DWARVES & MINING #1 – D&D MINING GUIDE – Introduction
Have you ever dreamed of digging into the depths of the earth, looking for hidden treasures and exciting adventures? If the answer is yes, then this article is for you. I will show you how to use dwarves and mines in D&D to create unforgettable gaming sessions.
In this article, you will find:
Why using dwarves and mines in D&D is fun and challenging How to create a mine in D&D with rules and mechanics Examples of mines and adventures in D&D from famous modules or original scenarios
Conclusion and invitation to try my ideas or share your experiences Are you ready to explore the secrets of the underground world? Then let’s get started!
WHY USING DWARVES AND MINES IN D&D
Dwarves and mines are two elements that are deeply connected in the fantasy genre. Dwarves are known for their skill and passion for mining, crafting, and engineering. Mines are places where they can find precious metals, gemstones, and exotic materials that they use to create their weapons, armors, and artifacts.
Using dwarves and mines in D&D can add value to your games in many ways. Here are some of them:
You can create a rich and detailed culture for your dwarven characters or NPCs, based on their history, traditions, beliefs, and customs related to mining. You can introduce new challenges and opportunities for your players, such as managing a mine, defending it from enemies, exploring its depths, or finding new resources. You can use mines as settings for your adventures, where you can encounter various monsters, traps, puzzles, secrets, and dangers. You can use mines as sources for your adventures, where you can find maps, clues, artifacts, or quests that lead you to other locations or plots.
HOW TO CREATE A MINE IN D&D
Creating a mine in D&D is similar to creating a dungeon, but with some differences. A mine is not just a random collection of rooms and corridors, but a structured and functional complex that has a purpose and a logic. To create a mine in D&D, you need to consider some aspects, such as:
- The type of mine: is it an active or an abandoned mine? Is it a surface or an underground mine? Is it a natural or an artificial mine?
- The owner of the mine: who owns or controls the mine? Is it a clan of dwarves, a group of adventurers, a band of kobolds, orcs or goblins, or someone else?
- The location of the mine: where is the mine located? Is it in the mountains, in the hills, in the plains, or somewhere else? How far is it from the nearest town or city?
- The layout of the mine: how is the mine organized? How many levels does it have? How are they connected? What are the main features of each level?
- The resources of the mine: what kind of resources can be found in the mine? What are their values and properties? How are they extracted and processed?
- The hazards of the mine: what kind of hazards can be encountered in the mine? What are their causes and effects? How can they be avoided or overcome?
EXAMPLES OF MINES AND ADVENTURES IN D&D
To give you some inspiration, here are some examples of mines and adventures in D&D that you can use or modify for your games.
- The Lost Mine of Phandelver: this is a famous module from the D&D Starter Set, where the players have to find and explore an ancient mine that contains a powerful magic forge. The mine is an abandoned underground artificial mine, owned by a group of adventurers, located in the hills near the town of Phandalin. The main resources of the mine are metals, gemstones, and magic. The main hazards of the mine are traps, monsters, curses, and rivals.
- The Iron Mine of Baldur’s Gate: this is an example from the PC game Baldur’s Gate, where the players have to investigate and solve a problem with the local iron mine. The mine is an active surface natural mine, owned by a dwarven clan, located in the mountains near the city of Baldur’s Gate. The main resource of the mine is iron. The main hazard of the mine is a mystery involving a mysterious substance that corrupts the iron.
DWARVES & MINING #2 – D&D MINING GUIDE – Mine Products
We have seen how to create and run a mine in D&D, and how to use it as a source of adventures. In this post, we will focus on answering the question: what can I mine? We will explore the different types of resources that can be found in a mine, and their values and properties.
In this post, you will find:
The four categories of mine products that you can mine in D&D: metals, stones, gemstones, and exotic materials.
The names, values, and properties of each type of mine product. Some tables, images, and graphs to illustrate the information and make it more visual and interesting.
Are you ready to discover the treasures of the underground world? Then let’s dig in!
TYPES OF RESOURCES
The resources that can be mined in D&D are divided into four categories: metals, stones, gemstones, and exotic materials. Each category has different characteristics and uses that make them valuable and desirable for different purposes.
Metals are solid substances that are usually shiny, malleable, ductile, and good conductors of heat and electricity. They are used to create weapons, armors, coins, tools, machines, and other items.
Stones are solid substances that are usually dull, hard, brittle, and poor conductors of heat and electricity. They are used to create buildings, sculptures, pottery, jewelry, and other items.
Gemstones are rare and beautiful stones that have a high value and a special appeal. They are used to create jewelry, ornaments, magic items, and other items.
Exotic materials are unusual and extraordinary substances that have unique properties and effects. They are used to create rare and powerful items that have special abilities or qualities.
DWARVES & MINING #3 – D&D MINING GUIDE – Mining Sites
In the previous posts, we have seen how to create and run a mine in D&D, and what types of resources can be mined. In this post, we will focus on answering the question: where can I mine? We will explore the different environments that can host a mine, and their probabilities and challenges.
In this post, you will find:
- The six environments that we have chosen for our mining guide: desert, jungle, mountain/hill, plain, swamp/marsh, and volcanic region.
- The characteristics, probabilities, and challenges of mining in each environment.
- Some tables, images, and graphs to illustrate the information and make it more visual and interesting.
Are you ready to discover the treasures of the underground world? Then let’s dig in!
ENVIRONMENTS
The environments that can host a mine in D&D are varied and diverse. Each environment has its own features and factors that affect the accessibility, visibility, climate, terrain, and ecology of the mine. Each environment also has different chances of hosting specific mine products, such as metals, stones, gemstones, or exotic materials.
We have compiled a list of six environments that are suitable for mining in D&D. Based on our research, we have assumed that each environment has different chances of hosting specific mine products. Of course, these are only assumptions made to simplify the concept of mining in D&D. You can always modify or adjust them according to your preferences or needs.
The six environments that we have chosen are:
- Desert: a dry and barren area of land where little precipitation occurs and living conditions are hostile for plant and animal life.
- Jungle: a dense and tropical forest with a high degree of biodiversity and rainfall.
- Mountain/Hill: a natural elevation of the earth’s surface that is higher than the surrounding land.
- Plain: a flat and wide area of land with few trees or hills.
- Swamp/Marsh: a wetland that is dominated by herbaceous plants and often partially or intermittently flooded by water.
- Volcanic Region: an area of land that is affected by volcanic activity or eruptions.
DWARVES & MINING #4 – D&D MINING GUIDE – Mining Output
In the previous posts, we have seen how to create and run a mine in D&D, what types of resources can be mined, and where can they be mined. In this post, we will focus on answering the questions: how can I mine and how much can I mine? We will explore the methods and tools that can be used for mining, and the factors and variables that affect the mining output.
In this post, you will find:
- The different methods and tools that can be used for mining, such as digging, drilling, blasting, panning, sluicing, dredging, etc.
- The advantages and disadvantages of each method and tool, and how they affect the speed, efficiency, and safety of mining.
- The different factors and variables that affect the mining output, such as ore quality, ore quantity, ore type, ore location, ore depth, ore accessibility, ore extraction, ore processing, etc.
- How to measure or estimate each factor and variable, and how they influence the value and profitability of mining.
- How to calculate the mining output based on the methods, tools, factors, and variables that you have described.
- Some examples of output calculation for different scenarios or situations.
- Some tables, images, and graphs to illustrate the information and make it more visual and interesting.
Are you ready to discover the secrets of the underground world? Then let’s dig in!
CONCLUSIONS
We have provided many tips on how to run a mine in D&D. We made research and investigation on the subject and translated the concept in game terms, with simple mechanics that can work on D&D or any D&D related role playing game.
However, if you do not want to reinvent the wheel and you prefer to start as soon as possible with your mine, you can rely on the book I have published on DrivethruRpg.
Keep in mind that the MINING GUIDE, as all the content published by Angry Golem Games, will be updated, improved and expanded, thanks to your feedbacks and tips also. Once you purchase one of our products, you will be able to download any update of the same file for free, without having to buy the same product multiple times. In order to receive notifications concerning updates and new publications do not forget to subscribe to our shop in DrivethruRpg.
Mining is a fun and rewarding activity that can enrich your D&D games with new challenges and opportunities. With this article, you have learned how to create and run a mine in D&D, what types of resources can be mined, where can they be mined, how can they be mined, and how much can they be mined. You have also discovered the Mining Guide, a digital product that offers you a complete and detailed guide on how to exploit mining as downtime in a fantasy roleplaying games context.
If you are interested in mining in D&D, I invite you to check out the Mining Guide on DrivethruRpg. You can find it by following this link: Mining Guide. You can also preview the product before buying it by following this link: Mining Guide Preview. I would love to hear your opinion about the product and the article, so feel free to leave a comment or contact me on my social media channels.
Keep in mind that the Mining Guide, as all the content published by Angry Golem Games, will be updated, improved and expanded, thanks to your feedbacks and tips also.
In order to receive notifications concerning updates and new publications do not forget to subscribe to our shop in DrivethruRpg.