Dungeon Crawling Rules for D&D

RULES FOR DUNGEON CRAWLING / DUNGEONEERING

SEQUENCE OF PLAY
Step 1. The DM makes a Wandering Monster roll if applicable.
Step 2. Player Actions. The Players decide what actions to take: Moving, searching, listening, entering rooms, etc.
Step 3. Descriptions. The DM determines and describes the results of player actions such as found treasure or monsters encountered.
Step 4. End of turn. Players update their resources spent. The DM track how much time the PCs have spent in the dungeon.

TIME
-Exploring a dungeon is broken up into rounds with turns.
-Each round of exploring a dungeon is approximately 10 minutes.
-Each player can move and make one action per turn.
-At the end of each round, the players record what resources are spent such as light sources and food.

MOVEMENT
-Characters move their normal movement range each 10 minute turn; a slow rate.
-Presumably, adventurers are here to explore the dungeon carefully. Therefore, it's assumed that PCs are moving carefully, watching and listening for danger, and even mapping the dungeon.
-In areas of a dungeon that PCs are familiar with, they may move at 3x their normal movement range per turn; however, they take a -5 penalty to stealth and perception rolls.

DARKNESS
-Most dungeons are dark. Light sources are required to see.
-Light sources provide 30 ft of normal vision.
-Some dungeons have light sources, such as candelabras.

SEARCHING
-Dungeons include hidden features such as doors and traps that can be spotted while searching.
-Searching requires an action.
-One PC can search a 10' x 10' area of the dungeon per turn.
-The DM rolls Perception for the PCs so that the player does not know whether their search failed or if there is nothing to find.
-Secrets are well hidden. There is a 1/6 chance of finding secrets

TRAPS
-Traps are triggered by specific actions such as opening a door or stepping into a specific space. Traps can also be sprung by a failed attempt to disable a trap.
-Discovering a trap successfully by searching may allow a PC to avoid or disable a trap. Some traps cannot be disabled.
-Every time a player makes an action that can trigger a trap, there is a 2/6 chance of the trap being sprung.
-damage or effects of hidden traps are usually automatic, no attack rolls or saving throws.
-monsters familiar with the dungeon can bypass traps.

DOORS
-Secret Doors must be deliberately searched for and found.
-Listening at doors: Playes can make a perception roll to listen at a door for sounds on the other side. The DM rolls for the player so that the player does not know if they failed or if their is nothing to hear. Some monsters make no noise. Players have a 1/6 chance to hear anything behind the door.
-Locked doors may be picked.
-Stuck or jammed doors may be forced open. Failure to force a stuck door on the first attempt forfeits any chance of surprise.
-Doors swing shut behind PCs unless propped open. Doors can re-jam or re-lock.
-Monsters who live in dungeons with doors can usually open the doors (even stuck doors). Monsters can open doors unless magically closed, blocked, or wedged shut by PCs.

WANDERING MONSTERS
-DM rolls for a wandering monster encounter typically once every two turns.
-1/6 chance of encountering a wandering monster or wandering monster party. The DM may increase these chances if the players are making a lot of noise or have bright light. The DM may decrease these chances if the players are hiding effectively.
-Wandering monsters appear 2d6 * 10' away and move in the direction of the party or 4d6 * 10 yards in the wilderness.

SURPRISE
-Surprised creatures cannot act or move on the first round of combat.
-Each side that is not aware of the others' presence rolls a d6. A one or two means that side is surprised.
-Characters carrying light are usually unable to surprise opponents.
-The distance encountering monsters when either side is surprised is 1d4 * 10 yards.

MONSTER REACTION ROLL
2d6    Result
--------------------------------
2 or <    Hostile, Attacks
3-5    Unfriendly, may attack
6-8    Neutral, uncertain
9-11    Indifferent, uninterested
12+    Friendly, helpful

MONSTER ACTIONS
-Combat: If one side initiates combat, roll initiative for combat.
-Evasion: One side may attempt to flee, the other side may choose to pursue. If pursuit, roll initiative for chasing. Monsters my give up pursuit if the players drop food or treausre or create obstacles. Monsters may give up pursuit if their line of sight with the players breaks.
-Parley: One side may attempt to communicate.

ENCOUNTER SEQUENCE
Step 1. DM determines surprise
Step 2. DM determines encounter distance.
Step 3. Roll initiative, begin combat

RESTING
-Characters must rest one turn per hour in the dungeon or they are take a penalty of -1 to hit and damage rolls until they have rested for one turn.
-PCs must rest for an uninterrupted 8 hour period every 24 hours or become exhausted.
-It is assumed that PCs consume their own food and water automatically during their rests.
-PCs who do not meet their daily food and water requirements become exhausted.

RESOURCES
-A lightsource lasts one hour and lights 30 ft. Includes: torches, candles, lanterns.
-PCs require 1 pound of food and 1 gallon of water per day. It is assumed that PCs consume the food and water in their inventory automatically when they rest.

FALLING
-1d6 damage per 10 feet fallen.

SWIMMING
-Creatures can swim at half their normal movement range each turn.
-It is assumed that anyone can swim unless there is an obvious reason why that character could not have learned.

CLIMBING
-Climbing particularly challenging surfaces or climbing in tense situations may require a climbing roll.
-Sheer surfaces require specialized tools to climb.

GETTING LOST
-Characters can confidently travel roads and trails or with a guide.
-The DM makes a navigation roll for the PCs as they explore uncharted territory of  wilderness or dungeons.
-On a failure, PCs lose time getting back on track.