Hazards and Challenges🔗
Climbing🔗
When climbing in a difficult or pressured situation, the referee may require a DEX check to avoid falling.
Sheer Surfaces🔗
Very steep or sheer surfaces are usually only possible to climb with specialized equipment. Some characters may have class abilities that allow them to attempt to climb such surfaces unaided.
Darkness🔗
Characters usually want to bring a light source with them on underground expeditions. Typical light sources enable normal vision within a 30’ radius.
Infravision🔗
All non-human monsters and many demihuman races have a special vision, allowing them to see in the dark. This is called infravision.
Heat tones: Characters with infravision can see heat tones, with warm objects (such as living creatures) appearing bright, cold objects as black, and cool objects as grey.
Reading: It is impossible to read in the dark with infravision because fine detail cannot be perceived.
Range: Infravision works within a limited range (60’ for monsters, unless specified otherwise in a monster’s description).
Disruption: Visible light (normal or magical) and large heat sources prevent infravision from functioning.
Light and Surprise🔗
Parties carrying a light in a dark environment usually cannot surprise others (see Encounters) because the light gives away their presence.
Falling🔗
Falling from a height onto a hard surface inflicts 1d6 damage per 10’ fallen.
Losing Direction🔗
When traveling with a reliable guide, following a trail or river, or heading toward a prominent landmark, there is no risk of getting lost. Otherwise, there is a chance of getting lost in the untracked wilds.
The chance of the party becoming lost depends on the type of terrain being explored (see Wilderness Adventuring and Waterborne Adventuring.
Effects of Being Lost🔗
If the party becomes lost, the referee will decide how far off course they are traveling (possibly at random). For example, if the party intends to head north, the referee may determine they are heading northeast.
It may take time for a lost party to realize it is moving in the wrong direction.
Starvation🔗
Characters who go without food or water for a whole day or longer may begin to suffer penalties at the referee’s discretion, for example, attack penalties, reduced movement rate, more frequent need to rest, or a slow loss of hit points.
Swimming🔗
Movement rate: Characters can swim at half their normal movement rate.
Who can swim: Unless there is an apparent reason why a character could not have learned to swim, it is assumed that all characters can swim.
Drowning🔗
The circumstances in which drowning is a risk—as well as the chance of drowning—are judged by the referee.
Example circumstances: Swimming in treacherous water conditions, swimming while wearing armor or carrying heavy or awkward items, fighting in water.
Example chances of drowning: A character swimming in rough waters while wearing heavy armor and carrying a heavy load may have a 99% probability of drowning. A character in the same waters but wearing light armor and carrying a light load may only have a 10% probability of drowning.
Wandering Monsters🔗
Besides the monsters placed explicitly in some areas of a dungeon or wilderness, PCs may randomly encounter monsters on the move between areas. These are known as wandering monsters.
See Dungeon Adventuring, Wilderness Adventuring, and Waterborne Adventuring for specific details.
Frequency: The referee should roll periodically to determine whether a wandering monster is encountered. The frequency of checks depends on the type of area being explored.
Chance: When a wandering monster check is made, the chance of a random encounter is usually 1-in-6. This chance may vary, depending on the area being explored (e.g., dungeon region or level, type of wilderness terrain).
Monster type: Each area should have a table of wandering monsters, which the referee rolls on when an encounter occurs.
Noise or light: If the party makes a lot of noise or carries bright light sources in a dark environment, the referee may increase the chance of encountering wandering monsters.
Hiding: If the party rests quietly in an out-of-the-way location, the referee may decrease the chance of encountering wandering monsters.