Successful Adventures, or How to Win in AD&D

This post is part of Prismatic Wasteland's blog bandwagon on the topic of player advice.

At the end of the AD&D PHB, just before the Appendices on psionics, bards, alignment, the planes, and suggested divisions of treasure, is a section titled SUCCESSFUL ADVENTURES, though it would perhaps be more aptly titled PLAYER ADVICE:

While this advice pertains to AD&D play specifically and will illuminate what exactly Gygax felt made someone a "good" player, perhaps some of the advice will be germane to TTRPGs more generally.

This section mostly focuses on dungeon adventures, as this is "The most common form of ADVANCED DUNGEONS & DRAGONS play", though outdoor and city adventures are discussed briefly towards the end:

The first bit of tangible advice Gygax provides is to prepare for the game before the game. This ensures that you will not waste "precious adventuring minutes" (i.e., playing time) with "mundane preparations" which you might be able to take care outside of your scheduled session. That's right, players - you too can think about and play the game between sessions! How does one do this?

To start, communicate with your fellow players (or at least "the better players") and set an objective for your adventure. The objective can be any number of things, but don't be inflexible or stubborn once the adventure is underway. Objectives can always change!

One you have an objective, evaluate your resources:

The examples are fairly specific to old school play. If you're playing a different game or a newer editions of D&D, you're probably not too concerned with party balance, and you're probably not hiring men-at-arms. Characters in D&D 5e, for example, are capable of filling multiple rolls at once and can often function as entirely independent units. They are often powerful enough to have no need for men-at-arms. Depending on your preferred playstyle, this might be to your liking.

The advice is still relevant if we read into it more generally. Determine whether your party has the means to accomplish its objective. Spend time before the session figuring out what you will need and how to go about getting it.

"Survival at lower levels is usually dependent upon group action and team spirit":

In other words, cooperate with one another. This sounds fairly obvious, but there are plenty of RPG horror stories to demonstrate that this is far from always the case. As I mentioned above, certain games like newer editions of D&D feature powerful characters which can operate more independently than in the past, and I think this can foster a sort of antisocial playstyle where players focus less on cooperation with one another and more on just doing whatever it is they want their character to do. 

Again, you might enjoy this liberating sort of supreme agency in your games, but I like to remind people as often as possible that D&D is intended to be a team sport. Don't worry so much about how much damage your character can put out in a single turn - think about what the group as a whole is capable of achieving!

Cooperation includes preparation for the adventure, execution of the objective(s), and resolution (meaning the division of spoils and fair treatment of any player characters that have been cursed, diseased, maimed, or killed).

Gygax goes a bit further, explaining that players should collaborate to ensure the party as whole has a broad spectrum of equipment and spells, and that especially important magic items are accounted for:

The important thing, as Gygax once again states at the end, is that all this is done before play begins, ensuring that game time can be spent not on logistics but on adventuring (although in my experience the logistics are part of the game as well - and, often, a fun part of it - which occasionally can't be avoided during the scheduled playing time).

What follows is a brief description of individual preparations that can be made before adventuring begins:

This is a bit of an archaic one and probably won't apply to non-old school playstyles, but I include it here for completion's sake: have your affairs in order. Ensure your henchman and treasure are secured, and leave a will with a trusted person, with instructions should you fail to return.

I love this. It's so tasty! The implication is that the party's enemies might try to harm their allies or pilfer their goods while they're away on an adventure. The image of adventurers, about to embark for the dungeon, running around town getting their last will and testaments together before departing is very rich.

The next section describes how the players should decide on default formations (or marching orders) for dungeon exploration:

I love this too. Short characters in the front (presumably so those in back can see over the tops of their heads and fire missile weapons past them), elves and dwarves on the flanks (presumably so that they can detect secret doors and shifting passages in the walls), and a "sturdy fighter" to cover the party's rear in case they're attacked from behind. The leader (likely the party "caller") should be near the front so as to survey the situation, make decisions, and give directions. The leader should keep a map sketch or "trailing map" (not sure what this means), while someone else should keep a more detailed map.

Not only should the players decide on a marching order ahead of time - they should draw it out! And make copies for the DM! Wild stuff, but not bad advice. I admit to often having to hit pause on my sessions so the players can remind me what the party's formation is. Having a set of default marching orders to refer to in different situations would definitely let the game run more smoothly.

The next bit is about mapping the dungeon and some agreed upon dungeon best practices:

I covered this very thoroughly in my post about the importance of the player-drawn dungeon map, so see that for more analysis of this point.

Again, the benefit of all this is to get to the adventuring faster:

A well-formulated plan, along with an accurate dungeon map which indicates where exactly the party needs to go to continue exploration (and which allows them to travel through the dungeon five times as fast), greatly expedites the adventuring process.

During the adventure, it is important to avoid unnecessary encounters and avoid getting sidetracked:

Focus on the agreed-upon objective. It is rarely worth it to get involved with wandering monsters. They are rarely helpful, even less likely to have anything of value, and mostly serve to whittle away at the party's resources. D&D is a game of attrition.

Likewise, be wary of spending too much time on diversions. As I describe in the aforementioned post on mapping, mappers should record these roads not traveled, and they can in turn become the objectives of future delves. 

Sometimes, despite your best efforts, you will have to abandon the objective:

If you get lost, run low on equipment or spells, become unexpectedly wounded, or even lose a party member, you should prioritize finding a way to escape the dungeon (with a good map, this should be doable, although there are plenty of tricks and traps which will confound your careful mapping).

If, however, you achieve your objective and are still strong, you might establish a new objective to pursue:

"It is of utmost importance...to always carry slain members of the expedition with the party if at all possible." Oh, why is that?

Again, cooperation is key:

You need to be able to have trust and confidence in your fellow players, and part of that is leaving no one behind. This is D&D, after all, so resurrection is on the table. If the party itself is not capable of returning the dead to life, they will have to outsource this, which will surely be expensive. You should be "ready and willing to part with any goods, money, and magic items in order to save lives." If push comes to shove, you "should be willing to fight to the death to assure the survival and success of the party." It's about team building!

Okay, but what if you're playing an evil character? A "selfish neutral"? What if you're just an asshole?

Well, don't be an asshole, for one:

It is okay to be selfish. You can even be evil, but you should find a way to integrate yourself into the party so that you're all still aiming to achieve the same ends. That being said, the other players may still be less than eager to adventure with you, so consider that when playing a character such as this.

If a player is simply uncooperative or has a bad attitude, it's okay to tell them they can't adventure with you unless they change their ways, perhaps expelling them entirely. This is a bit harsh (how about a reasonable conversation first?), but it is perfectly fine to kick someone out of the group if they're being particularly annoying or disruptive.

The brief advice on outdoor and city adventures is very similar to that on dungeon adventures:

For more about the totally unexamined assertion that "City adventures are the toughest of all", see my post on the implied setting of AD&D towns and cities.

Gygax concludes with a summary:

Playing the game well makes the game more enjoyable. By preparing ahead of time, you get more time to play, and are more likely to succeed. Your success (and the accumulation of power and resources) forces the DM to respond by upping the ante with tougher problems to solve, which you will in turn get more enjoyment from solving. 

Your character will live longer. You'll tell stories about your character. You'll feel proud of them. "You will find that such characters become like old friends; they become almost real." This is such a simple, tender truth that I feel very deeply in my heart. I'm almost embarrassed that Gygax of all people is making me feel sentimental. This is what it's all about!

Likewise, the DM will tell stories of your successful characters, and the unsuccessful ones, too. Wouldn't you rather be in the former group? 

Gygax ends with "playing well is a reward unto itself...If you believe that [the game is] worth playing, you will certainly find it doubly so if you play well."

1d10 Halflings and their 1d4 Dogs

My goblin post was fun, and it gave me a hankering to do something similar with halflings. Why halflings? Well, mostly because I like that in AD&D, every halfling has 1d4 dogs:

I have long been fascinated with halflings' penchant for having lots of dogs. In AD&D, a halfling lair has 30-300 adult combatants, the same number of adult noncombatants, and 60% as many noncombatant children. Depending on how you interpret the above, a halfling village will have from 30 to 3,120 dogs (average either ~412 to ~1,072 dogs). That's a lot of dogs!

My sandbox for Dungeon Module B3: Palace of the Silver Princess describes Mere, a halfling village of some 300 halflings with a like number of dogs (the famous Dogs of Mere) who serve as scouts, trackers, sentries, pack animals, messengers, and mounts, and are integral to the village's role in the anti-Gulluvian resistance network. The halfling dogs are essential companions to the halfling lifestyle!

Typically, these dogs are only found in the halflings' lair (their shire or whatever), but I don't see why a pair of halflings wandering the wilderness couldn't also be accompanied by their six dogs. And since these dogs are so important to the halfling way of life, I see no reason not to give them a little loving detail as well.

Now, the Monster Manual says that all halfling dogs have the statistics of a "wild dog", suggesting lean, workmanlike mutts, but this seems a bit boring to me, so my halfling dogs are going to have a bit more variety.

Something I did differently this time was to roll to determine whether a halfling was an adult combatant, an adult noncombatant, or a child. Per the AD&D Monster Manual:

Now, this does say "in their lair", suggesting halfling children never leave the place, but I personally feel that there should be a chance of encountering a halfling child wandering the countryside with their dogs in tow. I also interpreted the Gygaxian "females" (the implication being that they are not warriors) to instead mean "noncombatant adults", because I'm woke.

For each halfling, I rolled d100. A result of 01 to 38 would be an adult warrior, 39 to 76 would be a noncombatant adult, and 77 to 100 would be a child. Include more children in your games! That's one of many things that Gygax was really thorough about doing, even if the implication of their inclusion in Gygaxian AD&D is rather grim. It's especially funny when the children are Evil.

I also rolled for the relative age of each adult halfling (01 to 65: Young adult, 66-85: Middle-aged, 86-95: Old, and 96-100: Venerable) and for "subrace" (according to this 75% are Hairfoot, 15% are Stout, and 10% are Tallfellow), although this doesn't add much except to make them more like Elves or more like Dwarves and to change up their preferred weaponry a bit.

I eased up a bit on randomizing mechanical elements like movement rate, but continued to randomize alignment, intelligence, and morale as those are meatier statistics that give the individual halflings more unique personalities.

Without further adieu, here are 1d10 halflings and their 1d4 dogs:

1. Corin Thistlethorn (LE): 3 hp. A male Hairfoot child (AC 9). Thin and sharp-featured, with dark brown curls and keen grey eyes. His clothes are surprisingly tidy for a child. Although young, he is more intelligent than the average halfling (Int 14). He quietly observes conversations before joining in, and adults sometimes find his questions uncomfortably perceptive. He is selfish and manipulative and enjoys bending rules, knowing secrets, keeping score of favors, and figuring out how to gain advantages over his peers. He is tight-lipped around strangers, evaluating them carefully before deciding whether they are allies or people to avoid (neutral). Treasure: A carefully organized collection of bird feathers, insects, and unusual stones, a slate tablet and chalk used for keeping lists, small wooden tokens representing debts and favors owed by other children, and a pocketknife (no value). Corin has 2 dogs:
1. Bracken: A tan rabbit hound. Curious about everything, he has a habit of bringing interesting trinkets to Corin. Terrified by storms.
2. Soot: A black terrier with mismatched eyes. He distrusts strangers and watches them with the same suspicious scrutiny as his master.
2. Della Copperpot (LN): 3 hp. A middle-aged female Stout. Sturdy and broad-hipped, with weathered tan skin and dark auburn hair streaked with gray. Thick eyebrows and deep-set brown eyes. Simple, durable clothing with no armor (AC 9). Wields a hammer and short bow (+3 to hit). She will defend herself and the village if need be, but is more prone to flight than the average halfling, preferring to retreat and regroup rather than stand her ground (Morale 8). Believes strongly in duty, tradition, and minding one's business. Direct. Dislikes unnecessary chatter. Judges by actions rather than first impressions (neutral). Treasure: A leather roll of woodworking tools (3 sp), a carved wooden mallet (1 sp), a tin box containing spare bowstrings, wax, and fletching supplies (2 sp), and a belt pouch containing 2 silver pieces. Della has 4 dogs:
1. Copper: Black and white farm dog with a crooked tail. Very excitable and has to be leashed at all times.
2. Flintlock: A gray sheepdog. Normally calm and dependable, but becomes anxious and seeks company when storms approach.
3. Nettles: A brown terrier who barks constantly, announcing every visitor, squirrel, passing wagon, and fallen leaf.
4. Pansy: A white spaniel, always covered in mud. Loves swimming to wash it off, then rolls in the muddy banks once she's finished.
3. Hilda Ironkettle (LE): 2 hp. A young adult female Stout. Compact and broad-shouldered, with dark chestnut hair worn in braids. Square-jawed with a small scar beneath her chin. Studded leather and shield (AC 5), morning star, and short bow (+3 to hit). Believes in order, discipline, and looking after her own interests. Not as quick as most halflings (Int 10), but extraordinarily difficult to intimidate or discourage (Morale 16). Greets strangers with a firm handshake and direct questions, quickly determining whether she can use them to her advantage (friendly). Treasure: A whetstone and weapon maintenance kit (3 sp), a sturdy iron lock and key (3 sp), a brass whistle (1 sp), a pair of rabbit fur gloves (2 sp), and a belt pouch containing 3 silver pieces. Hilda has 1 dog:
1. Flint: A large and muscular black and tan mastiff with a deep growl. Shadows Hilda constantly and is big enough for her to ride.
4. Marigold Brambletoe (LG): 5 hp. A young adult female Hairfoot. Lean and athletic with tan skin. She wears practical country clothing and keeps her curly brown hair tied back with a strip of green cloth. Shield (AC 8), hand axe, and short bow (+3 to hit). A shepherd and rabbit hunter who will defend herself and the village if needed, but prefers avoiding danger (Morale 10). Polite but cautious. She prefers to observe a stranger's actions before judging their character (neutral). Treasure: A leather pouch containing 30 silver sling bullets (3 sp), a rabbit fur-lined waterskin strap decorated with smooth and shiny river stones (2 sp), a carved wooden whistle (1 sp), a 20' length of hempen rope (2 sp), and a belt pouch containing 3 silver pieces. Marigold has 4 dogs:
1. Cricket: A fearless brown terrier missing an ear. Will charge barking at animals several times his size. 
2. Digger: A stubborn tan farm dog who refuses to relinquish a bone and often buries them to save for later, quickly forgetting where he put them.
3. Fern: A black and white sheepdog with an adept understanding of whistles and hand signals.
4. Willow: An excessively friendly white spaniel who is quick to show her belly to strangers.
5. Milo Greenbottle (LG): 1 hp. A young adult male Hairfoot. Broad-shouldered and sunburned. Dark brown hair cropped short. Leather armor (AC 7) and hand axe. A part-time woodsman and trapper who will defend himself and the village if needed. He readily offers directions, local gossip, or a meal to adventurers (friendly). Treasure: A well-maintained sharpening stone in a leather pouch (3 sp), a set of three iron rabbit snares (4 sp), a carved wooden militia badge (2 sp), and a small belt pouch containing 4 silver pieces. Milo has 2 dogs:
1. Patch: A clever black and white sheepdog. Loves wagon rides. Fiercely protective of Milo.
2. Thistle: A tan rabbit hound that eagerly follows scents but is easily distracted by squirrels. Howls at the full moon.
6. Myrtle Goodbarrel (LG): 5 hp. An old adult female Hairfoot noncombatant (AC 9). Short and round-faced, with a mass of white curls bursting from her bonnet. Kindly but unfocused blue eyes. Laugh lines and rough hands. She has a habit of forgetting what she was saying halfway through a conversation, forgetting names, and repeating stories. and is confused by complicated explanation of unfamiliar ideas (Int 5). She has a warm heart and generous spirit and is eager to help and quick to trust those who behave kindly (helpful). Treasure: A hand-knitted wool shawl with simple floral patterns (3 sp), a wll-used silver cooking spoon (2 sp), a basket containing several jars of berry preserves (3 sp), and a cloth purse containing 3 silver pieces. Myrtle has 1 dog:
1. Buttercup: A brown lap dog that greets nearly everyone as though they were a long-lost friend. Blind and always underfoot.
7. Neddo Burrows (N): 2 hp. A male Hairfoot child (AC 9). Small and wiry with unruly chestnut hair and a scatter of freckles. Grass stains on clothing. Curious and adventurous around friends, he becomes shy, suspicious, and rude in the presence of strangers (unfriendly). He may hide behind a fence or in bushes, refuse to answer questions, or insist on being left alone. Treasure: A homemade wooden toy boat, a toy sling, and a collection of interesting stones and bird feathers (no value). Neddo has 1 dog:
1. Snap: A scruffy black terrier pup that barks constantly at strangers and chases anything that moves. More noisy than useful. Digs holes constantly - a source of frustration for Neddo's parents.
8. Odo Tealeaf (N): 5 hp. A middle-aged male Hairfoot noncombatant (AC 9). Stocky and weathered, with a broad nose, rosy cheeks, and a thick mop of curly black hair graying at the temples. Wears a comfortable faded green vest, loose linen shirt, and sturdy trousers with patches. Gathers herbs, mushrooms, and berries to sell in nearby settlements. He enjoys meeting new people and is usually willing to share gossip, directions, or advice (friendly). Treasure: A wicker basket containing bundles of dried herbs (3 sp), a well-made knife with a curved iron blade (3 sp), a small jar of blackberry preserves (2 sp), and a leather pouch containing 4 silver pieces. Odo has 4 dogs:
1. Old Bran: A gray farm dog with arthritis. Moves slowly on cold mornings and walks with a limp.
2. Poppy: A brown and white spaniel that investigates every unfamiliar scent, object, and visitor. No concept of personal space.
3. Rascal: A black terrier that begs constantly and is prone to stealing food.
4. Tumble: A tan rabbit hound unable to distinguish cats from dogs.
9. Rosie Hayfoot (LG): 3 hp. A middle-aged female Hairfoot noncombatant (AC 9). Plump and cheerful, with graying auburn curls in a loose braid. Wears a patched dress beneath a sturdy apron with pockets for sewing supplies, dog treats, and other odds and ends. Known for raising dogs, mending clothing, and helping travelers in need of food or directions. She gladly shares local information and offers any hospitality she can (helpful). Treasure: A basket of fine sewing supplies (3 sp), a hand-carved wooden dog comb decorated with simple floral patterns (2 sp), a small tin box containing dried medicinal herbs (2 sp), and a leather purse containing 3 silver pieces. Rosie has 4 dogs:
1. Button: A gray lap dog which fetches dropped items and warns Rosie of visitors. Seems to understand far more speech than most dogs.
2. Cloud: A white farm dog which spends most of its day napping in the sun, requiring considerable encouragement to move.
3. Hazel: A brown spaniel that accompanies Rosie on walks and fetches sticks from ponds. Happily tolerates having her ears pulled, and often follows along with halfling youngsters.
4. Tinker: A sharp black and tan terrier that keeps vermin out of Rosie's pantry and woodshed. Chases squirrels obsessively.
10. Tobin Underbough (LG): 4 hp. A highly intelligent (Int 13) young adult male Hairfoot noncombatant (AC 9). Slim, with sandy-brown curls, hazel eyes, and a thoughtful expression. Dressed in a neat brown waistcoat with pockets for notebooks and pencils. Ink- and soil-stained hands. Enjoys reading almanacs, keeping careful records of planting dates, and breeding dogs. Politely cautious towards adventurers until proven trustworthy (neutral). Cowardly (Morale 5). Treasure: A well-used leather-bound planting journal filled with notes on crop rotations and weather observations (4 sp), a carved wooden whistle (2 sp), a brass-rimmed magnifying lens (3 sp), and a wool coin purse contain 2 silver pieces. Tobin has 3 dogs:
1. Brindle: A black and tan spaniel who always has a stick in his mouth. Greets guests with the stick, eager for them to throw it.
2. Moss: A tan mixed-breed farm dog, quiet and watchful. Sleeps belly-up.
3. Pip: A brown and white terrier trained to keep rats and mice away from granaries. Missing the tip of one ear from an encounter with a particularly fearsome barn rat. Distrusts strangers, barking furiously until Tobin assures him they're welcome.

1d10 Randomized Goblins

If you've been following along with the play reports for my B1 campaign, you probably know all about the goblins of Quasqueton with which the player characters have allied themselves. They were, until recently, led by Grilk, their tight-lipped leader, who traded information and bare minimum friendship in exchange for goods and services. Grilk's squire is Viss. The ratcatcher is Narka, the cook is Rekk, and the scout is Tobb.

There are also the goblins which fell under the sway of the Stonespeaker clan of orcs - Pigmug, the sentry captured and brought back to Grilk, Numbnuts, the cowardly mapmaker, Lumpknuckles, who is good at listening, and Slug, who is good at counting.

In a recent session, the party united with their goblin allies to fend off an attack from the orcs into goblin territory. During the battle, one of their goblin allies was slain. Normally, that would be the extent of information known about the loss. One less goblin. However, since I had named each goblin and was keeping track of which goblin was where and who was taking wounds, I knew that it was Grilk, the goblins' leader, who had fallen. 

In addition, Narka was seriously wounded. Rekk distinguished himself with his deadly meat tenderizer mace. Lumpknuckles, who had killed the party's mage, Malkara, was killed in revenge. Numbnuts, who was a known coward, was offered the opportunity to surrender. In the following session, it was Grilk's squire, Viss, who first agreed to join the party in their counterattack, echoing their battle cry "For Grilk!"

Because each of them has a name, the individual goblins have begun to develop personalities and reputations, which will come into play when they hold a Goblins' Moot to determine who their next leader will be. Because they have names, it's actually meaningful when one of them takes a wound or falls in battle. Instead of five goblins inhabiting a few rooms in the dungeon, it feels like a community. They're NPCs, not just monsters. It's really enriched the play experience.

Because of that, I started thinking about how else to distinguish a handful of goblins. I looked at the AD&D Monster Manual entry for goblins, which looks like this:

Here's what I did: For each of Armor Class, Move, weapon, Intelligence, Size, and Morale I rolled 2d6. A result of 6 to 8 indicates that the individual goblin has the values typical of a goblin. A result of 4 to 5 or 9 to 10 means they have slightly below or above average values, and a result of 2 to 3 or 11 to 12 means they have significantly below or above average values. That is, they have better or worse armor or weapon quality than normal, they move faster or slower, they are more or less intelligent, and so on.

Hit points and individual treasure are determined as usual. For alignment, roll 2d20. A result of 18, 19, or 20 means the goblin has the opposite alignment (Chaotic or Good). Then roll 2d4. A 1 changes Lawful or Good to Neutral, and a 4 changes Chaotic or Evil to Neutral. 

I also made a reaction roll for each to determine their attitude towards the party (+1 if they are Lawful, -1 if they are Chaotic, +2 if they are Good, and -2 if they are Evil - so the typical Lawful Evil goblin has a -1 modifier to the reaction roll).

Then, try to make sense of the results.

Here are my ten randomized goblins:

1. Brukket (LE): 1 hp. Stocky with ash-gray skin and a perpetually runny nose. Snot-crusted padded armor and a wooden shield painted with a black handprint (AC 6). Dagger with a horn grip (1d4 damage). Hip injury and an abundance of caution (MV 3). Believes that everyone should know their place. Merciless but dependable. Does not panic easily (Morale 12). Reaction: Adventurers have proved to be staunch allies in the past. Perhaps these are the same (friendly). Quote: "Brukket has met worse people than you." Treasure: In a leather tobacco pouch inside his gambeson, 5 silver coins, a silver needle (1 sp), a silver buckle from a child's shoe (2 sp), a pair of silver cuff fasteners (2 sp), and a tiny silver saint's token (1 sp).
2. Gorrik (LG): 4 hp. Three and a half feet tall. Broad-faced, with russet-brown skin and a twice-broken nose. Quiet confidence makes him seem larger than he is. Quilted suit of padded armor stitched with red thread, no shield (AC 7). Injured his leg defending younglings from a cave bear (MV 4). Shortened halberd reinforced with copper bands (1d10 damage). Prefers resolving disputes through compromise. Little patience for bullies. Does not abandon allies lightly and places himself at risk (Morale 12). Reaction: Readily offers directions, assistance, and warnings (helpful). Quote: "Gorrik will stand in the front!" Treasure: In a patched satchel, 2 silver coins, a silver whistle (2 sp), a pair of silver boot buckles (3 sp), and a small silver acorn charm (1 sp).
3. Grikka (CE): 2 hp. Mottled green-gray, scarred, gaunt, stooped, and mangy, with a mouth full of jagged, uneven teeth. Battered wooden shield with crude red handprints, no armor (AC 8). Cleaver-like hand axe (1d6 damage). Nervous, jerky movements (MV 8). Impatient, with difficulty planning or grasping consequences beyond the immediate future (low intelligence). Resent authority, enjoys causing fear, and indulges her impulses whenever possible. Steals from allies, ignores instructions she dislikes, and delights in petty cruelty. Reaction: Sees strangers as opportunities for violence. Insults, threatens, and accuses, regardless of whether it makes sense (hostile). Quote: "Nobody tells Grikka what to do!" Treasure: Stuffed in a stinky, grimy pouch, 4 silver coins, a bent silver spoon with bite marks (2 sp), a tiny silver bell (1 sp), and a silver button engraved with a flowering vine (1 sp).
4. Nizbit (LE): 1 hp. Scarcely three feet tall. Perpetually tangled hair. Bright eyes that miss little. Childhood illness left her with a tremor and limp (MV 3). Patched leather, no shield (AC 7). A small knife for cutting purses (1d4 damage). Very intelligent and capable of reading and writing. Corrects others' mistakes under her breath. Honors chains of command and written agreements. Aware of her own fragility and among the first to abandon a hopeless situation (Morale 7). Reaction: Adventurers are disruptive forces that complicated arranged plans (unfriendly). Quote: "What does Nizbit stand to gain?" Treasure: Carefully concealed within clothing, 3 silver coins, am engraved silver thimble (4 sp), a small silver letter opener with ivory grip (3 sp), a tarnished silver ink pot (2 sp), and a pair of mismatched silver cuff links (3 sp).
5. Sazhka (NE): 2 hp. Four and a quarter feet tall, whip-thin, with sharp cheekbones and copper-colored eyes. Fitted padded armor beneath a dark wool cloak, no shield (AC 7). Broad-bladed short sword, grip wrapped in dyed leather (1d6 damage). Never hurries into melee (MV 4). Very intelligent, remembering names, debts, and slights, but only shows it after others have underestimated her. An excellent conversationalist, though she always learns more than she reveals. Her foremost loyalty is to herself. Determined, composed, and calculating even in dire circumstances (Morale 14). Reaction: Does not assume goodwill, but neither does she seek conflict without reason (neutral). Quote: "Sazhka has no quarrel with you. Let's keep it that way." Treasure: In a hidden pocket sewn into her cloak, 6 silver coins, a silver signet ring (4 sp), a pair of silver feather hairpins (3 sp), and a small silver vial stopper on a fine chain (2 sp).
6. Skritch (CN): 7 hp. Mottled gray-green skin and a greasy smile. A crooked left leg forces him to limp (MV 4). Ill-fitting scraps of leather, no shield (AC 7). Warped short spear with a rust-speckled head (1d4 damage). Insists it is "perfectly balanced" and becomes defensive if anyone suggests otherwise. An individualist uninterested in politics. Unreliable. Collects candle wax and kneads it together into a single lumpy mass. Reaction: Regards adventurers as he would a stray dog - a friend, a foe, or food (neutral). Quote: *shrug* "Not Skritch's problem." Treasure: A fist-sized gob of wax formed around 5 silver coins, a flattened silver thimble (3 sp), and two silver-plated cufflinks (4 sp).
7. Tazren (NG): 1 hp. A little over four feet tall and lanky, with a fox-like face. Moves quickly on his long legs (MV 9). Dull iron and bronze scale mail, no shield (AC 5). Short sword (1d6 damage). Very intelligent, with an interest in maps, languages, and other cultures. Enjoys solving problems through planning rather than force. Wishes to make the world a little better, and tries to lead by example. Reaction: Cautious curiosity. Actions speak louder than words (neutral). Quote: "Tazren will judge you by your deeds, not your words." Treasure: Wrapped in waxcloth beneath his armor, 4 silver coins, a silver compass case (3 sp), an engraved silver spoon (2 sp), a pair of silver collar studs (2 sp), and a silver fishhook (1 sp).
8. Vezra (CE): 6 hp. Lean. Deep charcoal skin and large amber eyes. Black hair braided into thin cords with beads of bone, shell, and stone. Quilted padded armor and hide-covered shield (AC 6). Notch-edged short sword (1d6 damage). Very intelligent and adept at identifying and manipulating others' insecurities. Resists rules, traditions, and attempts at control in favor of personal power, amusement, and self-interest. Courage depends heavily on circumstance (Morale 7). Reaction: Adventurers threaten her independence and power. Lashes out with sarcasm, intimidation, and provocation (hostile). Quote: "Careful, Vezra bites back." Treasure: In a leather purse stitched inside her armor, 2 silver coins, a silver ring engraved with crude lightning bolts (2 sp), a silver cloak clasp shaped like a bat (1 sp), and a silver whistle (1 sp).
9. Vrizka (LE): 3 hp. At nearly five feet tall, she towers above most goblins. Carries herself with confidence, shoulders back and chin lifted. Dark hair braided tightly against her scalp. Chain mail, no shield (AC 5). Hand axe (1d6 damage). Very intelligent - notices inconsistencies in stories and is a skilled negotiator. Prioritizes the strength and prosperity of the group, especially if she benefits. Reaction: Adventurers are neither enemies nor allies until circumstances dictate otherwise (neutral). Quote: "So Vrizka is understood, then?" Treasure: Carefully wrapped in cloth, 4 silver coins, a silver-handled sewing needle (3 sp), a pair of engraved silver rings (4 sp), and a polished silver brooch missing its pin (3 sp).
10. Zharka (LE): 2 hp. Wiry. Sharp features. Doesn't blink enough. Sickly olive skin with roughly cropped hair. Moves with an awkward stiffness and limp (MV 4). Reacts poorly to comments about it or offers of assistance. Studded leather and shield (AC 5). Nicked short sword (1d6 damage). Obeys those strong enough to deserve it.  Reaction: Adventurers are thieves, murderers, and conquerors. Advocates violence and watches constantly for betrayal (hostile). Quote: "Zharka doesn't like you!" Treasure: A tightly knotted belt pouch containing 6 silver coins, an engraved silver needle (3 sp), and a pair of silver earrings missing their clasps (2 sp).

Here's a simplified list:

1. Brukket: LE. 1 hp. Padded armor and shield (AC 6). Dagger (1d4). MV 3. Int 10. Morale 12. Friendly. 11 sp.
2. Gorrik: LG. 4 hp. Padded armor (AC 7). Halberd (1d10). MV 4. Int 8. Morale 12. Helpful. 8 sp.
3. Grikka: CE. 2 hp. Shield (AC 8). Hand axe (1d6). MV 8. Int 6. Morale 8. Hostile. 8 sp.
4. Nizbit: LE. 1 hp. Leather armor (AC 7). Knife (1d4). MV 3. Int 12. Morale 7. Unfriendly. 15 sp.
5. Sazhka: NE. 2 hp. Padded armor (AC 7). Short sword (1d6). MV 4. Int 8. Morale 14. Neutral. 15 sp.
6. Skritch: CN. 7 hp. Leather armor (AC 7). Short spear (1d4). MV 4. Int 8. Morale 9. Neutral. 12 sp.
7. Tazren: NG. 1 hp. Scale mail (AC 5). Short sword (1d6). MV 9. Int 11. Morale 10. Neutral. 12 sp.
8. Vezra: CE. 6 hp. Padded armor and shield (AC 6). Short sword (1d6). MV 6. Int 11. Morale 7. Hostile. 6 sp.
9. Vrizka: LE. 3 hp. Chain mail (AC 5). Hand axe (1d6). MV 6. Int 11. Morale 10. Neutral. 14 sp.
10. Zharka: LE. 2 hp. Studded leather and shield (AC 5). Short sword (1d6). MV 4. Int 9. Morale 9. Hostile. 11 sp.

Now, this is a lot to keep track of. It's hard enough on a DM to keep track of ten goblins at a time, let alone their individual personalities, values, motivations, intellects, and - when combat is joined - who has what AC and which weapon, how fast they move, and how brave they are. It's not exactly practical, and it's for this reason that monsters have standardized stat arrays. Ten individual goblins tend to quickly become a blob of ten goblins when the DM is using their processing power on other things, and that's okay.

There are degrees of complexity to engage with, and you can pick the one that works best for you. If you have a room with 10 goblins in it, maybe you don't want to write a paragraph for each one, and that's fine. You could just flesh out their leader and leave the rest non-descript until you need to breathe more life into them at the table. The leader speaks for them all, and their reaction is colored by their leader's.

If the goblins control more territory than just a single room, you can spread them out a bit, so that just a few are encountered at a time. That gives you more room to individually describe them in your key. At bare minimum, you could give each of them a name and one distinguishing feature. This could be how they look, a personality trait, something that they're doing, or a mechanical exception. This goblin is a liar. That goblin is a chef. The other one has an overbite. That one moves quickly. This is what I did with the goblins in Quasqueton, and it has paid dividends for my game.

Too often, "faceless" monsters are the default. The goblins are just goblins. D&D is often criticized for making its humanoid monsters "people-like" but not fully realized people, and that is largely because doing so is hard. The point of this post is to show that these monsters are what the DM makes of them.

A Treasure Map Could Be Your Next Adventure Hook

Let's do some quick dungeon math. According to the AD&D DMG, 4 in 20 (or 1 in 5) dungeon rooms contain treasure (three guarded by monsters and one unguarded):

When determining exactly what treasure is in a room, you roll on this table once for unguarded treasure and twice for treasure guarded by monsters, adding 10% to the roll in the latter case:

There is a 3% chance of an unguarded treasure room containing magic items and a 26% chance of a treasure room guarded by monsters containing magic items (13% chance because of the +10% to the roll, times two because we're rolling twice). 

Again, 1 in 20 (5%) of rooms will contain unguarded treasure, and 3 in 20 (15%) of rooms will contain treasure guarded by monsters. Thus, 0.15% of all rooms will contain unguarded magic items and 3.9% of all rooms will contain guarded magic items. 4.05% of total rooms will have treasure containing magic items - roughly 4 in 100 or 1 in 25. Interestingly, while all other treasure types scale with dungeon level, number of magic items does not.

Here's what I'm interested in - 10% of magic items are actually maps. What kind of maps? Treasure maps, of course:

"But wait!" you might say, "This excerpt says 'This system can be used for monsters you place on the outdoor map as well as for monsters randomly encountered by a party exploring the wilderness.' It doesn't say anything about dungeons. And TABLE V.G. above even says to 'Roll once on Magic Items Table' - nothing about maps!"

And you would be right. The MAP OR MAGIC DETERMINATION table likely refers to the rightmost column on the treasure table in the Monster Manual:

These treasure types are typically found only in wilderness monster lairs. Some are found as "individual treasure" (i.e. coinage carried in the pockets of goblins and such), but none of those types have a chance to contain maps.

So there you have it - no treasure maps in dungeons. Except:

This seems to indicate that treasures maps can be found in dungeons. Presumably, when the term "monster's lair" is used in the previous excerpt, it is meant not only to apply to wilderness lairs but also dungeon rooms in which monsters are guarding treasure.

Note that "A map should never list its treasure, only show its location." There will be some guidance later as to where and what kind of treasure the map leads to, but no guidance is provided as to how to actually create a treasure map for your game, "for how can it be possible to direct each DM properly considering the infinite possibilities under which the map will be located?" If you want gameable examples, Phlox has some good ones.

Taking a step back, we know that 3% of unguarded treasure rooms and 26% of guarded treasure rooms contain magic items. Of the guarded treasure rooms containing magic items, 98.31% will contain one magic item and 1.69% will contain two magic items. Considering that 10% of magic items will actually be treasure maps, 0.3% of unguarded treasure rooms containing magic items and 10.169% of guarded treasure rooms containing magic items will contain maps (10% of guarded treasure rooms containing one magic item = 9.831% + 20% of guarded treasure rooms containing two magic items = .338%).

Again, 5% of total rooms contain unguarded treasure and 15% of total rooms contain guarded treasure. 0.015% of total rooms contain unguarded treasure maps and 1.52535% of total rooms contain guarded treasure maps - 1.5255% of total dungeon rooms contain treasure maps. That's 1 in every 66 rooms. If your dungeon is big enough (and particularly if you're aspiring for anything of the "megadungeon" classification), there will probably be a treasure map in there somewhere. I hope I did my math right! I am happy to be corrected.

Note that tricks found in dungeons might also release maps, as found in APPENDIX H: TRICKS:

Treasure maps found in dungeons usually point the way to treasure inside that very dungeon, but might point to "another lost dungeon" or somewhere "along the course of a long underground river."

Let's dig into those wilderness lair treasure types (associated monster types are sourced from here):

• Type A and F hoards (e.g. humans, centaurs, vampires, basilisks, medusae, shadows, rakshasa, rhemoraz, salamanders, leprechauns, and chimeras) have a 9% chance of containing a map
• Type C hoards (e.g. minotaurs, gargoyles, lycanthropes, gnomes, and pixies) have a 2% chance
• Type D hoards (e.g. orcs, hobgoblins, gnolls, mummies, dryads, griffins, chimeras, manticores, and purple worms) have a 3% chance
• Type E hoards (e.g. giants, wraiths, gorgons, and wyverns) have a 7.5% chance
• Type G hoards (e.g. dwarves) have a 14% chance
• Type H hoards (e.g. dragons) have a 6% chance
• Type I hoards (e.g. rocs) have a 1.5% chance
• Type W hoards (e.g. buccaneers) have a flat 55% chance of having a map
• Type Z hoards (e.g. demigods and demon lords) have a 15% chance

Buccaneers, of course, have the greatest chance of possessing a treasure map. There are plenty of genre tropes to draw upon in this case. Demigods and demon lords are next in line. Do the maps in their possession point towards their own secreted away hoards? Dwarves are next, and it's easy enough to imagine why if you're familiar with The Hobbit. But what of the others? Whose treasure maps do these monsters possess, and how did they come to acquire them?

Here's what the DMG says about maps found in wilderness lairs:

Treasure maps found in wilderness lairs can themselves lead elsewhere within the lair (an underground "labyrinth of caves") or to some other location 5 to 500 miles away, which may be buried and unguarded (in the classic way that pirates bury treasure), hidden in water, guarded in another monster's lair, in ruins or a crypt (presumably themselves dungeons), or even "secreted in a town".

In rare cases, the player character might also obtain a treasure map by drawing the Key card from a deck of many things:

Note that treasure maps are written in a cypher. Like a spell scroll, a read magic spell must be employed to decipher one:

This means that treasure maps are also subject to all kinds of trickery on the part of the DM, like curses and traps triggered by reading their contents - explosive runes and magic symbols the like. The text states that "a map will appear magical until the proper spell is used" (emphasis mine), suggesting that the map itself is not necessarily magical.

You can also get your highly-intelligent sword to read the map for you:

Treasure maps come in four types: false maps (which presumably lead to nothing at all), those leading to monetary treasure, those leading to magic treasure, and those leading to "combined hoards" of both money and magic items. Note again that a treasure map should never indicate what it leads to. 

MONETARY TREASURE "is weighted towards large quantities of coins which will require a train to remove - or must be left entirely if foreplanning is not observed":

If not carried away immediately, the DM is encouraged to set a percentage chance that the treasure will be stolen by someone or something else. This is more likely if the treasure was guarded by some other monster, not unlike the Five Armies showing up to claim Smaug's treasure after he was slain. This meshes nicely with my post about treasure as a source of challenge in AD&D, in which the comparison to The Hobbit is made explicit.

Less of an inconvenience will be MAGIC TREASURE, which can be easily carried away:

This table is weighted towards potions, scrolls, armor, and weapons, "so as to prevent imbalance in the game" and to "Keep potent magic items rare." The DM is encouraged to "Increase scarcity by destroying or stealing what is found!"

One might wonder whether the "Any [X amount of magic] items" results might in turn yield another treasure map. I don't think this is intended to be the case, as this possibility is made explicit in the COMBINED HOARD table:

With a result of 81 or higher, you will find the best possible monetary or magic treasure plus a map to either a separate magic treasure or a separate monetary treasure, respectively. Since these are the most valuable hoards, the DM is encouraged to hide them far away and to guard them with traps and monsters. There's something very funny about completing a long and arduous adventure following one of these maps only to immediately come into possession of another.

So what's the point of treasure maps? Well, they're built in adventure hooks! When found in dungeons, they point the players towards some destination within the dungeon or to another dungeon entirely. When found in the wilderness, they can point the players towards some other location in your sandbox or somewhere beyond the current area of play entirely. 

Want the players to go deeper into the dungeon? Give them a treasure map. Want them to visit a different dungeon? Give them a treasure map. Want them to trek out into the wilderness, venture underwater, track down a monster's wilderness lair, or get mixed up in the deadly social fabric of urban gameplay? Give them a treasure map.

If you're flying by the seat of your pants, rolling for treasure as the players find it, a treasure map gives you the chance to detail a new location in which to house the hoard - a fun little surprise for you. It's quantum treasure - even you don't know it exists until it comes into play. Unfortunately, you can't do much with something you don't know about.

If on the other hand you're prepping everything ahead of the campaign's start - including rolling for treasure in dungeons and lairs - then rolling up a treasure map somewhere gives you the chance to hide the hoard from the very beginning. You know there's a massive hoard of treasure buried in an inconspicuous location right beneath the starting town, but the players don't, and they won't know unless they find that map. 

Maybe the treasure hoard is the stuff of legend, and your setting's factions and NPCs are all after it, but no one knows where the map is. Rumor has it that it was lost deep within the dungeon, or that the ancient red dragon counts it among its hoard. The legendary Dread Pirate is rumored to have hidden his plundered goods on one of those steamy jungle isles off the southern coast, but the map was lost when his flagship sunk a decade ago.

Another possibility is that whoever or whatever possesses the map is actively trying to find the treasure. Maybe the evil wizard who rules the town has the map already, but is seeking the means to acquire the hoard their self. A clan of dwarves seeks a burglar to help them reclaim their lost gold. The buccaneers are scouring the coast for something, plundering as they go. What are they looking for? Perhaps the orcs, hobgoblins, or gnolls are harassing human civilization because they know there's treasure buried beneath one of those towns. Perhaps a dragon with a treasure map is responsible for martialing that host to acquire the treasure on its behalf.

Once the player characters have the map, the adventure is only just beginning. They have to plan an expedition into the dungeon, the wilderness, or out to sea. They might have to recruit a caravan of drovers and porters to help them haul the hoard away when they find it. They have to contend with all the usual dangers of the environment its found in, any monsters that guard it, and any traps laid upon it. 

They have to do all of this while somehow keeping it a secret from those same factions and NPCs who are after it, even as the logistics may require recruiting dozens of hirelings or hauling the treasure out in the middle of town right under those same NPCs' noses. Hopefully it isn't a false map. That would be most unfortunate.

Please excuse the pun, but that is a veritable treasure trove of juicy gameplay implications. Go on. What are you waiting for? Put a treasure map in your game right now. 

The Player-Drawn Dungeon Map is a Fast Travel Hack

This post is part of the Prismatic Wasteland blog bandwagon on the topic of maps.

The first mention of mapping by players in the AD&D PHB is on page 101, in the section titled THE ADVENTURE, specifically Dungeon Expeditions:

Here it is explicitly stated that the purpose of the player-drawn dungeon map is to help the party "find [their] way out [of the dungeon] and return for yet more adventuring." There is a tradeoff for mapping the dungeon, which is that movement through the dungeon will be slow. Presumably, this will result in more torches burned, more rations eaten, and more wandering monsters encountered during mapping expeditions.

Just after this, on page 102, we are told that movement through the dungeon is faster when following a map:

Dungeon movement is five times faster when following a previously mapped route. Mapping the dungeon not only allows the players to discern the route back to the surface, but also allows them to move expeditiously along that route (thus reducing the chance of encountering wandering monsters and the use of torches and rations as they retreat).

Page 102 also tells us that mapping is not possible while moving quickly, "such as when pursued or pursuing." Additionally, "light must be available to make or read a map" (infravision doesn't cut it). Marking the walls of the dungeon (as with chalk) or leaving a trail of dropped items or string is "typically useless...as they will be obliterated, moved, or destroyed by passing creatures." The monsters are onto your dirty tricks, and they're here to ensure you end up trapped in the dungeon with them.

The section on MAPPING (page 106) recommends that two players make maps to improve the success of the expedition. It also warns players to "Never become concerned if your map is not exact...As long as it gives your party an idea as to where they are and how to get back, it is serving its purpose."

This coincides neatly with A Knight at the Opera's post on Navigation Games, in which the author argues that an abstracted flowchart-style map which foregoes precise spatial dimensions in favor of relativistic relationships between rooms is the ideal form of mapping in dungeon exploration games.

The most comprehensive remarks on mapping are found in this paragraph under SUCCESSFUL ADVENTURES (page 109):

Here is the crux of the issue: a map ensures that the party will be able to return to the surface. Again it is stated that "Minor mistakes are not very important...so long as the chart allows the group to find its way out!" I will note that the use of the word "chart" calls to mind not a meticulously drafted schematic on graph paper, but something like the flowchart-style map advocated for in A Knight at the Opera's post.

Again it is recommended that two maps be kept in case one is "destroyed by mishap or monster." This is offered alongside sound advice like "In mazes always follow one wall or the other" and things I would never even consider like "[when pursued], always go in a set escape pattern if possible" so your steps can be easily retraced, and "If transported or otherwise lost, begin mapping on a fresh sheet of paper."

That last point brings to mind a room in Dungeon Module B1: In Search of the Unknown in which the party steps into a room and is teleported to another identical room without any indication that they've been transported. I can only imagine the frustration of the hyper-precise graph paper cartographer encountering this room and making a mess of their meticulously measured and sketched map. With a less precise flowchart-style map, the mapper could instead simply add a bubble labeled "teleporting rooms" and connect it to the rest of their chart as they would any other.

In the next paragraph, the value of the map in avoiding encounters with wandering monsters is made explicit:

The map serves another purpose, which is detailed in the following paragraph:

The party is assumed to have an objective, and should not stray from it. "A good referee" will try to distract them from this objective. While it is the party's job to ignore these diversions as much as possible, it is the mapper's job to record their locations so that future expeditions can investigate them. 

The mapper is in many ways the party's memory - they record the dungeon's layout not just so that the party knows where they are and how to quickly escape, but so they know what to come back to. The information they record is instrumental in setting future expedition goals. And, since the party can travel faster through the dungeon along mapped routes, they will be able to quickly make their way back to those diversions on future delves.

Of course, not every one of the DM's nefarious tools can be thwarted by simply ignoring them. The section on TRAPS, TRICKS, AND ENCOUNTERS (page 103) describes traps which confine, channel, injure, or kill characters. Most important to this subject are channeling traps, which include shifting walls and one-way doors. Mapping is suggested as a solution to these traps, as a good map allows the party to find their way back after ending up on the wrong end of one:

The following section on tricks also describes dungeon features which specifically "foul maps", similar to the teleporting rooms in B1:

Let's jump over to the DMG, where the first mention of player mapping is in the section on EXPERT HIRELINGS (page 33):

Specialist scribes (or cartographers) can be hired on a monthly basis to make or copy maps. They demand ten times the fee of a normal scribe, which is 15 gold pieces per month (150 gold pieces per month for a cartographer). Gygax tends to recommend that NPCs charge more to travel somewhere or to provide their services in a dangerous environment, so I imagine that this would be even more expensive if the cartographer is meant to join the party in the dungeon (perhaps five to ten times the usual cost, so 750 to 1,500 gold pieces per month). 

Still, this is well worth the cost if the party can afford it, as they are essentially relieved of the burden of mapping themselves. Instead, I imagine the DM would provide them with a map as they go which, since a well-paid specialist is making it by way of the DM, is probably quite accurate. Of course, a particularly cruel DM is at liberty to take advantage of this by making the cartographer unreliable in some way or by using monsters to target the party's expensive civilian escort.

Note that charmed creatures will not draw maps, per page 43:

If the party wants a dungeon map, they will either have to make it themselves or pay an expensive hireling to do it (and protect said hireling in the process). If they cannot or choose not to circumvent the challenge by paying an NPC, they will themselves have to deal with threats such as traps which channel them into unintended areas and tricks which meddle in their attempts to map. 

We have also been dancing around the issue of time, which imposes the threat of wandering monsters and resource expenditure. So how long does it take to map? The section on THE FIRST DUNGEON ADVENTURE (page 96) gives us some details. This first paragraph suggests that mapping a room or chamber takes 10 minutes:

The next paragraph suggests that each turn, the party can map a length of corridor equal to the party's base movement rate times ten:

Simple enough. However, the first paragraph is contradicted by this next one, which suggests that it takes one turn to map only a 20' x 20' area:

Or perhaps the correct way to read this is that mapping any room or chamber takes one turn, which is the same amount of time it takes to casually examine a 20' x 20' area. I'm not entirely sure.

I tend to let players map one room or chamber per turn. Obviously, this requires stopping in the room or chamber for one turn, so the mapper might update the map while the rest of the party searches the room, checks for secret doors and traps, picks a lock on a door, or whatever. I do kind of like the rule for mapping hallways as I'm never quite sure how to handle those, so maybe I'll keep that one.

There's actually a third way for the players to obtain a map of the dungeon, and that's if they find one. The sample dungeon included in this section of the DMG provides the opportunity for the player characters to find an incomplete map of the dungeon in just the second room:

The importance of this incomplete map is made apparent in the example of play which follows:

The partial map indicates to the players where there might be areas to explore (in this case, they go to Area 3). Since they know that there is an area south of this room, yet there are no exits, they suspect that there must be secret door leading south, and indeed there is.

This, of course, allows the DM to set up an evil trap involving some ghouls:

So maybe if the DM gives you a map of the dungeon in only the second room, be a little wary of where that map might lead!

While there are many benefits and perils when it comes to mapping the dungeon, ultimately the one we must come back to is this: the map helps the party move expeditiously throughout the dungeon. It not only aids the players in remembering the way out of the dungeon, but it hastens them in their egress. The map doesn't just help the players remember things to come back to later, but allows them to return to those side passages more quickly.

Regarding the former - for a player-made dungeon map to yield its true value, getting out of the dungeon without one needs to be every bit as hazardous as making progress into it. This danger is essential to D&D's resource attrition game, which must work as intended in order for the game to remain challenging without relying too heavily on cheap tricks like traps and monsters which can instantly kill the player character. 

One of the most common complaints about D&D's gameplay loop (particularly in post-TSR editions of the game in which all resources are recovered on a single night's sleep) is that the game's attrition-based challenges are too easily circumvented by abusing rests - i.e., the 15-minute adventuring day. This effect is worsened when the DM provides the players with perfect information about the areas of the dungeon they've already explored, such as if the DM draws the map for them as they go, or uses a VTT and leaves previously explored areas of the dungeon displayed on screen after the characters have left them. To rest and recover all their resources, players need only go back the way they came, which is plainly laid out for them by the DM.

If the players have to actually make the map themselves, there's a chance of them doing a poor job. Those who map poorly (or foolishly choose not to map at all) run the risk of getting lost. If they're lost, they can't leave whenever they want to recover lost resources. They may find themselves low on hit points and spells, wandering aimlessly, and easy marks for the dungeons depredations.

The players are rewarded for their efforts not only with hastened escape from the dungeon, but also with expedited travel back into it to tie up those many diversions seeded by the DM on prior expeditions. This allows them to avoid needless encounters with wandering monsters on subsequent delves, making it more likely that returns to the dungeon will be successful and ensuring that the party maintains its momentum throughout the campaign. This doesn't mesh well with modern D&D's dungeons which are seemingly designed to be cleared out in one go, but is essential for making progress in old school D&D's more megalithic underworlds.

The point of the players making the map is to make movement through the dungeon faster, but they have to make it themselves. As argued in A Knight at the Opera's post, mastering the layout of an environment like the dungeon is a perfect example of a challenge of player skill. The map is a powerful tool that must be earned. Don't give it away for free. Or, if you do, be sure to use it to lure the party into an ambush by some ghouls. That'll teach 'em.