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.

Social Interaction Rules for D&D

How to do the talkie-talkie bits in role playing games. Some players really like social interactions. Some players favorite part of the game is social interaction. Some players just want smash. The key to a good social interaction is to identify the interests or needs of the players (flat out asking is OK) and provide an NPC who can provide it or provide the quest that will provide it.

SEQUENCE OF PLAY
Step 1. The DM populates a setting with randomly generated NPCs and/or pre-prepared NPCs.
Step 2. The players state what goal they have for a social interaction
Step 3. The DM determines if one of the NPCs available can fulfill the goal
Step 4. DM introduces the NPC
Step 5. Players engage with the NPC
Step 6. DM determines if Speech rolls are needed and describes the results.

Rewards of Social Interaction: There are numerous rewards for successful social interactions.
-Make contacts or form connections with people who can provide goods or services, provide work, plot hooks, or quests
-Establish patrons, mentors, and other allies
-Join factions
-Learn helpful advice, secrets and rumors, and interesting lore
-Influence people, gain favor, build a reputation, spread a rumor
-Hire hirelings
-Gamble
-Barter for discounts with merchants

Locations: NPCs for social interactions can appear anywhere, but are more likely to appear in urban settings. The best place to meet people is a busy place like a tavern or a market. Some NPCs may only be available in specific locations at specific times. Some NPCs may behave differently at different times and places.

Reputation: NPCs talk about the players when they're not around. If PCs do good, they can build a reputation as being good, helpful, noble, or heroic. If NPCs do bad, they can build a reputation as trouble-makers or a dangerous people. The PCs can have a mixed reputation. The NPCs will associate the PCs as a group so the poor decisions of one PC can affect them all. A very good reputation might get the PCs friends in high places. A very bad reputation might get the PCs outlaws and over zealous guards for friends.

Dispositions: NPCs have a disposition towards a PC or the party that can range from hostile to indifferent to friendly. Individual NPCs' dispositions towards the party can be changed based on their interactions. The general disposition of NPCs in a given location can be changed based on the party's reputation.

Speech Rolls: Speech rolls are made by PCs against NPCs only and include Diplomacy or Persuasion, Bluffing and Deception, or Intimidation and Threats. The DM should not use speech rolls against the players. Players should not use speech rolls against players. The reason for this is because players get to decide how their player reacts to and feels about an interaction. If the DM can genuinely charm, trick, or scare a player, all the better.

Insight: Insight is how the players attempt to protect themselves against deceit and NPCs with ulterior motivations by reading their body language and other subtleties. A player can ask for an insight roll during an interaction with an NPC. Insight is not mind reading. No matter how high a player rolls, insight will not tell them exactly what the NPC is thinking, just whether or not the NPC seems to be hiding something or that the NPC make you feel like you can't trust something they said.  

Plot Devices: NPCs are plot devices. A plot device is a means of progressing a story. Players know this and generally don't care about the NPCs, which is OK. That said, well-done NPCs can also be believable, enjoyable, and memorable characters.

Plot Hooks: NPCs are the best way to provide players with plot hooks. A plot hook is a way to get the reader invested in a story. In other words, NPCs give the players an appealing problem or challenge with the promise of a worthwhile reward. Example: "I lost my gold sword in the sewer last year when I went searching for that baby dragon." The DM should provide the players with multiple plot hooks.

HOW TO RUN A (SIMPLE) SOCIAL INTERACTION
-NPCs may approach the players first and initiate conversation, and provide one or more plot hooks.
-Alternatively, the DM can just ask the players what they want to do (either in character as a town guard or bar maid, or out of character) and recommend or provide an NPC for the players to speak with.
-The players find and engage this NPC. The NPC provides a plot hook. Done.
-Some NPCs are just opportunists who want to capitalize on the resourceful adventurers.

Complex Social Interactions: Some social interactions require tact and quid pro quo. PCs have to provide something to the NPC in order for the NPC to provide something to the PCs. These are encounters that require speech rolls, player knowledge of the setting and character, and sometimes a certain reputation.

HOW TO RUN A (COMPLEX) SOCIAL INTERACTION
-PCs need stuff. NPCs have stuff. Stuff is not free.
-PCs must discover which NPCs have the stuff they need. This may require research, investigation, or time spent asking around and gathering information and rumors. The PC states what they do. The DM determines the results.
-PCs have to meet NPCs. Sometimes, there are barriers to entry, like a guard who refuses to let PCs in to see the governor until you've completed some busywork or get someone reputable to vouch for their intentions.
-Some NPCs have objections. Sometimes, they don't reveal their objectives, in which case, the players may need to identify the NPC objections with insight or additional investigation.
-The PCs must be able to satisfy the objections of the NPCs or provide the NPC with some sort of incentive to counter the NPCs objections.
-PCs can make a speech roll (persuasion, deception, intimidation) to make propositions, attempt to satisfy the objections, or offer incentives. If the DM needs the players to succeed, the players may succeed anyway and the roll is only used to determine how well the PCs succeed or whether they fail forward.
-There is also offense. Some NPCs can be offended. The only way to resolve offense may be to apologize. The conversation may end abruptly or violently unless the PC thinks fast and acts smart.

DMs should prepare:
-Lists of names, personalities, occupations, and defining physical features for randomly generating NPCs
-Rumor Tables
-Multiple quests
-Multiple plot hooks for important quest

Wilderness Travel Rules for D&D

Below is an explanation of wilderness travel rules that begins with Sequence of Play. At the end is an explanation about DMing a wilderness travel phase of the game called How to Run Traveling and some tips about simplifying the game in a section called Abbreviating Redundant Wilderness Travel.

SEQUENCE OF PLAY
Step 1. The DM rolls on random encounters table twice each day; once for the day and once for the night. Encounters are presented to the players when applicable.
Step 2. Player Actions. DM asks players what they do while traveling including navigation, stealth, foraging, mapping, and searching for danger.
Step 3. DM Descriptions. DM determines outcome of player actions at the end of the day.
Step 4. End turn. Players track resources spent. DM updates time and determines exhaustion, distance remaining.

Time: Time in the wilderness is tracked as the day and the night. Players get one turn during the day and one turn at night. Players are assumed to use their move to travel for 8 hours either in the day or in the night. The DM does not need to track time hour by hour. Random encounters or arriving at the players destination can occur at vague times such as "by late morning," "at about mid-day," or "sometime early that evening."

Visibility: Players can see for 2 miles in any direction at sea level in clear weather. This is halved in poor weather or lighting conditions. Players can travel by moonlight or in the dark provided they have light sources.

Marching Order: Their marching order is how the party organized. Single file? Two by two? Scattered and loose? Players deciding the marching order helps the DM set up and present random encounters and helps the players understand who their character is probably chatting with all day.

Party Leader: The PC walking in front will be navigating. They will roll stealth and navigation for the party. The party leader cannot map the area they're traveling.

Pace: The party can travel at different speeds for 8 hours in a day.
-Slow pace: 18 miles in a day. +5 bonus to Perception and Stealth rolls.
-Normal pace: 24 miles in a day.
-Fast pace: 30 miles in a day. -5 penalty to Perception rolls. The party cannot stealth and the players cannot use their actions to forage or search.

Forced March: The party can travel longer than 8 hours in a day. Players make a constitution roll each hour of a forced march. The DC increases by 1 each hour. If they fail their roll, they become exhausted. The party can make additional progress for each hour based on their pace. Additional encounters may result from a forced march.
-Slow pace: 2 miles an hour. +5 bonus to Perception and Stealth rolls.
-Normal pace: 3 miles an hour.
-Fast pace:  4 miles an hour. -5 penalty to Perception rolls. The party cannot stealth and the players cannot use their actions to forage or search.

Difficult Terrain: Some types of terrain halve the party's movement speed such as thick grassy plains, dense forests, or hills.

Inclement Weather: Some types of weather reduce visibility or cause the players to consume their food and water faster. Hot climates, storms, and freezing weather can cause exhaustion more rapidly.

Traveling and Exploring: The party is assumed to be traveling to a predetermined destination. They may or may not know the exact location. As they travel, they may also keep an eye out for interesting landmarks, foraging for resources, signs of wild game, or shelter. Players can also discover new locations while traveling.

Random Encounters: Not all random encounters are combat encounters with monsters. Sometimes players discover an interesting landmark such as a cave or a lake, a hidden location like a lonely cabin with a garden or a clearing with strange ritualistic statues, wild game to track and hunt, another traveler or group of travelers. The random encounters table can also include weather. 

Player Actions: Players can make one action for each 8 hour turn. While traveling, they can forage for wild edibles, water, or fire wood and kindling, search for signs of wild game to potentially track and hunt, search for spell components, random loot, keep an eye out for danger, they can map the area they're exploring to prevent them from getting lost in the future, or they can kill time.

Navigation: The party may travel confidently through familiar regions or if they have a map or a guide. If the party is traveling in unfamiliar regions where there are no roads, paths, or rivers to follow or no landmarks to reference, the party cannot confidently travel and must navigate. The lead party member will roll a navigation check once daily. On a failed roll, they party is lost. The effects of being lost are that the party has spent a half day traveling in the wrong direction.  If the navigation check fails by more than 5, the party may not even realize they're lost. The party must either backtrack to familiar territory and try again or attempt to press onward and hope they find their way with a successful navigation roll. The consequences of getting lost are usually a lose of time and resources, and risk of additional monster encounters.

Resting: Players must take an uninterrupted 8 hour rest every 24 hours or they become exhausted.     Camping has its share of dangers. Someone needs to keep watch while the party sleeps. The players characters can take turns keeping watch in one long rest.

Resources: Players require 1 lbs of food and 1 gallon of water per day. Failure to meet these requirements causes exhaustion. It is assumed that the players will consume their available resources each day. To attempt to conserve resources, players can consume half resources daily.  If players consume half resources, they each make a constitution roll at the end of the day versus exhaustion. Players do not recover from exhaustion until they consume normal resources. Players require double resources in harsh environments or weather.

Disease: Sometimes, the party can make an unusual decision to sleep somewhere they shouldn't or they've made a decision to eat or drink something they should probably just have investigated better and now they've failed their constitution rolls and they're poisoned or sick. Maybe they've been stung or bitten by something venomous. Give them a penalty to their ability to travel or fight. Decide how long it lasts and what it takes to treat.

Exhaustion: PCs who are exhausted take a penalty to their actions while traveling. Penalties carry over to combat as well.

Encumbrance: Players have a limited carrying capacity. If they're carrying capacity is exceeded, they are encumbered and their movement is halved. If they march for one day while encumbered, they are automatically exhausted. (Optional rule for carrying capacity: Each player can carry a number of items equal to 20 + their strength modifier.)

Wagons, Beasts of Burden, and Mounts: Players can use a beasts of burden such as a pack mule to carry additional items or pull their wagons. Players can use wagons to carry additional items as well. Players can travel on a mount such as a horse. All these things can affect the travel pace or encounters. Animals need their own supply of food and water.

Key Region Features: Sometimes a region has a key feature such as a mountain, a river, a lake, a forest. These can help the players understand where they are in relation to anything else and should be mentioned in the descriptions of travel. Example: "The hooked peak of Mt. Doom is smaller and more bluish today than it was yesterday."

How to Run Traveling
-Set the scene: At the start of each traveling day, provide the players with a brief description of what they can see in the distance or on the horizon, which could just be a single feature like a named mountain, and let them know what type of environment they're currently in and what the weather looks like today. Tell them what if anything about the scenery has changed as they've traveled such as "you can no longer see the town of Goodburg."
-Ask the party what they do for the day if it isn't implied.
-Present day encounter. Ask the players for their actions. Adjudicate the results of player actions. Describe the results.
- Reset the scene: At the end of each traveling day, again provide the players with a brief description of what they can see in the distance or on the horizon, what type of environment they're in, and what the weather looks like for the evening. What if anything about the scenery has changed since this morning. "You can now see a faint bluish peak of Mount Doom on the horizon."
-Present night encounter. Ask the players for their actions. Adjudicate the results of player actions. Describe the results.
-New travel day.

Abbreviating Redundant Wilderness Travel
     The point of wilderness travel ultimately is about two things: resource management and discovering new stuff. If the party has limited resources, are in bad shape, and far from the safety of civilization, wilderness travel becomes tense. If the party discovers something useful when they need it, or something generally valuable, that's meaningful.
     But sometimes wilderness travel is just about depleting the party's resources before they get to the dungeon, making their return trip a touch uncomfortable, and maybe playing a wild card. Sometimes the wilderness travel is just not important and it doesn't have to be eventful, especially if PCs are hardy and are traveling across a familiar area. Sometimes, the DM can just determine the number of days it will take the PCs to reach their destination and tell the players to subtract their resources. Ask the players if they do any foraging, what pace they're marching, and whether they're consuming normal resources or half. Throw a random encounter in there for good measure. Provide a simple narration about how they travel for a few days. Done. No, this doesn't trivialize the three pillars. The game is called Dungeons and Dragons, not Marching and Marshes.

Player Actions
Players can choose to do nothing while traveling besides marching, or they can declare that their character will be responsible for something in particular during the traveling day. Examples below.

• Navigate (Wisdom roll)
  
• Map
• Forage (Wisdom roll) for food, water, random herbs, etc
  
• Search for wild game to encounter (Wisdom roll) for hunting
  
• Sing (affect reaction rolls and stealth)
• Search for danger (encounters, traps, ambushes) (avoid surprise, etc)