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Message: <blockquote data-quote="clearstream" data-source="post: 8647104" data-attributes="member: 71699">Part 3 of 3 Comparing the hexploration process between<ol> <li data-xf-list-type="ol">Expert (Cook/Marsh) + Isle of Dread (Cook/Moldvay)</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ol">5th Edition (Mearls/Crawford) + Tomb of Annihilation (Perkins/Doyle/Winter)</li> </ol>The process rules in Expert are in the core book, while the process rules in 5th are spread across three books. In both, the process has a bulleted sequence to follow, with calls out to other rules (bolded). Both also have other rules that apply, but that are not referenced in the bulleted sequence.  As a reminder, those sequences[SPOILER="Expert Hexcrawl"]Order of Events in One Game Day1. The party decides their direction of travel. Miles/day is based on character moves per turn, modified for terrain type. Forced marches increase distance covered at cost of a forced rest the following day.2. The DM checks to see if the party becomes lost (1d6, see p.X56). There are five terrrain types. Chance is fixed per type, e.g. 1-2 for Woods. Direction is rolled randomly. Don't roll if following road, trail, river, or reliable guide.3. The DM rolls for wandering monsters (1d6, see p. X55). Encounter on a 1. Three tables dividing monsters by level-appropriateness. 20 monsters per table. Isle of Dread supplements those with three more, longer tables. (About a dozen new creatures.)4. If monsters are not encountered, the day ends. If monsters are encountered, the DM must determine the type of monsters and for the Number Appearing. Some hexes have fixed encounters.5. The DM rolls to check the distance between the monsters and the party (4d6).6. The DM rolls to check surprise (1d6). It is possible to evade the encounter at this point. 10-90% chance based on party size cross-referenced with number of creatures. It is easiest for small parties to evade large numbers of creatures. DM judgement call to adjust for circumstances by a recommended up to 25%.7. The DM and the party roll for initiative (1d6).8. The DM rolls for Monster Reaction (2d6, see Monster Reactions). Rolled only if DM hasn't planned reactions inadvance. Five possible reactions, from attack to friendship.9. The party and the monsters react. (If Combat occurs, see p.X23).10. End of turn. When necessary, the DM should check the character's remaining hit points, changes in the party's marching order, and the duration of any spells in progress[/SPOILER][SPOILER="5th Edition Hexcrawl"]For each day that the party travels through the wilderness, follow these steps:- Using the poster map, identify the hex in which the party is currently located. Don't share this information with the players if the party is lost; otherwise, show the players the party's location by pointing to the appropriate hex on their map of Chult.- Let the players determine what direction the party wants to go, and whether the party plans to move at a normal pace, a fast pace, or a slow pace (see "Travel Distances" below). Players choose a pace that is adjusted for terrain type and converted to hexes. Mounts and vehicles adjust distance covered. Forced marches increase distance covered at the possible cost of exhaustion.- Let the players choose a navigator, then make a Wisdom (Survival) check on the navigator's behalf to determine if the party becomes lost (see "Navigation" below). Becoming lost is an ability check against terrain difficulty, with a modifier for pace. Navigating is one of several defined activities travellers can turn their attention to. If lost, direction is rolled randomly.- Check for random encounters throughout the day (see appendix B). Threats may be noticed depending on pace. Weather modifies visibility. Creature reactions are based on starting attitudes and character abilities. Encounter distances are given on the DM's screen, which I take to acknowledge a miss in core.- At the end of the day, check to see if any party members are dehydrated (see "Dehydration" below). Food and water require management (water in jungle is poisonous). That can be obviated by Ranger class or Outlander background. Dehydration is modified by pace and armor, and causes exhaustion. Exhaustion formalises penalties that are suggested in freeform in Expert.[/SPOILER]To [USER=70468]@kenada[/USER]'s question, between module and core, the two editions have near identical procedure tying it all together. 5e formalises some resource management that is implied in Expert. In both editions, a weakness (as pointed out by others) is how readily resource management is obviated by player choices for their characters. There are a number of other mechanics in the game texts, such as Weather, that come into exploration should a group be focusing on it.Weather[SPOILER="Expert Weather"]For hexploration, weather in Expert is outlined narratively at the level of climate. For example"The general weather patterns of this part of the continent move from west to east. Hence, much rain falls on the western edge of the Altan Tepe mountains, while little or none falls on the Alasiyan desert. The warm offshore currents near Thyatis and Minrothad modify the weather somewhat in the south, making the climate there similar to the Mediterranean."It's worth noting that weather at sea is mechanically detailed. With 2d6 rolls for wind, chances of ship loss, and modifiers to movement.[/SPOILER][SPOILER="5th edition Weather"]For hexploration, weather in 5th edition is mechanically detailed, with tables for temperature (offset from norms), wind and precipitation, and mechanical consequences for extremes of each.ToA provides norms for Chult and adds more extreme precipitation with mechanical consequences on travel. The exhaustion rules are again employed as a cost of travel in such extreme weather.Again, there are additional rules for weather at sea.[/SPOILER]Overall, weather receives more detail in 5th edition than in Expert.Mapping[SPOILER="Expert Mapping"]The DM should prepare a map of the campaign area ahead of time, noting general features such as the type of terrain, villages, rivers, etc. It has been found that paper with a hexagonal or square grid is most useful for making maps. Hexagonal-grid maps are the best because there are six spaces to go to that are an equal distance from the space started from; with a square grid there are only four (diagonals distort the distance). Thus, whenever the rules use "hexagon" in connection with maps, it simply means "a space on the map". The scale on these maps is often 6 miles per hexagon.Players will want to keep a permanent map of the areas they pass through. Usually players can map only the hexagon they are actually in, but this may vary with terrain (one can see farther on top of a mountain than in a valley).Moving through a wilderness hexagon will give the players only a general idea of terrain features, as well as obvious signs of civilization — roads, cities, castles, farms, and the like. Players will not gain any specific knowledge of the inhabitants unless they spend extra time there.[/SPOILER][SPOILER="5th edition Mapping"]PHB Cartographer's tools can be bought. As an activity while travelling, a character can draw a map that reeords the group's progress and helps the characters get back on eourse if they get lost. No ability check is required.DMG Discussion, tables and rules specific to mapping a wilderness is provided. I don't quote those here as I have for Expert as they are too extensive.That is supplemented for jungle environments in ToA.[/SPOILER]On the one hand, there is without doubt more coverage of the topic of mapping in 5e. On the other hand, the upshot of the two is fairly similar. Players can map terrain they observe. No roll.Tracking and Foraging[SPOILER="Expert Tracking and Foraging"]I couldn't find rules for tracking, other than one or two creatures are described as being able to.FORAGING: Characters travelling in the wilderness may attempt to search or hunt for food, either to extend their normal supplies or prevent starvation. Searching for food may be done while travelling. If 1 is rolled on a d6, the party will have found enough to feed 1-6 men for one day. This food will consist of nuts, berries and possibly small game. To hunt, characters must spend a day without moving. There is a 1 in 6 chance of having an encounter from the Animal Subtable on the Wilderness Wandering Monster Tables. This encounter is in addition to any normal encounter rolls for the day. Days spent resting cannot be used for hunting. Characters who run out of food may face a variety of circumstances that must be handled by the DM. Possible effects of hunger might include the need for more rest, slower movement rates, minuses "to hit", and gradual loss of hit points.[/SPOILER][SPOILER="5th edition Tracking and Foraging"]PHB Rangers have rules for tracking, and there is a general rule for foraging (which references the DMG). Each character travelling can conduct one of navigating, mapping, tracking, foraging, or keeping a look out.DMG Foraging uses an ability check against a DC given by food and water availability. Needs are found on a table for creature size. Travelling at a fast place prevents foraging.[/SPOILER]Note that I've quoted the Expert text, but only overviewed the 5th edition because there is more of it. Expert seems stricter to me on foraging than 5th edition; stopped for a day seems to me more likely to limit a party than a slow or normal pace.Evocative content[SPOILER="Evocative Content (both editions)"]IllustrativelyX1 has a continent hex map, an island hex map, two cave lairs, a pirate lair, three monster camps, and two villages.ToA has a high-detail continent hex map that (without counting hexes) offers at least equal hexploration potential, a large port, a merchant villa, three camps, five sites, an anchorage, a monstery, a ruined garden, a wreck, a mine, and a village. Hexporation segues into a city, which in turn contains a detailed temple and several other locations.[/SPOILER]The quality of the content for the purposes of play seems about equal to me. There is just more of the ToA content and it is much fancier than X1.ConclusionDespite the procedures being near-identical, Expert seems to me stricter than 5th edition, because 5th edition characters have a far greater number of ways to ignore the costs and limits. Perhaps the infected jungle water is a nod toward that by the ToA team? On the flipside, to me the comparison validated that 5th edition has more rule coverage and is more replete with evocative content than Expert. (They both have evocative content, 5th has more of it.)It surprised me how close the two editions were mechanically! It was mentioned that advice text leads some to feel the 5th edition procedure is necessarily softened. When I parse game texts, I count different types of text as having different weights: I commit to being constrained by mechanics, I don't commit to being constrained by advice. That is fruitful for me. Those who find it fruitful to give all parts of a game text equal weight are - as noted - likely to find the procedure softened.</blockquote>

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