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Message: <blockquote data-quote="AbdulAlhazred" data-source="post: 8645179" data-attributes="member: 82106">OK, so what about 5e? What are the rules in 5e that would be applied to hexcrawl? Well, first of all, 5e has some basic structural similarity to 1e, in that it has a sort of 'task oriented' rules structure where you utilize subsystems which can handle provide inputs to the GM's story. The one big difference is that skill/ability checks exist, which were not part of core 1e (though if we use the WSG version of 1e we will add those). That means there's a fairly set default mechanism to setting any question where a PC is involved, a check. However, DCs are totally at the discretion of the GM, as is how much success or failure they represent in a general sense. Thus the rules for specific things tend to be 'mushier' than in 1e, where some very specific 'rule' may exist for just a given type of situation with specific types of dice, etc. Anyway, lets see what is in the books:PHB Chapter 5 describes equipment, there's a pretty long list of 'stuff' here, and it all comes with a weight. Backpacks and such have a capacity. This is pretty much the same as AD&D, give or take a pound here or there (1e used 'GP' as the unit of weight measure). PHB p176 gives us a rule for encumbrance, but here we run into some difficulty as there are TWO rules, and they differ fairly substantially. The default says you can carry 15xSTR (so an average human can carry 165lbs or so, which is kinda high). With this rule there's no degree of encumbrance, at 1lb over you presumably turn into a pumpkin and fall to the ground... If you use 'variant encumbrance' then 5xSTR or less pounds is fine, between 5x and 10x you are 'encumbered' and slow by 10', and over 10x you are heavily encumbered with a 20' movement penalty and disadvantage on physical checks. Presumably the 15x limit still applies as the uttermost max load. So, here we run into 5e's first issue, there's a lot of alternative rules and which ones you use makes a BIG difference. However, we can assume that the hexcrawl DM is invoking all the more detailed and generally harder to use versions.Chapter 7 provides the basic rules for skill/ability check system. I'd note here that this system in its entirety is also technically optional, though my reading of things is that it is assumed to be in use and NOT using it is more of a 'variant'. Chapter 8 is a general coverage of 'adventuring'. It notes that GMs usually use maps, discusses time, noting that wilderness adventures probably track it in hours, or perhaps days. Movement provides a set of rules based on 'travel pace' where the players can select fast, normal, or slow, with provisions for vehicles and mounts, as well as forced marching. Rules are then presented for moving stealthily, perceiving threats, etc. though most of these appear to be more 'notes', and I assume there are rules in the DMG covering the details (IE of surprise and encounter distance for example).Chapter 8 also includes rules for light, vision, food and water, and the core resting rules (no variants are discussed here). The DMG has an exploration subchapter which covers most of the stuff we would require: It talks about movement, giving some more detailed notes on how fast a character could ACTUALLY move, etc. but not contradicting what is in the PHB, though it suggests those rules are 'simplified'. There are some 'notes' on visibility and 'noticing other creatures', but no definite rules or procedure are given for things like encounter distance or surprise. A rule is given for tracking. Then there's a fairly general set of reaction rules that basically just notes some possible DCs and outcomes that might be applied to say parleys and such. The DM facing combat rules come next, and then we get into 'Chases', which could overlap into wilderness type movement, and there's a table of 'chase complications' that could be handy. Then there are some misc rules/notes about things like sieges and disease, but no real rules per se on that subject. The DMG also has an 'Adventure Environments' subchapter, and within this are some sections on Wilderness. There is a section about the 'hour by hour approach', but it doesn't really give any meat, just noting that this might sometimes be appropriate, etc. In general it seems geared more towards a 'skip the boring parts and just go to the encounters' approach. A section covers 'Mapping a Wilderness', but has even less to say than 1e about how such a map is constituted, hexagons and scales apparently are covered in another place entirely. Movement is just noted to be assumed to happen on a 1hex/mile scale. Beyond that there are some notes and a couple tables relating to weird features, and some notes that settlements and castles probably exist (but no details). We then get rules for 'Wilderness Survival' which are somewhat more complete than other sections. A weather table is presented, though not with any real rules for how or when to use it (once a day seems to be the suggestion). Various hazards are noted, with some basic rules text for some of them. Then there's a section on foraging, one on food and water, and one on becoming lost. Finally I'd note that there is next a section on Settlements, which has generator tables that could feed into the above hexcrawl mechanics, though that isn't really spelled out. It would definitely be a logical use for them.DMG also has a general world design chapter, and here we find some more detailed explanation of how to make maps that would presumably be used in a hexcrawl. It notes 3 map scales 1 mile hexes (province scale), 6 mile hexes (kingdom scale), and 60 mile hexes (continent scale). That's about all that is relevant here, though there are more discussions about what might be on these maps in terms of civilization mostly. So, here we get the notion of hex maps and scales, though nothing really tells us which scale is good for hexcrawl (I'll assume the smallest one, province scale, probably is the best, but you could presumably get by with the kingdom scale maps in a pinch, or just zoom in as needed.</blockquote>

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