Blog (A5E) Let’s Take A Journey…

In previous articles, we’ve looked at things like Level Up: Advanced 5E's exploration challenges, boons, and monster signs, and supplies and safe havens. But how does this all fit together?

Let’s Take A Journey… — Level Up: Advanced 5th Edition (A5E)

In previous articles, we’ve looked at things like exploration challenges, boons, and monster signs, and supplies and safe havens. But how does this all fit together?

www.levelup5e.com

 

[Faolyn]

Sigh... How many times do I have to throw my money at you? Really, now.

This, line here, however, brings up a question based on this line here: You might lose hit points or spells or Supply during these challenges,

Can you tell us what you mean by the bolded bit?

I'm imagining that while a party can very easily RP the trip, including each encounter, it could also be handwaved away with die rolls for groups that (gasp!) don't care about such things ("The trip through the Dusty Desert takes three days. It's a difficult and trying time. You <rolls dice> gain two strife, one fatigue, and lose eight supplies").

But since spell slots and all hp are regained after a rest (in O5e, at least), then you won't lose such things for long, and the only time it would really matter--at least for parties that simply ignore the actual travel--would be on the last day of the journey ("You've reached your destination. <rolls dice> Bob, you're down three spell spots and 9 hit points.")

In the Let's Look At Exploration post, you said you can take long rests at campsites but can only lose strife and fatigue at havens. Are you changing how rests and regaining hp and slots work on capital-J Journeys?

Or do you mean spells and not spell slots? "Due to the desiccating winds of the Dusty Desert, you can't cast magic missile until you actively spend time preparing the spell again." I really doubt it's this one, although I can imagine a monster or weird magical encounter that could do such a thing.

 

[Morrus]

This, line here, however, brings up a question based on this line here: You might lose hit points or spells or Supply during these challenges,

Can you tell us what you mean by the bolded bit?

You’re reading too much into that. You lose hit points when monsters hit you, and you lose spells when you cast them! Just the regular way. Fatigue, strife, and Supply are the longer term things.

 

[Faolyn]

I do tend to read too much into things. So thanks for the info.

 

[Staffan]

This looks interesting. I wonder, is the intent that a "region" is a the whole continuous area, or is it intended to be a smaller thing like a single hex, day's journey, or the equivalent? Basically, when traveling through Mirkwood, is that one forest region or several?

 

[chaoshead87]

I do tend to read too much into things. So thanks for the info.

Maybe you do BUT I liked your train of thought on the whole thing. Sure it would make things more difficult for the PCs but at least one of my groups and I enjoy that kind of game play.

 

[Morrus]

This looks interesting. I wonder, is the intent that a "region" is a the whole continuous area, or is it intended to be a smaller thing like a single hex, day's journey, or the equivalent? Basically, when traveling through Mirkwood, is that one forest region or several?

Mirkwood is the region. Regions don’t have a specific size — you could spend from a day to a month or more travelling across a region. For larger regions, you’ll have more encounters.

 

[Staffan]

Mirkwood is the region. Regions don’t have a specific size — you could spend from a day to a month or more travelling across a region. For larger regions, you’ll have more encounters.

Cool. I was wondering on account of the activities, which seem more aimed at daily things than whole regions — particularly scouting to see what's next. But I guess you could do something like "forage until we're near the border and then scout"? Or perhaps scouting provides other benefits as well?

I mean, I'm working off what I presume is a very general overview, but that's what gets me curious.

 

[Schmoe]

Hurry up and let me buy the damn rules already. I need them for my game!

 

[Schmoe]

I was thinking about this a little more and had a question. First though, I'm really excited to see more attention paid to journeys and exploration. I've long felt that this is one of the most fun parts of the game, but it is often neglected in the rules or there are just some "travel" rules without really really considering how it plays out at the table. The idea for havens and long journeys is awesome, as well as some abstraction of supplies, explicit recognition of discoveries as a reward for exploration, etc.

So, my question. The rules we've seen so far imply that havens are hard to come by, are largely one of the pacing mechanisms of a journey or exploration, and are typically fairly stable. How does this play out with dungeon exploration, perhaps with a deep dungeon delve? Is the expectation that the GM will have some explicit havens somewhere in the dungeon for the players to find? Is there any provision for being able to create havens? What if, for example, the party has a 3-day travel into the untamed wilds, at the end of which is an undead-infested dungeon? Do the players just have to hope that by GM providence there is a haven nearby that they can find? Or can they be more proactive about making sure they'll have a base camp?