O-Level Funnels: Tips for Players

Over the years, I have both played through and run 0-level funnel adventures for the Dungeon Crawl Classics Role Playing Game, and I still adore the experience!

If you’re not familiar with Dungeon Crawl Classics (henceforth known as DCC), it is:

“…a fast-paced, open-feeling rules set allowing for epic game experiences without unnecessary tethers. It uses modern game-play while paying homage to the origins of role-playing and the fun that it inspired.”

The game (and it’s seemingly endless range of adventures, settings, and supplements) is published by Goodman Games and has been banging around the face-to-face and virtual game tables since 2012.

My first time playing in a 0-level funnel was at a game convention and the mostly experienced group of players showed me that succeeding in such an adventure requires approaching things from a slightly different perspective.

Most of the time, 1^st level (or Novice in the case of Savage Worlds) characters begin their careers with a decent array of skills, magic spells, weapons, and gear. At least enough to allow them to fare quite well in their first few adventures.

In the case of 0-level funnels for DCC, your characters (and each player typically runs a set of three or four at a time) are bakers, barbers, ditch diggers, gamblers, and of course gong farmers (look that one up if you’re not familiar with the term). You’re also heading out with 1d4 hit points and a couple basic items that include a simple weapon (anything from a pair of scissors to a longsword).

At this stage, your characters really are not ready for what they are about to face in their first adventure (aka, their first 0-level funnel). DCC in general can be pretty brutal and when you’re dealing with a ragtag band of rope makers and street urchins, the lethality of the scenario is increased dramatically.

To succeed, I recommend a few adjustments to your play style:

Put yourself in the boots of the three or four 0-level characters spread out before you. If you were walking into a subterranean network of dark caves known to be infested with bloodthirsty creatures, would you do it with little more than a dagger and a ukulele? Of course not. Additionally, ask yourself what should those characters do as inexperienced civilians in order to (hopefully) survive the what’s to come?

Approach everything with caution. Listen at doors, peek around corners, and try to avoid making noise that might alert anyone to your presence.

Take time to search each area for secret doors, hidden caches, and other items and treasures. This also means, as unpleasant as it might sound, looting the corpses of any dispatched enemies and even collecting items from your fallen comrades.

In my first 0-level playthrough, my group examined every nook and cranny of the first level we entered, the results of which had us wearing armor, possessing at least one helpful magic item, and wielding far superior weapons than those we initially set off with. Without those items, we would have been walking into a meat grinder. It was also because we listened at a door and heard some unpleasantness beyond it that we were motivated to take a little extra time searching for anything that might help us deal with whatever lied beyond that barricaded portal.

In the end, it’s not really the fault of the game or the scenario if your party experiences a TPK (total party kill). Often, the PCs have simply been ill-equipped to deal with their opponents, or the players haven’t considered any tactics beyond just rushing into battle.

A 0-level character with 1 hit point expires with a successful attack. Rolling damage isn’t even required in those instances.

Those who survive the funnel advance to level 1 where they can then choose a class and really begin their journey into the wide (and altogether gonzo) world of DCC.

Zero-level funnels can be a lot of fun and a great way to develop your character/s. Don’t let things like a lack of simple tactics or missed loot prevent your characters from escaping back into the daylight and beginning their careers as full-fledged dungeoneers!