The Triumphant Return of Douglas Niles

Douglas Niles, a legendary name for those who hail from the days of AD&D and TSR. A man whose legacy spans from the very first Forgotten Realms novels to the creation of the Dragonlance world, Doug is a New York Times Best-Seller and his work has been read and utilized by countless roleplayers. Doug is also well known for creating the groundbreaking Dungeoneer’s Survival Guide (TSR, 1986) with legends Gary Gygax and David C. Sutherland III, a book which detailed exploration of the subterranean world, a realm which was previously only hinted at and briefly explored in a few select modules. The Dungeoneer’s Survival Guide finally gave DMs the ability to craft their own adventures and full campaigns in the Underdark.

Now, 35 years after the Dungeoneer’s Survival Guide was published by TSR, Douglas Niles returns, alongside Thilo Graf (Endzeitgeist) and Stephen Yeardley, to bring you the Survivalist’s Guide to Spelunking.

The Survivalist’s Guide to Spelunking is designed for use with D&D 5e but has enough information about the strange and alien underground world to be of use for anyone looking for a good survival guide to enhance their adventures into the depths of the earth.

In the section below is the inside scoop, the back of book text, from the Survivalist’s Guide to Spelunking, for your esteemed edification. The Survivalist’s Guide to Spelunking Kickstarter goes live on March 3rd, 2021 and you don’t want to miss being a part of this legendary occasion to pay homage to one of the greats with an exciting “sequel” to the Dungeoneer’s Survival Guide, lavishly crafted for both D&D players & DMs.

Survivalist’s Guide to Spelunking for D&D 5e
Kickstarter launches March 3rd, 2021!

The Definitive Guide to Underworld Survival!

The legendary dwarven delver Dugmore Dumple is back from retirement! Following on from his seminal guide for dungeoneers, Dugmore now takes you through crystalline caverns, fungal jungles and the maze-like passages of his home beneath the surface, even skirting the upper regions of Hel itself.

Survival in the Underworld is no mean feat, but this massive tome contains all you need to exist and endure, nay, prosper in and profit from the lightless realms below. Dugmore’s sage advice, carefully balanced by seasoned traveler and guide Fin Starling, provides all the tools you require to enhance your experience while exploring the fabled caverns and tunnels below the surface.

Survivalist’s Guide to Spelunking contains an array of modular tools and rules to customize your game, including:

A comprehensive taxonomy of cave types
Expanded climbing tools and rules
Advice for designing, mapping, and running 3D-environments
Modular rules for momentum and chases
Rules for mining minerals and exotic ores
Streamlined rules for tracking supplies
Foraging and hunting rules
Detailed segmented spellcasting and combat maneuvers
Rules to make tactical combat puzzles
Highly modular hazard generators
Comprehensive notes on light and darkness
A breath-engine for exploration of flooded caverns or spore-choked jungles
Rules for hypothermia, hyperthermia, and more exotic afflictions like Shroomitis
The lethal hazards of elemental border regions
A glimpse at the Lightless Abyss and the upper regions of Hel