How Do You Feel About That?

My players have spent four sessions dungeon-crawling through the Temple of the Lightbringers. Last week, they all agreed it's been "very intense." Then someone said, "It's a dungeon crawl, but it's also been surprisingly good for character development. I feel like we've learned a lot about each other." He is right! One of the good things about dungeon crawls is that they serve as a terrific canvas for character development. When people say they find dungeon crawls boring, at least part of the reason is because this isn't happening.

So, how do you run a dungeon crawl that centers the characters in this way? There are a few tricks, but I want to talk about one I learned only recently (I think it was from The Alexandrian, but I can't find the article). It is simply this: after dramatic moments, ask a player how their character feels.

For example, when the party saw 30 skeletons emerge out of the darkness, I said to our druid, "Jarrah, how do you feel as you watch all these undead charge you?" It was a deliberate choice - Jarrah is a nervous character, and the player responded appropriately.

Another time, Tirril was interrogating a prisoner when another bandit ambushed the party. Two Fry shot the prisoner rather than let him escape or become a threat. I said to Tirril, our gentle cleric, "Tirril, how do you feel about this?" She was shocked, saddened, and angry.

It is a little trick that has an outsized impact. It allows the players to expose their inner dialogue and communicate complex ideas, which can really propel their character development. Sometimes, they say something simple and obvious, but it is no less profound for that.

But don't overuse it either, as two or three times total per session is ample. Pick dramatic moments that are likely to resonate with a character. "Joran, you've finally come face-to-face with the man who killed your father. How are you feeling at the moment?"

Try it! You will be surprised.