In Favor Of Repetition

There's a temptation when making dungeons in TTRPGs to make every structure unique in some kind of way. The players are expecting something fresh - "They've already seen a temple, let's make a tower. They've already seen a tower, let's make a prison. They've already seen a prison, let's make..." 

It's an understandable impulse, however it's quite easy to write yourself into a corner by doing this. First, the impulse is rooted in overanalysis, which gets in the way of actually playing the game. Second, there's only so many structures out there.

Of course, you still want your players to feel they are exploring a living, breathing, varied world. So, how do we approach this problem?

By Jef Wu

Embrace the repetition. The fact is that a repeated kind of structure can actually passively reinforce themes and "gamefeel" within your world. As an example, let's take a look to The Legend of Zelda. In Breath of the Wild, almost every dungeon is set inside the innards of a great mechanical divine animals or a shrine. It sets a mood where the magic, the divine, and the bestial are inherently interlinked. Another example, Elden Ring. While there is more variety here, a large portion of the dungeons are castles or crypts - most in some stage of active ruin. It sets a far different tone, of a dying land where despite it all the imperial instinct still reigns. 

The developers know they do not need to reinvent the wheel with every new area. Despite the similar structures, the player is still entertained. Things are shaken up by how themes within the structure express themselves For example, the theme of water in the elephant beast Vah Ruta as expressed by the trunk-fountain puzzle mechanic present throughout the entire dungeon. Another example, the themes of amputation and grafting in Stormveil Castle as expressed by their enemies like birds with swords for legs and Godrick the Grafted.

When making a setting, it can be valuable to embrace repetition in this aspect. Choose two or three structures which you feel comfortable creating and show up often in play. Think about what their common presence says about your world. Think about what one says about the other. Differentiate the individual dungeons not by their kind of structure, but by their themes. When creating and stocking them, focus on expressing the themes through room contents, enemies, traps, puzzles, gimmicks, lore, random encounters, treasures, NPCs, etc.

Here is a small list of possible primary structure pairings and large speculations in what they may imply about your world:

1. Tombs and Towers. Perhaps the miserable dead roam the earth and people have taken refuge in sky-feifs ruled by warring wizard-kings. Or wizards cast devastating spells from their havens, turning the world to a blasted cratered land and humanity has had to hide in crypt-societies which commonly raid one another for ever-dwindling resources. Either way, the world will be a vertical one with soaring heights and shadowy depths.
   
   
2. Manors and Vaults. Perhaps the rich have turned monstrous (more than they already were), and cling to treasures now-useless to them, stored their manors and vaults. Or there was a great revolution and your player characters are assigned to go about toppling the last of the old money, holed up and ready to defend what they have. Either way, the world is (or was) an opulent one.
   
   
3. Trees and Temples. Perhaps the gods grant blessings in growing great trees in the earth, and their demigod children live in the boughs while strange priests roam temple halls. Or a vengeful god laid a curse upon the land for insufficient worship and the earth is overgrown - all remaining are signs of past worship warped to kill that which used to tend to them. Either way, the world is one where nature thrives - and maybe worship and nature are related in some fashion.
   
   
4. Beast-Innards and Butcheries. Perhaps once upon a time great beasts roamed the lands until man killed them and learned to live off them. Or the beasts still roam the land and man has split into game-hunting butcher-tribes, following the next hunt to prove their glory. Either way, the world is one where meat and the flesh is important.
   
   
5. Schools and Prisons. Perhaps the world is split into a caste system where the magic-users are taught and those deemed unworthy are sent to toil. Or magic-users were imprisoned long ago, and the schools where they were taught their wicked ways still hold secrets. Either way, education and crime will be themes in some sense.