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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Asisreo" data-source="post: 8121161" data-attributes="member: 7019027">I feel the Exploration pillar of the game is being given a complete disservice in this discussion of late. There's some things I'd like to address. The Exploration Pillar is supported quite well, all things considered. And I mean, all things considered. There's this sort of separation of pillars in these discussions that really doesn't exist as much as it seems. While it may seem that "combat is codified with rules that exploration and social doesn't have," this is just incorrect. A common example is that "Combat has AC, saves, and HP. What are the 'exploration HP, AC, and saves?'" The answer is that it's HP, AC, and Saves. These things don't disappear when combat is over, and can be quite relevant out-of-combat. The easiest example is traps and hazards. Certain traps will target saves and AC to reduce your HP and its entirely possible to reduce a character to 0 from exploration without even a hint of initiative. Even in combat, there are actions entirely devoted to the exploration pillar like Interactions, Use an Object, and Search. Spells have uses both out-and-in combat. Even fireball can burn things down so long as they're flammable. To say that there isn't any rules for exploration just isn't true. Background features, tools, vehicles, travel pace, most ability checks, feats, etc. The player's handbook in itself is full of exploration rules. Another issue is that exploration isn't fairly judged based on the content that it has. Combat has some rules, but a game of generic HP sacks with standard movement, saves, attacks, and tactics will be boring. Likewise, a bog-standard exploration with generic roads, traps, hazards, lore, environments, and treasure will be boring too. The next question which may be asked is "Why, then, is their a monster manual but not an 'Exploration Manual.' Why isn't their any exploration 'monsters' which I can plug into my game and not worry about homebrewing from scratch?" The good news is, that does exist in various forms. You have to look at the setting books and modules. For example, an example module of exploration was Tomb of Annihilation, which features Chult. You can homebrew your own densely populated and dangerous jungle, or you can open ToA and plop Chult down right where you need it to be. You can adjust the size, shape, NPC's, etc. Or you can keep things as they are and just run it. Either way, its not as if exploration is devoid of fun, interesting rules. Its just these rules can be entangled into combat (or the social pillar, which is another topic).</blockquote>

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