D&D 5E Wilderness adventures

[MerricB]

G'day, all!

I've just finished writing the third of a series of articles on wilderness adventures - this one looks at a few issues caused by trying to judge wilderness adventures when there isn't a hex-grid.

Which, of course, made me wonder how other people handle it. Do you use much wilderness travel in your campaigns? Is it exploration-based, or is it travel-based (that is, going to a known location). Do you prefer hex-grids or prefer unadorned maps?

Cheers!

 

[Grimstaff]

I use a clear ruler or even an index card with the map scale drawn on it to track map movement on the Golarion maps for my RotRL 5E conversion. I have the giant poster maps, as well as the RotRL map pack, both of which have been great game aids.

Though really, I'd prefer hex maps, and would shell out for all new ones if Paizo released them.

 

[Ktulu]

I've tried many different approaches and never really found myself happy with any of them. I would love to have a decent enough random system with a hex-grid layout, but I haven't got it yet.

 

[ccs]

I have several of the old transparent hex overlays from my FR grey box set.
If the map is already hexed I go with that. If not I use the overlays.

I've also got 1k plastic hex bases (bought in bulk some years back from Reaper). I've been known to draw a wilderness map, put it in a huge poster frame, & using sticky tac cover the entire thing in blank hexes. As you move into a hex it's removed and details are revealed.

 

[strider13x]

I am more story focused. I decide ahead of time what 'random' encounters will happen while exploring/traveling. The dice determine when they show up (day or night, prepared or surprised) and what order, but one or two between set pieces. Most every encounter I write is used at one point during the quest.

 

[strider13x]

I did use X1 during the playtest as written. I found it tedious but my players sped through hexes looking for the most action. Same with LMoP, have a sentence for every few miles and Action! It's how we role.

 

[Azurewraith]

I could never get something i was happy with so now i have a rough not to scale map drawn up with roads, wilderness and towns that my players can squiggle notes on and stuff and i set a travel time based on what route they are taking etc. I have a few random encounter tables based upon terrain and i throw in modifiers based on if its on a road or not. Its simple and works so i stick with it sometimes i do think about buying a great big hex overlay and mapping out ever step but i feel it may slow down the game a bit as my players like to add notes to the maps of things they find even what they fought at that location.