Caesar's House

of the Fifth

/u/Caesarr

i
 C ONTENTS
1 Quick Fixes 1 3 Feats 7
Character Creation . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 Unchanged Feats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Level 1 Hit Points . . . . . . . . . . . 1 Nerfed Feats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Feats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 Buffed Feats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Maximum Ability Score . . . . . . . . 1
High-level Martial Characters . . . . . . . 1 4 Magic Items 11
Classes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 Crafting Magic Items . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
Ranger . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 Disenchanting . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
Sorcerer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 Upgrading Magic Weapons & Armor . . . 11
Monk . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 5 Inspiration 12
Warlock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 Benefits of Inspiration . . . . . . . . . . . 12
Wizard . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 Using Inspiration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
Companions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 Renewing Inspiration . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
Illusions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
Survival . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 6 Gaining Experience 13
Holding Your Breath . . . . . . . . . . 2 Personal Characteristics . . . . . . . . . . 13
Adventuring Pack . . . . . . . . . . . 2 Writing Characteristics . . . . . . . . 13
Ability Checks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 Earning XP . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
Helping . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 The Party Goal . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
Taking 10 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 Expected XP Rate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
Taking 20 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 Guidelines for Earning XP . . . . . . 14
Skill Challenges . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 Magic, Madness & Promises . . . . . . . . 14
Interrogations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
Campaign Pacing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 7 Renown 15
Increased Difficulty . . . . . . . . . . 3 Tracking Renown . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
An Extra Feat . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 Benefits of Renown . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
Fictional Positioning . . . . . . . . . . 15
2 Combat 4 Overlapping Allegiances . . . . . . . . 15
Fighting Spirit . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 Gaining Renown . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
Cleaving & Piercing . . . . . . . . . . 4 Maintaining Renown . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
Called Shots . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
8 Exploring the Wild 16
Mark (Opportunity Attacks) . . . . . 5
Using a Map . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
Potions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
Time . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
Massive Damage . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
Sleeping in the Wild . . . . . . . . . . 16
Casting Multiple Spells . . . . . . . . 5 Travel Procedure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
Stealthy Takedowns . . . . . . . . . . 5 Other Hex Sizes . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
Escaping . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 Variant: One hex at a time . . . . . . 17
Non-player Multiattacks . . . . . . . 5 Vision . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
Legendary Resistance . . . . . . . . . 5 Travel Distance . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
Using Skills in Combat . . . . . . . . . . . 5 Travel Activities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
Move Through Enemy Space . . . . . 5 Random Encounters . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
Resuscitate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 Environment Encounters . . . . . . . 19
Cut the Straps . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 Environment Hazards . . . . . . . . . 21
Interfere with an Object . . . . . . . . 6 Downtime . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
Interrupt a Spell . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 Travelling . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
Frighten . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 Activities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
Rally . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 Advanced Recipe for Hex Encounters . . . 22
Social Skills . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 The Recipe . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
Recalling Information . . . . . . . . . 6 Other Resources . . . . . . . . . . . . 23

CONTENTS
ii
C HAPTER 1: Q UICK F IXES
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C HARACTER C REATION
L EVEL 1 H IT P OINTS
Level 1 characters start with 2 Hit Dice and
equivalent hit points of a level 2 character. When
characters reach level 2, they don’t gain hit
points or a hit die.
F EATS
Non-human races can gain a feat at level 1, by
replacing all racial ability score improvements
with one +1 increase in an ability of your choice.
M AXIMUM A BILITY S CORE
At level 1, ability scores cannot be above 17.
This mostly affects Custom Lineages from TCE.
If you roll for scores and roll an 18+, move the
excess amount to another ability score.
H IGH - LEVEL M AR TIAL
C HARACTERS
When you reach a combined total of 11 levels
(and again at 15 and 20 levels) in the following
classes, you gain an additional Ability Score
Improvement or Feat: Barbarian, Fighter, Monk,
Rogue, and three-quarters of any Artificer,
Paladin and Ranger levels (rounded down). For
example, without any multi-classing, a Ranger
will gain their first additional ASI at level 15
(15×0.75 = 11).
The Martial Power Fantasy
At higher tiers, martial characters can start to feel less epic
than spellcasters. In popular media, martial characters like
Achilles, Captain America, Ip Man, and John Wick are often
seen achieving incredible feats of strength and dexterity, or
taking on dozens of thugs at once and winning. Additional
attribute points and feats can help enable some of these
fantasies. Using the optional Cleave can also be important
in achieving these fantasies.
Gritty Realism
Using the Gritty Realism resting rules (p.267 of the DMG)
can also help bridge the gap between martial characters
and spellcasters. The game is balanced around having 6-8
medium-hard encounters per long rest. If spellcasters rest
more often than this, they will have more spell slots
available per encounter than the game expects.
C LASSES
R ANGER
Use the TCE version of the Ranger.
• You can have the Favored Foe feature last for
a single attack and not require concentration.
• Rather than knowing a set list of spells, you
prepare a number of spells from the Ranger
spell list equal to your Wisdom modifier + half
your Ranger level, rounded down. You can
change your list at the end of long rests.
S ORCERER
• You have an additional number of sorcery
points equal to your proficiency bonus.
• At 3rd Level, you gain four Metamagic options.
You gain two at 10th and 17th level.
• Subclasses that do not include a table of
additional spells (such as those in TCE) gain 2
additional spells known when they gain their
1st, 3rd, 5th, 7th and 9th level in Sorcerer.
These spells must on the sorcerer, warlock or
wizard spell list, and must be from one of two
schools of magic chosen at character creation.
M ONK
• You have an additional number of ki points
equal to your proficiency bonus.
• As part of your Extra Attack class feature, the
number of attacks increases to three when
you reach 11th level.
• Starting at 1st level, while you are wearing no
armor and not wielding a shield, enemy
creatures have disadvantage on opportunity
attacks against you.
• You can make grapple and shove checks with
Dexterity (Athletics).
Skills with different abilities
In popular culture, martial artists like Jackie Chan often
perform tasks in unusual ways, such as using dexterity in
places where other combatants might use raw strength.
Achieving this class fantasy in 5e can be as simple as being
more permissive with which skill or ability can be used to
achieve a task.
WARLOCK
Intelligence can be used as your spellcasting
attribute. Any class features that use Charisma
change to Intelligence.
W IZARD
You do not need to roll when copying spells into
your spellbook.
CHAPTER 1: QUICK FIXES
1
 C OMPANIONS
Important non-player companions and mounts
have a number of d8 Hit Dice equal to the
average party level. Their maximum hit points
are therefore equal to (5 + their Constitution
modifier) × the average party level. This only
applies to living creatures (not constructs,
undead or summons) and mounts created with
the Find Steed and Find Greater Steed spells.
I LLUSIONS
When presented with an illusion that requires
an action to investigate, it can be difficult to
determine whether a creature would have a
reason to be suspicious. To clarify the situation,
use the creature’s passive Intelligence
(Investigation) score. If their passive skill is
above the spell save DC of the caster, they are
suspicious. They do not know for certain
however, and will still err on the side of caution.
An action and successful investigation check (or
physical contact) is still required before the
creature will act as if the illusion is fake. If the
creature’s passive Intelligence (Investigation)
score is below the spell save DC, the creature
will not spend an action investigating unless
presented with new evidence.
Identifying the spell. XGE outlines rules for
identifying a spell with a reaction or action on
p.85. This is an alternative method for
discerning an illusion, but may have a higher
DC than the above method (15 + spell level).
S URVIVAL
If you want survival to be non-trivial, use the
following two quick fixes:
• Long rests cannot be taken in the wilderness.
• A person can carry at most 20 lbs of water
(enough for 2 days), and water created by
magic below 3rd level does not provide
hydration (nor do goodberries).
See Chapter 8 for full rework of Exploration.
H OLDING Y OUR B REATH
Holding your breath requires Concentration.
A DVENTURING P ACK
Available anywhere that sells adventuring gear,
this item costs 20 gp, weighs 20 lb. and has 5
charges. Spending a charge allows you to pull
out any mundane item worth 5 gp or less, such
as a shovel, crowbar, grappling hook, torch,
caltrops, oil flask, or steel mirror.
CHAPTER 1: QUICK FIXES
2
A BILITY C HECKS
When the DM proposes an ability or skill check,
they choose a DC based on how the players have
described their characters performing the task.
The DM tells the players the DC before any dice
are rolled – the characters are assumed to be
competent enough to assess the difficulty of a
task before they attempt it.
The players then have the option to either
attempt the ability check, or decide on a
different course of action. This can include
altering how they approach the task in order to
make it easier, in which case the DM should be
open to lowering the DC. Or if the solution is
clever enough, an ability check might not be
necessary at all! This can be particularly
appropriate when navigating hazards.
Ability checks are more than just dice rolls
Ability checks offer an opportunity for roleplaying.
Describing how a character does something can often be
more interesting than the dice roll itself. While the DM has
the final say, the DC of a task can be decided as a group
based on a shared understanding of the world, and change
based on the characters’ actions.
H ELPING
To help another character with a skill check, you
must be proficient in the skill they are using.
T AKING 10
If you are not in a stressful situation (such as a
conflict or high-stakes situation) you can make
ability and skill checks without rolling a d20.
Instead, you “take 10”, calculating your result as
if you had rolled 10 on the d20. If taking 10
wouldn’t be high enough to complete the task,
you can roll a d20 instead. Taking 10 represents
a character’s default aptitude at a task, when
not under pressure. The PHB has a similar rule
called “Passive Checks” on p.175.
T AKING 20
If you have ten times as much time available as
a task would normally take, and have the
opportunity to try multiple different solutions
(such as using ad-hoc tools, looking up
information in a book, or coordinating a plan
with others), you can “take 20” instead of rolling
a d20. This represents a character’s aptitude in
the best of circumstances. The DMG has a
similar rule on p.237: “Multiple Ability Checks”.
S KILL C HALLENGES
When a single dice roll doesn’t feel like enough,
but combat also doesn’t fit well, a skill challenge
can be a nice middle-ground. Fundamentally a HP Adjustments for Pacing
skill challenge is no different than a sequence of Hit Heroic Default Accurate Mortal Political
ability checks with the DM narrating the Die CR
consequences after each check, except for the d6 5+Con 4+Con 3+Con 2+Con 1+Con
following differences: d8 6+Con 5+Con 4+Con 3+Con 2+Con
• The party needs to get 3 successes before they
d10 7+Con 6+Con 5+Con 4+Con 3+Con
d12 8+Con 7+Con 6+Con 5+Con 4+Con
get 3 failures.
• A different PC needs to roll each time when
As a rule of thumb, the group should decide
possible. whether they are interested in Tier 4 gameplay,
Chases. A contested skill challenge can be a good where the characters are superheroes capable of
way to play out a chase, whether the party is fighting gods. If that excites the group, use the
chasing someone else or being chased. Heroic column. If they don’t feel strongly, use
the Default or Accurate CR column. If you’re
I NTERROGATIONS playing with magic items and want Challenge
Ratings to be accurate, use Accurate CR.
Whenever the party interrogates someone part of If the party is not interested in Tier 4, but the
an organization, follow the normal social campaign is still combat-focused, use the Mortal
interaction rules on p.244 of the DMG. The DM column. Doing so will spread out Tiers 1-3 over
can roll on the following 2 tables to determine levels 1-20. If combat is not the focus, use the
what the NPC knows, and a personality quirk Political column.
that affects how they react and the party’s final The HP gained scales with the Hit Die of the
skill check. class. HP at level 1 is never affected. For
To determine what the NPC knows, roll 1d8 for example, a level 11 Cleric, with a d8 Hit Die and
the lowest-ranking minions or contractors, 2d8 +0 Con, has 58 HP by default, and would have
for mid-tier (or most common) minions, and 3d8 38 HP with Mortal pacing.
for the highest ranking members. The NPC Other HP Increases. Temporary HP, feats like
knows everything at and below the number Tough, and any other non-healing sources that
rolled. add HP are unaffected for Heroic, Default, and
What the Minion Knows Fixed CR pacing. For Mortal and Political pacing,
Xd8 Information
the amount of HP gained is halved, rounded
1-3 Entrance to hideout down (minimum one).
4-6 Current plans for similar minions
7-8 Guard rotations and pass-codes Correcting Challenge Ratings (CR)
9-10 Location of the treasure room The challenge ratings are balanced around the assumption
11 Anything protecting the treasure room that the party does not have any magic items. This was
12-14 The boss’s plan for the day before XGE set standards for the expected number of
15-18 The boss’s secret weakness magic items gained per tier of play. The "Accurate CR"
19-20 The location of the boss’s key or special item column will align CR better with parties using magic items.

Minion Personality (D10) I NCREASED D IFFICULTY

1 Fanatically loyal 6 Bitter about the job
2 Paranoid 7 Has sick child If your group is interested in increasing the
3 Gullible 8 Best friend is also a member difficulty of the game, or want an experience like
4 Squeemish 9 Terrified of their boss the "Witcher" series where careful planning is
5 Greedy 10 In love with their boss vital, use the Political column in a
combat-focused campaign.
Premade Adventures. In premade adventures,
C AMPAIGN P ACING where the leveling speed is defined by the
To adjust the pacing of the story without slowing adventure, any column to the right of Default
down the levelling speed (the DMG recommends will increase the difficulty.
levelling every 2-3 sessions), you can change the
amount of max HP gained when PCs level up. A N E XTRA F EAT
Doing so will flatten (or steepen) the HP curve, If your group would like to increase the
and keep threats relevant to the party for longer customization and power of the characters,
(or shorter). consider giving each PC a free feat at level 1.
Choose a column from the following table This can be done on any pacing tier, but if you
based on how quickly you want the campaign’s don’t want the game to be easier, use the next
threats to escalate. column to the right.

CHAPTER 1: QUICK FIXES

3
 C HAPTER 2: C OMBAT
F IGHTING S PIRIT
Instead of hit points, you have fighting spirit.
Fighting spirit represents all the narrative
elements of hit points: your tenacity, defense,
drive, pain resistance, energy, parrying ability,
training, motivation, and so on.
Instead of suffering damage to your physical
body, you suffer it to your fighting spirit.
Physical harm only occurs when a creature
deals the final blow and decides if the damage is
lethal or non-lethal. Death saving throws work
as normal. Anything that refers to hit points
instead refers to fighting spirit, and hit dice are
now spirit dice.
If you ever have less than a third of your
fighting spirit (rounded down), you are dispirited,
described below. Healing your spirit above a
third removes the condition. Your defensive
capabilities are not dampened while dispirited,
but it is harder for you to find the drive to
continue the fight.
C ONDITION : D ISPIRITED
• You have disadvantage on attack rolls.
• Saving throws made against your spells,
attacks, and abilities have advantage.
• Until you’re next at full fighting spirit, you
have one additional temporary ideal or flaw.
Choose from the following list or create one
with the DM:
– Flaw: I doubt myself.
– Flaw: I don’t have it in me to fight any
longer.
– Ideal: Violence is not the answer.
– Ideal: The creatures we’re fighting deserve to
live.
O PTIONAL R ULE : F IGHTING S PIRIT FOR
NPC S
If the DM is comfortable tracking an additional
condition, NPCs and other living creatures can
also use fighting spirit and the dispirited
condition. If they do, the DM should tell the
group when a creature is dispirited. This is a
good way to signal not only the progress the
party is making in combat, but also that
creatures may be willing to surrender or
bargain.
Self-preservation and Healing
The above rules encourage self-preservation and using
healing throughout a fight, instead of only using small
amounts of healing on unconscious characters.
CHAPTER 2: COMBAT
4
C LEAVING & P IERCING
When you kill an enemy with a weapon attack,
any excess damage can be applied to another
creature within reach (who has an AC equal to
or below the initial attack). Two changes are
made to the Cleave rules on p.272 of the DMG:
• You don’t need to take a creature from full HP
to 0 HP in one hit in order to cleave. Any
excess damage can cleave.
• Ranged weapon attacks can “pierce”: any
excess damage can be applied to a creature
within 5 feet of the target in a straight line
from where you attacked.
This rule allows martial characters to more
easily handle multiple foes, something that is
otherwise mostly limited to spellcasters.
C ALLED S HOTS
When plausible in the fiction, you can make a
“called shot”, where you attack a specific part of
a creature, or an object a creature is holding or
wearing. The DM decides what the effect will be
for succeeding before you commit to making a
called shot. Examples of appropriate effects are
included in the Called Shot Examples table.
Making a called shot requires having
advantage on the attack, and the cost of making
a called shot is that you lose advantage. If the
attack hits, the called shot is successful: you
deal damage as normal, and the target suffers
from the effect.
You can make up to one called shot per round.
Creatures can only be affected by one called
shot at a time. NPCs can also make called shots.
Effect Duration. Bodily injuries should be
temporary, lasting until the end of your next
turn. For example, shooting a Cyclops’s eye only
bruises it for a round, instead of permanently
blinding them. Other effects, such as disarming
them, last until fixed.
Lingering Injures
If you want a more gruesome game, consider letting bodily
injuries last indefinitely when applied to creatures below
half health. If this happens to a PC, it could be a good
opportunity for them to roleplay gaining a new flaw.
Called Shot Examples
Too Weak Appropriate Too Strong
-10 speed Loses flying speed Paralyzed
-4 on next attack Blinded Stunned
-4 damage Disarmed Halved damage
Disadv. on a skill Disadv. on a Disadv. on
saving throw (incl. multiple saving
Concentration) throws
M ARK (O PPOR TUNITY A TTACKS )
As a simplified version of the Mark optional rule
on p.271 of the DMG, opportunity attacks no
longer require your reaction. You can only make
one opportunity attack per round.
P OTIONS
Drinking a potion can be done with a bonus
action, instead of only as an action.
M ASSIVE D AMAGE
After being reduced to 0 hit points, if the
remaining damage equals or exceeds your max
hit points, you gain a level of exhaustion instead
of instantly dying.
C ASTING M ULTIPLE S PELLS
Instead of any bonus action spell (whether a
cantrip or not) preventing you from casting any
other leveled spell during your turn (including
reactions such as Counterspell), the rule is
made more intuitive in the following way:
You cannot cast leveled spells with your
action and with your bonus action in the
same turn.
S TEALTHY T AKEDOWNS
In special circumstances, it is possible to knock
out an enemy who isn’t expecting trouble. To do
so, they must be capable of being surprised, and
you must sneak up within 5 feet of them without
them noticing you.
If successful, you will have advantage on your
first attack for being an unseen attacker. You
can knock them unconscious for 1d4 hours by
succeeding at one of the following in a single
melee attack:
• Reducing their HP to below half their max HP
• Stunning them
• Poisoning them with a Contact, Inhaled or
Injury poison, or a spell such as Contagion.
E SCAPING
If the party (or NPCs) want to escape combat,
they can do so by having each escaping
character Dash or Disengage on their next turn.
Once all characters have done so, the DM (or
players in the case of escaping NPCs) choose one
of the following:
• The enemy is not interested in chasing, and
the escaping characters get away.
• The enemy chases them, and a skill challenge
begins. If the escapees fail the skill challenge,
combat recommences with the next creature
in initiative order. If they succeed, the enemy
is beaten to the objective, gives up, or loses
track of the characters for at least 1d4 hours.
N ON - PLAYER M ULTIATTACKS
When NPCs take the Multiattack action, they
can replace any number of their attacks with
grapple and shove attacks.
L EGENDARY R ESISTANCE
Legendary resistance can also be spent to
succeed at an ability check required by an
enemy’s effect.
U SING S KILLS IN
C OMBAT
While theoretically anything fictionally possible
can be achieved in combat, it can often be
difficult to adjudicate fair rulings. Magical
methods are more concrete than non-magical
methods (e.g. spells), and this can result in
players of non-magical characters having less (or
feeling like they have less) influence over the
fiction. In some cases, being skilled may actually
be more effective than having to rely on magic to
achieve a similar effect.
The following are examples of balanced
non-magical actions that can be taken in
combat.
Proficiency. In order to use a skill as an action
in combat, you must be proficient in the skill.
M OVE T HROUGH E NEMY S PACE
Two optional rules from p.272 of the DMG allow
creatures to move through an enemy’s space. As
an action or bonus action, you can:
Overrun. Make a contested Athletics check.
Larger creatures have advantage.
Tumble. Make a contested Acrobatics check.
R ESUSCITATE
When you attempt to stabilize a creature at 0 hit
points who is not yet stable, if the result is 15 or
higher, they gain 1 hit point. If they are already
stable, there’s nothing more you can do for
them.
C UT THE S TRAPS
As an action or bonus action, if you a wielding a
dagger, you can attempt to cut the straps of one
non-armor item being worn by a creature within
melee range. For example, a spell materials
pouch, backpack, or shield. To do so, make a
contested Dexterity (Sleight of Hand) check
against the target’s Dexterity (Sleight of Hand or
Acrobatics). If you succeed, the item falls to the
ground. For disarming weapons, see the
optional rule on p.271 of the DMG.
CHAPTER 2: COMBAT
5
 I NTERFERE WITH AN O BJECT
When a creature within melee range of you
interacts with an object (such as a sword on the
ground, a map on a table, or a door handle), you
can spend your reaction to make a contested
Dexterity (Acrobatics or Sleight of Hand) check.
If you succeed, the creature fails to interact with
the object this turn.
I NTERRUPT A S PELL
If a creature you are grappling is casting a spell,
you can attempt to interrupt it as a Reaction.
Make an ability check using Strength or
Dexterity (no proficiency bonus). The DC equals
10 + the spell’s level. On a success, the
creature’s spell fails and has no effect.
F RIGHTEN
As an action, target a number of creatures up to
your proficiency bonus that are within 20 feet of
you and can see or hear you. The targets must
succeed on a Wisdom saving throw or be
frightened of you for 1 minute. The DC is equal
to 10 + your Strength or Charisma (Intimidation)
modifier. The frightened creatures can repeat the
saving throw at the end of each of their turns,
ending the effect on itself on a success.
Creatures immune to being frightened cannot be
affected, and you can only target each creature
once per 24 hours with this ability.
S OCIAL S KILLS
Talking does not require an action on your turn,
but if you want to influence the battle, it might.
Before you use your action for the turn, you can
try to influence a single hostile humanoid that
understands you. Make a contested Persuasion,
Performance, Deception, Intimidation or Animal
Handling roll as normal. If the target has been
harmed by the party, roll with disadvantage. If
you succeed, it costs your action, and the target
will offer no help but also do harm to you until
you act aggressively. If you succeed by 10 or
more, the target will do what you ask as long as
no risks or sacrifices are involved, until you act
aggressively.
R ECALLING I NFORMATION
History, Nature, Arcana and Religion checks to
recall information do not require an action, but
do count as the one free interaction you get per
turn (see “Interacting with Objects” on p.190 of
the PHB).

R ALLY
As an action, you can attempt to rally any
number of either friendly humanoids or animals
within 20 feet of you who can see or hear you.
Make an Intimidation check with Strength or
Charisma for humanoids, or an Animal Handling
check with Wisdom for animals. The DC is equal
to the spell save DC or roll that caused your
targets to be frightened. On a success, you end
one effect on them causing them to be
frightened.

CHAPTER 2: COMBAT
6
C HAPTER 3: F EATS

S
OME FEATS ARE SIGNIFICANTLY stronger
than others. Rather than nerfing strong
B UFFED F EATS
feats though, these rules buff the Changes to the feats below will be listed in bold,
weaker feats. By buffing the majority of or listed as an Addition.
feats, it no longer feels as punishing to miss out
on an Abilty Score Increase when picking a feat. A THLETE
This helps encourage players to further
customize and differentiate their characters with • Increase your Strength or Dexterity score by 1,
feats. to a maximum of 20.
• Addition: Your speed increases by 10 feet.
U NCHANGED F EATS • When you are prone, standing up uses only 5
feet of your movement.
The following feats have the right level of • Climbing and swimming doesn’t cost you
strength, and are the baseline when comparing extra movement.
and buffing other feats. • You can make a running long jump or a
TCE. Feats added in TCE are unchanged until running high jump without any previous
tested further. movement, rather than 10 feet.
• Addition: Whenever you Ready an action,
Unchanged Feats when the trigger occurs and you use your
Great Feats Good Feats reaction, you can also move up to 10 feet.
Great Weapon Master Defensive Duelist
Sharpshooter Healer
Alert Inspiring Leader
A CTOR
Crossbow Expert Mage Slayer • Increase your Charisma score by 1, to a
Polearm Master Magic Initiate maximum of 20.
Resilient Observant • You have advantage on Charisma (Deception)
Sentinel Ritual Caster
War Caster Tough
and Charisma (Performance) checks when
Mobile Bountiful Luck (XGE) trying to pass yourself off as a different person,
Shield Master Dragon Fear (XGE) or mimic the sounds of another creature.
Elven Accuracy (XGE) Dragon Hide (XGE) • Addition: If you take the Help action to aid an
Prodigy (XGE) Drow High Magic (XGE) ally attacking a creature, you can do so from
Fade Away (XGE) up to 30 feet away if the creature can hear or
Fey Teleportation (XGE) see you.
Flames of Phlegethos (XGE) • Addition: You gain proficiency with
Infernal Constitution (XGE) Performance, disguise kits and weaver’s tools.
Orcish Fury (XGE)
Second Chance (XGE)
Squat Nimbleness (XGE) C HARGER
Wood Elf Magic (XGE)
Change: The whole feat is rewritten as follows:
You increase your Strength score by 1, to a
Optional buff to good feats maximum of 20.
The difference between good and great buffs is small, but You can use your bonus action to Dash, with
some groups might still feel that it’s noticeable. If that’s the the following conditions and benefits while
case, consider adding a thematically appropriate tool moving in this way:
proficiency or language to good feats.
• You can only move in one general direction.
• You can move through the space of any
creature as if they were an ally.
N ERFED F EATS • You have resistance to damage caused by
opportunity attacks.
L UCKY • If you move at least 10 feet, you may attempt
The additional die rolled can only be used after to shove a creature within reach with
determining the result from advantage or advantage. On a success, you can push the
disadvantage. That is, you only ever pick from target up to 10 feet away from you and/or
two dice, not three. knock them prone.

CHAPTER 3: FEATS
7
 D UAL W IELDER
• You gain a +1 bonus to AC while you are
wielding a separate melee weapon in each
hand.
• You can use two-weapon fighting even when
the one handed melee weapons you are
wielding aren’t light.
• You can draw or stow two one-handed
weapons when you would normally be able to
draw or stow only one.
• Addition: Once per turn when you miss with
a weapon attack, you can immediately make
another attack on the same target with a one-
handed melee weapon held in the other hand.
D UNGEON D ELVER
• Addition: Increase your Wisdom or
Constitution score by 1, to a maximum of 20.
• You automatically detect the presence of
secret doors within 30 feet of you.
• You have advantage on saving throws made to
avoid or resist traps.
• You have resistance to damage dealt by traps.
• Traveling at a fast pace doesn’t impose the
normal -5 penalty on your passive Wisdom
(Perception) score.
• Addition: You have darkvision out to a range
of 60 feet. If you already have darkvision, its
range increases by 60 feet.
• Addition: You always know which way is
north.
• Addition: You always know the number of
hours left before the next sunrise or sunset.
D URABLE
• Increase your Constitution score by 1, to a
maximum of 20.
• When you roll a Hit Die to regain hit points,
the minimum number of hit points you regain
from the roll equals twice your Constitution
modifier (minimum of 2).
• Addition: When you gain a level of exhaustion,
you can make a DC 15 Constitution saving
throw. On a success, you instead do not gain
the level of exhaustion.
• Addition: You have advantage on death saving
throws. If you would ever suffer instant death,
you are instead reduced to 0 hit points and
suffer a death saving throw failure.
E LEMENTAL A DEPT
Prerequisite: None
When you gain this feat, choose one of the
following damage types: acid, cold, fire,
lightning, or thunder.
Addition: You learn one cantrip of your choice
that deals damage of the chosen type. Choose
CHAPTER 3: FEATS
8
either Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma as your
spellcasting ability for this cantrip.
Addition: Increase an ability score you use for
spellcasting by 1, to a maximum of 20.
Spells you cast ignore resistance to damage of
the chosen type. In addition, when you roll
damage for a spell you cast that deals damage of
that type, you can treat any 1 on a damage die
as a 2.
You can select this feat multiple times. Each
time you do so, choose a different damage type.
G RAPPLER
Prerequisite: Strength 13 or higher
Change: The whole feat is rewritten as follows:
• Increase your Strength score by 1, to a
maximum of 20.
• You have advantage on attack rolls against a
creature you are grappling (including shoving).
• Your speed is no longer halved when moving a
grappled creature with you.
• When you make an opportunity attack, you
can make a grapple attack instead of a
weapon attack. If you succeed, they are not
grappled, but you stop any movement they
may have been taking.
H EAVILY A RMORED
Change: This feat has been removed, and its
benefits moved to the Heavy Armor Master feat.
H EAVY A RMOR M ASTER
Prerequisite: Proficiency with medium armor
• Increase your Strength score by 1, to a
maximum of 20.
• Addition: You gain proficiency with heavy
armor and shields.
• While you are wearing heavy armor,
bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing damage
that you take from nonmagical weapons is
reduced by 3.
K EEN M IND
Change: The whole feat is rewritten as follows:
• You are able to concentrate on two effects
(such as spells) at once. Only one of the effects
can be a spell of 3rd level or higher. If you
would make a saving throw to maintain
concentration while concentrating on two
effects, roll once with disadvantage. On a
failure, both effects are lost.
• You always know which way is north.
• You always know the number of hours left
before the next sunrise or sunset.
• You can accurately recall anything you have
ever seen or heard.
L IGHTLY A RMORED
• Increase your Strength and Dexterity score by
1, to a maximum of 20.
• You gain proficiency with light armor.
• Addition: While wearing light armor, you have
advantage on Acrobatics checks to tumble
through an enemy’s space.
L INGUIST
• Increase your Intelligence score by 1, to a
maximum of 20.
• You are fluent in three additional languages of
your choice, and have a basic understanding
of all other languages.
• You can ably create written ciphers. Others
can’t decipher a code you create unless you
teach them, they succeed on an Intelligence
check (DC equal to your Intelligence score +
your proficiency bonus), or they use magic to
decipher it.
• Addition: You can read any cipher with one
hour of work.
• Addition: You gain proficiency with History
and calligrapher’s supplies.
M AR TIAL A DEPT
• You learn two maneuvers of your choice from
among those available to the Battle Master
archetype in the fighter class. If a maneuver
you use requires your target to make a saving
throw to resist the maneuver’s effects, the
saving throw DC equals 8 + your proficiency
bonus + your Strength or Dexterity modifier
(your choice).
• You gain three superiority dice, which are d6s
(these dice are added to any superiority dice
you have from another source). These dice are
used to fuel your maneuvers. A superiority die
is expended when you use it. You regain your
expended superiority dice when you finish a
short or long rest.
M ODERATELY A RMORED
Change: This feat has been removed, and its
benefits moved to Medium Armor Master.
M EDIUM A RMOR M ASTER
Prerequisite: Proficiency with light armor
• Addition: Increase your Strength or Dexterity
score by 1, to a maximum of 20.
• Addition: You gain proficiency with medium
armor and shields.
• Wearing medium armor doesn’t impose
disadvantage on your Dexterity (Stealth)
checks.
• When you wear medium armor, you can add 3,
rather than 2, to your AC if you have a
Dexterity of 16 or higher.
M OUNTED C OMBATANT
• You have advantage on melee attack rolls
against any unmounted creature that is
smaller than your mount.
You can force an attack targeted at your
•
mount to target you instead, and vice-versa.
• If your mount is subjected to an effect that
allows it to make a Dexterity saving throw to
take only half damage, it instead takes no
damage if it succeeds on the saving throw, and
only half damage if it fails.
• Addition: If your mount is subjected to an
effect that allows it to make a Wisdom saving
throw, it has advantage on the roll.
S AVAGE A TTACKER
Change: The whole feat is rewritten as follows:
• Increase your Strength or Dexterity score by 1,
to a maximum of 20.
• The critical hit range of your weapon attacks
increases by 1.
S KILLED
• You gain proficiency in any combination of
three skills or tools of your choice.
• Addition: Choose two of your skill or tool
proficiencies. Your proficiency bonus is
doubled for any ability check you make that
uses the chosen proficiencies.
S KULKER
Prerequisite: Dexterity 13 or higher
• Addition: Increase your Dexterity score by 1,
to a maximum of 20.
• Addition: You can take the Hide action as a
bonus action.
• You can try to hide when you are lightly
obscured from the creature from which you
are hiding.
• When you are hidden from a creature and
miss it with an attack, making the attack
doesn’t reveal your position.
• Dim light doesn’t impose disadvantage on your
Wisdom (Perception) checks relying on sight.
S PELL S NIPER
Prerequisite: The ability to cast at least one spell
• Addition: Increase an ability score you use for
spellcasting by 1, to a maximum of 20.
• When you cast a spell that requires you to
make an attack roll, the spell’s range is
quadrupled.
CHAPTER 3: FEATS
9
 • Your ranged spell attacks ignore half cover
and three-quarters cover.
• You learn one cantrip that requires an attack
roll. Choose the cantrip from the artificer,
bard, cleric, druid, sorcerer, warlock, or wizard
spell list. Your spellcasting ability for this
cantrip depends on the spell list you chose
from: Charisma for bard, sorcerer, or warlock;
Wisdom for cleric or druid; or Intelligence for
artificer or wizard.
T AVERN B RAWLER
• Increase your Strength or Constitution score
by 1, to a maximum of 20.
• You are proficient with improvised weapons.
• Your unarmed strike uses a d4 for damage.
• When you hit a creature with an unarmed
strike or an improvised weapon on your turn,
you can use a bonus action to attempt to
grapple the target.
• Addition: Your improvised weapons use a 1d6
for damage, or 1d8 if they are wielded with two
hands.
• Addition: Your improvised weapons can have
any of the following properties if the DM
deems it appropriate: finesse, heavy, light,
reach, two-handed, versatile.
• Addition: Anything that weighs less than your
carrying capacity (usually 15 times your
Strength score) and is no more than one size
larger than you can be used as an improvised
weapon.
W EAPON M ASTER
• Increase your Strength or Dexterity score by 1,
to a maximum of 20.
• You gain proficiency with all simple and
martial weapons.
• Addition: You gain one Fighting Style from
the fighter class that you do not already have.
• Addition: Attacking at long range doesn’t
impose disadvantage on your ranged attack
rolls with weapons that have the thrown
property.
D WARVEN F OR TITUDE (XGE)
Prerequisite: Dwarf
• Increase your Constitution score by 1, to a
maximum of 20.
• Whenever you take the Dodge action in
combat, you can spend one Hit Die to heal
yourself. Roll the die, add your Constitution
modifier, and regain a number of hit points
equal to the total (minimum of 1).
• Addition: On your turns where you do not
use any of your movement, you can Dodge as
a bonus action.

CHAPTER 3: FEATS
10
C HAPTER 4: M AGIC I TEMS
The Magic Item Tables in the DMG are
organized by rarity and whether they are minor
or major items. Tables A-E have minor items,
and Tables F-I have major items. The items in
each table have the same rarity.
• Table A lacks the new common items added in
XGE. For rolls of 0-60 in Table A, consider
replacing potions of healing and cantrip spell
scrolls with a selection of XGE’s common
magic items.
• Minor items (usually consumable) cost a
quarter what a major item of the same rarity
costs, instead of half. This applies to both the
D ISENCHANTING
To disenchant a magic item, it takes half the
time it would take to craft the item, and results
in the creation of half as many flux pieces as it
would take to craft the item. The item is
destroyed in the process. It does not require any
gold to disenchant a magic item. If a magic item
has a limited number of charges and cannot be
recharged, the number of flux pieces created
from disenchanting it is reduced proportionally.
Flux cannot be used to craft potions or scrolls,
nor can they be disenchanted.

•
crafting and purchase costs.
After seeing the result of their d20 roll when
U PGRADING M AGIC
taking the “Buying A Magic Item” downtime
activity (p.126 of XGE), the party can choose
W EAPONS & A RMOR
Magic weapons, shields and armor with +0, +1
any lower result.
or +2 bonuses can be upgraded by +1. To do so,
it requires the same crafting costs as it would
take to craft either the original item or a basic
C RAFTING M AGIC I TEMS magic item with the new bonus, whichever is
higher. The resulting item will keep any effects
If your setting includes the ability to craft magic the original item had, with a +1 higher bonus
items, or transform them into different items (up to +3).
(e.g. the Forge of Spells in ”Lost Mines of The rarity of the combined magic item equals
Phandalin”), consider using flux as a crafting whichever of the two items had higher rarity,
material. and it can be disenchanted the same as any
The Crafting Magic Items table presented here item of that rarity.
expands the rules outlined on p.129 of XGE,
and uses flux as a crafting and disenchanting
material. Rather than requiring exotic
ingredients invented by the DM, flux can be
used instead.

Description of flux. Flux is made of a jagged,

shimmering crystal material that slowly changes
color over time. It is considered magical, and
emanates turbulent magical energy. One piece of
flux can fit in the palm of a human hand, and
weights 1 lb. By default, flux is too unreliable to
be part of the larger economy (such as buying or
selling it).

Crafting Magic Items

Item Rarity Major/Minor DMG Table Workweeks Gold Cost Flux Cost
Common - A 1 50 gp 20 fp
Uncommon Minor B 1 50 gp 30 fp
Uncommon Major F 2 200 gp 60 fp
Rare Minor C 5 500 gp 40 fp
Rare Major G 10 2,000 gp 80 fp
Very Rare Minor D 12 5,000 gp 50 fp
Very Rare Major H 24 20,000 gp 100 fp
Legendary Minor E 24 25,000 gp 60 fp
Legendary Major I 48 100,000 gp 120 fp

CHAPTER 4: MAGIC ITEMS

11
 C HAPTER 5: I NSPIRATION
I
NSPIRATION , AS WRITTEN , CAN OFTEN FEEL
“tacked on”, a system that is either
underused or even entirely forgotten
about during play. It was 5e’s attempt to
incorporate roleplaying mechanics into the game,
and while a good first-step, suffers from two
main problems:
• ambiguity over when to receive it, and
• rarely powerful enough to be worth effort.
The rules presented here aim to address both
issues, while still keeping the system simple.
The uses of Inspiration are expanded, and
regaining Inspiration is changed from being a
single point earned for “roleplaying” into
something tied to each personal characteristic:
the personality traits, bonds, ideals, and flaws
on the character sheet, chosen during character
creation as part of their background.
B ENEFITS OF
I NSPIRATION
Inspiration can be used to gain one of the
following benefits:
Your roll. Roll an additional d20 on any roll you
make. You can use this ability after the original
roll, but before the outcome is revealed.
Your enemy’s roll. After an enemy rolls a saving
throw against an effect you made, roll a d20 and
choose whether the enemy uses their roll or
yours.
Flashback. Have a “flashback” to something in
the past where you did something small, such as
buying a healing potion or other gear, learning
information, or casting a ritual spell.
U SING I NSPIRATION
To use Inspiration, you call on one of your five
personal characteristics. The characteristic
should be relevant to the current situation,
ideally motivating the action the character is
taking at the time.
It’s up to you how connected your chosen
characteristic is to the scene – the DM can’t
deny you your use of Inspiration. That said,
players should be encouraged to portray
something about their character, whether it’s a
silly one-liner, yelling something dramatic, or
revealing something about their character’s
backstory or feelings.
You can only use Inspiration once per round
or skill challenge.
CHAPTER 5: INSPIRATION
12
Marking Characteristics. When a characteristic
is called on for Inspiration, put a mark next to it.
It cannot be called on again until it is renewed.
A maximum of three characteristics can be
marked at any given time.
R ENEWING I NSPIRATION
You can renew one of your character’s
characteristics in the following ways:
Recap. Summarize the events of the previous
session at the start of a gaming session. Only
one player can do this per session.
Temptation. If any player (including you, or the
DM) notices a situation where a characteristic of
your PC might make the situation more
complicated, they can propose a temptation. If
you accept the temptation, you must roleplay
the characteristic in a way that complicates the
situation. In exchange, you can renew any one
of your characteristics.
If you propose a temptation for your own
character, it’s up to the DM whether to accept or
refuse it. Examples of complications include
insulting an NPC, stealing something, or letting
your curiosity, pride or honor get the best of
you.
At Death’s Door. Whenever you fail a saving
throw to end being incapacitated or unconscious
(for example, being stunned or at 0 hit points),
you can describe a past experience “flashing
before your eyes”. It should be something the
group doesn’t already know, such as a moment
from your backstory, and be related to the
characteristic you wish to renew.
Growth. If your character grows or changes
through the course of play, at the end of the
session you can change or replace a relevant
characteristic to reflect the change. Doing so
renews that characteristic. This type of renewal
will likely occur less often than the other types.
If you are using the XP rules in Chapter 6, it can
occur alongside a character gaining Hard or
Deadly XP.
Finding the line in the sand
Character growth won’t happen every session, but when it
happens it can be a tonne of fun. For example, a character
might have the ideal, "Honor above all else", but during the
session have to sacrifice their honor in order to save their
friend. Clearly honor wasn’t above all else! Pushing
characters to their limit is a great skill for DM’s to practice,
and can be very rewarding. How the player updates their
character’s ideal to reflect the change is how the character
grows, and the rules in this chapter and Chapter 6 reward
them for that growth.
C HAPTER 6: G AINING E XPERIENCE

I
NSTEAD OF GAINING XP FROM encounters Hard. The characteristic is resolved or changed
and killing monsters, XP is awarded in a dramatic way. This might involve a personal
for acting on personal characteristics and goal or bond being accomplished (or failing), or
completing goals. The system described the characteristic significantly and permanently
in this chapter replaces all other sources of XP. changing, representing character growth.
Alternatively, a character might gain a new
characteristic in a dramatic way, in which case a
P ERSONAL characteristic that is no longer relevant can be
C HARACTERISTICS replaced with the new one. A characteristic
gained in this way cannot change or be removed
Personal characteristics are the personality between sessions until it earns the character XP
traits, bonds, ideals and flaws that each at least once more.
character has, located in the top right of their Deadly. Because of the characteristic, the
character sheet. Using these rules, the character attempted to achieve something larger
characteristics are a way for players to tell the than any individual agenda. They did so for
group what they are interested in, and would more than personal gain, and either gravely
like to be rewarded for in the game. risked their life or sacrificed something to do it.
Succeed or fail, one characteristic changes as a
W RITING C HARACTERISTICS result (for example, because they had a
revelation, or became scarred).
Each player character can have up to five
characteristics: one personality trait, one bond,
Equivalent Encounter Experience
one ideal, one flaw, and a fifth characteristic of
any type. These characteristics can be selected Average Party Level Easy Medium Hard Deadly
from the usual tables during character creation, 1st 25 50 75 100
2nd 50 100 150 200
but should be customized as the characters
3rd 75 150 225 400
change during play. Any number of
4th 125 250 375 500
characteristics can be changed between 5th 250 500 750 1,100
sessions, to better reflect the character. 6th 300 600 900 1,400
You should be able to imagine at least one way 7th 350 750 1,100 1,700
in which each of your characteristics might 8th 450 900 1,400 2,100
come up in play. If you can’t, rewrite the 9th 550 1,100 1,600 2,400
characteristic until you can. 10th 600 1,200 1,900 2,800
11th 800 1,600 2,400 3,600
12th 1,000 2,000 3,000 4,500
E ARNING XP 13th
14th
1,100
1,250
2,200
2,500
3,400
3,800
5,100
5,700
At the end of each session, the group discusses 15th 1,400 2,800 4,300 6,400
the characteristics of each character, and 16th 1,600 3,200 4,800 7,200
chooses up to one characteristic per character 17th 2,000 3,900 5,900 8,800
that earned the most XP during play, using the 18th 2,100 4,200 6,300 9,500
following guidelines (the DM has the final say). 19th 2,400 4,900 7,300 10,900
The amount of XP earned is based on the party’s 20th 2,800 5,700 8,500 12,700
average level, and equals 2 times the XP listed in
the Equivalent Encounter Experience table,
corresponding to one of the four difficulties T HE P AR TY G OAL
described below. The party has one party goal at a time, decided
Easy. The player acted on or roleplayed the as a group at the start of each session. Some
characteristic in a genuine, interesting, or goals may take multiple sessions to complete.
entertaining manner. The party goal might be a quest given to them by
Medium. The characteristic caused the character an NPC, or a goal they’ve given themselves.
to change the decisions or actions of other Whatever it is, it’s something that the party is
creatures. Examples include speeches, strong working towards as a group.
leadership, or desperate decisions causing other Working towards the Party Goal. If the party
creatures to change their worldview, works towards the party goal but does not
relationships, or desire to fight. complete it by the end of the session, all

CHAPTER 6: GAINING EXPERIENCE

13
 characters gain the XP listed in the Equivalent
Encounter Experience table based on how
difficult the progress was in that particular
session.
Completing the Party Goal. If the party
successfully completes the party goal by the end
of a session, each character gains 2 times the XP
listed in the Equivalent Encounter Experience
table, based on how difficult the goal was
overall.
E XPECTED XP R ATE
In order to align expectations, it is a good idea to
have all players (including the DM) on the same
page when it comes to how frequently XP is
earned.
Leveling speed. The amount of XP earned is
scaled to match the leveling rate expected by the
DMG (p.261), with characters spending two to
three sessions on each level from 4th level and
beyond. If your group prefers a slower leveling
rate, do not multiple the XP listed in the
Equivalent Encounter Experience table by 2 for
roleplaying characteristics, and do not award XP
for working towards the party goal (XP for
completing a party goal is still multiplied by 2).
G UIDELINES FOR E ARNING XP
Use the following guidelines for earning XP from
personal characteristics:
Easy XP should be easily achievable by any
player who participated genuinely in the session.
Note that roleplaying in third-person (describing
their character’s actions) is just as valid as
first-person (acting). Occasionally this won’t
happen, but if a player fails to earn even Easy
XP multiple sessions in a row, it may indicate
that they are not being given a chance to shine,
or need to rewrite their PC’s characteristics.
Medium XP is also attainable every session,
but only by characters who caused something to
happen in the session that wouldn’t have
happened otherwise. Examples include:
convincing a mayor to spare a criminal’s life,
scaring monsters into surrendering, stealing a
relic and angering a god, or convincing the party
to change their plan or goal.
Hard XP should not happen every session. It
requires a character clearly undergoing change,
which usually requires at least a few scenes in
the spotlight. Note that depending on the pace of
the campaign, characters might grow at a faster
rate than would be “realistic” in real life. If the
world can be saved in a month, then fictional
characters should undergo multiple
life-changing events within the same time period.
Melodrama is usually more fun than realism.
CHAPTER 6: GAINING EXPERIENCE
14
Deadly XP will usually align with the end of a
story arc, or with a tragic twist in the story. It’s
possible for a particularly selfless hero to earn
Deadly XP at the same rate as Hard XP, though
they may not survive as long as other PCs.
M AGIC , M ADNESS &
P ROMISES
Particularly strong external effects, whether
magical, social or emotional, offer the players an
opportunity for their characters to have
characteristics that originate from outside their
character, providing pressures that the
character may actually chafe against. Some
examples are provided below.
M AGIC & M ADNESS
Whenever a PC is driven mad or magically
charmed into doing something, the effect can be
mechanically represented as a new personal
characteristic. If the player roleplays their new
characteristic, they can be awarded XP in the
same way as any other personal characteristic.
Examples of madness include the effects on
the Long-Term and Indefinite Madness tables on
p.260 of the DMG. Examples of magic effects are
the Suggestion spell, hallucinations, being
charmed by a sentient magic item, or being
possessed by a ghost. As a counter-example, the
Command spell is not significant enough to
create a new characteristic.
At the DM’s discretion, depending on the
strength of the madness or magic and if there
are any conflicting characteristics, the DM may
disable XP rewards for some or all of the PC’s
other characteristics until the new characteristic
is resolved.
P ROMISES & C ONTRACTS
Promises that PCs make to NPCs or other PCs
can make good bonds. Unlike other bonds,
promises may be something that the PC comes
to regret, but feel they cannot remove.
Similarly, contracts the PC makes with other
creatures can force a characteristic on the PC
that they cannot remove until the contract is
fulfilled. This provides a mechanical way to
represent contracts, and can be especially useful
when a PC makes a deal with otherworldly
creatures, such as devils.
C HAPTER 7: R ENOWN
W
HILE THE DEFAULT R ENOWN SYSTEM
contains good ideas, the rewards
for the ranks are often too vague, too
niche, or just generally unsatisfying. It
also requires a lot of work to create ranks and
rewards for non-default factions or communities.
These rules aim to make renown simpler and
more meaningful.
T RACKING R ENOWN
Renown is tracked separately for each faction
(such as the Harpers) or community (such as a
town or kingdom), and ranges from -5 to +5.
Renown starts at 0. Renown can only go up or
down if news of your actions could have
reasonably been heard and believed by a
significant portion of the faction or community,
at the DM’s discretion. If in doubt, assume that
it takes a week for news to spread, and that true
news is always believed.
B ENEFITS OF R ENOWN
When speaking with people from a faction or
community who know of you, add your Renown
(whether negative or positive) to all Charisma
checks.
F ICTIONAL P OSITIONING
Renown also acts as a way to track how famous
you are becoming, and how well known or
recognizable you are. Even if no Charisma check
is rolled, Renown can inform the fiction and
what creatures initially know about you.
However, note that Renown does not affect the
starting attitude of creatures, which depends on
the creatures’ personality and personal
circumstances. Interactions should still be
resolved normally, with roleplaying informing
whether the creatures’ starting attitude moves
up or down (or stays the same) before rolling any
Charisma checks. See p.244 of the DMG for
more details, and the DCs to convince creatures
depending on their attitude.
O VERLAPPING A LLEGIANCES
If the people you are speaking with are members
of multiple communities or factions that you
have Renown with, the DM determines the one
that is most relevant to the current conversation,
and only that Renown modifier applies for that
conversation.
G AINING R ENOWN
Whenever you complete a quest, a
dungeon-delve, or some other significant
encounter, the DM will consider the
ramifications of your actions on the affected
factions and communities, and choose how your
renown is affected based on the examples below:
• If the faction or community appreciates (or
disapproves of) your actions, gain (or lose) 1
Renown with them.
• If your actions directly saved (or hurt) a
member or small group of the faction or
community (such as their life or livelihood),
gain (lose) 2 Renown instead.
• If your actions directly saved (or hurt) a
significant portion of the faction or community,
or significantly progresses (or damages) the
agenda of the faction, gain (lose) 3 Renown
instead.
If both a positive and negative outcome occur,
add both numbers together and change your
Renown by the net result.
M AINTAINING R ENOWN
Roughly once every 2 months, factions or
communities you have more than 2 (or less than
-2) Renown with slowly tend towards 0.
Maintaining positive relationships costs gold,
representing your continuing support of the
community or faction. Conversely, maintaining
negative relationships can earn you gold,
representing you benefiting from their
misfortune. The amount of gold depends on the
size of the community or faction, and either your
ability to profit off them or their expectations of
you. The DM will tell you the gold amount, using
the Maintaining Renown table as a guideline.
If a faction or community is entirely cut off
from you, such as on another plane of existence,
you cannot maintain the relationship.
One relationship above 2 Renown can be
maintained without costing gold. For each
Renown above 2 (or below -2) not maintained, it
moves by 1 towards 2 (or -2).
Maintaining Renown
Size Gold Spent (or Earned)
Gang or Village 2× Renown × character level
Town or Clan 4× Renown × character level
Faction 6× Renown × character level
City 8× Renown × character level
Kingdom 10 × Renown × character level
CHAPTER 7: RENOWN
15
 C HAPTER 8: E XPLORING
E
XPLORATION IS ONE OF 5 E ’ S THREE
pillars of play. This chapter collects
and streamlines all of 5e’s wilderness
and travel rules into a cohesive and fun
system. The design goals of the system are:
The wild is dangerous, but profitable. The wild
should pose a serious risk. This risk also makes
the wild profitable, as few people are willing to
face its challenges to garner its rewards.
Player choice. Players should have meaningful
choices to make each time they travel. If the
players repeat the same choices every time, then
the choices either aren’t real or aren’t fun.
Minimal prep work. The DM already has a high
workload preparing and running the rest of the
game. The exploration pillar provides an
opportunity for content to be generated on the
fly. This also lets the DM join the players in
discovering what they encounter.
Minimal book-keeping. Time and resources
should only be tracked if they have meaningful
and interesting narrative consequences.
More than just combat. Non-combat encounters
should occur just as often as combat, and the
party should often be able to approach them in
creative ways if they wish.
U SING A M AP
These rules assume that the group is using a
map, and that the map can be divided into hexes
(or another shape). Each hex contains one of the
following environments:
Environment Types. Roads, Grassland, Coastal,
Desert, Arctic, Underdark, Swamp, Hills, Forest,
Mountains, Water, Urban.
Cities. Any location in a city can usually be
reached within one day, but getting lost and
completing activities is still possible. The
random encounter table is modified for cities.
T IME
Travel is tracked in days and hexes. One set of
rolls is made per day, and a number of hexes
will be traversed per day depending on the
environment, the mode of travel, and whether
the party pushes themselves.
S LEEPING IN THE W ILD
Whenever you sleep in the wilderness, you
cannot benefit from a long rest and you expend
one Hit Die. For example, somewhere temporary
like a cave, tent or other squalid conditions.
Long rests require at least poor conditions:
safe and comfortable places like a wizard’s tower,
CHAPTER 8: EXPLORING THE WILD
16
THE W ILD
a permanent and maintained treehouse, or a
secure room safe from the weather and
wandering monsters.
If you have no remaining Hit Dice, you instead
gain a level of exhaustion. While there are ways
to mitigate it, Hit Dice and exhaustion are the
main time-tracking mechanisms, incentivizing
the party to spend as little as possible time
between safe locations.
Recovering from exhaustion
These rules increase the frequency of gaining exhaustion,
and make it harder to recover from. As a counterweight,
use the following rule: If you live a wealthy lifestyle or
higher for the duration of a long rest (costing at least 4 gp
per day), you recover one additional level of exhaustion.
T RAVEL P ROCEDURE
Each day the party travels through a region,
perform the following steps:
Step 1. The players choose the hexes they want
to travel through within 8 hours, or alternatively
have at least one PC search for a known location
or creature and let the DM choose the hexes
based on whether the search succeeds or not.
Step 2. Each PC chooses one of the following
activities to perform while travelling: navigate,
search, forage, utilize vehicle, on watch,
support, motivate, chronicle, or craft.
Step 3. While the players are choosing their
activities, the DM rolls on the Random
Encounter table and prepares the encounter. If
it’s an Environment Hazard, introduce it after
the players have picked their activities but
before the DCs are determined.
Step 4. The PCs resolve their activities, and
roleplay any scenes they’d like to have.
Step 5. If an encounter was rolled and it wasn’t a
Hazard, the DM introduces it.
Step 6. The players choose whether to do a
forced march, and which additional hexes they
will travel through.
Hours Per 5-6 Mile Hex
Environment On Foot Vehicle
Road, Grassland, Coastal, Desert, 2 1
Arctic, Underdark
Swamp, Hills 3 2
Forest, Mountain path 4 3
Mountains 8 6
Water 8 2
Air N/A 2
Other Hex Sizes
Miles Across Hour Multiplier Repeat Steps 2-5...
3 x0.5 twice a day
10-12 x2 every 2 days
24 x4 every 4 days
O THER H EX S IZES
If your map uses a different hex size, refer to the
table above. Steps 1 and 6 are always done once
a day, and each night still costs 1 Hit Die.
VARIANT : O NE HEX AT A TIME
Sometimes you might want to move one hex at a
time, such as when you don’t know what the
map looks like. If that’s the case, repeat Steps 1,
3, 5 and 6 every hex, except that on Step 3, the
DM flips a coin and only rolls on the Random
Encounter table if it’s heads. Once the players
decide not to travel any further that day,
perform Steps 2 and 4.
V ISION
The party can always see if neighboring hexes
are mountains. For any hex size other than 24
miles, the party can see any terrain type in each
neighboring hex, unless they are currently in a
forest or mountain hex.
T RAVEL D ISTANCE
The party can reasonably travel for 8 hours each
day. The number of hexes that can be traversed
depends on the environment, as shown in the
Hours Per 5-6 Mile Hex and Other Hex Sizes
tables. These numbers assume that the party
possesses any appropriate gear, such as snow
shoes or mountaineering equipment.
Vehicles and Mounts. Mounts (or a vehicle)
might allow the party to traverse more hexes in
a day. Not all vehicles are applicable in all
environments however. For example, carriages
are likely only usable on roads, and most
vehicles will not be any faster than walking in
forests or mountains.
Forced March. If the party wants to traverse
more hexes, they can travel for up to 16 hours
in a single day, instead of the normal 8. Each
additional hour costs each character 1 Hit Die,
or one level of exhaustion.
Stealth. Travelling undetected relies on spotting
threats before they spot you. See the On Watch
activity, described in the next section.
Rotating Shifts. If the party is travelling on a
vehicle large enough for them to rest, and the
creatures operating the vehicle (such as horses,
oarsmen, boiler room workers, or captain) can
change at least every 8 hours, the party can
travel for 24 hours a day.
T RAVEL A CTIVITIES
This section outlines the activities that a
character can perform while travelling. Each
character can perform one activity per day.
Rangers. Rangers can perform two activities.
Outlander Background. The Wanderer feature is
replaced with the following: "In addition to your
normal choice of activity when travelling, you
can perform the Navigate or Forage activity."
DCs. DCs are determined using two tables:
Activity DCs and Activity DC Modifiers.
Multiple environments. All activities and
encounters occur in the most common
environment travelled through that day.
Multiple characters. If multiple characters
perform the same activity, each character rolls
as normal and only the highest result is used.
N AVIGATE
You navigate the wilderness, aiming to keep
track of where you are and not get lost.
The DC is determined by the environment the
party is travelling through and any relevant
modifiers, as described in the Activity DC tables.
On a success, the party follows the planned
route. On a failure, the party is lost.
If the DC is 0 or less, the party cannot get lost
(and therefore a navigator is not required).
Example Proficiencies. Wisdom (Survival),
Intelligence (Navigator’s Tools).
Becoming Lost. If the party becomes lost, draw
a square on the map with the party’s starting
location in one corner and each side length
equal to the number of hexes the party
traversed, covering the hexes the party could
theoretically be in. The DM then secretly
chooses or randomly decides which hex within
the square the party is in. The DM tells the
party what environment they’re in and describes
any landmarks in the hex, but doesn’t give them
any more information than that. It’s up to the
party to solve their predicament!
F ORAGE
You forage for food and water. The DC is
determined by the environment the party is in
and any relevant modifiers, as described in the
Activity DC tables. On a success, you find
enough food and water to feed the PCs for the
day. If you beat the DC by 10+, you also find
enough for the PCs’ mounts and close
companions. Each unfed creature consumes 5
sp worth of rations for the day or loses 1 Hit Die.
If they have no remaining Hit Dice, or don’t eat
or drink for a number of days equal to their
Constitution modifier, they gain a level of
exhaustion.
Example Proficiencies. Intelligence or Wisdom
(Survival or Nature).
CHAPTER 8: EXPLORING THE WILD
17
 Don’t track rations – just track water
Water is heavier and more vital than rations. 10 pounds of
water is required each day, compared to 2 pounds of food,
and a few days without water can be deadly.
Assume that the party can travel with 2 days worth of
water per person. If they have a vehicle (or mount) carrying
a barrel of water, the party has a week’s worth of water.
This rule-of-thumb is enough to make foraging both simpler
and more important.
To prevent water being trivial to acquire, magic below
3rd level cannot provide hydration.
S EARCH
You are tracking a creature or searching for
something. Regardless of what you are
searching for, calculate the DC using the Activity
DC tables, based on the environment the party
is in and any other relevant factors. On a
success, choose one of the following:
• You find what you’re looking for, if the DM
knows it’s in the hexes you travelled through.
• Roll d10+10, and choose whether to replace
the DM’s Random Encounter roll for the day
with the new roll (without knowing what the
DM rolled). If an Environment Hazard has
already been introduced, the roll would be in
addition to the Hazard, instead of replacing it.
Example Proficiencies. Intelligence or Wisdom
(Survival, Investigation or Perception).
S UPPOR T
You help the party handle the wilderness with
supporting tasks like preparing meals or alcohol,
tending to injuries, or repairing shoes or gear.
The DC is 10 + the average party level. On a
success, the party does not lose a Hit Die for
sleeping in the wild that day, and other party
members can add a d4 to their Activity checks.
Example Proficiencies. Intelligence or Wisdom
(Medicine, Cook’s Utensils or Brewer’s Supplies),
Intelligence or Strength (Cobbler’s Tools),
Intelligence or Dexterity (Weaver’s Tools).
M OTIVATE
You motivate the party to keep the pace up by
playing music, coaching, persuading or
intimidating the party.
The DC is 10 + the average party level. On a
success, the first 3 hours of a forced march that
day don’t cost Hit Dice, and players can add a
d4 to any initiative checks that day.
Example Proficiencies. Charisma (Persuasion),
Strength or Charisma (Intimidate or Athletics),
Wisdom or Charisma (Musical Instrument).
O N WATCH
You vigilantly keep a look out for creatures and
hazards. If other creatures are also on watch,
spotting them before they spot the party requires
a succeeding at a contested Wisdom (Perception)
check. Otherwise you always spot them first.
Seeing creatures early allows the party to avoid
them using normal stealth rules, if desired.
You also have a chance to spot some
Environment Hazards more quickly, using the
environment’s Search DC.
Example Proficiencies. Wisdom (Perception).
U TILIZE V EHICLE
Whether its skillful control, tender caring of
animals, or clever adjustments, vehicles and
mounts can be pushed to travel faster.
The DC to utilize a vehicle (or mount) in this
way is determined by the environment the party
is in and any relevant modifiers, as described in
the Activity DC tables. On a success, the first 3
hours of a forced march that day don’t cost Hit
Dice, and you have advantage on any checks or
saving throws made to control the vehicle (or
mount).
Example Proficiencies. Dexterity, Intelligence or
Wisdom (Vehicle (Land or Water)), Wisdom
(Animal Handling), Strength or Intelligence
(Carpenter’s, Smith’s, or Tinker’s tools).

Activity DCs
Environment Navigate Search Forage Utilize Vehicle Ink Potion Poison Protection Weapon
Roads 0 15 10 10 20 20 20 15 15
Grassland 10 15 5 15 15 15 15 15 15
Coastal 0 10 10 20 10 15 10 15 15
Desert 20 15 25 20 20 20 15 20 20
Arctic 20 10 20 20 15 20 20 20 15
Underdark 15 20 15 10 10 15 10 15 20
Swamp 10 10 10 20 10 10 10 15 15
Hills 15 15 10 15 20 15 15 10 10
Forest 15 15 5 25 15 10 10 10 10
Mountains 20 20 20 30 20 20 20 15 15
Mountain path 10 20 20 15 20 20 20 20 20
Water 15 25 15 20 10 10 10 20 20
Urban 15 20 N/A N/A 25 25 25 25 25
In the air 0 N/A N/A 15 N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A

CHAPTER 8: EXPLORING THE WILD

18
Activity DC Modifiers
Modifier
Lightly obscured (e.g. rain, torchlight, darkvision)
Heavily obscured (e.g. night, heavy fog)
Magical influences (e.g. fey, celestial, demonic)
C HRONICLE
You chronicle the party’s journey, creating a
record such as drawings, songs, poems, a
journal, or maps. Any chronicle you create has a
set amount of value, either in gold pieces or
services. For example you could recount the
chronicle at taverns for free food and beds, or
sell copies of the work to a library or guild.
Roll an ability check with one of the skills or
toolkits below that you are proficient with. The
chronicle has a gp value equal to the result. The
value is doubled if you discover a new location or
creature in the area.
If you roll above the environment’s navigation
DC, the party can travel the same route without
making a navigation check in future. This
includes backtracking if you become lost.
Example Proficiencies. Intelligence (History,
Performance, Musical Instrument, Forgery kit or
Cartographer’s tools), Intelligence or Dexterity
(Calligrapher’s or Painter’s supplies).
C RAFT (M ULTIPLE )
Each day, you gather materials from the
environment and craft one of the following,
depending on the toolkit you use. The DCs are
presented in the Activity DC table.
Magic Ink. You find a faintly magical liquid in a
plant or carcass, and either scribe a cantrip or
1st level spell you know, or create a letter or
artwork that causes the first viewer to be under
the effect of the Suggestion spell. Roll
Intelligence or Wisdom (Forgery kit, Painter’s or
Calligrapher’s supplies, Cartographer’s tools).
Potion of Healing. You find ingredients and
create a potion of healing. Roll Intelligence or
Wisdom (Herbalism or Poisoner’s kit, or
Alchemist’s supplies).
Poison. You find ingredients and create a mild
poison. It is an ingestion or injury poison, and
causes the target to become poisoned for an
hour if they fail a DC 15 Constitution Saving
Throw. Roll Intelligence or Wisdom (Brewer’s or
Alchemist’s supplies, Cook’s utensils, Herbalism
or Poisoner’s kit).
Temporary Protection. You find materials and
craft a makeshift piece of protective equipment.
It provides +2 AC for up to 7 days until it
prevents an attack that would otherwise hit the
wearer. Roll Strength or Wisdom (Woodcarver’s,
Carpenter’s, Leatherworker’s, Cobbler’s, Potter’s
or Weaver’s tools).
Sharpened Weapon. You find strange wood, a
DC high-quality whetstone, or something similarly
+5 appropriate. With the materials you craft or
+10 sharpen a weapon. It deals +5 damage the first
+/-5 time it hits. Roll Dexterity or Wisdom (Mason’s,
Smith’s, Tinker’s, Jeweler’s, Woodcarver’s or
Carpenter’s tools).
Special material. At the DM’s discretion, you
can also gather materials to craft other things,
though some may take longer than a day to
make or require more materials.
R ANDOM E NCOUNTERS
Each day of travel, if there is no premade new
content in the hex, the DM rolls a d20 on the
Random Encounter table. In a city, roll d6+7.
Random Encounters
d20 Encounter
1 A large-scale event occurs, affecting an entire hex.
2-10 No random encounter.
11-12 The DM rolls on the Unexpected Humanoids table.
13-14 The DM rolls on the Environment Hazard table.
15-16 The DM rolls on the Monuments And Weird Locales
table. Can optionally include treasure, but not
without traps, hazards, or creatures from the
relevant environment encounter table.
17-19 The DM rolls on the relevant environment encounter
table. 25% chance of the encounter happening while
the party is resting.
20 A lair or stronghold. It likely contains lair effects and
a treasure hoard. The DM chooses what creatures
occupy it from the relevant environment encounter
table, and whether the party encounters regional
effects while performing their activities.
If a large-scale event occurs, the party can
change route, avoiding that hex but delaying
their travel by at least one hex (perhaps more, if
the hex is a bridge or mountain pass). Examples
of large-scale events include an army marching
or camping or fighting, a dragon searching for
prey, a festival, or a supernatural event.
E NVIRONMENT E NCOUNTERS
If a random environment encounter happens,
the DM either rolls a d100 or chooses an
encounter on the relevant environment table
(p.92-112 of XGE), using the environment of one
of the hexes that the party is travelling through
that day.
On a road or river, use the encounter tables
that match the surrounding environment.
When imagining the terrain surrounding a
random encounter, consider adding a random
monument or weird locale.
CHAPTER 8: EXPLORING THE WILD
19
 Monuments and Weird Locales (Choose from any column)
d20 Monuments Weird Locales Magical Phenomena (TCE)
1-2 Sealed burial mound or pyramid Wild magic zone (roll on the Wild Magic Enchanted Springs
Surge table whenever a spell is cast)
3 Breached burial mound or pyramid Dead magic zone (similar to anti-magic field) Enchanted Springs
4 Faces or statues carved into a cliff Boulder carved with talking faces Enchanted Springs
5 Recent obelisk etched with a warning River ferry guided by a skeletal captain Magic Mushrooms
6-7 Recent obelisk etched with historical lore, a Giant crystal shard protruding from the Magic Mushrooms
dedication, or religious iconography ground
8 Ruined or toppled obelisk, possibly haunted Permanent portal to another plane Magic Mushrooms
9 Recent statue of a person or deity, perhaps Battlefield where lingering fog occasionally Mimic Colonies
vandalized assumes humanoid forms
10 Ancient home built for Large creatures Haunted hill or barrow mound Mimic Colonies
11-12 Ruins of a settlement Ancient tree containing a trapped spirit Mimic Colonies
13 Ruins of an ancient temple Wrecked ship, perhaps nowhere near water Primal Fruit
14-15 Ruins of a stone tower Wishing well Primal Fruit
16 Great stone wall with tower fortifications Crystal cave that mystically answers Primal Fruit
spaced at one-mile intervals questions
17 A strange fountain Field of petrified soldiers or other creatures Unearthly Roads
18 Recent circle of standing stones Forest of petrified or awakened trees Unearthly Roads
19 Ruined or toppled circle of standing stones Canyon containing a dragon graveyard Unearthly Roads
20 Magic totem pole Floating earth mote with a tower on it Unearthly Roads

Variant rule: Far from home T HE R EACTION R OLL

The further from civilization the party is, the more
dangerous the wilderness becomes. When rolling on an
environment encounter table, add +5 for each hex
between the current hex and the nearest town. If the result
exceeds 100, use the table for the next tier of party level.
Unexpected Humanoids
d6 Encounter
1 Bandits, assassins, or other creatures surround,
threaten, and/or ambush the party. If in doubt, use
the Urban Encounter tables on p.110-112 of XGE.
2 The party sees humanoids or monsters attacking
a caravan, homestead, settlement, or other group.
Choose creatures from the appropriate hex terrain
table or from the urban table.
3 Another group of adventurers is travelling through the
region, perhaps on the same quest, or a quest the
party declined.
4 A messenger (humanoid or otherwise) travels with
news, either for a town, a leader, or the party.
5 An experienced merchant, nomad or hermit has
specialty goods for sale at half their normal value, such
as poisons, silver or adamantine weapons, gnomish
contraptions, or uncommon beasts.
6 An experienced spellcaster, perhaps travelling or living
in isolation, has spell scrolls and magic items for sale
at half their normal value. If in doubt, use the “Buying
a Magic Item" downtime rules on p.126 of XGE. To
simplify it, roll 4 items on Table F on p.146 of the DMG.
If an encounter involves creatures the party
hasn’t met before, the DM either chooses or rolls
on the Reactions table to see how those
creatures react to the party.
Monster Desires. Reaction rolls can be used in
conjunction with the Parleying With Monsters
rules in TCE (p.148), to determine what the
creatures are interested in.
Reactions
d20 Encounter
1 The creature(s) immediately attack the party, acting
in a crazed or strange way with no regard for their
own safety.
2-6 The creature(s) are hostile towards the party, and
look for a good moment to attack.
7-12 The creature(s) are unfriendly towards the party, and
will attack if provoked or tempted.
13-16 The creature(s) are indifferent towards the party,
perhaps curious, or ignoring them entirely.
17-19 The creature(s) are friendly towards the party, and
maybe curious or welcoming.
20 If sapient, the creature(s) fall to their knees, praising
the party for saving them, or for fulfilling a prophecy.
Otherwise the creature(s) act like domesticated
animals owned by the party.

Variant rule: Renown

If you are using the custom Renown rules, consider
modifying the d20 reaction roll with any relevant renown
score, if one exists. If the result is above 20 or below 1, one
of the creatures personally knows a party member.

CHAPTER 8: EXPLORING THE WILD

20
Environment Hazard happening and can stop half the party from
d6 1-2 3-4 5-6 moving onto the quicksand.
Roads Storm Flash Flood Nothing Any creatures in the quicksand start partially
Grassland Flash Flood Wide River Insect Swarm submerged, and will be fully submerged in 1, 2,
Coastal Storm Flash Flood Wide River or 3 rounds if they are Small, Medium, or Large
Desert Heat Wave Heat Wave Quicksand respectively. Fully submerged creatures drop to
Arctic Cold Snap Blizzard Rock Slide 0 hit points but are stable. Simple wooden
Underdark Rock Slide Wide Canyon Razorvine vehicles that become submerged are destroyed.
Swamp Quicksand Insect Swarm Razorvine
Creatures can make it to the edge with an
Hills Storm Rock Slide Wide River
Forest Quicksand Insect Swarm Razorvine
action and a successful Strength check (no
Mountains Blizzard Rock Slide Wide Canyon proficiency). The DC is 10 + 5 for each previous
On water Heat Wave Storm Storm turn they have had while submerged. Creatures
In the air Cold Snap Storm Storm out of the quicksand have advantage on the
Urban Storm Flash Flood Nothing check to pull another creature or object out,
though the target is d2 × 5 feet from the closest
edge and may be difficult to reach. Anything
E NVIRONMENT H AZARDS fully submerged can eventually be pulled out.
A variety of dilemmas can come up while Flash Flood. Several hours of pouring rain cause
travelling, just from the environment alone. The a flash flood in the area. Fast-moving water 5
Environment Hazard table outlines some feet deep rushes through an area for several
possibilities for each type of environment, minutes, destroying topsoil, plants, vehicles, and
though many others could be applicable. maybe even trees. Each creature has one turn to
Weather. Strong weather might change the react (in any order) before the water hits them. If
environment enough in a hex to change which a character is On Watch and succeeds against
hazards are possible. For example, a cold snap the environment’s Search DC, they can warn the
or blizzard might be possible in any environment party and give everyone an additional turn.
if it’s winter. Each creature hit by the flood must make a DC
Regional Effects. The regional effects near the 20 Strength Saving Throw, or be swept d6 ×100
lairs of powerful creatures can be treated as feet away and drop to 0 hit points. By default,
Environment Hazards that either replace the high ground can be found 40+(d10 ×10) feet
Random Encounter roll, or occur in addition to away from any given character (roll separately
the roll. At least one regional effect should occur for each character). High-ground includes large
before the party reaches a lair. trees, hills, and buildings.
Hazard XP. If your group is playing with XP Rock Slide. Nearby rocks, dirt or snow come
earned from encounters, surviving any of the loose and roll down towards the party. Each
hazards presented here is equivalent to creature makes a DC 15 Dexterity Saving Throw
overcoming a Medium Difficulty encounter, no or is knocked unconscious momentarily, gaining
matter how well or poorly the hazard is handled. a level of exhaustion upon waking. If a character
is On Watch and succeeds against the
L IST OF H AZARDS environment’s Search DC, they can warn the
The rules for each type of hazard are outlined party and give everyone advantage on the save.
below. Some just require saving throws, while Insect Swarm. A swarm of insects moves
others are open-ended puzzles. through the party. Each creature makes a DC
Wide River or Canyon. A wide river or canyon 15 Constitution Saving Throw or gains a level of
blocks the party’s route. It is 4d4 ×5 feet wide. exhaustion. If a character is On Watch and
If it’s a river, it’s d6 ×5 feet deep at its deepest succeeds against the environment’s Search DC,
and fast-moving. If it’s a canyon, it’s d6 ×50 feet they can warn the party and give everyone
deep. The party either thinks of a way to get advantage on the save.
across, stops there for the day, or spends 3 Razorvine. The party’s route is covered in
hours in a forced march to find a bridge or Razorvine, a magical, malignant, malicious weed
narrow crossing. Swimming across a river that is known for appearing one day and
requires a DC 15 Strength (Athletics) check to disappearing the next. All Activity DCs (except
not gain a level of exhaustion. Craft Poison) are increased by 5 for the day, and
Quicksand. A 10 feet deep area of sand or mud each creature loses half their current Hit Dice,
beneath the party becomes churned up by the or a quarter if a character is successfully
party’s movement, becoming liquefied. If a Supporting the party (minimum of one).
character is On Watch and succeeds against the Blizzard. Freezing winds and snow heavily
environment’s Search DC, they spot what’s obscure everything for the day. Creatures either

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 find cover and make no progress that day, or
risk the blizzard to perform their activities and
travel half the expected number of hexes.
Finding cover (such as a building or cave)
requires a DC 10 Perception check at
disadvantage, with a 50% chance of the cover
being occupied by a strange person. Creatures
that don’t find cover make a DC 15 Constitution
Saving Throw or gain a level of exhaustion, and
those without cold weather gear or resistance to
cold damage drop to 0 hit points.
Cold Snap. The temperature drops incredibly low
for several hours. All creatures make a DC 15
Constitution Saving Throw or gain a level of
exhaustion. Creatures without cold weather gear
or resistance to cold drop to 0 hit points.
Heat Wave. The day becomes unbearably hot for
several hours. All creatures make a DC 15
Constitution Saving Throw or gain a level of
exhaustion. Creatures who remain in armor
without resistance to fire drop to 0 hit points.
Storm. Strong winds and rain heavily obscure
everything for the day. Creatures either find
cover and make no progress that day, or risk the
storm. Any creatures that don’t find cover (such
as a building or cave) can’t gain the benefits of
short rests, and they make a DC 15 Constitution
Saving Throw. On a failure, they either lose a
Hit Die or gain a level of exhaustion. Water and
air ships that don’t find safety require the
captain to make a DC 10 Intelligence or Wisdom
(Vehicle (Water or Air)) check, or the ship begins
to sink or crash.
Eldritch Storms. If appropriate, the storm can
be flavored using the descriptions in TCE
(p.163): Flaywind, Flame Storm, Necrotic
Tempest, Thrym’s Howl.
D OWNTIME
T RAVELLING
Player characters can travel for 8 hours a day
during downtime without risking random
encounters or attempting activities. However
unless they are travelling on a road (or aboard a
passenger ship), they can only travel through
hexes they have previously travelled through.
A CTIVITIES
With a week of downtime, a PC can successfully
complete one of the following Activities without
risk (assuming they meet any proficiency
requirements):
• Search the area, at the DM’s discretion.
• Chronicle the goings-on in the area for a week.
• Craft one of the listed items. Special materials
are still at the DM’s discretion.
CHAPTER 8: EXPLORING THE WILD
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A DVANCED R ECIPE FOR
H EX E NCOUNTERS
If you want to prepare larger or more detailed
encounters between sessions, the procedure
below is designed to set you up for success, with
clear opportunities and challenges for the party.
The encounters will depend on the terrain type.
When placing these encounters on your hex
map, remember to leave room for the other types
of encounters listed in the Random Encounters
table: large-scale events, unexpected humanoids,
hazards, and strongholds.
T HE R ECIPE
These steps are intended to be iterative. Do
them in order, but revisit any steps if you have
better ideas later on in the process. Remember
that you’re free to use your own idea if you think
of something not included in the tables.
Step 1. Choose a mood for the encounter from
the Mood table. When you introduce the scene
to your players, start by describing the mood.
Step 2. Choose one result from the Monuments
and Weird Locales table. Decide if you’d like the
encounter to be mostly indoors or outdoors.
Step 3. If the encounter will be outdoors, choose
at least one terrain feature from the Outdoor
Terrain Features table.
Step 4. Draw a map for the encounter that’s
either outdoors, indoors, or a mix. A simple
sketch can be enough, unless you expect combat
to occur. Include your Monument or Weird
Locale, and any terrain features.
Step 5. Choose an encounter from the relevant
environment table on p.92-112 of XGE, and
what the chosen creatures want from the
relevant table on p.148-149 of TCE. Use either
table first, or both together to find a combination
you like.
Step 6. Decide what the creatures are doing
when the party first sees them, and what their
initial reaction will be upon seeing the party (you
can use the Reactions table).
Step 7. Decide what rewards are possible for the
party to earn using the Hex Rewards table, and
how the rewards are related to the chosen
creatures and/or monument or weird locale.
Step 7b. Optional: Add a twist from the
Encounter Twists table. This can be important if
the encounter doesn’t yet have conflict or stakes.
Step 8. Place all NPC creatures on the map, and
any treasure or other interesting objects.
Step 9. Decide if the party is travelling or
camping when they notice the encounter, and
what side or corner of the map they start in.
Mood O THER R ESOURCES
d8 Choose one to start, perhaps transitioning later
1 Bright, sunny, lively, chirping birds, the smell of flowers T RAPS
2 Grey, still, quiet, undisturbed, suspicious Instead of creatures, the encounter might
3 Rainy, muddy, miserable, soaked clothes, hard to see involve traps. Skip Steps 5-7 and instead choose
4 Windy, fierce, howling, hard to walk/talk or create some traps using the tables on
5 Stormy, chaotic, violent, lightning, panicked animals p.114-123 of XGE. Use either 2 simple traps or 1
6 Sweltering heat, sweaty, stuffy, short tempers complex trap.
7 Freezing cold, frosty, stinging skin, numb
8 Strangely coloured sky, otherworldly sounds and smells S UPERNATURAL R EGIONS
If part of your map is supernatural, the tables
Outdoor Terrain Features on p.150-163 can help evoke that feeling. The
Roads Bridge Cliff face Dense trees tables cover: blessed radiance, far realm,
Grassland River Tall grass Pond haunted, infested, mirror zone, psychic
Coastal Cliff Large waves Sea stacks resonance and unraveling magic. Choose a
Desert Oasis Large dune Rocky outcrop result from the relevant table for Step 6b,
Arctic Trees Frozen river Glacier crevasse instead of using the Encounter Twist table.
Underdark Fungus Chasm Natural pillars
Swamp Reeds Small islands Deep mud/water S UPERNATURAL H AZARDS
Hills Hilltop Steep hillside Huge boulders
For other planes, the effects presented in the
Forest Clearing Huge tree Poisonous floor
Mountains Canyon Bridge Narrow cliff path
DMG can make good hazards. Examples include
On water Whirlpool Small island Sharp rocks Psychic Wind, Psychic Dissonance, Ether
In the air Airstream Storm cloud Scattered clouds Cyclones, Shadowfell Despair, and Mad Winds.
Urban Buildings Wagons Clothes lines
S PECIALIZED F OCUS
If a campaign will be focused in a particular
Encounter Twists environment, specialized encounter tables and
d8 Choose 0 or more to ensure curiosity or drama
hazards might be available in other resources.
1 They are hunting (or being hunted by) other creature(s)
For example:
2 They have unusual intelligence and/or alignment
• Sailing on the sea: see Ghosts of Saltmarsh
3 They are arguing amongst themselves (about what?)
4 They are arguing with a second type of creature • Jungle: see Tomb of Annihilation

5 One or all are spellcasters (divine or arcane?) • A cursed land: see Curse of Strahd

6 One or more have met a PC before • The Underdark: see Out of the Abyss

7 They would easily beat the party in combat • A city: see Waterdeep Dragon Heist

8 They aren’t what they seem. They might be conjured • A post-apocalypse or hellscape: see Descent
by fey or a con artist, doppelgangers, or a dream into Avernus
d5 During the encounter...
1 one of them runs off with the treasure or a PC’s item
2 the floor caves in and half the party falls into a tomb,
cavern, temple, plant monster, or the creatures’ lair
3 new creature(s) arrive. They might be reinforcements
for either side, or unknown to both sides
4 the creatures threaten to magically raise an alarm or
summon a strange or horrifying threat
5 the area is affected by intense magic, maybe flooding
the area, making gravity weak, spawning portals, or
shifting to a neighbouring plane

Hex Rewards
d8 Choose one or more that are relevant
1 Individual treasure according to p.136 of the DMG, plus
one art object from p.134 of roughly the same value
2 A charm from p.228 of the DMG or Inspiration
3 1d3 uses of a poison from p.257 of the DMG
4 Mundane armor, gear, a contraption, and/or book
5 A pet, mount or vehicle
If you have feedback, message me on Reddit at /u/Caesarr.
6 A shortcut, such as a tunnel or portal
• The book’s colorized version can be found here.
7 A magic item from table A (levels 1-3), B (4-6), C (7-10),
• The book’s print-friendly version can be found here.
D (11-15), or E (16-20)
8 Renown, either gained or lost depending on how the
encountered creatures were treated

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