Black Sands

5E exploration redux
by DM Bruce
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Table of Contents
✵ Time 1 ✦ Land Surveying 14

✵ Wilderness Movement 2 ✦ Map Making 16

✵ Wilderness Actions 3 ✦ Navigate 17

✶ Bushcraft 4 ✦ Visibility 21

✦ Camouflage 5 ✦ Visibility Modifiers 22

✦ Find Campsite 5 ✦ Vision & Light 23

✦ Fishing 7 ✦ Terrain Modifiers 24

✦ Find Viewpoint 8 ✵ Modes of Movement 25

✦ Foraging 9 ✶ Hexcrawl Procedure 26

✦ Hunting 10
✦ Encounters 27
✦ Tracking 11
✵ Going Without... 28
✶ Delve 14
✶ Starving 30
✶ Orienteering 14

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Time Wilderness Movement

A Watch is a period of four hours. Each day is split into
six watches. You will be given a stack of six poker chips Pace Average Distance Effects
to track how you spend the day. There are two red chips, per Rnd per Hour per Watch
two white chips, and two black chips representing dawn,
Slow 20ft 2.25 mi 9 mi Wilderness Actions
dusk, day, and night:
Normal 25ft 3 mi 12 mi passive Perception
● Red (6:00 a.m.–10:00 a.m.)
Fast 30ft 3.75 mi 15 mi -5 passive Perception,
● White (10:00 a.m.–2:00 p.m.) -5 Navigation checks,
extra ½ ration per day
● White (2:00 p.m.–6:00 p.m.)
● Red (6:00 p.m.–10:00 p.m.)
● Black (10:00 p.m.–2:00 a.m.)
● Black (2:00 a.m.–6:00 a.m.)

Each time you spend a Watch, give the Dungeon Master

the chip corresponding to the current time in-game. At
the start of the next day, the Dungeon Master will
return your chips to you.

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Wilderness Actions ○ Tracking (req Survival; slow pace, or

normal pace with disadvantage)
Each character can do one of the following actions. Each
○ Delve: examine a point of interest (no travel)
action takes one Watch and can only be performed
○ Orienteering: navigate terrain, or survey a wide
while traveling at a slow pace, unless specified
area, and — with the right proficiency and tools —
otherwise in the description.
map it.
○ Bushcraft: get along in the wild. When taking
○ Land Surveying (req Nature)
this action, you may choose to perform one of the
○ Mapmaking (uses Cartographer’s tools)
following activities if you meet its requirements:
○ Navigate (uses Navigator’s tools or
○ Camouflage (uses Stealth)
Survival; slow pace, or normal pace
○ Find Campsite (uses Nature or Survival)
w/disadvantage)
○ Fishing (uses Survival; no travel)
○ Find Viewpoint (req Athletics, Navigator’s
tools, Nature, or Survival) Bushcraft
○ Foraging (req Nature or Survival) ● Each activity costs at least one Watch.
○ Hunting (req Survival; no travel; 2 ● A character can only travel while performing this
action if the activity specifically states this. They must
watches)
fulfill all other requirements of the activity.
● Some of the following activities allow the character to
gather resources, provided they have the requisite
proficiency.
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Camouflage Check Result Effect

beneficial: Stealth
Major Success
If you are proficient in Stealth, you can spend a Watch traveling at a Succeeds DC by 10+
slow pace while making best use of the terrain to remain hidden.
Apply your passive Stealth to any attempts made to perceive you. If
you are not proficient, you can still take this action. Make a
Dexterity (Stealth) check while the Dungeon Master makes a Moderate Success
second roll for disadvantage. The lower result applies throughout Succeeds DC by 5+
the Watch, but you will be unaware of the second die’s result.
Long Rest. Regain half plus one of spent Hit Dice, plus an
additional Hit Die for every additional increment of 5 the
DC is exceeded by. You found an exceptionally safe and
out of the way site to make camp. There are no
encounters.
Long Rest. The site is adequate to spend the night in
relative comfort and safety. Slight chance of encounters
(1 in 12 per watch).

Minor Success Long Rest, but no Hit Dice regained. You can make do
Succeeds DC here, but it's a little exposed and uncomfortable. Small
Find Campsite chance of encounters (1 in 6 per watch).
beneficial: Nature or Survival
Minor Failure Short Rest. It's not safe enough to sleep, but you can lay
Spend a Watch while traveling at a slow pace. Make an Intelligence Fails DC by 5 or less down your burden for a short while. Significant chance of
(Nature) or Wisdom (Survival) check against the Navigation DC. encounters (2 in 6 per watch).
Taking a short rest after this action does not cost a Watch. Rests
Moderate Failure Short Rest, but exhaustion remains. You can catch your
can't be taken without this action, unless it is taken in a friendly
Fails DC by 10 or less: breath, but keep your eyes peeled. This spot is exposed
village or a location already secured against intruders (such as a and uncomfortable. (3 in 6 per watch).
stronghold, or a cleared dungeon).
Major Failure No benefits can be gained from rest. There's no comfort
Fails DC by 10+ to be found and you're bound to be caught. (Any attempt
to rest results in an encounter.)

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Fishing Find Viewpoint

beneficial: Survival required: Athletics, Navigator’s tools, Nature, or Survival
Spend a Watch while at a river, lake, or coast you can catch fish. Spend a Watch while traveling at a slow pace. A character proficient
Make a Wisdom (Survival) check. in Athletics, Navigator’s tools, Nature, or Survival makes a check
against the Navigation DC.
DC Effect
Check Result Effect
10 Slim pickings. You’ve caught enough fish to feed a number of
medium creatures equal to 1d8 + Wis modifier. Major Success You climb to the highest point in the area, and find a
Succeeds DC by 10+ magnificent view. You can see 6 miles further than normal,
15 A decent haul. 1d8 x Wis modifier (min 1). regain 1 HD, and you gain Inspiration.

20 A good catch. 2d8 x Wis modifier (min 1). Moderate Success You climb to one of the high points in the area, and find a great
Succeeds DC by 5+ view. You can see 3 miles further than normal.
25 Expert angling. 3d8 x Wis modifier (min 1).
Minor Success You climb to a significant height and get a clear view of the
30 Catch of lifetime! 4d8 x Wis modifier (min 1). You gain Succeeds DC surrounding area.
Inspiration.
Minor Failure You were deceived by terrain, and couldn’t find a clear
*Multiply by 2 to determine pounds of food caught. Fails DC by 5 or less viewpoint.

Moderate Failure Not only could you not find a clear view, but the terrain was
Fails DC by 10 or less: more treacherous than you anticipated. Spend another Watch.

Major Failure You got turned around several times amidst the terrain, and
Fails DC by 10+ are now hopelessly lost.

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Foraging Hunting
required: Nature or Survival required: Survival
Spend a Watch while traveling at a slow pace. A character proficient Spend 2 Watches. You can not travel during this activity. A
in Nature or Survival can forage for food and drinkable water. Make character proficient in Survival can hunt for game. Make a Wisdom
a check. (Survival) check.

DC Effect DC Effect

10 Slim pickings. You’ve found enough food and water for yourself. 10 Wild fowl. You’ve hunted enough food for yourself.

15 A decent haul. You’ve found enough for a number of medium 15 Small quarry. You’ve hunted enough food to feed a number of
creatures equal to 1d4 + Wisdom modifier. medium creatures equal to 1d6 + Wisdom modifier.

20 A bountiful harvest. 1d6 + Wisdom modifier. 20 A clean kill. You’ve bagged enough quarry to feed
5 x (1d6 + Wisdom modifier) medium creatures.
25 Expert foraging. 2d4 + Wisdom modifier.
25 Expert hunting. You’ve honed your skills to match that of any
30 Abundance! 2d6 +Wisdom modifier. You gain Inspiration. predator. There’s enough to fee 10 x (2d6 + Wisdom modifier)
medium creatures.
*A medium creature needs 2 lbs of food and 1 lb of water each day or make a Constitution saving
throw. See “Going without…” under Resting & Exhaustion. 30 Big game! You’re a big game hunter now, and gain Inspiration.
Food for 15 x (3d6 +Wisdom modifier) medium creatures.

*Multiply by 2 to determine pounds of food hunted.

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Tracking Modifiers Conditions

required: Survival
+1 DC Each watch since the trail was made
If there is a trail to follow, you can spend a Watch while traveling. A
character proficient in Survival can follow the trails of creatures +5 DC Each watch of precipitation since the trail was made
across most terrain. Make a Wisdom (Survival) check if traveling at
+5 DC Night (overcast or moonless)
a slow pace, or with disadvantage if traveling at a normal pace.
Make a new check each time you come across even more difficult +5 DC Fog or current Precipitation
terrain, an obstacle which holds no tracks (river, paved road, etc), or
when the weather changes for the worse. +5 DC Tracked creature is benefitting from the Camouflage activity

disadvantage Tiny tracks

DC Surface Terrain advantage Huge tracks

10 Soft ground (fresh snow, sand, thick Coast, Village advantage Creature’s lair is found
dust, wet mud)

15 Firm ground (fields, grass, dirt) Lt Jungle, Ruins

20 Hard ground (rockstrewn hills, Hvy Jungle,

streambeds, dense overgrowth) Mtns Jungle,
Volcanic, Volcano

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Check Result Effect

Delve
Exceptional Success Shortcut. You know exactly how far ahead your quarry is ● Spend a Watch to explore a point of interest, such as
Succeeds DC by 15+ and where they’re heading. Further, you have gained on
them significantly. You and your party gain a +50% travel a dungeon or unique location.
modifier for this watch.

Major Success Gaining ground. You know which direction your quarry is Orienteering
heading, and have gained on them. You and your party
Succeeds DC by 10+ ● Each activity costs at least one Watch.
gain a +25% travel modifier for this watch.
● A character can only travel while performing this
Moderate Success On the trail. You know which direction your quarry is action if the activity specifically states this. They must
Succeeds DC by 5+ heading, and are keeping up with them.
fulfill all other requirements of the activity.
Minor Success Losing ground. You know which direction your quarry is ● Some of the following activities allow the character to
Succeeds DC heading, but you are losing ground. You and your party produce items, provided they have the requisite
gain a -25% travel modifier for this watch.
proficiency and tools.
Minor Failure Falling behind. The trail is difficult to follow, and you lose
Fails DC by 5 or less a lot of ground as your quarry gets far ahead of you. You Land Surveying
and your party have a -50% travel modifier for this
watch.
required: Nature
If you are proficient with Nature, spend a Watch while moving at a
Moderate Failure Lost the trail. You have lost the trail, and have no idea slow pace to discover potential dangers in your path, such as
Fail DC by 10 or less: how to find it again. Your quarry has escaped.
dangerous sinkholes, deadfalls, collapses, or rock slides. Make a
Nature check against the Navigation DC.
Major Failure Hopelessly lost. You’ve not only lost the trail, but got lost
Fails DC by 10+ yourself. See Navigation Outcomes.

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Check Result Effect Mapmaking

Major Success Your keen observations are as good as any elf’s. You gain
Succeeds DC by 10+ Inspiration. For the duration of the next Watch, you and your
party can move at a normal pace, regardless of activities being
performed, and you ignore any pace penalties incurred.
Moderate Success It doesn’t matter if they see you coming as long as you see
Succeeds DC by 5+ them first. Any creatures you encounter will have
disadvantage to Perception checks against you and your party
during this watch.
Minor Success Your close attention and knowledge of Nature have allowed
Succeeds DC you to spot danger long before it’s a problem. You and your
party are immune to being surprised by an encounters during
this watch.
Minor Failure You missed something obvious, and now your party has
Fails DC by 5 or less encountered a dangerous hazard.
beneficial: Cartographer's tools
Spend a Watch mapping the terrain while traveling at a slow pace.
It's up to your best judgment and creativity as a player as to what
the map looks like. Your map will never be completely accurate, but
it's better than no map at all. If you have Cartographer's tools and
are proficient with them, maps you make with this action have the
following benefits:
● advantage on navigation checks when you travel
between two known places.
● no navigation check is needed when you travel between
two known landmarks.
● encounters are less likely when you travel between two
known places.

Moderate Failure Your observations were overly hasty. All Navigation checks
Fails DC by 10 or less: made during this Watch by your party are made with
disadvantage.

Major Failure Your carelessness may lead to disaster. You and your party are
Fails DC by 10+ surprised by the next encounter, regardless of Perception or
Initiative results.

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Navigate DC Terrain
beneficial: Navigator's tools or Survival
20 Heavy Jungle, Mountainous Jungle
Spend a Watch while moving at a slow pace (or a normal pace with
disadvantage) to navigate the terrain and lead your party through 15 Light Jungle, Ruins
the wilderness. To determine how well a character navigates the 10 Volcanic, Volcano
terrain, a Navigation check is made using either Wisdom (Survival)
or Intelligence (Navigator’s tools) if you have the tools. If the 5 Village, Coast
character is not proficient with either of these skills, the check is +5 Strong Wind
made with disadvantage, and must be done at a slow pace.
+5 Heavy Precipitation
The check is made by the Dungeon Master. The outcome is +5 Fog
determined by the following criteria:
+5 Night (clear skies)
● The check is made with advantage if the character is +10 Night (overcast)
proficient with Survival and Navigator’s tools (and has the
tools with them). +2 New Moon
● The check is made with advantage if another player takes -2 Full Moon
this action to help the lead navigator plot a course, and is
proficient themselves in either Survival or Navigator’s tools +5 Lost
(and has the tools with them). +10 Hopelessly Lost
● The base DC is determined by the predominant terrain.

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Check Result Effect

Exceptional Success On course. If the character was previously lost, he becomes aware of it and how many watches have passed since getting lost.
Succeeds DC by 15+ Further, the character discovers a shortcut gaining a +50% travel modifier for this watch.

Major Success On course. If the character was previously lost, he becomes aware of it, and how many watches have passed since getting lost.
Succeeds DC by 10+ Further, the character discovers a shortcut gaining a +25% travel modifier for this watch.

Moderate Success On course. If the character was previously lost, he becomes aware of it, and how many watches have passed since getting lost.
Succeeds DC by 5+

Minor Success On course. If the character was previously lost, he becomes aware of it. The character does not know how long he’s been lost.
Succeeds DC

Minor Failure On course. If the character was previously lost, he remains unaware of it.
Fails DC by 5 or less

Moderate Failure Lost, and the character is unaware of it.

Fail DC by 10 or less:

Major Failure Hopelessly lost. The character has no idea where he is, or how to reach his destination. The character can only Explore until a
Fails DC by 10+ landmark is discovered. If there is a visible landmark, treat this as the next highest result. If the landmark is known to the character,
treat this as a Minor Success.

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Visibility Visibility Modifiers

Height Horizon Size Modifier Weather Modifier

Small sized 2 miles Tiny ¼ Fog ¼

Medium sized 3 miles Small ½ Light Precipitation ½

10 ft 4 miles Large x2 Heavy Precipitation ¼
25 ft 6 miles Huge x3 x3
50 ft 9 miles Gargantuan x4 x4
100 ft 12 miles Elevation x(feet÷5)
400 ft 24 miles *Effects stack. To determine the final movement modifier, multiply all applicable
modifiers and round to the nearest half or third to determine.
1000 ft 39 miles

1500 ft 48 miles

2500 ft 60 miles

3000 ft 75 miles

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Vision & Light Terrain Modifiers

Vision Bright light Dim light Darkness Move
Terrain Mod. Effects
Normal unobscured lightly obscured heavily obscured
Heavy Jungle, ½ disadvantage to navigation
Darkvision unobscured unobscured, lightly obscured,
Mountainous Jungle
lightly obscured heavily obscured
beyond 60 ft beyond 60 ft
Light Jungle, Ruins, ⅔
Superior unobscured unobscured, beyond light obscured, Volcanic, Volcano
Darkvision 60 ft light obscure heavily obscured
beyond 60 ft Coast, Village —

Road x1½ advantage to navigation

Paved Road x2 advantage to navigation

Strong Wind ⅔ disadvantage to perception (hearing),

open flames extinguished

Fog ⅔ disadvantage to navigation,

Bright light becomes Dim light,
Dim light becomes Darkness

Light Precipitation ⅔
Heavy Precipitation ½ disadvantage to navigation & perception,
vision is lightly obscured

*Effects stack. To determine the final movement modifier, multiply all applicable
modifiers and round to the nearest half or third to determine.
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Behind the Screen Hexcrawl Procedure

1. Roll for Weather (DMG 109).
This section contains player-unknown structures, and is for the sole
2. Determine
use of the Dungeon Master.
● destination,
● direction,
Modes of Movement ● pace,
● mode of movement.
There are three modes of movement.* The DM determines which of
3. Resolve player actions.
these the players are using based on their knowledge of their
4. Are they lost?
current destination (or lack thereof). A known place is somewhere
● Veer. Once lost, the character will veer off course.
the characters have been before, or have second hand knowledge
Roll d6 to determine where they end up:
of its precise location (usually in relation to other known places). ○ 1: Arrive back at point of departure
This secondhand knowledge can be in the form of a map, or ○ 2 – 3: Veer one hex left of intended destination
directions from someone who has been there. ○ 4 – 5: Veer one hex right of intended destination
○ 6: Arrive at intended destination
○ If veering left or right leads to an ocean hex, the party
○ Explore: movement without a route or specific destination. Each
ends up on a nondescript stretch of beach.
Watch, the players will experience an encounter.
5. Encounter Check.
○ Trailblaze: movement that creates a route to a known place.
● If Traveling or Idle, make a check.
Each Watch, the players will experience an encounter.
● If Exploring or Trailblazing, an encounter will happen. No
○ Travel: movement along a known route to a known place. Each check needed.
Watch there is a chance of an encounter. 6. Determine Actual Distance Traveled.
○ Idle: whether they have moved or not, the players remain within ● slow pace: 4d4-1, (3 - 15 miles).
the same hex. Each Watch, there is a chance of an encounter. ● normal pace: 4d4+2, (6 - 18 miles)
● fast pace: 4d4+5, (9 - 21 miles)
*Inspired by The Alexandrian’s Whither Exploration. ● Multiply total by final movement modifier.
7. Generate Encounter.
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Encounters
Going Without...
Start Distance Start Distance Heroic though they might be, adventurers can’t spend every hour of
Terrain Chance Squares Feet the day in the thick of exploration, intrigue, and combat. They need
rest—time to sleep and eat, tend their wounds, refresh their minds
Light Jungle 3 in 6 1d8 x 3 15 - 120
and spirits for spellcasting, and brace themselves for further
Hvy Jungle 2 in 6 2d6 10 - 60 adventure.

Mtns Jungle 2 in 6 4d6 x 6 120 - 720

In order to stay in good health, a character must sleep at least 6
Volcanic 2 in 6 2d6 x 6 60 - 360 hours each day during a long rest, and meet daily food and water
requirements based on their size. In hot weather, the water
Volcano 3 in 6 4d6 x 6 120 - 720 requirement is doubled. Characters who eat or drink less than this
Ruins 3 in 6 3d6 15 - 90 amount may suffer the effects of exhaustion and starvation.

Village 1 in 6 5d20 x 6 150 - 3,000 . . . sleep

*When the players are resting as per a result of the Find Campsite activity, the
encounter chance for that result supersedes those on this table.
● You can not gain any of the benefits of resting without
sleep.
● Whenever you end a 24 hour period without sleeping at
least 6 hours, you automatically suffer a level of
exhaustion.

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● Further, you must also succeed on a DC 10 Constitution
saving throw or fall asleep.
● If you have one or more levels of exhaustion, after a 16
hour period without sleep it is difficult to stay awake.
During each hour of light activity or standing watch, make a
DC 5 Constitution saving throw or fall asleep.
● If you stay awake for multiple days, it becomes harder to
fight off exhaustion. After the first 24 hours, the DC
increases by 5 for each consecutive 24 hour period you go
without sleep.
● The DC resets to 10 when you finish a long rest.
. . . water
● A creature which drinks less than their water needs must
succeed on a DC 15 Constitution saving throw or suffer
one level of exhaustion at the end of the day.
● A creature which drinks no water automatically suffers one
level of exhaustion at the end of the day.
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. . . food
● If, at the end of a day after all watches have been expended,
a character who has eaten less than their food
requirements must succeed on a DC 10 Constitution
saving throw or suffer a level of exhaustion. A character
who has eaten at least half of their food requirements
makes this saving throw with advantage.
● Eating less than required increases the DC by 1 each day.
● The first time this saving throw is failed, no more saving
throws need to be made. The character must now eat their
full food needs in a single day, and do so within a number of
days equal to 4 + their Constitution modifier. Otherwise,
the character gains another level of exhaustion and the
starving condition.
new condition: Starving
● A starving creature can not spend hit dice, and can not
benefit from a long rest without consuming a half ration.
● Until this condition is removed, the creature automatically
suffers a level of exhaustion at the end of a number of days
equal to 4 + the creature's Constitution modifier.
● This condition ends when a creature takes a long rest that
reduces their exhaustion level to 0.
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