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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Asisreo" data-source="post: 8198217" data-attributes="member: 7019027">I see. Allow me to change that perspective and then let me provide a couple of houserules and options I use to help my table. First off, there's a distinction that needs to be made clear. Exploration isn't boring or broken. I daresay you enjoy exploration amongst the other pillars the most. That is, exploration is intertwined with combat and social. When you say "I move closer to my enemy." You are exploring. You've stated your intended action and the DM described the result. That's the core of exploration. Likewise, "I attack," is an exploration declaration. Spells are even moreso exploration because their various effects can definitely change the environment around you and help you discover more. But also, exploration is when you open doors. Its asking the DM if you spot any traps or if you can send your familiar to scout. Exploration at its core is there and very often the most exciting part of D&D for the majority of players. What you want is Survival. Survival is about challenging the players by having nature itself as the antagonist. They must fend for their lives against harsh climates, starvation, thirst, diseases, and poisons. The rules for this are decent at best, but the system wasn't designed for mundane nature to threaten the party, so here's what you could do: 1. They can't just forage. They need to be in a location that has sustainable food. Make sure their environments have as little edible food as possible. Don't let them just say "I forage for food while we make camp." Tell them they couldn't find any food in the immediate area until they're in an area you deem fit for food. Yes, that means edible animals are rare, too. 2. Magical Food is cursed with Magical Diseases. I'm against restricting spell choice in particular so I want to make sure they understand that there's risks to just eating. Now, don't edit the actual spell but put them in environments that rot magical foods. Fantastical Characters require fantastical settings after all. 3. Slow down. The party will always want to rush from where they're uncomfortable to where they're comfortable so make sure that they have to fight before they get to that light across the tunnel. Sometimes literally but put challenges such as (relatively easy) puzzles and hazards between their them and their goal to make sure they aren't just saying "We walk to town...and we're there but let me mark off exhaustion." In fact, everyday or at least every week in survival campaigns should have a unique challenge for the players that they simply cannot ignore or resolve quickly. Have them deal with issues like an incoming blizzard forecast that will have them make navigation checks at disadvantage and double exhaustion if they don't find shelter or a Tornado that could scatter any of their useful supplies if they can't find anything to pin their belongings safely.</blockquote>

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