave, as it was too clunky and confusing. That was pretty cut and dry compared to the teleporters though.  The teleporters are a staple, and are the cogs of the modular design inside Mord Mar.  But, on some level they need to make sense.

As I was writing the hallway (highway?) from the Entrance City to the Ruined City, I thought about a group just trying to activate every teleporter on the way.  Why not?  Then I wondered why a mighty dwarven king would have a backdoor into his stronghold completely unguarded that would allow an assassin materialize at his back.  It just didn't make sense to me to allow it to stay as it was.

The king would do his best to keep that particular rune a secret, but it would be difficult, if not impossible to do so.  Whoever made it would know about it.  His children would know about it.  His advisers and his wife would know about it.  The Captain of the Guard would know about it.  His (and his wife's) family would know about it.  And each generation would add more people who knew the secret.  Any sane king would not want that to be a two way street. The king would be sure to make it an exit only option.

This opens up other possibilities.  One way in, fight your way out.  One way out, find your way to the Mcguffin.  As a GM, it is a lot more appealing. Mixing up the teleporters will take away a lot of quick jaunts to odd parts of the mountain.

The question becomes, which ones need to change, and which ones stay the same?  I think teleporters that lead to market districts, or places that once supplied goods to the city should remain two way teleporters.  But what about the rune in the Orcish Holdings?  should that be two way?  Was that once part of the Old City (current writing says no)?

A beautiful thing about the mountain itself being alive is the fact that the mountain has its own wishes and desires.  It may change the way the magic works inside its body to confuse the creatures that are assaulting its innards.  So, it is possible that the teleporters don't work the same way every time.  And what if evil party hating wizards decide they need to rewrite the code that makes the teleporters function?

So many more possibilities this way.  Expect the unexpected, intrepid adventurers.