Adventurers walking from one location to another with gear on their backs face several challenges. Whether backpacking in Traveller or Call of Cthulhu or journeying in Dungeons & Dragons or Ryuutama, here are d30 mishaps an explorer might encounter on the trail.
These mishaps use D&D 5E rules. For each journey decide on a number of Survival checks a group makes, every day or every two or three days. A failed check triggers a roll on the mishap table. On a natural 1 roll on the special mishap table. Alternatively, add these in as set encounters either picking a desired result or rolling randomly. If an event affects only one PC roll randomly to determine which one or choose the PC making the Survival check.
Mishap Survival Check Table (-2 DC on a trail, +2 DC for foul weather)
Roll a d30 to determine the mishap or a d6 for a special mishap. To simulate a d30 roll any die, odd roll 1d20 on the chart and even roll 1d10+20 on the chart. All saves on the mishap table are DC 13 and DC 15 on the special mishap table.
Mishap Table
Special Mishap Table
Exploring the wilderness is a wonderful challenge but it also brings a host of possible mundane mishaps. In a magical or supernatural world there may be even stranger mishaps. Use these tables to spice up travel in your RPG of choice.
These mishaps use D&D 5E rules. For each journey decide on a number of Survival checks a group makes, every day or every two or three days. A failed check triggers a roll on the mishap table. On a natural 1 roll on the special mishap table. Alternatively, add these in as set encounters either picking a desired result or rolling randomly. If an event affects only one PC roll randomly to determine which one or choose the PC making the Survival check.
Mishap Survival Check Table (-2 DC on a trail, +2 DC for foul weather)
| Terrain | Difficulty Class |
| Grasslands | 7 |
| Deserts and hills | 12 |
| Forests, mountains, and swamps | 17 |
Roll a d30 to determine the mishap or a d6 for a special mishap. To simulate a d30 roll any die, odd roll 1d20 on the chart and even roll 1d10+20 on the chart. All saves on the mishap table are DC 13 and DC 15 on the special mishap table.
Mishap Table
| D30 Roll | Mishap | Effect |
| 1 | Lost, walking in circles | Roll d6 for hex side moved through; if hex side is the desired direction stay in current hex instead |
| 2 | Venomous snake | Snake bite +5; Constitution save or 1d6 poison damage and poisoned for 1 hour |
| 3 | Dangerous weather | Blizzard, lightning, tornado; 2d6 damage |
| 4 | Monster disturbed | Random encounter |
| 5 | Savage animal | Bear, boar, large cat, or large canine attacks |
| 6 | Provision shortage or spoiled food | Lose half your rations to miscalculation or rot |
| 7 | Blocked terrain | Cannot move in desired direction due to debris, washed out trail, etc. |
| 8 | Worn out | Gain a level of exhaustion |
| 9 | Quicksand/mud/water/flooding | Fall results in being restrained; after 1d4 rounds begin suffocating or use DMG description for quicksand |
| 10 | Sprained ankle or blisters | Speed is halved for 1d3 days, magic healing cures |
| 11 | Torn clothes and gear | Until mended, suffer disadvantage on Charisma skill checks if appearance matters |
| 12 | Landslide | Dexterity save or 2d6 damage and restrained and suffocating until Strength check to dig out |
| 13 | Spider bite | Constitution save versus poison or 1d6 poison damage and poisoned for 1 hour |
| 14 | Distracting weather | Fog, heavy rain, or hail; disadvantage on ranged attacks and Survival checks |
| 15 | Wasp’s nest | Dexterity save or poisoned for 1 hour |
| 16 | Mosquito swarm | Carries the disease sewer plague |
| 17 | Pestering animal | Angry squirrel or mocking bird pesters you triggering a random encounter |
| 18 | Poisonous plants | Poisoned until washed clean |
| 19 | Black flies | If not in shelter, disadvantage, lasts 24 hours |
| 20 | Ticks | Carry cackle fever |
| 21 | Lost gear or weapon | 1d6 on a 1 a weapon is lost otherwise a piece of gear |
| 22 | Hunter’s trap | Dexterity save or restrained by net/snare or animal trap; 50% chance it is an animal trap that also inflicts 1d6 damage |
| 23 | Sick or rabid animal | Small animal bite +5 for 1d4 damage and exposure to sewer plague |
| 24 | Fall from cliff, into cave, sinkhole, or old well | Dexterity save or fall 1d3x10 feet |
| 25 | Skunk | Dexterity save or “poisoned” until washed off |
| 26 | Dirty drinking water | Everyone’s drinking water tainted with sight rot |
| 27 | Fire | A fire burns in your intended direction, turn away or Constitution save to dash through: succeed poisoned by smoke for 1 hour, fail as succeed and take 2d6 fire damage |
| 28 | Lice | “Poisoned” until treated |
| 29 | Fire ants | Take 1d6 poison damage, poisoned for 1 hour, and lose half your rations |
| 30 | Broken gear | 1d6 on a 1 a weapon is broken otherwise a piece of gear |
Special Mishap Table
| D6 Roll | Special Mishap | Result |
| 1 | Razorvine | Per the DMG |
| 2 | Acid rain | Find shelter or take 2d6 acid damage, leaves behind acid puddles for 1d6 hours |
| 3 | Ash storm | Blocks the direction you want to travel, push on by making a Strength saving throw or gain a level of exhaustion |
| 4 | Dust tornado | Dexterity save or take 1d6 bludgeoning damage and Speed reduced by half for 1d6 hours |
| 5 | Magnetic pulse | If wearing metal armor, Strength save or prone and restrained for 1d6 hours |
| 6 | Weird energy | Intelligence save or “poisoned” for 1d6 hours as strange visions warp your sight |
Exploring the wilderness is a wonderful challenge but it also brings a host of possible mundane mishaps. In a magical or supernatural world there may be even stranger mishaps. Use these tables to spice up travel in your RPG of choice.
And even with D&D 5E I don't believe in balance.
