D&D General Why Exploration Is the Worst Pillar

[mrpopstar]

This is actually in the PHB!

 

[Nefermandias]

This is actually in the PHB!

True that. I forgot that the bulk of those rules are actually in the PHB 183
But still...

 

[Malmuria]

Ultraviolet Grasslands has some good ideas for travel-as-exploration (free version here). I just got it, have not yet played it, but it looks interesting. First of all, it's a pointcrawl instead of a hexcrawl. This is important because you can hand the players a map and there are discrete locations they can visit, which might do a better job at generating exploration than the 'wandering about in the wilderness' feel of a hexcrawl. Each location is a mini-hub for other smaller locations (dungeons, etc). Second, it zooms out the travel, where you have a caravan that can carry a certain amount of supplies, the caravan has its own sheet, and you can upgrade it and add followers (this part is inspired by the oregon trail videogame). This means that resource tracking doesn't happen at the individual character level, but at the group level, and is abstracted. Third, it provides things to find other than dungeons, including trade goods, and so you can set up trading routes. Or, you can explore all the way from one end of the map to the other, with things getting weirder the further you go.

I think for exploration in dnd, either at the wilderness travel scale or the dungeon scale is a good procedure, a set of things to do each x amount of time, with resources to check off along the way. It's a sort of strategy mini-game in the same way that combat is a tactics mini-game. These structures are notably absent from the current edition (yes I've read the train wreck that is the 5e dmg).

 

[Ovinomancer]

Yes, that's actually RAW. Too bad people don't read the DMG.

Not sure how much it's actually RAW, because it really just says, "the GM decides" if it's important in a given moment. The quote marks are because "the GM decides" is the core mechanic of most of 5e.

 

[Nefermandias]

Not sure how much it's actually RAW, because it really just says, "the GM decides" if it's important in a given moment. The quote marks are because "the GM decides" is the core mechanic of most of 5e.

You might be right about that, but we keep bringing up "the DM decides" every time, it's gonna be impossible to talk about any RAW at all...

 

[mrpopstar]

Not sure how much it's actually RAW, because it really just says, "the GM decides" if it's important in a given moment. The quote marks are because "the GM decides" is the core mechanic of most of 5e.

Curious, why do you prefer GM to DM?

 

[Ovinomancer]

You might be right about that, but we keep bringing up "the DM decides" every time, it's gonna be impossible to talk about any RAW at all...

Sure, but that's kinda on the RAW, isn't it?

 

[Ovinomancer]

Curious, why do you prefer GM to DM?

The generic term is more broadly applicable. I don't have to remember what special term of specialness the role is given in each game.

 

[S'mon]

Exacept when you get to Structural Skill Challenges presented in DMG 2

I'll give it another look, thx. Mostly been referencing the 4e DMG and early adventures.

 

[iserith]

I'll give it another look, thx. Mostly been referencing the 4e DMG and early adventures.

I recommend going with Rules Compendium skill challenge rules only.