So after tinkering with the system here: Level Up (A5E) - Mass People "Journey Survival System" version 1.0,
I created a version 2.0 that uses much more standardized and simplified numbers. This isn't quite as accurate as the original system in order to gain that simplicity, but honestly its still pretty close all things considered.
This system is designed for a DM who wants to model a group of "hunter gatherers" using the journey and supply system. Ultimately I made the system over the course of a month to reduce the number of rolls and rounding. This also includes the impact of powerful rangers and druids which can greatly increase supply. Feedback is very welcome!
Using the System: So for each month a group is in the wilderness, do the following:
Time: This system is based on months comprised of 30 days.
Terrain Hex: Terrain is divided into Hexes with a diameter of 24 miles. A region may contain one or more terrain hexes.
Group: A set of roughly 50 medium sized people. Multiple groups can live on the same terrain hex (assuming proper capacity, see below). Perform a single set of rolls for all groups together.
Supply: It is assumed that a group spends the vast majority of a month focused on food gathering and hunting, remaining within a single Terrain Hex. The table below shows how much supply is gained or loss over the month, depending on the quality of the Terrain Hex. A group can store a maximum of 500 supply at base. The maximum can be increased by the use of pack animals or wagons.
Terrain Hex Quality (per month)
Supply Modifiers
*Penalty is -75 in Good/Best Terrain. Winter months are considered a +1 or +2 tier difficulty.
**Snares provide +0 when Migrating or in territory that doesn’t allow hunt checks. Bonus is halved during winter.
***If a Druid commits most of their spells to survival, multiply the supply gained by their spellcasting level. Ex: A 6th level druid would provide +600 instead of +100 supply.
^Bonus or Penalty is +0 when not hunting
Migration: A migrating group is able to move a number of terrain hexes based on their travel pace in a month:
Crawl: 5
Slow: 20
Normal: 30
Fast: 40
Capacity (Optional): Capacity is designed for DMs who want to encourage migration. Each terrain hex has a maximum capacity number, which represents the number of groups a terrain can support (the number can be negative). For every group above the current capacity, -2 to the feast roll. If the penalty is -10 or higher, you can no longer hunt on the terrain. Once a terrain is at maximum capacity, it cannot be increased further.
Feast Roll: At the end of each month, roll a D20 (DC 10). The roll has a -2 for every group above the current capacity.
Success: +50 supply per group
Critical Success: +100 supply per group, +1 capacity
Critical Failure: -50 supply per group, -1 capacity
Fatigue / Doomed
At the end of the month, all groups gain 1 fatigue for every -50 supply (per group). The total supply of the group is reset to 0 if its negative.
Examples
I created a version 2.0 that uses much more standardized and simplified numbers. This isn't quite as accurate as the original system in order to gain that simplicity, but honestly its still pretty close all things considered.
This system is designed for a DM who wants to model a group of "hunter gatherers" using the journey and supply system. Ultimately I made the system over the course of a month to reduce the number of rolls and rounding. This also includes the impact of powerful rangers and druids which can greatly increase supply. Feedback is very welcome!
Using the System: So for each month a group is in the wilderness, do the following:
- Determine the Terrain Hex Quality and the base Supply Loss / Gain
- Adjust using the Supply Modifiers
- Make a single Feast roll (modified by Hex Quality and Capacity) to further adjust the supply.
- Add up all supply adjustments.
- Provide fatigue to the group for every -50 supply they are at. Positive supply is stored, assuming there is enough supply capacity.
Time: This system is based on months comprised of 30 days.
Terrain Hex: Terrain is divided into Hexes with a diameter of 24 miles. A region may contain one or more terrain hexes.
Group: A set of roughly 50 medium sized people. Multiple groups can live on the same terrain hex (assuming proper capacity, see below). Perform a single set of rolls for all groups together.
Supply: It is assumed that a group spends the vast majority of a month focused on food gathering and hunting, remaining within a single Terrain Hex. The table below shows how much supply is gained or loss over the month, depending on the quality of the Terrain Hex. A group can store a maximum of 500 supply at base. The maximum can be increased by the use of pack animals or wagons.
Terrain Hex Quality (per month)
| Supply Loss/Gain (per Group) | Feast | |
| Best | 50 | Advantage |
| Good | 0 | |
| Standard | -350 | Disadvantage |
| No Hunt | -1150 | No roll |
- Best – Tier 0 terrain with multiple advantages to hunt checks (such as a good forest near a flowing river).
- Good – Tier 0 terrain with advantage to hunt checks.
- Standard – Tier 0 terrain with no advantage or disadvantage to hunt checks.
- No Hunt – Either a terrain incapable of hunt checks or the group decided not to hunt that month.
Supply Modifiers
| Supply Loss/Gain (per group) | |
| +1 Tier Difficulty / Migrating*^ | -150 |
| Group is Proficient in Survival^ | +150 |
| Group has detailed knowledge of the Terrain^ | +150 |
| Per Snare^ | +50** |
| Per Ranger/Druid | +50*** |
| Per Ranger/Druid (5+ level) | +100*** |
**Snares provide +0 when Migrating or in territory that doesn’t allow hunt checks. Bonus is halved during winter.
***If a Druid commits most of their spells to survival, multiply the supply gained by their spellcasting level. Ex: A 6th level druid would provide +600 instead of +100 supply.
^Bonus or Penalty is +0 when not hunting
Migration: A migrating group is able to move a number of terrain hexes based on their travel pace in a month:
Crawl: 5
Slow: 20
Normal: 30
Fast: 40
Capacity (Optional): Capacity is designed for DMs who want to encourage migration. Each terrain hex has a maximum capacity number, which represents the number of groups a terrain can support (the number can be negative). For every group above the current capacity, -2 to the feast roll. If the penalty is -10 or higher, you can no longer hunt on the terrain. Once a terrain is at maximum capacity, it cannot be increased further.
Feast Roll: At the end of each month, roll a D20 (DC 10). The roll has a -2 for every group above the current capacity.
Success: +50 supply per group
Critical Success: +100 supply per group, +1 capacity
Critical Failure: -50 supply per group, -1 capacity
Fatigue / Doomed
At the end of the month, all groups gain 1 fatigue for every -50 supply (per group). The total supply of the group is reset to 0 if its negative.
Examples
A group of commoners is having to migrate through a Tier 1 Feywood, with a capacity of 1. The commoners currently have 100 supply stored.
Feywood give advantage to hunt checks, so this is a “good quality” terrain, so a base of 0 supply. However, it’s a Tier 1 terrain, so -150 supply. Further, the group is migrating, so another -150 supply.
At the end of the month, the group makes their feast check. The capacity is 1, so no penalties, and the check is at advantage because of the good terrain.
The group rolls a 10, so +50 supply.
In total, the group has supply equal to 100 (stored) – 0 (good quality) - 150 (migration) – 150 (tier 1) + 50 (feast) = -150 supply. The group takes 3 fatigue (1 for each -50), and their supply is reset to 0. They made it, but the group is very haggard from the journey!
Example 2
A group is become stranded in a Tier 2 frozen waste, trying to survive a light winter. A friendly second level druid is with them and has a detailed knowledge of the area, and is willing to use all of their nature magic to help the group survive. The group are proficient survivalists and have 3 hunting snares with them, but currently do not have any stored supplies. While the group would love to migrate out of the area, they know that they will need every bit of food they can gather to survive the winter.
A frozen waste is a Standard Quality Terrain. We have +2 tiers for the terrain, +1 tier for the winter. The group rolls a feast check at disadvantage and fails, gaining no additional supply.
Supplies for the Month = 0 (stored) -350 (standard terrain) -450 (Tier 3 terrain) + 150 (detailed knowledge of the area) +150 (proficient in survival) + 0 (feast) + 100 (2nd level druid using all of their magic on survival, so 50 x 2 = 100) + 75 (3 snares = 150, halved to 75 in the winter) = -325
The group is now at -6 fatigue (-325 / 50 = 6.5, rounded down as normal). The group barely survives, suffering massive ailments. They were lucky though, a critical failure on the feast roll would have left them at -7 fatigue and killed the group. Still they are hardly out of the woods, and without some unexpected boon are unlikely to make it another month.
Example 3
100 traveling pilgrims (aka 2 groups) have decided to spend the winter in a Tier 1 Tangled forest with Capacity 1, that also has a nice flowing river in it. The pilgrims are fully stocked with 1000 supplies, though they are not survivalists and don't know the area well.
For the supplies, we have the following modifiers
Supply = 1000 (stored) + 100 (best terrain x2 for two groups) - 300 (Tier 1 + winter = Tier 2, but penalty is halved for best terrain, x2 for two groups) = 800.
They make the feast roll (with advantage for the terrain, but at a -2 because they are 1 over the capacity of the forest). They succeed and get +100 supply (+50 x 2 groups).
After the end of the first month, they are at 900 supplies
In the second month, the lose another 200 supply, and have the worst luck, getting a nat 1 on the feast roll! That is -50 x2 groups = -100 supply! Further this means the capacity of the terrain has dropped from 1 to 0.
Total: 600 supply
The last month of winter kicks up a very nasty blizzard (increasing the tier by another +1, for an additional -300 supply, or -500 supplies for the month). For the feast roll, they are now at a -4 penalty (2 groups in a terrain with a capacity of 0). They fail the roll, so don't gain or lose any supplies.
Total: 100 supply
While the nasty winter at the end was brutal, the pilgrims were well prepared, and came out of winter none the worse for wear.
Feywood give advantage to hunt checks, so this is a “good quality” terrain, so a base of 0 supply. However, it’s a Tier 1 terrain, so -150 supply. Further, the group is migrating, so another -150 supply.
At the end of the month, the group makes their feast check. The capacity is 1, so no penalties, and the check is at advantage because of the good terrain.
The group rolls a 10, so +50 supply.
In total, the group has supply equal to 100 (stored) – 0 (good quality) - 150 (migration) – 150 (tier 1) + 50 (feast) = -150 supply. The group takes 3 fatigue (1 for each -50), and their supply is reset to 0. They made it, but the group is very haggard from the journey!
Example 2
A group is become stranded in a Tier 2 frozen waste, trying to survive a light winter. A friendly second level druid is with them and has a detailed knowledge of the area, and is willing to use all of their nature magic to help the group survive. The group are proficient survivalists and have 3 hunting snares with them, but currently do not have any stored supplies. While the group would love to migrate out of the area, they know that they will need every bit of food they can gather to survive the winter.
A frozen waste is a Standard Quality Terrain. We have +2 tiers for the terrain, +1 tier for the winter. The group rolls a feast check at disadvantage and fails, gaining no additional supply.
Supplies for the Month = 0 (stored) -350 (standard terrain) -450 (Tier 3 terrain) + 150 (detailed knowledge of the area) +150 (proficient in survival) + 0 (feast) + 100 (2nd level druid using all of their magic on survival, so 50 x 2 = 100) + 75 (3 snares = 150, halved to 75 in the winter) = -325
The group is now at -6 fatigue (-325 / 50 = 6.5, rounded down as normal). The group barely survives, suffering massive ailments. They were lucky though, a critical failure on the feast roll would have left them at -7 fatigue and killed the group. Still they are hardly out of the woods, and without some unexpected boon are unlikely to make it another month.
Example 3
100 traveling pilgrims (aka 2 groups) have decided to spend the winter in a Tier 1 Tangled forest with Capacity 1, that also has a nice flowing river in it. The pilgrims are fully stocked with 1000 supplies, though they are not survivalists and don't know the area well.
For the supplies, we have the following modifiers
Supply = 1000 (stored) + 100 (best terrain x2 for two groups) - 300 (Tier 1 + winter = Tier 2, but penalty is halved for best terrain, x2 for two groups) = 800.
They make the feast roll (with advantage for the terrain, but at a -2 because they are 1 over the capacity of the forest). They succeed and get +100 supply (+50 x 2 groups).
After the end of the first month, they are at 900 supplies
In the second month, the lose another 200 supply, and have the worst luck, getting a nat 1 on the feast roll! That is -50 x2 groups = -100 supply! Further this means the capacity of the terrain has dropped from 1 to 0.
Total: 600 supply
The last month of winter kicks up a very nasty blizzard (increasing the tier by another +1, for an additional -300 supply, or -500 supplies for the month). For the feast roll, they are now at a -4 penalty (2 groups in a terrain with a capacity of 0). They fail the roll, so don't gain or lose any supplies.
Total: 100 supply
While the nasty winter at the end was brutal, the pilgrims were well prepared, and came out of winter none the worse for wear.
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