I've always thought of the 5RD as "5 areas to include", rather than a literal list of the specific rooms in a dungeon that cannot be exceeded or visited in different orders. So I think you're doing it just right! ...and if not, I think it's more fun this way anyway.

'"Something Blue," making something sad I think is a perfect mood setter for the dungeon, I think the term though could also be used as a catch all for "Use of color." Meaning, that depending on the tone of your adventure "Something blue" could be a term that adds some tonal flavor.

A deer + birb is a Peryton, which is a monster I never see anybody use, so that feels a lot more original than a dragon. Why are some monsters so neglected, the ones YOU never see would be cool topics for your "Build Better Monsters" drawings. (Personally I lean away from "non-playable" Humanoids)

The "Thinky -Room" is exactly what I've been looking for! I've been working on a series of connected "dungeons" based on chasing a fugitive NPC. A gnome vivisectionist/necromancer - Slicin' Higlee - who's involved with several other bad guys throughout the land. But I've struggled with how to let the PCs know they're all related. Having a "Thinky-Room" in every dungeon with clues relating to the others is just what my thinky-thing (brain) needed! Plus, looking at the dungeons in reverse makes it all so much easier. Thank you!

Beautiful technique, stealing this for my inspiration notebook! :) After looking up the original poem I realized that the final line is super helpful as well: "...something blue, and a sixpence in her shoe." As someone who often forgets to add hidden treasure, NPCs or other boons to reward exploration, that line is a good reminder to do that!

I really appreciate how you hand-write the outlines of your videos. It's a terrific pedagogical technique that perfectly suits the style/theme of the channel.

This is great! I’m glad you explicitly said you weren’t criticizing the initial five room dungeon design method, but I never thought that way. I always like the way you give credit to people who have done excellent work, and then you share how you add different tips and techniques and ways to implement them. Again, thanks for taking your time to share with us.

okay that's it. I'm buying isometric grid paper and a pencil. your videos are pure gold, thank you. really appreciate your sensibilities and outlook, plus the artistry of your maps is exquisite.

Your content is absolutely fantastic, really awesome practical and theoretical tips that have not only improved how I look at maps, but being a game master in general. Always a delight to watch!

I like your non-linear thought process.

Brilliantly simple.... love it! The "something old/history of the place" alone seems so obvious, yet, it is a game changer

Big fan of the wedding mnemonic. I thought you might have meant blue as in blue language - something to make the players swear! (In fact, that's how my version will work haha)

I found this very helpful. It reminds me of when I took tests. If I got stuck, I would flip to the end. I needed a change in perspective. Your tips do this very elegantly.

So glad I found your channel! Legit the best rpg channel I've seen in a while. You deserve so many more subs

This is great stuff. The algorhythm needs to pick this content up!

i LOVE your art style!! wow!!! and great tips of building dungeons. i don't even actively play dnd but this was very interesting! and that concept of old/new/borrowed/blue is a great idea that i'll definitely be testing out next time i'm working on an art project!

Thank you for your time.

Finally took the time to watch this one. Your videos are so awesome, Kyle, you deserve all praising.

I just found your channel through this video and I think I'm going to be watching a lot more of these videos. 😄 This was very inspiring and I can't wait to see what else you have! Thank you for putting these out there!

loved your method, and your art style is amazing! wery well done mate

Oh I am starting my intro session in less than four hours. But this just launched me over the mental hurdles I've been banging my head against for the last month. Ty ty ty ty ty tysm

I'm so glad I found this channel, there are other KZfaqrs out there who provide DM assistance the same as you, but the way you present your content in an almost academia like way gives you an air of legitimacy that those other guys just don't have. It's almost like comparing hobbyists (them) to you, a PhD DM.

just found you. love it. subscribed

your content is helping me out a ton! looking forward to becoming a patreon myself!

Just discover this channel, this is great ! Good advice to pimp my dungeon !

Beautiful dragon design, very reminiscent of the peryton. Great video!

Designing in reverse is probably one of the best techniques in general. Start with the BBEG, their goals and motivations, their powers, followers, resources, etc. Then their lair, the surrounding rooms and hallways, entrances, guards, guests, traps, and so on. It helps to start with the purpose of the "dungeon" -- the how and why -- rather than creating a space then trying to fit a story into it.

I needed this so much, not for dungeon design, but for writers block

I agree with you designing in reverse order, makes sure that you foreshadow future elements and builds cohesion through your dungeon!

Thank you so much! Gonna share this with my DM

Excellent video really enjoyed it.

Love the videos you make! Your artwork and maps are great for inspiration. *COugh* (stealing your ideas) :)

"...a cross between an eagle and a deer," you mean a Peryton? Hahaha. The image looks great. I understand what you were going for, of course, but when I saw the image, then you said an eagle and deer, well, I couldn't resist.

Beautiful.

This kicks so much ass. I feel bad but I hope your channel stays small so I can steal everything and my players won't ever know... xD

Stealing this one for my new campaign! :) I'm trying to seed a region with mini-dungeons Skyrim-style and this is just the sort of thing I'm looking for.

A good series I'm reading highlights just three points to be wary about when assaulting a villain's stronghold (or a dungeon): "a trial, a monster and the pivot". The promise of treasure can be implied, it doesn't need to reach paper save for checking your balance and separating the entrance or gauntlet from possibly making those host of the monster or trial is limiting. In my more realistic dungeon designs, which are essentially dungeons only in spirit (a house or palace, an overrun town, a mostly linear tunnel), I often bother just to draw the locations hosting these points of interest and perhaps one arena or two, if there are terrain features I want to include to restrict or exploit. Traps which are not practical are excluded, as it is most practical to maintain just the two major roadblocks, while other wards and hidden paths are just a way to see if the players remember they own the key to them and be rewarded with goodies or avoiding minor encounters.

Where do you get your graph paper? The other isometric options online are so busy but this one is incredible.

Loved the video! Only thing, you spelled it "barrow" as in wheelbarrow, not borrow, as in to ask someone to lend you something. Just thought I'd let you know, hope it's ok! I subscribed, really hoping to see more!

Great video to watch as a follow up (only 7 min 38 secs long): kzfaq.info/get/bejne/mM-GjbV6v8vWlX0.html It teaches how to build elegant story telling via just the set pieces encountered in the dungeon.

Hiperty hoperty my subscription is now your property Your vids are really nice and making me want to work in isometry

The way you hold a pencil makes my hand hurt by proxy.

I have to admit, I thought that "barrow" on the list was going to be a clever pun about, you know, the grave-mound kind of barrows, instead of just a misspelling of "borrow." Oh well, maybe next time.

ive beeb wondering, do you use your isometric maps as more of a visual reference or do you use them as tactical maps also?

I’m all for useful neologisms, but how is “alinear” different from “nonlinear”? Are you capturing a subtle nuance I’m missing?

When I'm stuck I like to use my large collection of story cubes to get me thinking down random paths I'd not thought of. Any tips for using these?

It drives me insane as someone who can not draw, that artists can doodle things I wish I could draw.

Hi, how would you go about creating classes for a new ttrpg?

Something about the way he speaks reminds me of TangoTek over on the Hermitcraft server

What if we used a deferent interpretation of the phrase something borrowed, and instead interpreting it as the artist(gm or dm) borrowing creatively (which you can do that to) what if we interpreted it as meaning something of narrative significance such as a roll in a ritual or a mysterious power or maybe just a title that is established not to rightfully belong to the player but they must Cary the torch anyway.

where do you get this paper?

Are these just for your reference or do you show the players these when they enter the dungeon?

Could you like, show the entire thing?

Artist's Block is when you want to do an art but don't know what to art. Burnout is when you (or your body!!) don't want to do an art.

Brother I love your stuff, however I want to challenge you to attempt to make your next piece "less busy" while I like stuff your stuff as a designer there is almost too much going on and I get lost in the render. I'd almost like to see a larger map with really honed In specific areas while your contending with negative space. I don't know where my eyes are supposed to focus because there is so much detail

Non english native speaker here : i don't understand "barrowed" and i don't find something that fits on internet, can someone help me pls ?

why don't you sharpen your pencil