D&D General Why Exploration Is the Worst Pillar

[Maxperson]

The only time I ever recall marching order mattering is in places where there is only a 5 feet wide corridor... any other time and it's basically forgotten...

Outdoors it matters to me for knowing who is likely the first target depending on which direction an attack is coming from. Also, sometimes someone is up ahead a ways, which makes that person more or less likely to spot something, depending on the direction it's coming from. Then inside there is a need for positioning so that I know who if any triggers or is affected by a trap, as well as other targeting or skill roll reasons. There are more reasons, but those are the ones that sprung quickly to mind.

 

[robus]

This might be a hot take, but I think we’re finding out that the exploration pillar requires some modicum of effort from the DM…

 

[Bill Zebub]

This is exploration:

DM say: You walked into a triangular room with a wooden door on each side. The floor is made of sandstone, stained like a bag of Skittles - all the colors of the rainbow. Spread throughout room are six steel domes, each with a steel handle.

DM's notes: Beneath each dome is a vat of liquid.

Dome A: Purple, bubbling goo. Dries after 1 minute. Acts like a mixture between glue and concrete. DO NOT DRINK.

Dome B: Silver. Smells like lavender. Anything placed inside the vat or in contact with the liquid. shrinks to 1 tenth its size after 1 minute. This is not a curse or magical enchantment. It is a physical transformation.

Dome C: Shamrock green. Smells like springtime. Any creature placed in this vat or who imbues its liquid is reincarnated, as per the spell. Even if it is still alive.

Dome D: Black as black can be. Because it's a terrifying black ooze monster. And it's hungry.

Dome E: Orange. Smells like ogre. If imbued, causes the character to sprout a second head. The head has the opposite alignment as the original character. This is not a curse or magical enchantment. It is a physical transformation. (Imagine spiking someone's wine with this).

Dome F: Yellow, fizzing. This is a very strong acid. Shatters glass. Eats away organic material. Will eventually destroy metal.

Chaos ensures as characters try to discover the secrets of the vats and decide how to best use that knowledge.

Unless there is some obvious reason why we must explore these vats, I would say, "Don't touch anything. Let's move on."

 

[BookTenTiger]

Unless there is some obvious reason why we must explore these vats, I would say, "Don't touch anything. Let's move on."

I guess every group is different! The groups I play in love to spend time exploring mysterious things, and would definitely have spent time at those vats!

 

[Bill Zebub]

I guess every group is different! The groups I play in love to spend time exploring mysterious things, and would definitely have spent time at those vats!

Fair enough.

Although I think I would still file it under "puzzle-solving" not "exploration". Unless "exploration" is, by definition, everything that isn't combat or social interaction.

P.S. Although, still, I would prefer to be given some reason to investigate the vats, such as there doesn't seem to be any other exit, or we found a hint somewhere that the vats are the key to our mission. If I'm in a spooky, dangerous place trying to achieve some goal, I would play most of my characters as focused on getting to an objective and not messing about with potentially dangerous kit. I could imagine a character concept that just can't help themselves with stuff like that, but it would be the exception not the rule.

 

[Maxperson]

Fair enough.

Although I think I would still file it under "puzzle-solving" not "exploration". Unless "exploration" is, by definition, everything that isn't combat or social interaction.

Yeah. That seems more like an encounter than exploration. The party has encountered this puzzle/trap/monster and is trying to resolve it.

P.S. Although, still, I would prefer to be given some reason to investigate the vats, such as there doesn't seem to be any other exit, or we found a hint somewhere that the vats are the key to our mission. If I'm in a spooky, dangerous place trying to achieve some goal, I would play most of my characters as focused on getting to an objective and not messing about with potentially dangerous kit. I could imagine a character concept that just can't help themselves with stuff like that, but it would be the exception not the rule.

My group tries to avoid things like that, but it never seems to work out for them. What they will typically do is say that it could be dangerous and that they should leave it alone. Then they will leave it alone and move on. However, it will percolate in the backs of their minds as they continue to explore and eventually they will find a justification to go back and mess around with it. The only time it works out differently are those few times that they just hop to it for some reason and don't try to avoid.

 

[Hussar]

Survival is not exploration. Resource tracking is mostly survival, making discoveries is mostly exploration.

For light, it specifically notes that having a light source of any kind draws the attention of certain creatures, and it does! A creature with darkvision may have not seen the adventurers until they were within 30-60ft of them, but now the adventurers can be seen from miles away and an ambush is more likely. Turn off the lights and you're less likely to have that problem.

Tenser's doesn't really "solve" the bridge problem since the caster themselves don't benefit from it. They'd either have to physically cross the bridge themselves somehow or fly across, using resources. If the wizard falls off, the disk does as well and everyone begins to fall to their death. Its a risk that may or may nor succeed, not an instawin.

If the entire party is getting on the disk, its likely they'll exceed the 500lb weight limit. The least we can expect is that 3 people by themselves will weight around 300lbs and its likely between the gold and equipment they have that you could have a bit more than an extra 200lbs.

Yes because you can’t take multiple trips?

 

[Hussar]

I love how you debunked pretty much every argument he made against the importance of resource management. We think alike.

You think that’s a debunking? :Erm: You are easy to please.

 

[Hussar]

I love how it’s impossible for the pcs to find resources like food and water but those dungeon inhabitants all have no problems.

I mean if we’re talking about exploration as a pillar, shouldn’t basic questions like, what are those monsters drinking be easy to answer?

It’s a pretty sad dungeon without at least one water trap.

I suppose if all dungeons are nothing but undead and constructs, we’ve no problems.

 

[Fanaelialae]

I love how it’s impossible for the pcs to find resources like food and water but those dungeon inhabitants all have no problems.

I mean if we’re talking about exploration as a pillar, shouldn’t basic questions like, what are those monsters drinking be easy to answer?

It’s a pretty sad dungeon without at least one water trap.

I suppose if all dungeons are nothing but undead and constructs, we’ve no problems.

You should always consider things like sources of food/water for dungeon denizens. That said, just because monsters are willing to eat/drink it, doesn't mean the PCs necessarily should. Floor 5 of a mega dungeon is not the place to get a sudden and undeniable case of Montezuma's Revenge...