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4 INTRODUCTION
CREDITS
Lead Design and Editing: Drew Merritt
Contributing Design: Charles Baker, Brian Black, Donovan Baures, Jared Coplin, Seth Kravetz,
Merritt Miera, Ryan Patterson, Justin Shipler, Sean Trew
Art Direction: Brian Black
Graphic Design and Layout: CJ Hudgins
Cover Illustration: Ferdinand Ladera
Interior Illustrations: Zoe Badini, Mary Ellen Draper, Francesca Gatti, Melanie Korte, Tina Nguyen,
Ferdinand Ladera, Alana Radkevich, Alex van der Linde, Jackie Youwakim
Special Thanks: Dave and Erika Bean, Sumitra Black, and Jessica Merritt for your tremendous
support for this massive undertaking. We would not be here without you.
© 2021 Next-Level Gaming Grio’s Guide to the Wildlands. Next-Level Gaming logo, The Four
Tools of the Next-Level Encounter Design Philosophy, and Grio Whiteshine are trademarks of
Next-Level Gaming, LLC. All characters and the distinctive likenesses thereof are property of
Next-Level Gaming, LLC.
INTRODUCTION 5
GRIO’S GUIDE TO THE WILDLANDS
LEGAL NOTICE
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License.
6 INTRODUCTION
FOREWARD
The wilderness has always been a fundamental element of fantasy adventure. I
vividly recall the absolute sense of wonder that I experienced when first reading
Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings trilogy in junior high school. From the daunting
journey past Weathertop on the way to Rivendell, to the failed crossing over
the icy peak of Caradhras, to the long trek across the wide grassy expanse
watched over by the Rohirrim of King Theoden, to the final push through the
horrendous landscape of Mordor itself - all of these wild places actually became
characters in the telling of an epic story. Without these harsh and unforgiving
“characters,” Frodo’s arduous task most certainly would have felt less dynamic,
and his ultimate triumph likely would have been perceived as less magnificent.
In my experience with the 5th Edition of this game we love so dearly, much of
that dynamic wonder and wild magnificence has been absent. The details for
wilderness environments and their many hazards have been largely omitted
from official sourcebooks. Although this decision was almost certainly part of
an attempt to ensure that the rules of the game would be accessible and easy to
follow for new generations of players, the lack of wilderness mechanics clearly
creates a void for the game master who wishes to include these elements as a
part of the greater adventure tale. Grio’s Guide to the Wildlands is designed to
satisfy that very desire.
Our goal in creating this resource is to provide all of the tools that you might need
to create a living, breathing biome for your player characters to experience. We
have tried to do so with a balance of gritty realism and streamlined efficiency in
mind. We hope you enjoy the final product!
Drew Merritt,
Co-Founder of Next-Level Gaming
INTRODUCTION 7
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Introduction 1
The Four Tools of Next-Level Design 2
Who is Grio Whiteshine? 5
General Information and Tables 6
Expanded Climbing System and Fall Damage 6
Expanded Swimming System 8
Festering Wounds 10
Chapter One: Hunting in the Wildlands 14
Chapter Two: Herbalism & Poisoncraft 22
Chapter Three: Alchemy 38
Chapter Four: Desert Wastelands 56
Chapter Five: Tropical Jungles 76
Chapter Six: Swamps, Marshes, & Bogs 94
Chapter Seven: Foothills & Mountains 114
Chapter Eight: Temperate Forests & Woodlands 134
Chapter Nine: Steppes, Prairies, and Other Grasslands 154
Chapter Ten: Subterranean Caverns & Mines 170
Chapter Eleven: Arctic Expanse 188
Chapter Twelve: Seacoasts & Islands 206
Appendix A: Adventuring Gear & Magic Items 222
Appendix B: Backer List 230
INTRODUCTION
Using This Book - Read This First provide opportunities for interaction with the
Within the pages of this sourcebook, you’ll natural environment.
find a number of unique natural encounters
that can be introduced into the wilderness Each encounter design consists of four distinct
environments of your 5th Edition game tools, all placed right at the Game Master’s
sessions. This synopsis is designed to fingertips. It is important to understand the
familiarize you with the design process and intent of the design philosophy so that you
the presentation of these encounters. may benefit from it to the fullest extent.
Important Tip: A Note on the Importance of Presentation
Much of the content in this book represents Characters who are moving through wildland
expanded rule systems that are not a part of areas are sometimes surrounded by
the core mechanics of the game. As a Game magnificent open vistas. At other times their
Master, it is crucially important that you dis- surroundings may be veiled by vegetation,
cuss the use of these rule systems with your rocky barriers, or harsh environmental
players before implementing them in your conditions. Often the territory through which
game sessions. Players should be made aware they are traveling has the potential to provide
of the potential risks and additional challeng- characters with subtle hints regarding
es presented by this content, and they should navigation methods, survival techniques, and
be given the opportunity to consent to use of potential hazards.
this material.
Regardless of their characters’ surroundings,
Additionally, it is best to fully disclose the sys- players will depend heavily on the descriptions
tems that you as the GM are using to resolve and presentation of the environment that is
encounters. If a Group Skill Challenge is in use, provided to them by the Game Master. The
walk your players through how that system majority of the encounters presented in
works. When dealing with expanded systems this guide are designed to give players the
for climbing, swimming, and wounds, do your opportunity to assess what is happening to
best to let the players understand the risks their characters through skill checks and
that are being presented before the character special character abilities.
makes an unrecoverable mistake. If there is
any doubt about the level of understanding,
explain the system further. While many play-
ers will enjoy the additional level of challenge
that is presented by this content, most players
will not enjoy the frustration that comes with
a misunderstanding about how to navigate
the risks.
INTRODUCTION 1
THE FOUR TOOLS OF NEXT-LEVEL DESIGN
intend to interact with the environment to
gather more information about the dangers
at hand.
Part One: The Narrative Thread For example, as the characters venture into
The “Needle and Thread” icon indicates the the depths of an abandoned mine where
section of the text that a Game Master may deadly cave-ins are possible, the following
use to connect an encounter to the larger descriptions might be available. The italic
story of a campaign. print is meant to be paraphrased or read
aloud to the players on a successful check.
For example, a raging forest fire can present The characters may realize a little or a lot
a dramatic challenge for players, but a about the inherent risk of the situation,
conscientious GM will need a reason for that depending on how successful they are with
fire to have started in the first place. the initial WIS (Perception) check and the
subsequent INT (Investigation) and/or INT
This first part of our encounter design offers (History) checks:
inspiration for the dedicated storyteller
and provides an opportunity to meld the The GM should call for this initial WIS
environmental challenge into the campaign (Perception) check or use characters’
world. Passive Perception:
Perhaps this fire was sparked by a lightning DC 12 WIS (Perception) or Higher: As you
storm that passed overhead while the proceed down the mine tunnel, you notice that
characters were taking a long rest. It might the support beams that had been so prevalent
possibly have been caused by a careless only a few moments before have now completely
group of bandits who failed to smother their disappeared. This is a rough-hewn and unsupported
campfire. Or maybe the archenemy of the tunnel that continues on into the darkness beyond.
adventuring party set this fire intentionally as
a combat tactic, and his forces are waiting for Once the characters have been introduced
the characters at the edge of the forest where to the basic details of the environment,
they are most likely to emerge. the GM may allow them to use other skills
and abilities to recognize more refined
The possibilities for narrative depth are information.
endless, but the goal of the Narrative Thread
section is to help the GM to consider how this DC 14 INT (Investigation) or Higher: There are
natural event fits into the story that is being markings on the floor and ceiling of this excavated
told by the players in the campaign. The
inspirational hooks that are provided may also corridor where support beams once stood, but it is
help an improvisational GM who is including now clear that they have been moved away, most
an encounter on the spur of the moment in likely when the workers abandoned this area of the
response to player character actions. mine.
INTRODUCTION 3
• Skill Proficiency Requirements: In most Difficulty and Complexity Ratings
Group Skill Challenge scenarios, players To aid in ease of use, the Next-Level team has
will be free to choose how they use given each of the hazards in the book two
their characters’ skills for the benefit of important ratings. The ratings are placed at
the group. However, a player character the beginning of each encounter.
may only use skills in which he or she is
Proficient. For example, a Bard character • Player Difficulty Rating:
who is not proficient in the STR (Athletics) Some natural hazards are minor
skill would not be allowed to roll a STR inconveniences or barriers to travel, but
(Athletics) check during a skill challenge. some have the potential to wipe out an
Instead, the character would need to find entire adventuring party in the blink of
a way to use his or her proficiencies in the an eye. All encounters have been given a
most effective way possible. Player Difficulty Rating of Easy, Medium,
or Difficult to indicate their relative levels
• Optional “Creativity” Rule: The GM may of danger to the party. These levels of
also choose to place further restrictions difficulty are indicated by green, yellow,
on the skills that player characters choose and red dots, repsectively.
during a skill challenge. One optional rule
that may be put into play states that a
player character may not use the same • Mechanical Complexity Rating:
skill more than once during a Group Skill Additionally, some encounters are more
Challenge event. The intended effect of complicated for a Game Master to
this rule is to force players to come up execute than others. To aid in selection
with creative solutions to the problem of appropriate hazards for your game
that is being presented. sessions, we have given each encounter a
Mechanical Complexity Rating of Simple,
• Suggested Skills and Consequences: Average, or Complex. These levels are
Each Group Skill Challenge in Grio’s also indicated by the green, yellow, and
Guide to the Wildlands comes with a red scale. For Complex encounters, it may
list of potential skill checks and the be necessary to study the encounters and
consequences of failure should the rolls go their mechanics closely prior to the start
badly. These details are provided to assist of your game session.
the GM and to prompt players if they are
having trouble adapting to this style of
play. However, they are only suggestions.
The GM may adjudicate other player
actions according to his or her discretion.
Grio Whiteshine came to be through one of our personal home games. Grio
was a quirky, bumbling wild magic sorcerer character that I played through
several campaigns. With Drew’s collaboration on backstory and characteristics,
our young adventurer set off on his first quest to discover the source of these
abilities, which were shunned by the society where he grew up.
Being cast out at a young age, Grio was forced to adapt to life on the streets and
small villages surrounding his home. Often getting into precarious situations,
he learned much more about the world, just from a need to survive. Because
of these harrowing experiences, Grio was able to gather mastery of his own
abilities as well as an understanding of the skills needed to escape dangers both
natural and unnatural.
During his time exploring the wilderness, Grio was always concerned that he
would face a difficult challenge that would end in his demise. Because of that
fear, Grio kept a meticulous catalogue of notes from these encounters, including
what actions worked for his fellow adventurers and what didn’t. While traveling
through several natural biomes in his journeys, Grio would use his previous
experiences to avoid dangerous encounters.
After a life of adventure, Grio made time to organize all of his notes in the hopes
that it would help adventurers who came after him to survive as he did. Grio’s
Guide to the Wildlands is Grio’s gift to those with the unquenchable desire to
explore and master the wilderness.
INTRODUCTION 5
GENERAL INFORMATION AND TABLES
Each natural biome covered in the following the party is operating outside of the
chapters is uniquely challenging for player Initiative system since it takes a great
characters. However, there are some common deal more time than free-climbing.
elements that apply to encounters in more
than one environment. The information and ○ In order to select a proper location
for the piton, the Lead Climber
tables provided here can be used as an easy must succeed on either a DC 12
reference for character interactions with WIS (Survival) check or a DC 12
natural hazards INT (Nature) check (player choice).
Features like Stonecunning, or
EXPANDED CLIMBING SYSTEM proficiency with Mason’s Tools may
AND FALL DAMAGE provide Advantage on these checks
at the GM’s discretion. On a failure,
Adventurers may encounter a vertical cliff the Lead Climber places a piton in an
face, a wall of vines, or some other obstacle area of the rocky or icy surface that
that may be climbed. If in Initiative Order due is subject to the Flaking Effect noted
to a Combat or Chase scenario, characters below.
may descend or ascend at half of their normal
movement speed through a series of DC 15 ○ Flaking Effect: If the Lead Climber
STR (Athletics) Climbing Checks, as per the fails the required WIS (Survival) or
standard rules. These checks may be made at INT (Nature) check when hammering
Advantage for a climber with the assistance a piton into a rock or ice surface, the
of a rope that is properly secured overhead structural integrity of that surface
and are automatically successful for a creature is compromised, and it is not strong
with a CLIMBING SPEED. enough to hold the piton. The next
time that any climber uses the section
If NOT in Initiative Order, use the climbing of rope secured by that piton, the rock
distances referenced below. If a hammer and or ice where the piton is attached
pitons are to be used, a lead climber must splits open and fails to secure the
precede other climbers in order to drive the rope. The affected climber Slips and
pitons into the climbing surface and to feed must succeed on a DC 15 Dexterity
the rope through the eyelets for trailing Saving Throw to avoid a fall. All
climbers. Use of a climber’s kit can assure climbers below the area of the flaking
that the lead climber does not fall more than effect must also succeed on the DC
25 feet if a Slip should occur. 15 Dexterity Saving Throw to avoid
being knocked off the wall by falling
Start by determining a climbing order rocks, ice, or debris. All failures on
for the party and determine whether the the DEX Save result in Fall Damage &
first climber(s) to ascend can provide any Injury from the table below.
assistance to the climber(s) who will ascend
later. ● Trailing Climbers - Depending on the
height of the vertical climb and the
● Lead Climber - Climbing a near vertical amount of rope at the party’s disposal,
surface without the aid of ropes is a task some Trailing Climbers may be able to
suited for a strong and confident athlete. benefit from pitons and ropes that are
secured by the Lead Climber.
○ Any climber with a Climbing Speed,
with specific climbing assistance ○ A Trailing Climber with the assistance
provided by a magical item or spell, or of properly secured ropes may move
with Proficiency in the STR (Athletics) 50 feet up or down the vertical
skill may move 50 feet up or down the climbing surface with no check
vertical climbing surface with no check required.
required. Since there is no pressure
being applied by Combat or a Chase, ○ If a 50 ft section of rope is occupied
it’s fair to assume that an athlete of this by more than one climber at a time,
ability should be able to take the time there is a 40% chance that the piton
necessary to find proper handholds securing it will give way, leading to a
and footholds. However, an unassisted Slip for all climbers who are on that
character (See Trailing Climbers below section of rope. If the party does not
for potential assistance) who does not have enough rope to accommodate
have any of these boons must succeed all of the climbers in the party, some
on a DC 15 STR (Athletics) check to Trailing Climbers may have to scale
move 50 feet up or down the wall the vertical face in much the same
when free-climbing. way that the Lead Climber would.
○ If climbing rock or ice, the lead climber
may hammer a piton into the surface
every 50 feet and attach a length
of rope to aid other climbers. This
technique can only be utilized when
6 INTRODUCTION
● Slipping - On a failure of a STR (Athletics) Climbing Check, after experiencing the Flaking
Effect, or when a piton fails to hold, a climber loses a hand or foot hold and Slips. Once a
Slip has occurred, the climber must succeed on a DC 15 Dexterity Saving Throw or fall from
the climbing surface. If not secured by any other means, a climber who fails this saving
throw falls toward the surface below. At the Game Master’s discretion, other members of
the party may be given an opportunity to use a Reaction, if one is available (and if they are
within range) when a climber falls. If the fallen climber hits the ground, he or she takes (1d6)
Bludgeoning damage per 10 feet fallen, lands Prone, and suffers the Injuries mentioned in
the table below:
INTRODUCTION 7
EXPANDED SWIMMING SYSTEM
Falling Into Water From Significant Heights
When a character falls into a body of water from a significant height (10 feet or more), falling
damage should be calculated just as it would for a fall onto hard ground. This fall damage is
calculated at (1d6) Bludgeoning damage per 10 feet fallen, and the conditions from the Fall
Damage & Injury Table above should still be applied. However, a character who is falling
into deep water may make a DEX (Acrobatics) check if they are proficient in that skill. On
a success, reduce the Distance Fallen by half as he or she dives gracefully into the water. A
creature who falls into water by accident, or by diving from a height of 10 feet or more, will
initially sink 10 feet below the surface.
For example, a dexterous character who falls from a height of 50 feet into the ocean and
succeeds on the DC 12 DEX (Acrobatics) check will still take (2d6) points of Bludgeoning
damage from the fall. However, he will not sustain the injury or the movement penalty because
the fall is considered a 25-foot fall instead of a 50-foot fall.
A character who chooses to drop gear may give themselves an easier Swim Check.
For example, Shaena Tealeaf, a Halfling Rogue, is not the strongest of characters. She weighs
39 pounds and has nearly maxed out her carrying capacity with a total of 80 lbs of gear, which
puts her Swim Check at a DC 12 (Total weight of 119 lbs). Only 10 lbs of that weight is due to
her Leather Armor, which would take 1 minute to doff. She may choose to drop her Burglar’s
Pack, which accounts for the other 70 pounds of gear, in order to lower the Swim DC to 8.
On the contrary, Flint Fireforge, a 215lb Dwarf Cleric, is carrying a total of 80 lbs of gear.
His required STR (Athletics) check for the swim is set at a DC 16 (Total weight of 295 lbs).
Unfortunately, his Chain Mail weighs 55 lbs, which is more than half of his total weight carried.
Since it takes 5 minutes to doff this Heavy Armor, Flint can only manage to drop 25 lbs of gear
to help with his Swim DC. He can’t do anything meaningful to help with his Swim DC before
he starts drowning, so that Heavy Armor is a real anchor in this scenario.
If a creature’s Swim Check is sufficient to reach the surface of the water, they may tread water
for up to 1 minute as they await assistance from their fellow adventurers. For each minute
that elapses, a character who is treading water must succeed on an additional Swim Check to
avoid being submerged again.
8 INTRODUCTION
The Swimming Pace Table below takes the speed of the swim into consideration as an adjustment
to the standard rules for Suffocation. Of course, as long as an adventurer is swimming at
the surface of the water and is able to breathe consistently, suffocation does not come into
play. However, when Exhaustion sets in, or when a lengthy underwater swim is required, the
reductions to the length of time that a character can hold his breath become quite significant.
A Constitution Saving Throw is required at the end of each 30-second swim segment to avoid
panic and to continue holding one’s breath. The pace of the swim determines the DC of this
“composure” CON Save and whether that Saving Throw is rolled normally, or with Advantage
or Disadvantage. These “Composure” Constitution Saving Throws should not be used if the
party is in Initiative Order.
Succeed on a DC 12
CON Save Rolled at
Fast Pace (Dashing) 10 x Swimming Speed
Disadvantage or lose 30
seconds of Hold Breath time.
Succeed on a DC 10 CON
5 x Swimming Speed
Normal Pace Save or lose 30 seconds of
(Rounded Down)
Hold Breath time.
Succeed on a DC 8 CON
Slow Pace (Conserving Save Rolled at Advantage
4 x Swimming Speed
Energy) or lose 30 seconds of Hold
Breath time.
A character who chooses to swim as fast as possible for as long as possible might find himself
running out of breath at just the wrong time.
For example, Grio Whiteshine has a standard swimming speed of 15 feet per round, and he
absolutely hates the water. When forced to swim, he would prefer for it to be over as quickly
as possible. If he sets out on an underwater swim of unknown length at a Fast Pace, he can
cover 150 feet every 30 seconds. Things may be going “swimmingly” until he fails his first two
DC 12 CON Saves (Rolled at Disadvantage) after having swum a total of 300 feet in the first
minute. You see, Grio’s CON Modifier of + 2 only allows him to hold his breath for a maximum
of 3 minutes under the best of circumstances. He’s just been swimming for one third of that
time, but two moments of panic have now cost him another third of his maximum time. He
might not even be able to make it back to where he started with the one minute he has left. If
he doesn’t make it to breathable air in the next 60 seconds, without another failure, Grio will
begin suffocating.
If instead Grio had chosen to take the slow and steady route, conserving energy as he swims
and rolling his DC 8 CON Saves at Advantage every 30 seconds, he is at an extreme statistical
advantage and is all but guaranteed to cover a minimum distance of 360 feet with his 3 minutes
of hold breath time. Granted, nothing is ever guaranteed in this game, but in this scenario, Grio
would likely be better off staying calm and carrying on. Moving at a slow pace also gives Grio
the option to turn and sprint back to where he started if one of those Con Saves goes poorly.
It’s a matter of style, but it’s good to have choices.
INTRODUCTION 9
FESTERING WOUNDS
A creature with Festering Wounds is susceptible to significant damage and overall Exhaustion
as the systemic infection progresses. A creature who is proficient in the Medicine skill, or who
is proficient with an Herbalism Kit, may recognize the risk of infection with a basic examination
of the wounds (no check required). Any healing applied at this time will negate the risk of
Festering Wounds.
A creature with Festering Wounds will suffer the effects in the Festering Wounds Table below
until sufficient healing has been performed:
(2d6) Necrotic
A Short Rest AND Magical Healing up to Full
Damage. Max HP
HP, or a Short Rest AND a successful DC 12
is reduced by the
WIS (Medicine) check with the aid of a Healer’s
8 Hours amount of damage
Kit or Specific Herbalism Remedies, reverses
taken, and the
the infection to the stage in effect shortly after
creature takes 1
wounds were sustained.
Level of Exhaustion.
(4d6) additional
A Long Rest AND Magical Healing up to Current
Necrotic Damage.
Max HP, or a Long Rest AND successful DC 13
Max HP is reduced
WIS (Medicine) check with the aid of a Healer’s
16 Hours by the amount of
Kit or Specific Herbalism Remedies, reverses the
damage taken, and
infection to the 8-hour stage (additional healing
the creature takes 1
required to move up another level).
Level of Exhaustion.
10 INTRODUCTION
FOOD AND WATER REQUIREMENTS
(existing 5th Edition mechanics reprinted with examples for convenient reference)
A character needs one pound of food per day and can make food last longer by subsisting on
half rations. Eating half a pound of food in a day counts as half a day without food. Please see
the example below.
A character can go without food for a number of days equal to 3 + his or her Constitution
modifier (minimum 1). At the end of each day beyond that limit, a character automatically
suffers one level of Exhaustion.
A normal day of eating resets the count of days without food to zero.
Vertha has
Eating Eating
a +2 CON Accumulated Level of Accumulated Level of
Full Half-
Modifier and Days w/o Exhaustion Days w/o Exhaustion
Day’s Day’s
3 full rations Food for the Day? Food for the Day?
Rations Rations
available
1 full
Day 1 0 days No .5 ration .5 days No
ration
1 full
Day 2 0 days No .5 ration 1 day No
ration
1 full
Day 3 0 days No .5 ration 1.5 days No
ration
Day 4 No food 1 day No .5 ration 2 days No
Day 5 No food 2 days No .5 ration 2.5 days No
Day 6 No food 3 days No .5 ration 3 days No
Day 7 No food 4 days No .5 ration 3.5 days No
Day 8 No food 5 days No .5 ration 4 days No
Day 9 No food 6 days Yes .5 ration 4.5 days No
Day 10 No food 7 days Yes .5 ration 5 days No
EXAMPLE OF THE BENEFITS OF SPACING RATIONS AND RESETTING DAYS WITHOUT FOOD:
Vertha has
Level of Level of
a +2 CON Eating Accumulated Eating Accumulated
Exhaustion Exhaustion
Modifier and Every Days w/o Every Third Days w/o
for the for the
3 full rations Day Food Day Food
Day? Day?
available
1 full
Day 1 0 days No No Food 1 day No
ration
1 full
Day 2 0 days No No Food 2 days No
ration
1 full
Day 3 0 days No 1 full ration 0 days No
ration
Day 4 No food 1 day No No Food 1 day No
Day 5 No food 2 days No No Food 2 days No
Day 6 No food 3 days No 1 full ration 0 days No
Day 7 No food 4 days No No Food 1 day No
Day 8 No food 5 days No No Food 2 days No
Day 9 No food 6 days Yes 1 full ration 0 days No
Day 10 No food 7 days Yes No Food 1 day No
INTRODUCTION 11
A character needs one gallon of water per day, or two gallons per day if the weather is hot. A
character who drinks only half that much water must succeed on a DC 15 Constitution saving
throw or suffer one level of Exhaustion at the end of the day. A character with access to even
less water automatically suffers one level of exhaustion at the end of the day.
If the character already has one or more levels of Exhaustion, the character takes two levels
in either case.
Note in the example below that dehydration is much more severe than malnourishment. Because
drinking a normal day’s ration of water does not reset the count like it does with food intake,
there is not a clear advantage to skipping days of water intake. Drinking half of the necessary
amount only gives a character A CHANCE to survive longer on the available water supply. It’s
not guaranteed.
No
Day 5 No Water 3 days 2 Levels 3 days 100%
Water
2 Levels No 100%
Day 6 No Water 4 days 4 days
(Death) Water - 2 Levels
No 100%
Day 7 N/A N/A N/A 5 days
Water - 2 Levels
No 100%
Day 8 N/A N/A N/A 6 days
Water - 2 Levels
12 INTRODUCTION
INTRODUCTION 13
14 HUNTING IN THE WILDLANDS
CHAPTER ONE
HUNTING IN THE WILDLANDS
Overview
Before the rise of agriculture, hunting was the primary method of acquiring meat and other
animal products. Skilled hunters are still revered by their tribes for their ability to find, stalk, and
dispatch magnificent animals. A hunting session should be dramatic, full of imagery, suspense,
and useful mechanics that make hunting fun for all players no matter how much hunting
experience they may have in real life.
d6 Personality Trait
Creating Your Hunter - A Guide for Players I walk with a significant limp because
1 of a run-in with a neglected hunting
For characters who spend much of their trap.
time traveling in the wildlands, a proficiency
in hunting and trapping makes a great Animals are easier to predict than
2 people, and I am much more at home
deal of sense. The ability to harvest prey in the wildlands than I am in town.
animals for food and supplies may be the
difference between life and death in certain I made every item of clothing that I
environments. 3 wear from the hides of animals that
I’ve trapped.
When creating a hunter, consider taking I am missing two fingers on my
the Trapper background. This background left hand, and I like to share the
provides your character with specific 4
gruesome injury as a cautionary tale
advantages related to the discipline. for any small children that I meet.
Additionally, it is important to select Wisdom
as your highest ability score because the My favorite meal is fried squirrel, and
I’m eager to cook it for my traveling
checks required to prepare and conduct a 5
companions at every possible
hunt will rely heavily on a character’s Wisdom opportunity.
Modifier - specifically the WIS (Survival) skill.
Many of the traps that I create are
Background: Trapper obviously crafted to catch humanoids
rather than animals, but I cover my
6
Skill Proficiencies: Nature, Survival true intentions by giving overly
Tool Proficiencies: Leatherworker’s Tools detailed and deceptive justifications
for my designs.
Languages: One of your choice
Equipment: Traveler’s clothes, a pouch
containing 10 gp, Leatherworker’s Tools, d6 Ideal
and a Hunting Trap.
Food: Knowledge of trapping
provides the most efficient and
A Trapper understands the movements of 1 reliable means of survival for
animals in the wild. You have learned that a a person who is isolated in the
well-placed trap is much more efficient than wilderness. (Any)
even the best of hunters, and you’ve learned
how to craft many of these traps yourself. Deception: I care less about the
You have the ability to use the standard saw- products gained from trapping than
2 about the feeling of superiority that I
toothed Hunting Trap, and you can also set a
get from drawing an unwary creature
Spring Snare, a Tension Spear, a Deadfall, or into one of my traps. (Evil)
a Pit Trap according to your needs.
History: Most cultures preserve
Feature: Mechanical Genius unique knowledge of hunting and
3
Your experience with traps gives you trapping, and I am eager to learn as
Advantage on all WIS (Perception) checks to many new techniques as I can. (Any)
notice trap placement and INT (Investigation) Nature: The laws of nature may be
checks to discern mechanical trap operations. unmerciful, but they always make
The DCs of all WIS (Perception) checks made 4
sense - unlike the laws created by
to notice your traps, as well as any Saving people. (Lawful)
Throws rolled to resist their effects, are
Perfection: A trap design is never
increased by 3. Additionally, you may set a truly finished. It can always be
standard Hunting Trap as a Bonus Action on 5
improved through experimentation
your turn in combat. and redesign. (Any)
Balance: Hunting and trapping are
6 an essential part of natural balance.
(Neutral)
HUNTING FUNDAMENTALS
are inexperienced hunters in real life, but
Before the Encounter grant Advantage on the WIS (Survival)
Determine the Quality of the prey by rolling check for especially good planning.
(1d8). Record this number for future use as
it will determine many of the aspects of the • Camouflage
hunting encounter, including but not limited Seasoned hunters know that blending
to the perceptive abilities of the animal and into the environment and breaking up
the precision required for a kill shot. This result their outline helps to avoid detection by
will be referred to hereafter as the Quality prey that rely on sight. This is especially
Modifier. important against predators with
binocular vision. Hunters may gather and
Hunt Preparation incorporate twigs, leaves, moss, grasses,
Prey species and predatory beasts have and other bits of the wilderness into their
evolved to detect hunters by sight, smell, or outfit. A Ghillie Suit is crafted specifically
hearing. A failure to take preparatory steps for this purpose and gives a hunter a
before an animal is encountered ends many tremendous edge on attempts to hide via
hunts before they have properly begun. camouflage.
Furthermore, choosing the terrain and
establishing an ambush position can greatly A hunter must succeed on a DC 14
increase the chances of a successful hunt. WIS (Survival) check to find and to
successfully incorporate plants from the
• Preparing the Ground local environment into his or her garb such
Setting the stage for a hunt can be the that they are well camouflaged. The hunter
difference between successfully bagging a has advantage on the WIS (Survival)
meal and going hungry. Whether stalking check if proficient with a Disguise Kit or
prey through a jungle, leading a predator wearing a Ghillie Suit that is suited to the
to a well-placed trap, laying out bait and appropriate biome.
waiting in a hide, or taking the time to
practice with and find the exact range of • Masking Scent
the kill zone, preparing the ground helps
the hunter conduct the hunt on his or her Without exception, game animals have
own terms. vastly more acute senses of smell than
humanoid hunters. The hunter must take
measures to mask scent, or be given away
To Prepare the Ground, the hunter must
by the wind. Fresh dung, urine, and fetid
succeed on a DC 16 WIS (Survival) check.
mud are examples of things that can be
Encourage the players to describe how
used to cover or eliminate a hunter’s scent.
their characters go about preparing the
ground. Avoid punishing them if they
○ Succeed on a DC 18 Wisdom (Survival) check to find the correct substance with which
to mask their scent
○ Utilize a spell like Pass Without a Trace
○ Use the Scent Masking Concoction from the Alchemy chapter
○ State another feasible method for covering natural humanoid scent
• Eliminating Noise
Armor, weapons, heavy footfalls, and dry foliage are just a few examples of things that can
alert prey to a hunter’s presence. Removing, mitigating, and minimizing components that
create excess noise greatly increases the chances that a hunt will be successful.
Eliminating Noise requires a DEX (Stealth) check that will be adjudicated at the time of the
stalk that is based on the Quality of the prey. The hunter must be aware of their own noise
and any factors that may create unnecessary noise.
Locating Prey
The surrounding wilderness is silent and serene as you begin to track your quarry. You bend down to touch
the ground, searching for tracks, scat, or any other signs of passage. The plan for your stalk will unfold based
on the preparations that you have made and the signs left by your prey.
To Locate Prey, the hunter, or the leader of the hunting party, must succeed on a WIS (Survival)
check. The DC for this check is 13 + (Quality Modifier), modified by situations outlined in the
table. If the hunter or hunting party leader fails to find prey, he or she may try again in 4 hours.
Change to Related
Situation
DC
Proficient in INT(Nature) Skill -2
Successfully Preparing the Ground, Camouflaging, Masking Scent,
-2 each
and/or Eliminating Noise (see Preparation)
Ideal hunting conditions (May only apply in Jungle, Forest, or
Grassland biomes) such as plentiful forage, relatively low predator -2
population, very remote
Successfully utilizing a trained hunting creature (dog, horse, hawk,
-2
etc.)
Applicable class or background features such as Ranger Favored
-2
Terrain, Outlander background, Circle of the Land Druid
Unfavorable hunting conditions (rain, snow, high winds, darkness,
+4
etc.)
Adverse environmental conditions, overpopulation of predators,
herd migration, nearby monsters, invasive species, disease, etc. +4
(Automatically applies to Desert, Arctic, and Subterranean biomes)
If the GM has decided that the hunt has devolved into combat, the fight or flight instinct of the
hunted creature makes it more powerful than it otherwise might be. Consult the table below for
changes to the creature’s stat block and Roll for Initiative!
Mint
HERBALISM & POISONCRAFT 23
d6 Personality Trait
I get caught up in the details of each and every plant that I encounter, often lingering
1
and losing track of time.
I prosthelytize to companions, acquaintances, and even complete strangers about
2
the amazing dietary and medicinal benefits of plants.
I carry a pouch of seeds with me at all times and make a point to plant one in a
3
patch of open soil each day when the sun is at its zenith.
Having spent so much time in the company of plants, I do struggle to make
4
meaningful connections with more “active” creatures.
5 I speak to plants, and they speak to me.
Dried herbs and seed-bearing plants sprout from every opening of my pack, my
6
pockets, and even my shoes.
d6 Ideal
Medicine: Herbalism is the most important academic discipline because of the help
1
and the harm that it can do to others. (Any)
Gain: My skills are in high demand, and I will sell medicines or poisons to the highest
2
bidder. (Evil)
Knowledge: There is an herbal remedy for every malady in the multiverse, and I will
3
one day know them all. (Neutral)
Chance: The power of life and death may exist in different parts of the same plant,
4
and fools are free to discover death if they cannot tell the difference. (Chaotic)
Peace: Though plants have both the ability to give life and to take it, my skills must
5
always be used for the good of those around me. (Lawful)
Balance: The wildlands contain so many blessings that can benefit civilization, and
6
we must maintain a proper balance in our relationship with nature. (Good)
d6 Bond
A younger sibling of mine died when I was a child, and a simple herbal remedy would
1 have been enough to defeat the disease. I’ll never allow this to happen again on my
watch.
2 The deity whom I serve is a patron of natural remedies.
One never knows when a potion or poison might make the difference in an
3
encounter. Always be prepared.
My mother taught me everything that I know about plants, and I live my life to honor
4
her memory.
5 My knowledge of plants gives me the upper hand in any situation.
Nature provides everything that we need for survival, and we must do our part to
6
protect nature in return.
d6 Flaw
1 People are a mystery to me. Plants are so much easier to understand.
2 I am addicted to some of the “medicinal” properties of the plants that I harvest.
Although I am passionate about herbalism, I am also highly allergic to most pollen, so
3
I find myself sneezing constantly.
I move slowly, and I am never in a hurry. Why rush through life? Stop and smell the
4
roses.
5 My teeth are permanently stained green from the herbal teas that I consume.
The plants that I work with have very long and complicated names that I cannot
6
pronounce, so I make up shorter names that are easier to remember.
d6 Flaw
The poisonous fumes produced by my mixtures have taken their toll over
1
the years, and I have a nagging cough that cannot be quelled.
2 My loyalty goes to the highest bidder, without exception.
3 My taste buds are completely and permanently destroyed.
4 I enjoy the suffering of others much more than I care to admit.
Necrosis has turned the tips of my fingers black, so I must wear gloves to
5
conceal my craft from others.
I believe that my work makes me untouchable, and I am overconfident to the
6
point of arrogance.
Example: Grio Whiteshine is in the Sable Wood and would like to search for Common Tier
ingredients before the party settles down for a long rest. In this case, there is a 60% chance that
Grio can successfully locate the ingredients that he desires. Grio can choose to roll a DC 12 INT
(Nature) check to raise his chances of success to 80%. Grio rolls a 13 on his INT (Nature) check
and receives the boost to the percentile roll. He rolls a 23 on the percentile dice and is successful
in the foraging attempt because of that boost. Grio then rolls a d6 to determine how many
Common Tier ingredients are found. His roll of 4 allows him to choose four Common ingredients
of ingredients from the Common Plants list.
The percentages that are required to locate ingredients may be reduced or augmented by the
characteristics of certain biomes.
Great Mullein
A character who would like to make a potion or poison product from gathered ingredients must
make a single tool check with an Herbalism Kit or Poisoner Kit. The check is a simple d20 roll,
plus the character’s WIS (Medicine) modifier. Creation of products can be attempted during
a Short Rest, Long Rest, or downtime activity as determined by the time requirement on the
Herbalism and Poison Products tables. The DC of the required check increases based on the
type and number of ingredients required in the recipe, and poisons are typically more difficult
to create than standard herbalism products.
Example: Grio is Level 18 and would like to create a Potion of Supreme Healing. Per the
flaxseed oil supplement requirements, he has gathered four portions of the oil, and he also has
Chachacoma, Echinacea, Chamomile, and Valerian as his four unique Restorative ingredients.
The party has some downtime, and Grio needs five hours to combine the ingredients effectively.
Grio rolls a 2 on the d20 for his Herbalism Kit check, adds his WIS (Medicine) modifier of +7,
and as an Herbalism Master he gets to add his proficiency bonus of +6. Since the DC for the
Potion of Supreme Healing is a 16, and Grio’s roll only totaled 15, this attempt results in a failure.
Perhaps Grio notices that one of his ingredients had aged beyond use, and the product is now
a non-consumable, smelly paste. The ingredients and time are lost, and no product is available
for use.
Herbalism Products:
Each of the following products represents a single dose of an herbal remedy that can be
combined from Common and Supplement ingredients. These products require proficiency with
the Herbalism Kit. Unless otherwise noted, a dose can only be used to affect a single creature.
The Herbalism Kit Check DCs for these products are calculated as 8 + 1 (for each Common
ingredient) + 2 (for each Supplement ingredient). A product containing only Common
ingredients can be created in 1 hour. Each Supplement ingredient adds an hour to the creation
time.
Common: Ocean Spray (1), Lizard’s Tail (1), Chamomile (1), and
Pine Needle (1)
Digestive Tincture
DC 14 Herbalism Kit Supplement: Turmeric (1)
Check
(2 hours) When a parasitic infection or other stomach ailment takes hold, this
powerfully fragrant mixture is a reliable cure. Reverses the effects of Swamp
Gut, Otyugh disease, and other infections caused by fouled water.
HERBALISM & POISONCRAFT 29
Herbalism Product Ingredients and Effects
Common: Eyebright (1), White Clover (1), and Honey (1)
Eye Wash
Supplement: Flaxseed Oil (1)
DC 13 Herbalism Kit
Check (2 hours)
Administered directly onto eyes with an Action. Removes the Blinded
condition unless that condition is permanent.
Common: Great Mullein (1), Lizard’s Tail (1), Ocean Spray (1), and Eyebright
(1)
Healing Poultice
DC 12 Herbalism Kit A poultice coated with a paste made from these ingredients is highly
Check (Any Short
effective in preventing infection. Reverts Festering Wounds to a previous
Rest)
level of severity. Negates the risk of Festering Wounds when used within 8
hours of sustaining the injury.
Common: Pine Needle (1)
Insect Repellant Supplement: Catnip (1)
(10 doses)
DC 10 Herbalism Kit When infused in a gallon of fresh water and applied directly to skin, this
Check (2 hours)
mixture keeps biting insects at bay. Keeps swarming insects from making
contact with exposed skin for a period of 4 hours.
Common: Chachacoma (1) and Mint (1)
Mountain Tea
DC 10 Herbalism Kit These two ingredients infused into a tea can increase blood circulation and
Check (Any Short help to fight altitude sickness. When consumed during a Short Rest or a
Rest)
Long Rest, this tea removes 1 Altitude Point.
Common: Yerba Mate (1), Betony (1), Valerian (1), and Feverfew (1)
Potion of Mental
Supplement: Gotu Kola (1) and Sage (1)
Clarity
DC 16 Herbalism Kit
The serenity of the mind is a beautiful thing! A creature who drinks this
Check (3 Hours)
mixture makes all Wisdom and Intelligence Saving Throws at Advantage for
a period of 8 hours.
Common: Any Restorative (1)
Potion of Healing
Supplement: Flaxseed Oil (1)
DC 11 Herbalism Kit
Check (2 Hours)
You regain hit points when drinking this potion.
Restores 2d4 + 2 HP
Common: Different Restorative Ingredients (2)
Potion of (Greater)
Healing Supplement: Flaxseed Oil (2)
DC 12 Herbalism Kit
Check (3 Hours) You regain hit points when drinking this potion.
Restores 4d4 + 4 HP
Common: Different Restorative Ingredients (3)
Potion of (Superior)
Healing Supplement: Flaxseed Oil (3)
DC 17 Herbalism Kit
Check (4 Hours) You regain hit points when drinking this potion.
Restores 8d4 + 8 HP
Common: Different Restorative Ingredients (4)
Potion of (Supreme)
Healing Supplement: Flaxseed Oil (4)
DC 20 Herbalism Kit
Check (5 Hours) You regain hit points when drinking this potion.
Restores 10d4 + 20 HP
Common: Mint (1), Great Mullein (1), and Valerian (1)
Potion of (Lesser)
Supplement: Reishi Mushroom (1)
Restoration
DC 13 Herbalism Kit
The combined effects of these plants can reverse the course of minor
Check (2 Hours)
ailments. A creature who drinks this potion gains the effects of the Lesser
Restoration Spell.
Eyebright
Common: N/A
Supplement: Jequirity Peas (1)
These tiny peas hold a powerful (if slow-acting) toxin that is preferred by
careful and patient assassins. If introduced to a small prick or cut, the toxin
is incredibly difficult to overcome. Many skilled killers have masqueraded
as helpful friends who were innocently swatting away an imaginary bee or
a spider who pierced the skin just before the aid could be rendered. Some
even go so far as to craft a false bee corpse that can be used as both a
delivery system and as evidence of the alleged sting.
Because of the small amount of poison in each pea, this poison is typically
Abrin
delivered through a pin prick or a dart. It is highly difficult to obtain
(Injury or Ingested)
quantities large enough to coat a blade or an arrowhead. Once delivered,
the toxin works over a period of four days:
DC 14 Poisoner’s Kit
Check (2 Hours)
● 1 hour after exposure and following: Severe vomiting and diarrhea lead
to a serious risk of dehydration.
** On a failure of 5 or
● 24 hours after exposure: The poisoned creature must succeed on a DC
more, the Poisoner who
17 CON Save or suffer one Level of Exhaustion. This Exhaustion is due to
is working with the
dehydration. On a successful Save, the Exhaustion is overcome, but the
peas pricks a finger and
poison’s effects continue to progress until neutralized.
suffers the full effects of
● 48 hours after exposure: Fever and respiratory distress cause periodic
the poison.
sweating, a slight bluish tint to the skin, and mild hallucinations. The
poisoned creature must succeed on a DC 19 CON Save or suffer two
Levels of Exhaustion. On a successful Save, the Exhaustion is overcome,
but the poison’s effects continue to progress until neutralized.
● 72 hours after exposure: The poisoned creature must succeed on a DC
21 CON Save or become Stunned as internal organs begin to fail. The
creature also takes two additional Levels of Exhaustion. On a successful
Save, the creature is not Stunned or Exhausted further, but the poison’s
effects continue to progress until neutralized.
● 96 hours after exposure: If the poison has not been neutralized by this
point, the creature immediately falls Unconscious and begins making
Death Saving Throws until the poison is neutralized.
Aconite
(Injury) Common: Betony (1)
Supplement: Monkshood Root (1)
DC 15 Poisoner’s Kit
Check (2 Hours) When introduced directly into the bloodstream through a wound, this
mixture has rapid paralytic effects and has the potential to stop a creature’s
** On a failure of 5 or heart within moments. A creature subjected to this delivery method must
more, the Poisoner who succeed on a DC 21 Constitution Saving Throw or become Paralyzed for 1
is working with the minute. The paralysis lasts until the poison is neutralized. After 1 minute has
plant pricks a finger and elapsed, the creature falls Unconscious and begins making Death Saving
suffers the full effects of Throws until the poison is neutralized.
the poison.
The roots of the Belladonna (or Deadly Nightshade) plant contain powerful
Belladonna Root
alkaloids that can kill quickly when introduced directly into the bloodstream.
(Injury)
Poisoners may mix the ground up roots of the plant into a thick gel that may
be used to coat blades or arrowheads. When this poisonous concoction is
DC 15 Poisoner’s Kit
delivered through an open wound, the wounded creature must immediately
Check (2 Hours)
succeed on a DC 17 CON Save or become Stunned by the toxins. While
Stunned in this way, the creature experiences vivid hallucinations and cannot
act or react. If left untreated, the creature falls Unconscious ten minutes
after sustaining the injury and makes Death Saving Throws until the poison
is neutralized. On a successful Saving Throw, the creature takes one Level of
Exhaustion, but experiences no further harm from the toxins.
Common: Chamomile (1) - OR - Mint (1)
Supplement: Hemlock (1)
DC 14 Poisoner’s Kit This powerful hallucinogenic root can be burned, and the fumes can be
Check (2 Hours) captured for later use. Any creature who is within 5 feet of the fumes
must succeed on a DC 15 Constitution Saving Throw or become both
Poisoned and Incapacitated by the toxins for a period of 1 minute. While
** On a failure of 5 or Incapacitated in this way, a creature experiences nightmarish delusions and
more, the Poisoner who believes that it is being attacked by the nearest creature, regardless of what
is working with the is happening in reality. The desperation caused by these delusions forces
fumes suffers the effects an affected creature to use its Action to attack the perceived threat(s) as
of the poison. aggressively as possible. The GM decides what weapon or spell attacks the
poisoned creature uses. This effect lasts for the duration of 1 minute, and a
creature does not have the opportunity to repeat saving throws.
Common: N/A
Manchineel
Supplement: Manchineel Sap (1)
(Contact or Injury)
The milky sap of the Manchineel tree causes burning, can inflame the skin
DC 14 Poisoner’s Kit
tissues, can create blisters and eruptions within seconds. Often used to
Check (2 Hours)
create poison traps, or to coat weapons, this sap causes (3d6) Poison
damage if it contacts exposed skin. If the poison contacts a creature’s
** On a failure of 5 or
eyes, the creature is Blinded until the poison is neutralized by eye drops,
more, the Poisoner
an antidote, or magical protections. If the poison is not neutralized within
who is working with
8 hours, the Blinded condition becomes permanent. If the sap is delivered
the sap suffers the
into an open wound via a blade or a projectile, it instead does (8d6) Poison
effects of the poison.
damage.
Common: Any common food that pairs with fruit
Supplement: Manchineel Apple (1)
Manchineel When ingested, the fruit of the Manchineel quickly incapacitates and then
(Ingested) slowly kills its consumer. Some assassins choose to mix a few pieces of
Manchineel fruit in with more standard fare. A creature who ingests any
No check or time amount of this fruit will immediately take (3d6) Poison damage as the
required to utilize the poison burns the mouth and throat. The creature must also succeed on a
fruit as an edible item DC 14 CON Save or be Incapacitated as the throat swells shut, causing the
creature to Suffocate. On a success, the creature is not Incapacitated and
Suffocating, but instead begins vomiting uncontrollably and takes a Level of
Exhaustion every hour until the poison is neutralized.
Common: N/A
Manchineel
Supplement: Manchineel bark (1)
(Inhaled)
When inhaled, the smoke created by burning the wood of the Manchineel
DC 14 Poisoner’s Kit
tree causes respiratory distress and death within moments. An adept
Check (2 Hours)
poisoner may capture this smoke for later release. A creature who is within
5 feet of the smoke must succeed on a DC 17 CON Save. On a failure, the
** On a failure of 5 or
creature takes (6d6) Poison damage from the smoke, becomes Blinded,
more, the Poisoner who
and is Suffocating as respiratory distress sets in. On a successful Save, the
is working with the
creature is not Blinded or Suffocating and takes half damage. A creature
fumes suffers the effects
who fails the Save continues Suffocating until a proper antidote or magic
of the poison.
neutralizes the poison.
Common: Wine or another sweet berry beverage
Supplement: Nightshade Berries (1)
The semi-sweet berries of the nightshade plant can be alluring but deadly.
Nightshade Berries
When mixed into wine or another sweet, berry-flavored beverage that
(Ingested)
covers their unique taste, the ingested toxins work quickly and efficiently.
Ten minutes after ingestion, a creature must make a DC 16 CON Save.
DC 15 Poisoner’s Kit
On a failure, the creature is Stunned and begins to experience full body
Check (2 Hours)
convulsions and vivid hallucinations. If left untreated, the poisoned creature
falls Unconscious and begins making Death Saving Throws 1 hour after
ingestion. A creature who succeeds on the initial CON Save takes a Level of
Exhaustion but experiences no further harm from the toxins.
Common: Mixed with any cooked food
Supplement: Castor Bean (1)
The powerful ricin compound in Castor Beans can be lethal when small
Ricin amounts are mixed into prepared meals. Ten minutes after ingestion, a
(Ingested) creature who is poisoned in this way must succeed on a DC 18 CON Save
or experience severe vomiting and seizures as the poison takes hold. On a
DC 14 Poisoner’s Kit failure, the creature falls Unconscious for a period of one hour while under
Check (2 hours) the initial effects of the poison. If left untreated, the Unconscious creature
must make a DC 20 CON Save one hour after ingestion. On a failure, Death
Saving Throws are required until the poison is neutralized. A creature
who succeeds on either CON Save is conscious but takes two Levels of
Exhaustion.
Echinacea
Reishi Mushroom
36 HERBALISM & POISIONCRAFT
HERBALISM & POISONCRAFT 37
38 ALCHEMY
CHAPTER THREE
ALCHEMY
Overview Background: Alchemist Practitioner
Alchemy is the mystical process of You have spent the majority of your life
transforming one material into another in an dedicating yourself to the art of alchemy. The
attempt to produce magical effects. Those various alchemical ingredients are common
who are proficient in alchemy strive to knowledge to you, and your skill with
enhance abilities, manipulate the elements, Alchemy Supplies and components from the
and wreak havoc on their enemies. The Alchemy Toolkit is unmatched. This mastery
following mechanics and rules are designed of alchemical science allows you to enhance
to simulate alchemy within a 5e setting, and abilities and manipulate the world around
they introduce a new means by which your you..
player characters can influence the campaign
world. Skill Proficiency: History, Nature
Tool Proficiency: Alchemist Supplies
Creating Your Alchemist - A Guide for Players Focus Expertise: You gain +1 to an Ability
Score of your choice. This represents
There are a number of reasons to create an your primary alchemical focus (Body,
adventurer with a background or a proficiency Mind, or Soul).
in the discipline of alchemy. Some players use Equipment: Alchemist Supplies, a
alchemy as a means of supplementing spell miner’s pick, a pouch containing 20 gp, a
slots. Some use it as an alternative to multi- notebook, a set of travelers clothes, and
classing. Either way, alchemy provides your a book on alchemical ingredients.
character with the power to create MORE
magical effects. Feature: Genius Mixologist
Thanks to your previous training, you have a
Alchemy can be a very expensive discipline, knack for handling all things alchemical. When
but in campaigns with high treasure rewards, rolling a check to determine the creation of
it becomes a truly valuable way to spend all any alchemical concoction, the time required
of that hard-earned gold. Wealthy characters is reduced by half. Additionally, you may roll
might utilize alchemy as a means by which your checks using double your proficiency
they can “buy” extra spell slots. bonus when the check involves your chosen
Focus Expertise ability score. You may roll with
When creating an alchemist, consider taking Advantage on all INT(Nature) checks made
the Alchemist Practitioner background. This to locate and extract alchemical ingredients.
background provides your character with
specific advantages related to the discipline. Suggested Characteristics
Additionally, it is important to select Dedicated alchemists spend much of their time
Intelligence as your highest ability score consumed by study and experimentation. The
because the checks required to discover and concoctions manufactured in this trade are
combine ingredients will rely heavily on a the result of knowledge collected and passed
character’s Intelligence Modifier - specifically down by a few talented chemists over the
the INT (Nature) skill. centuries, but they also require many hours
of trial and error by an individual practitioner.
Other ability scores should be considered as As such, alchemists tend to be somewhat . . .
well since the spell save DCs and attack roll eccentric.
bonuses used with alchemical concoctions
are related to specific ability scores. For
example, an alchemist with a higher Charisma
score and a lower Strength score will likely
have more success with the Charisma effects
of the Soul Focus than she will have with the
Strength effects of the Body Focus.
ALCHEMY 39
d6 Personality Trait
I am extremely paranoid that others are attempting to steal my alchemical
1
discoveries.
When I meet a fellow academic, I prod for information incessantly, hoping to unearth
2
new truths about the multiverse.
I have been involved in far too many explosions, and instinctively fall to the ground
3
and cover my head whenever I hear a loud noise.
My eyebrows were burned off long ago, so I have crafted a pair of false eyebrows
4
from mouse fur. They look unquestionably “natural.”
I often mumble chemical formulas and mathematical equations to myself while
5
eating, traveling, and even while in combat.
I keep a dead roach named Reginald in my pocket and sometimes speak to it as if it
6
is a Familiar.
d6 Ideal
1 Fame: I want to be known by all as the most powerful alchemist in history. (Any)
2 Power: My concoctions give me the power to dominate those of lower intellect. (Evil)
Knowledge: The more that I learn, the more that I realize how little I truly know.
3
(Neutral)
Experimentation: The elements combine in fascinating ways, and the permutations
4
are endless. (Chaotic)
Discipline: A careless mistake in mixing a concoction could cost someone their life.
5
(Lawful)
Sacrifice: My work is more important than my comfort, and I must sacrifice for the
6
greater good. (Good)
d6 Bond
1 Alchemy is far superior to magic, both in its reliability and its precision.
I am obsessed with the pursuit of a specific elixir of wondrous power, but no matter how hard I
2
try, I haven’t been able to produce the desired effect.
I have an elderly loved one who is at death’s door, and the only hope of extending this
3
cherished life is to discover the elusive Philosopher’s Stone.
I am the last in a long line of alchemy practitioners, and I must find a worthy apprentice to
4
whom I can teach this noble discipline.
The alchemy notebook that I carry with me contains powerful secrets. No eyes but my own may
5
gaze upon it, and I would defend it with my life.
The Alchemy Supplies that I use in my experiments have been handed down by able
6
practitioners through the centuries. I would be devastated if they were lost or broken.
d6 Flaw
1 I do not believe that any other person is truly capable of understanding my craft.
2 The arcane arts are a disturbing mystery to me, and I secretly despise those who can cast
spells.
3 I am obsessive in everything I do, and I do not understand when to stop with a course of
inquiry.
4 I have doubts about my alchemical concoctions and prefer to try them out on others before
using them on myself.
5 I often ignore my better judgement and pursue experiments that are likely to cause harm.
6 Alchemy is a very expensive discipline, and I have a habit of stealing to support my work.
40 ALCHEMY
ALCHEMY FUNDAMENTALS: be replenished by spending some time
scavenging. An alchemist should always
• Concoctions: Alchemical concoctions be on the lookout for key ingredients to
are the primary means by which an replenish their Alchemist Toolkit (see
alchemist can manipulate the world. Mechanics of the Alchemy System below).
These concoctions might be used to
provide temporary ability enhancements, • The Three Foci - Mind, Body, and Soul:
to allow glimpses into the future, or Alchemy focuses on three avenues of
even to sprout wings for limited time. manipulation called foci: Mind, Body, and
More complex concoctions require Soul. Each focus is connected to a pair
more complex ingredients, known as of ability scores and associated elements
legendary ingredients. These higher-quality (both primary and secondary) that are
concoctions produce more permanent used with Alchemy Supplies to create
results. Whatever the level of quality, alchemical concoctions.
creating concoctions must be approached
with extreme caution and only the most • Body Alchemy typically focuses on
skilled students of alchemy should even physical manipulations and is often
attempt such an endeavor. The tiniest administered through injections, capsules,
mistake can have catastrophic results. or mechanical grafts. These might
strengthen the muscles, enhance speed,
Types of concoctions are listed at the end or create additional limbs.
of this chapter (see List of Concoction
Effects). Associated Abilities: Strength and
Dexterity
IMPORTANT TIP: Alchemical concoctions Primary Element: Adamantine
create spell-like abilities by using science Secondary Elements: Gold (10 gp) and Tin
rather than magical methods. Feel free
to create your own concoctions with the • Mind Alchemy manipulates what the
following considerations: mind perceives, how it comprehends
things, or how it is influenced. This type
○ Concoctions primarily produce effects of manipulation often manifests itself
of cantrips and first, second, and third- through inhalable vapors or oils that
level spells. accelerate the release of pheromones.
○ Anything beyond that should be Typically, these concoctions influence the
considered a Legendary Concoction minds of an alchemist’s adversaries or
and approached accordingly. enhance the alchemist’s own faculties of
perception.
• The Primary Elements of Alchemy: Each
focus (Mind, Body, or Soul) utilizes a Associated Abilities: Intelligence and
primary element that acts as a catalyst Charisma
for changes to the associated abilities. Primary Element: Diamond
Each of these primary elements is a Secondary Elements: Silver (100 sp) and
crucial ingredient in the creation of an Lead
alchemical effect within its focus. The
primary elements are Diamond (Mind), • Soul Alchemy manipulation focuses on the
Adamantine (Body), and Mithral (Soul). energy that connects the soul to its body.
These effects are created primarily by
• The Secondary Elements of Alchemy introducing alchemical mixtures directly
(Substitutes for Primary Elements): into the bloodstream with syringes,
Although using primary elements is the dissolvables, or patches. The resulting
safest and most efficient method of effects may be a variety of enhancements
making concoctions, another method to overall vitality.
may be used. Each focus has a secondary
element that is more commonly found, Associated Abilities: Wisdom and
and which can be used in place of the Constitution
primary element. However, in using these Primary Element: Mithral
secondary elements an alchemist accepts Secondary Elements: Platinum (1 pp) and
a certain risk that the resulting concoction Mercury
might produce adverse - sometimes even
deadly - effects.
42 ALCHEMY
Example:
Grio Whiteshine has been dabbling in the study of alchemy for many years. As he and his
adventuring companions are preparing to explore a shipwreck beneath the swells of the Gulf of
RoHalta, Grio considers the fact that the ability to breathe under water would be very useful in this
scenario. He plans to attempt a Gill Growth Concoction from the Constitution branch of the Soul
Alchemy focus. His steps are as follows:
1. The Gill Growth Concoction produces a Very Rare alchemical effect, which means that Grio
must prepare to spend as many as 14 hours of downtime to produce the concoction.
2. Grio will have to spend 5 charges from his Alchemist Toolkit, and either 300 gold pieces
worth of Mithral or 15 platinum coins, all of which will be consumed during the attempt.
3. Grio chooses to dismantle a set of Mithral Chain Mail to acquire the ingredient portions that
he needs (about 3/5ths of the chain mail based on a 500 gp value of the armor and the
ingredients cost from the Material Costs Table). He uses the more expensive mithral because
he’s had bad experiences with Secondary Elements in the past.
4. With all the ingredients gathered and the time set aside, Grio must succeed on a DC 18
INT(Nature) check to create the concoction.
5. Since he is not using Secondary Elements, Grio will only experience side effects if he fails in
the alchemy attempt.
6. Unfortunately, the result of Grio’s INT(Nature) check is a 12, which is a failure of 5 or more. The
concoction fails dramatically, and a roll of 5 on the Severe Side Effects table leaves Grio with
Indefinite Madness.
7. If Grio had had access to a Legendary Mineral (See Game Master Sidebar with Legendary
Ingredients), he could have boosted his chances for success and reduced the risk of Severe
Side Effects at the same time.
Side Effects
Some concoctions may create adverse effects during their creation or consumption. The Game
Master should refer to this table to determine the outcome.
Failure Side Effects: With these common side effects, the concoction fails, materials are wasted,
and the alchemist may be affected negatively because of the attempt
ALCHEMY 43
Secondary Element Side Effects: If an alchemist chooses to use Secondary Elements, there is
an added risk of volatile reactions that can cause side effects. These effects are only experi-
enced by a creature who consumes an alchemical concoction that was created using Second-
ary Elements, and as such, it is important that the GM keeps track of the alternative effect. The
GM should keep the result a secret until the concoction is consumed. In addition to the intend-
ed effect, the character also experiences the effect from the table below.
Severe Side Effects: Severe side effects only take place during the crafting of the concoction
when a horrible failure violently disrupts the process. When an alchemist fails the required IN-
T(Nature) check by 5 points or more, the materials are lost, and a potentially devastating side
effect manifests itself immediately after the failure.
44 ALCHEMY
Differences Between Concoctions and Spells
● When a concoction is consumed, the effects take hold immediately and last for the duration.
Concoction effects DO NOT REQUIRE CONCENTRATION, even if the underlying spell
descriptions refer to concentration requirements. If the concoction requires a Spell Save
DC or Spell Attack roll, use the ability score that is associated with the concoction. For
example, the Alchemical Breath Concoction mimics the effects of the Poison Spray cantrip
and requires a CON Save from the target. Because it is listed as a Dexterity Effect of the
Body Focus, the Save DC is determined by the alchemist’s Dexterity Ability Score. Likewise,
the Zap Vitality Concoction can inflict necrotic damage on a target using a melee spell
attack. Since it is a Wisdom Effect of the Soul Focus, the alchemist must use his or her
Wisdom Ability Modifier on the attack roll.
● The spell-like effects of concoctions are precisely engineered and predetermined. Therefore,
they may not be executed in an enhanced or amplified manner (as a spellcaster is able to
cast spells at a higher level). Under no circumstances may a concoction grant improved or
augmented abilities to anyone other than the consumer.
Acquiring Material
The most common way to acquire materials is through purchase. Considering that each form
of currency (Gold, Silver, Platinum) can be used as a secondary element for a focus of alchemy,
one can simply spend time refining the materials in the coins themselves into a necessary
component for creating an alchemical concoction. An alchemist must simply exchange the
given currency for an associated effect under the appropriate focus.
Material Costs
The following table represents the cost of alchemical ingredients. Ingredients may typically be
purchased from alchemy shops in major settlements.
ALCHEMY 45
Obtaining Primary Elements
Adamantine, Mithral, and Diamond have been ● The location is difficult to reach and has
used through the ages and are commonly a plethora of hazards the party must
mined deep within the earth. However, many overcome. It may take several days to
civilizations (both current and ancient) complete the journey, and it might even be
used these metals for a variety of purposes. the primary reason that the party chooses
At the GM’s discretion, sizable stores of to enter the wildlands.
alchemy quality elements may be discovered ● The ingredient may be a body part of a
by questing within a given natural biome. powerful creature. This creature should
Consider tying in the location of these primary provide a hard or deadly encounter for the
elements into the history of the current party. Typically these creatures will have
location. Here are a few examples: Lair and/or Legendary Actions.
● Perhaps the location is a hot spot for a
Ancient Civilization - The ruins of an particularly powerful hazard (volcano,
extinct civilization exist in these parts. tornado, etc).
Create your own group skill challenge
consisting of only History, Nature, and Legendary Ingredient Quest Examples
Investigation skills to see how much of the
primary element can be discovered. ● Desert: Oasis, Pyramids, Lost Civilization
● Swamp: Old Ruins, Hags’ Hut, Primordial
Old Mine - The party has heard of an old Corpse
mine in the area. Rumor has it the mine ● Mountain: Crashed Airship, The Highest
shut down due to a horrific tragedy. If the Peak, Temple of an Air God
party can solve the mystery and defeat the ● Grassland: Tar Pits, Lost Cave, Cursed
nameless threat, they may also discover Village
rich deposits of a primary element. ● Forest: Heart of the Forest, Forgotten
Grove, Secluded Elven Civilization
Lost Shipment - A caravan was transporting ● Arctic: Glacier, Frozen Lake, Fallen Empire
materials across the wilderness. They were Ruins
attacked by bandits who stole a store of ● Coastal: Shipwreck, Underwater Cavern,
primary elements. Track the bandits down Sunken Temple
and receive a share of the materials as a ● Subterranean: Magic Vein, Dark Dwarf
reward. Stronghold, Deepest Reaches
Regardless of the adventure location, an IMPORTANT TIP: Another optional component
alchemist should be required to invest quite that may be added to the alchemy system is a
a bit of time and energy into locating sizable Legendary Mineral. This mineral can exist as a
quantities of primary elements, and pack crystal, metal ore, or some other imaginative
animals or vehicles may be necessary to substance. Consider using some or all of the
transport these heavy materials. following traits to create a Legendary Mineral
option:
Obtaining Legendary Ingredients
Legendary ingredients are by far the most ● This mineral can only be found in
potent of the alchemy ingredients and are wilderness locations.
the most difficult to acquire. They can replace
ANY of the lower tier ingredients under their ● The mineral must be mined from
specific foci and are used to create the most the earth, but once found, it can be
powerful alchemical concoctions. This means duplicated through the alchemy process.
they are not typically available for purchase, If an alchemist has a sample of the
and if they are, they are reserved for the material, he or she can attempt to
very, VERY wealthy. Generally, the only way duplicate it with a DC 20 INT(Nature)
to acquire such an ingredient is to discover check. If successful on this check, the
it yourself. This will involve heading into the alchemist can turn the sample into 1,000
most dangerous areas the wildlands have to gp worth of the Legendary Mineral.
offer and/or encountering a highly dangerous
creature. ● This mineral can be used in place of
a Legendary ingredient, or it can be
Incorporating a legendary alchemy ingredient used as a supplemental ingredient that
into your game is a great opportunity for provides a +5 to INT(Nature) checks to
you to highlight the more dangerous aspects create concoctions.
of the natural biome that your characters
are exploring. The search for legendary ● Name Examples: Residuum (Exandria),
ingredients should be a quest that is Unobtainium (Avatar), Vibranium
challenging for the players and provides a (Marvel), Lyrium (Dragon Age), Lerasium
sense of accomplishment upon its completion. (Mystborn Trilogy).
Keep in mind these legendary ingredients
can produce powerful concoctions that can
permanently enhance a player character,
therefore, the challenge of obtaining these
ingredients should reflect that potential.
46 ALCHEMY
Alchemy Effect Cost Table ** Common Ingredients = 1 Charge from Alchemy Toolkit
ALCHEMY INT
RARITY OF ALCHEMY REQUIRED INGREDIENT
COMPLETION TIME (NATURE)
EFFECT PORTIONS
CHECK DC
Common Any Short Rest Common x 2 12
Common x 3 AND
Uncommon 1d4 Hours 14
Secondary Element x 3
Common x 5 AND
Rare 8 Hours/1 Work Day Secondary Element x 5 16
or Primary Element x 1
Common x 5 AND
Very Rare 2d4+6 Hours Secondary Element x 15 18
or Primary Element x 3
Common x 5
1d4-1 Days (if 0 refer
Legendary AND Primary Element x 5 20
to Very Rare)
ANDLegendary Element x 1
The following is a sampling of possible alchemical concoctions. Game Masters are encouraged
to work with players to create other unique alchemical effects. (Additional concoctions can
easily be created to represent spell effects from other 5th Edition sourcebooks).
Effect Description
Body Elixir A small draught that works to end the effects of a Body
Common concoction prior to its intended duration.
DC 12 INT (Nature) + STR Mod
(Any Short Rest)
Enhance Strength Concoction A mechanical graft that covers both arms, starting at the
Common shoulder blades and tracing down to the backside of the
DC 12 INT (Nature) + STR Mod hands. When active, it burns with empowering energy. +2 to
(Any Short Rest) all Strength Saving Throws and Ability Checks for 1 hour.
Minor Enhancement Concoction A capsule that when ingested allows for minor manipulation
Common of physical appearance, vocal amplitude, and minor telekinesis
DC 12 INT (Nature) + STR Mod effects. Gain the ability to cast the Thaumaturgy cantrip for
(Any Short Rest) one hour.
“Eat Me” Concoction A simple, bland teacake that lasts as long as a normal traveling
Common ration. When eaten it causes the bearer to increase in size.
DC 12 INT (Nature) + STR Mod Gain the effects of Enlarge/Reduce on self (enlarge only) for 1
(Any Short Rest) minute.
“Drink Me” Concoction A small alchemical draught. When activated it causes the
Common bearer to decrease in size. Gain the effects of Enlarge/Reduce
DC 12 INT (Nature) + STR Mod on self (reduce only) for 1 minute.
(Any Short Rest)
High Jump Concoction A mechanical graft placed upon the outside of both legs,
Uncommon starting at the upper thigh and extending down towards the
DC 14 INT (Nature) + STR Mod achilles heel. When activated, it allows the bearer to jump long
(1d4 hours) distances. Gain the effects of Jump on self for 1 minute.
Aura of Alchemy Concoction A capsule that when ingested produces an alchemical aura
Uncommon around the consumer. Gain the effects of Mage Armor on self
DC 14 INT (Nature) + STR Mod for 8 hours.
(1d4 hours)
ALCHEMY 47
Body Focus - Strength Effects
Effect Description
Bull’s Strength Concoction A tablet when ingested causes the consumer’s strength to
Uncommon increase substantially. Gain the effects of Enhance Ability
DC 14 INT (Nature) + STR Mod (Bull’s Strength) on self for 1 hour.
(1d4 hours)
Booming Crystal Concoction A sizable capsule with two combustible elements within.
Uncommon When thrown, the volatile substances combine upon impact to
DC 14 INT (Nature) + STR Mod create an alchemical reaction of epic proportions. Cast Shatter
(1d4 hours) at 2nd Level.
Fade to Black Concoction A capsule that can be thrown and that breaks on contact,
Rare releasing a powerful vapor which robs creatures within its
DC 16 INT (Nature) + STR Mod radius of their ability to see. Cast Darkness on a specific area
(8 Hours) for 10 minutes.
Auditory Denial Concoction A capsule that can be thrown at a location and which
Rare produces a vapor upon impact. Those exposed are unable to
DC 16 INT (Nature) + STR Mod speak or hear while within the area of the burst. Cast Silence.
(8 Hours)
Stupefacient Concoction A tiny, hollowed-out clay sphere that is filled with an
Rare alchemical oil that vaporizes on impact. Creatures within the
DC 16 INT (Nature) + STR Mod radius of the blast are robbed of their physical strength and
(8 Hours) their ability to move normally. Cast Slow for 1 minute.
Natural Weapons Concoction A tablet when consumed alters the consumer’s natural
Rare physiology, granting the user beastly natural weapons. Gain
DC 16 INT (Nature) + STR Mod the Natural Weapons benefits of the Alter Self spell for 1 hour.
(8 Hours)
Natural Armor Concoction A tablet when consumed produces a thick, bark-like skin on
Rare the consumer. Gain the effects of Barkskin on self for 1 hour.
DC 16 INT (Nature) + STR Mod
(8 Hours)
Oleum Vitae An alchemical oil that is vaporized in the form of oxygen.
Very Rare This oil is used to provide the temporary respiration system
DC 18 INT (Nature) + STR Mod inside of the Plague Mask and the Deep-Water Diving
(2d4 + 6 Hours) Apparatus, and it may be used in other devices to aid
respiration in harsh environments.
Gaseous Form Concoction A capsule that when ingested causes the consumer to
Very Rare dematerialize into a cloud of gas. Gain the effects of Gaseous
DC 18 INT (Nature) + STR Mod Form on self for 1 hour.
(2d4 + 6 Hours)
Strength Mutagen Concoction This process involves a series of injections into the muscles
Legendary of the chest, arms, and legs. A gradual transformation takes
DC 20 INT (Nature) + STR Mod hold in the body, causing a substantial increase in strength.
(1d4-1 Days) Permanently increase Strength Ability Score to 20.
Purity of Power Concoction A series of injections lead to a dramatic increase in upper
Legendary body strength and explosive power. Gain the Grappler Feat
DC 20 INT (Nature) + STR Mod and expertise in the STR(Athletics) skill.
(1d4-1 Days)
48 ALCHEMY
Body Focus - Dexterity Effects
Effect Description
Enhance Dexterity Concoction A mechanical graft that covers both legs, starting at the upper
Common thighs and tracing down to the backside of the ankles. When
DC 12 INT (Nature) + DEX Mod active, the legs take on an especially lithe level of agility. +2 to
(Any Short Rest) Dexterity Saving Throws and Ability Checks for 1 hour.
Alchemical Breath Concoction A capsule that is placed in the consumer’s mouth and crushed,
Common thus producing an alchemical reaction that can be exhaled
DC 12 INT (Nature) + DEX Mod outward to a damaging effect. Cast Poison Spray.
(Any Short Rest)
Agility Concoction A draught that boosts the alchemist’s speed and agility. Gain
Common the effects of the Mobile Feat for 8 hours.
DC 12 INT (Nature) + DEX Mod
(Any Short Rest)
Speedster Concoction A tablet when ingested allows the consumer to move in short,
Uncommon fast bursts. Cast Expeditious Retreat on self for 10 minutes.
DC 14 INT (Nature) + DEX Mod
(1d4 Hours)
Enhance Movement Concoction A mechanical graft placed along the outsides of the legs.
Uncommon When activated allows the bearer to move with enhanced
DC 14 INT (Nature) + DEX Mod speed. Cast Longstrider on self for 1 hour.
(1d4 Hours)
Aquatic Adaptation Concoction A tablet when consumed alters the consumers natural
Rare physiology, allowing their body to adapt to an aquatic
DC 16 INT (Nature) + DEX Mod environment. Gain the Aquatic Adaptation benefits of the
(8 Hours) Alter Self spell for 1 hour.
Cat’s Grace Concoction A mechanical graft placed along both arms and legs. When
Rare activated the alchemist’s natural agility increases substantially.
DC 16 INT (Nature) + DEX Mod Gain the (Cat’s Grace) benefits of Enhance Ability for 1 hour.
(8 Hours)
Ghost Step Concoction A vapor that when inhaled creates a minor disruption in the
Rare user’s physical makeup. The alchemist’s passage through an
DC 16 INT (Nature) + DEX Mod area cannot be detected visually, audibly, or olfactorily while
(8 Hours) moving inconspicuously. Gain the benefits of Pass Without a
Trace (only on self) for 1 hour.
Wall Walker Concoction A combination of mild adhesive and magnetic resonance
Rare allow the alchemist to manipulate the gravitational forces for a
DC 16 INT (Nature) + DEX Mod limited time. Gain the benefits of Spider Climb for 1 hour.
(8 Hours)
Pure Adrenaline Concoction A tablet that when ingested causes the consumer to move
Very Rare with incredible speed and reaction time. Gain the benefits of
DC 18 INT (Nature) + DEX Mod Haste for 1 minute.
(2d4 + 6 Hours)
Dexterity Mutagen Concoction This process involves the removal of skin around the arms
Legendary and legs. A mechanical graft replaces the skin and eventually
DC 20 INT (Nature) + DEX Mod forms to the bearer’s body, causing their Dexterity to increase
(1d4-1 Days) substantially. Permanently increase Dexterity Ability Score to
20.
Enhanced Mobility Concoction A series of injections lead to a lengthening of limbs, a toning of
Legendary musculature, and dramatically increased flexibility. The result
DC 20 INT (Nature) + DEX Mod is a permanent increase in movement speed. Gain the Mobile
(1d4-1 Days) Feat and expertise in either the DEX (Acrobatics) or the DEX
(Stealth) skill.
Wings Mutagen Concoction A mechanical graft replaces the skin around the shoulder
Legendary blades and upper back. The bearer then consumes an
DC 20 INT (Nature) + DEX Mod alchemical capsule that begins the formation of wings in the
(1d4-1 Days) location of the replaced skin. Gain permanent wings with a
Flying Speed of 50ft.
ALCHEMY 49
Mind Focus - Intelligence Effects
Effect Description
Mind Elixir A small draught that works to end the effects of a Mind
Common concoction prior to its intended duration.
DC 12 INT (Nature) + INT Mod
(Any Short Rest)
Enhance Intelligence Concoction An alchemical oil is placed within a device which produces
Common a gas to be inhaled by the consumer, temporarily enhancing
DC 12 INT (Nature) + INT Mod intelligence. +2 to Intelligence Saving Throws and Ability
(Any Short Rest) Checks for 1 hour.
High Alert Concoction A draught that heightens the alchemist’s senses and improves
Common mental reaction speed greatly. Gain the effects of the Alert
DC 12 INT (Nature) + INT Mod Feat for 8 hours.
(Any Short Rest)
Oil of Deduction An alchemical mixture that produces a vapor once opened. The
Uncommon vapor is then inhaled giving an exposed creature keen powers
DC 14 INT (Nature) + INT Mod of observation. Gain the effects of the Observant Feat for 8
(1d4 Hours) hours.
Enhance Comprehension An alchemical oil is placed within a device which produces a
Concoction gas to be inhaled by the consumer, allowing them to become
Uncommon incredibly receptive to all manner of written and spoken
DC 14 INT (Nature) + INT Mod language. Gain the benefits of Comprehend Languages for 1
(1d4 Hours) hour.
Involuntary Rest Concoction A capsule which can be thrown. Upon impact it produces a
Uncommon copious amount of gas that causes exposed creatures to fall
DC 14 INT (Nature) + INT Mod unconscious. Cast Sleep for 1 minute.
(1d4 Hours)
Fox’s Cunning Concoction A special smelling salt is inhaled by the alchemist, boosting
Rare intelligence for a limited time. Gain the (Fox’s Cunning)
DC 16 INT (Nature) + INT Mod benefits of Enhance Ability for 1 hour.
(8 Hours)
Predictive Visions Concoction A paste is spread on the lips and gums, generating vivid flashes
Rare of future probabilities of success. Cast Augury.
DC 16 INT (Nature) + INT Mod
(8 Hours)
Duplicity Concoction An oil is applied directly to the alchemist’s skin, creating an
Rare explosion of psychoactive pheromones that confuse and
DC 16 INT (Nature) + INT Mod disorient enemies. Cast Blur on self for 1 minute.
(8 Hours)
Telepathy Concoction A draught that allows its drinker to hear the thoughts and
Rare intentions of those nearby. Gain the benefits of Detect
DC 16 INT (Nature) + INT Mod Thoughts for 1 minute.
(8 Hours)
Paralysis Concoction A breakable vial that can be thrown. Once broken it produces
Rare a gas that causes rapid but temporary paralysis. Cast Hold
DC 16 INT (Nature) + INT Mod Person on a single target.
(8 Hours)
Influencing Serum Concoction A beguiling alchemical perfume is placed directly on the
Rare alchemist’s skin, creating a pheromone that makes creatures
DC 16 INT (Nature) + INT Mod nearby susceptible to subtle suggestions. Cast Suggestion on a
(8 Hours) single target.
Out of Body Concoction A psychoactive substance placed directly beneath the user’s
Very Rare tongue that allows projection of one’s consciousness towards
DC 18 INT (Nature) + INT Mod a specified location. Gain the benefits of Clairvoyance for 10
(2d4 + 6 Hours) minutes.
Flawless Communication A capsule that once cracked open produces a vapor. When
Concoction inhaled, the consumer possesses the ability to communicate
Very Rare fluently in any recorded language. Gain the benefits of Tongues
DC 18 INT (Nature) + INT Mod for 1 hour.
(2d4 + 6 Hours)
50 ALCHEMY
Mind Focus - Intelligence Effects
Effect Description
Intelligence Mutagen Concoction An alchemical mixture is produced and burned within a small
Legendary hut or enclosed space. The consumer spends a considerable
DC 20 INT (Nature) + INT Mod amount of time inhaling the concoction and gains access to
(1d4-1 Days) a higher percentage of their cerebral cortex. Permanently
increase Intelligence Ability Score to 20.
Precision Tracking Concoction An alchemical mixture is produced and burned within a small
Legendary hut or enclosed space. The consumer spends a considerable
DC 20 INT (Nature) + INT Mod amount of time inhaling the concoction and gains permanent
(1d4-1 Days) improvements to mental acuity. Gain the Keen Mind Feat
permanently.
Wordsmith Concoction A powerful alchemical substance is injected directly into
Legendary the user’s spinal cord, granting a powerful understanding of
DC 20 INT (Nature) + INT Mod language and ciphers. Gain the Linguist Feat and expertise in
(1d4-1 Days) either the INT (Religion) or the INT (History) skill.
ALCHEMY 51
Suppress Impulse Concoction A capsule that can be thrown at a target which produces a vapor
Rare upon impact. The vapor is either inhaled or absorbed by the
DC 16 INT (Nature) + CHA Mod target’s pores, calming them down and making them more docile.
(8 Hours) Cast Calm Emotions on creature for 1 minute.
Love Potion Concoction An alchemical oil is sprayed into the mouth of the user. When the
Rare consumer of the potion speaks, the dulcet tones of his or her voice
DC 16 INT (Nature) + CHA Mod become irresistible to a single creature of the user’s choice, and
(8 Hours) that target becomes enthralled with the consumer. Cast Enthrall
on a single target for 1 minute.
Fade Away Concoction An alchemical oil that can be sprayed on skin and items being
Rare worn by a creature. While the oil is active, it reflects light in such
DC 16 INT (Nature) + CHA Mod a way that the user cannot be seen through standard visual
(8 Hours) perception. Cast Invisibility on self for 1 hour.
Duplicitous Self Concoction An alchemical oil is placed within a device which produces a gas
Rare to be inhaled by the consumer. Once inhaled, the consumer can
DC 16 INT (Nature) + CHA Mod project additional replicants that can be seen by those around him
(8 Hours) or her. Cast Mirror Image on self for 1 minute.
Veracity Concoction A capsule that can be thrown at a location which produces a
Rare vapor upon impact. Those exposed are inclined to be honest for a
DC 16 INT (Nature) + CHA Mod limited time. Cast Zone of Truth for 10 minutes.
(8 Hours)
Alchemical Curse Concoction An alchemical oil is sprayed directly in the face of a creature.
Very Rare Those exposed experience notable disadvantages in combat and
DC 18 INT (Nature) + CHA Mod other scenarios that require significant skill. Cast Bestow Curse on
(2d4 + 6 Hours) character for 1 minute.
Ghostly Friends Concoction An alchemical oil is sprayed upon the skin and creates a powerful
Very Rare pheromone that can be produced at will. The pheromone attracts
DC 18 INT (Nature) + CHA Mod spirits within the vicinity who regard the consumer as a friend and
(2d4 + 6 Hours) ally. Cast Spirit Guardians on self for 10 minutes.
Charisma Mutagen Concoction An alchemical mixture is produced and burned within a small hut
Legendary or enclosed space. The consumer spends a considerable amount
DC 20 INT (Nature) + CHA Mod of time inhaling the concoction, allowing them to permanently
(1d4-1 Days) enhance their natural charisma. Permanently increase Charisma
Ability Score to 20.
Fortune’s Favor Concoction An alchemical oil is produced and mixed with water. The consumer
Legendary spends a period of time bathing in the concoction which
DC 20 INT (Nature) + CHA Mod permanently changes the pheromones they produce. Once the
(1d4-1 Days) change takes hold, things just seem to work in the user’s favor.
Gain the Lucky Feat and expertise in either the CHA (Persuasion)
or the CHA (Performance) skill.
ALCHEMY 53
Soul Focus - Wisdom Effects
Effect Description
Emit Fear Concoction A small, dissolvable film is placed upon the tongue and allows
Very Rare the consumer to instill fear and panic in others. Cast Fear for 1
DC 18 INT (Nature) + WIS Mod minute.
(2d4 + 6 Hours)
Touch Of The Ethereal Concoction An alchemical mixture injected directly into the bloodstream of
Very Rare the consumer allows temporary travel through the Ethereal Plane.
DC 18 INT (Nature) + WIS Mod Cast Blink on self for 1 minute.
(2d4 + 6 Hours)
Weave Breaker Concoction A small, dissolvable film is placed upon the tongue which allows
Very Rare the consumer to render a single magical effect inert. Cast Dispel
DC 18 INT (Nature) + WIS Mod Magic at 3rd level.
(2d4 + 6 Hours)
Spiritual Alignment Concoction A small, dissolvable film is placed upon the tongue and allows the
Very Rare consumer to tap into the spirit and vitality of those around them.
DC 18 INT (Nature) + WIS Mod Cast Beacon of Hope on self for 1 minute.
(2d4 + 6 Hours)
Wisdom Mutagen Concoction An alchemical mixture is transfused directly into the bloodstream
Legendary of the consumer over the course of a day and permanently
DC 20 INT (Nature) + WIS Mod enhances wisdom. Permanently increase Wisdom Ability Score
(1d4-1 Days) to 20.
Limitless Experience Concoction A powerful alchemical substance is injected directly into the
Legendary user’s spinal cord, granting skills and expertise beyond previous
DC 20 INT (Nature) + WIS Mod understanding. Gain the Skilled Feat and expertise in either the
(1d4-1 Days) WIS (Insight) or the WIS (Perception) skill.
54 ALCHEMY
Soul Focus - Constitution Effects
Effect Description
Enhanced Resolve Concoction A single-dose patch which releases an alchemical mixture
Rare directly into a recipient’s bloodstream, resulting in increased
DC 16 INT (Nature) + CON Mod toughness and endurance for a period of 8 hours. Cast Aid on
(8 Hours) one creature.
Anti-Decay Concoction An alchemical preservative is injected into the muscle tissues
Rare of a recently deceased corpse, preserving the body for a
DC 16 INT (Nature) + CON Mod limited time. Cast Gentle Repose.
(8 Hours)
Neutralize Poison Concoction An alchemical mixture is injected directly into the bloodstream
Rare of the consumer, allowing neutralizing poisons in the body.
DC 16 INT (Nature) + CON Mod Cast Protection From Poison for 1 hour.
(8 Hours)
Bound By Blood Concoction Identical patches are placed on two individuals. When
Rare activated they release an alchemical mixture directly into both
DC 16 INT (Nature) + CON Mod bloodstreams simultaneously, connecting the vitality of one to
(8 Hours) another. Cast Warding Bond on self for 1 hour.
Counter Energy Concoction An alchemical mixture is injected directly into the bloodstream
Very Rare of the consumer and serves to counter a specific type of
DC 18 INT (Nature) + CON Mod damaging energy. Cast Protection From Energy on a creature
(2d4 + 6 Hours) for 1 hour.
Siphon Vitality Concoction Metallic fingernails infused with mithral and mercury are
Very Rare affixed to the users hands. When the blood of another creature
DC 18 INT (Nature) + CON Mod is drawn with these nails, vital essence is transferred from the
(2d4 + 6 Hours) wounded creature to the user. Cast Vampiric Touch on self for
1 minute.
Gill Growth Concoction An injection of a transformative mixture into the user’s neck
Very Rare causes an eruption of gill-like tissue that allows for underwater
DC 18 INT (Nature) + CON Mod breathing. Cast Water Breathing on one creature for 24 hours.
(2d4 + 6 Hours)
Constitution Mutagen Concoction An alchemical mixture is transfused directly into the
Legendary bloodstream of the consumer over the course of a day and
DC 20 INT (Nature) + CON Mod permanently enhances Constitution. Permanently increase
(1d4-1 Days) Constitution Ability Score to 20.
Tough As Nails Concoction A powerful alchemical substance is injected directly into the
Legendary user’s spinal cord, granting an incredible sense of vigor and
DC 20 INT (Nature) + CON Mod vitality. Gain the Tough Feat permanently.
(1d4-1 Days)
Enhance
Intelligence
Concoction
TRAVEL AT NIGHT
Travel during the dark hours of the night may help the characters to avoid all of the risks
mentioned above. Nighttime temperatures average around 25 °F/ -4°C, so CON Saving Throws
against Extreme Cold Temperatures actually become necessary. For every 4 hours of travel in
the Desert at night, a creature must succeed on a DC 12 Constitution Saving Throw to avoid
taking a Level of Exhaustion due to the sub-freezing temperatures.
• This Disadvantage on CON Saves also applies to any rolls required due to a Forced March
beyond 8 hours of travel in a day.
58 DESERT WASTELANDS
EXHAUSTION TABLE
The potential sources of Exhaustion listed above can be challenging for a DM to track. For this
reason, we have included the table below to help you assess Exhaustion penalties at the end of
each travel day.
ADDITIONAL LEVEL OF
EXHAUSTION SOURCE DESCRIPTION
EXHAUSTION?
Full Meal/Ration Within 3
Food Intake Days (10 pounds of feed for No
pack animals)
3 + CON Modifier Days w/o
Food Intake Yes
Food
DESERT WASTELANDS 59
60 DESERT WASTELANDS
ANIMAL TRAILS
Player Difficulty Rating: |Mechanical Complexity Rating:
NARRATIVE THREAD PLAYER ACTION OPPORTUNITY
“WHICH WAY DID THEY GO?” “ARE WE THERE YET?”
The animals that live in the barren wasteland Allow the characters to choose a course
of the desert understand the importance of of action based on the level of knowledge
hydration. They know where they can find acquired from the previous checks. If they
water on a regular basis, so game trails are move toward water, there is a very high
of incredible significance for adventurers who chance that they will encounter desert beasts,
understand that they might lead to an oasis and possibly even people, who have done the
or another source of moisture. However, a same. Characters with a high level of success
traveling party may encounter these game on the checks above should be able to reach
trails at any time, and they may lead in an oasis within an hour of travel in the proper
directions other than the group’s intended direction.
direction of travel.
If the characters misread the signs and
This encounter puts player characters to an move in the opposite direction (toward the
important choice, and it can be fairly dramatic if lack animal bedding areas), they may also face
of water is already a concern after several days in an encounter with beasts. However, they will
the desert. Use animal trails that run perpendicular have journeyed at least 1 hour off course, and
they will not reap the benefits of the oasis
to the direction that the party wishes to go. Make
unless they retrace their steps.
them choose between maintaining their course and
searching for water. This is also an encounter that
may lead to combat that might otherwise be avoided.
MECHANICAL RESOLUTION
Who knows what beasts or bandits may lay in wait to “WAS FOLLOWING THESE
ambush travelers on their way to an oasis? TRAILS REALLY WORTH IT?”
Characters who choose to move in the
correct direction locate a shady oasis in
NEXT-LEVEL DESCRIPTION (3d20) minutes and may replenish all of their
“YOU KNOW, I’M STARTING water supplies. The GM may determine what
TO FEEL A BIT PARCHED.” other creatures they encounter along the way,
DC 10 WIS (Perception) or Higher: As you and the oasis may also attract many desert
gain some elevation by scrambling to the crest of a animals who come to drink on a daily basis.
nearby rock (or dune, if in a sandy desert), you are
easily able to recognize multiple animal trails that Characters who travel toward the animal
cross your path from left to right. bedding areas instead realize their mistake
after (3d20) minutes and must make
DC 12 INT (Investigation) or Higher: The tracks an additional DC 12 CON Save against
left by these animals indicate repetitive use. You see Exhaustion because of the unnecessary
the telltale signs of small rodents, herd animals, and travel. They may choose to commit time and
predators moving back and forth along this desert energy toward backtracking, and they still
highway, and it seems that it leads to an important have the opportunity to locate the oasis with
resource that is well known by the animals of this the additional time and effort.
region.
DESERT WASTELANDS 61
MIRAGE
Player Difficulty Rating: |Mechanical Complexity Rating:
NARRATIVE THREAD horizon in addition to what looks like water. If
“SOUL-CRUSHING DISAPPOINTMENT” there is just desert as far as they can see that
Mirages happen when the ground is very hot direction, the only reflection that they see is
and the air is cool. The hot ground warms a the blue sky, which gives the appearance of
layer of air just above the ground. When the water.]
light moves through the colder air and into
the layer of warmer air it is refracted (bent). A
layer of very warm air near the ground refracts PLAYER ACTION OPPORTUNITY
the light from the sky nearly into a U-shaped “WE’VE BEEN BAMBOOZLED!”
bend. Our brain thinks the light has traveled Characters who are aware of the mirage will
in a straight line. Our brain doesn’t see the likely choose to press on in their original
image as bent light. direction of travel. Characters who did not
meet or exceed the minimum DC 15 INT Save
Mirages can cause a person to become even more believe they are headed towards an oasis with
disoriented in an already relentless and difficult- nice cool refreshing water and the potential
shade of some trees. A little green slice of
to-navigate environment. Mirages can be used to
paradise, thick with vegetation and a pristine
complicate the characters’ search for water in the pool of water shimmering in the distance is
desert, leading them astray and costing valuable calling to them. The characters are compelled
time in the harsh desert climate. This encounter will to continue travelling in the direction of the
cause the players to make a high-stakes decision, mirage, unaware they have been tricked by the
and it should be used when the need for water is heat and the light. They roll with Disadvantage
most apparent. It can serve as a narrative precursor on any additional saving throws they make to
to the discovery of an actual oasis, it could lead understand the true nature of the mirage.
the group toward an additional encounter with a
desert monster, or it could serve as a frustrating and MECHANICAL RESOLUTION
confusing element that causes them to believe that “WAS FOLLOWING THESE
foul magic is afoot. TRAILS REALLY WORTH IT?”
• The mirage is visible for (1d4 + 2) hours as
the sun is hanging high above the desert.
NEXT-LEVEL DESCRIPTION
“YOU KNOW, I’M STARTING • At the end of each hour spent travelling
TO FEEL A BIT PARCHED.” toward a mirage in the desert, ONLY
Passive Perception: As you fight the glare of the characters who are proficient in either
relentless sun, you see the shimmering reflection of the Survival skill or the Nature skill may
water on the horizon. It seems to be only a mile or repeat the Intelligence Saving Throw to
two away. realize that they have been led astray
by the mirage. If any of these characters
DC 15 Intelligence Saving Throw or Higher: previously rolled below the minimum
Though it does seem strange and out of place, acceptable DC of 15 when the mirage was
you’ve heard rumors of oases like this in the desert, introduced, they must roll this additional
and it could be just the life-saving source of water saving throw at Disadvantage.
that you’ve been looking for.
• If any of the subsequent Intelligence
DC 17 Intelligence Saving Throw or Higher: Saving Throws meet or exceed the DC
You notice that waves of heat are coming off the of 17, a character recognizes the mirage
sand around you, and that the sun is its peak. You’ve for what it is and can choose to change
heard that effects like this can play tricks on the mind. their direction of travel accordingly. If
It’s hard to trust what you see off in the distance. It everyone in the group fails, or if no one
could be water, or your eyes might be deceiving you. in the group is proficient in Survival or
Nature, they travel for another hour in the
DC 20 Intelligence Saving Throw or Higher: wrong direction, wasting valuable time
You know for a fact that the heat and light is playing and prolonging their stay in the desert.
a trick on you, and you understand exactly how the
phenomenon occurs. This mirage makes it appear • A group without the necessary proficiencies
that water is just a few miles away when it is not. in Survival or Nature will travel toward the
Mirages are also notorious for making far away mirage until dusk. They will not locate
structures appear much closer than they actually an oasis, and they will have travelled
are. [If there are in fact trees, mountains, significantly off course.
or man-made structures within 20 miles of
the characters’ position, describe how the
characters understand that they are seeing
reflections of these other structures on the
62 DESERT WASTELANDS
DESERT CANYON
Player Difficulty Rating: |Mechanical Complexity Rating:
NARRATIVE THREAD approach. That being said, special combat
“THAT’S GOING TO TAKE encounters that fit within the nature of the
QUITE A WHILE TO CROSS.” campaign world may be added at the end of
Canyons are generally created over long ages the challenge (whether the group succeeds
of time by flowing water, and as such may or fails) at the discretion of the GM.
still offer access to flowing streams or even
rivers. Canyons are much wider than fissure Allow players to vocalize their preparations
fields and take longer to travel across. It is and strategic decisions as they begin
highly likely that an adventuring party will the journey into the canyon. Take those
take more than one day to travel through a preparations into account as you adjudicate
sizable canyon. the Group Skill Challenge.
DESERT WASTELANDS 63
canyon walls and amidst the shadows of
the canyon floor. On a failure, a mount or a
beast of burden sustains a minor injury that
slows the progress of the party.
• DC 12 WIS (Survival) to locate the
safest possible pathways through this
challenging terrain. On a failure, the party
becomes lost for a significant period of time.
*Special Feature: Have all members
of the party make an additional DC
12 Constitution Saving Throw against
the Extreme Temperatures of the
Desert, taking a level of Exhaustion
on a failure.
• DC 12 INT (Nature) to recall lore about
this terrain and the plants and animals
that may be helpful or harmful to the party.
*Special Feature: A success on this
check results in a day’s worth of food
and water for each player character
(not mounts or pack animals). On a
failure, no helpful resources are found.
• DC 12 INT (Investigation) to spend
the required amount of time to locate a
water source within the canyon *Special
Feature: A success on this check
results in a hydration opportunity and
a full replenishment of the party’s
portable water supply. On a failure, the
river bed is located, but it appears to have
dried up ages ago.
• DC 12 WIS (Perception) to notice a
potential mistake by another party member
before it is made *Special Feature: On
a success, this eliminates one failure
previously accumulated by the group.
On a failure, the stated consequences of
the other check occur anyway.
• DC 12 WIS (Medicine) to prevent and/
or treat injuries, dehydration, exhaustion,
and other potential health risks *Special
Feature: On a success, this eliminates
one failure previously accumulated
by the group. On a failure, the stated
consequences of the other check occur
anyway.
• DC 12 INT (Religion) to invoke the
assistance of a patron deity who can ease
the passage of the group. On a failure,
the deity chooses not to intervene for the
remainder of the challenge, and this check
cannot be repeated.
64 DESERT WASTELANDS
GHOST TOWN
Player Difficulty Rating: |Mechanical Complexity Rating:
NEXT-LEVEL DESCRIPTION
“PEOPLE LIVE OUT HERE?”
The sun has climbed to its zenith in the
cloudless sky, and the barren wastes stretch
on before you for miles and miles. As you
shield your eyes from the glare, you see the
telltale rectangular shapes of buildings on the
horizon.
DC 13 INT (History) or Higher: As you think
back on stories that you’ve heard about the
wilds, you do recall tales of a town in these
parts. But the desert lights sometimes
play tricks on the eyes as well. Is it really a
settlement, and is it truly as close as it seems?
DESERT WASTELANDS 65
MECHANICAL RESOLUTION
“I SUPPOSE WE SHOULD
TAKE A LOOK.”
Characters who choose to approach the town may discover valuable supplies, but they may
also be walking into an ambush. Assuming that the characters perform a thorough investigation
of the town, they find TWO of the following. Roll twice on the table below (ignoring repeat
results) to determine what awaits them in the ghost town’s remains:
A young blue dragon named Aktox has claimed an old barn as its first lair. It
1 guards 140 pp, 265 gp, 840 sp, 15 gemstones worth 100 gp each, an Amulet of
Health, and a Figurine of Wondrous Power (Bronze Griffon)
All valuables seem to have been removed from the town when it was
abandoned, but there is a stone well at the center of town that leads
2
to an underground aquifer 100 feet below the surface. The water is
plentiful, fresh, and clean.
3 The party finds 3 flasks of oil and a lantern in an abandoned outbuilding.
The party finds an old map case that holds a detailed map of the region. As
4 long as they possess this map, the members of the party cannot get lost for
the next 24 hours.
5 The party finds a small chest that contains three Potions of Healing.
8 Dust Mephits rise up from the empty streets and attack as soon as the party
6
enters the town. The remainder of the town holds nothing of value.
The party locates an intact and operational Spyglass beneath a pile of rubble
7 in a ramshackle general store. Other supplies in the store have been looted or
destroyed long ago.
8 The party locates a 50-foot length of Hempen Rope and a Grappling Hook.
A gang of 6 human Bandits have tied their 6 riding horses to a post outside
of an old mercantile while they ransack it in search of valuables. As the party
9
arrives, the bandits have just located a Potion of Flying, but they are unaware
of its properties.
The party locates 2 Shovels, a Hammer, and 10 Iron Spikes in a rotting crate
10
behind one of the buildings of the town.
A Giant Poisonous Snake has made its den in a rundown shed and attacks the
11
party on sight.
A small cemetery lies on the outskirts of the town. As the party approaches, 6
12
Skeletons erupt from the dusty earth and attack.
66 DESERT WASTELANDS
FISSURE FIELD
Player Difficulty Rating: |Mechanical Complexity Rating:
NARRATIVE THREAD PLAYER ACTION OPPORTUNITY
“WHERE DID WE PUT THAT “I’M REALLY GETTING TIRED OF
RING OF JUMPING?” WALKING, AREN’T YOU?”
Encountering large fissures in the desert can be Going around this barrier will add (2d4 hours)
both dangerous and time-consuming. These of travel, but attempting to traverse the
natural occurrences can waylay travelers and fissures may prove highly dangerous, or even
increase exposure to the harsher elements. fatal. Getting land-based mounts, vehicles,
Navigating such terrain is not impossible, but or pack animals across these fissures may
it may result in exhaustion or serious injury if be especially difficult. Award the players for
not properly equipped. Fissures are the result creativity, but hold them accountable to the
of continual exposure to weather or naturally challenges that this terrain presents.
flowing water. In some instances they can be
the direct result of earthquakes, and they can
spread up to 15 feet wide and hundreds of MECHANICAL RESOLUTION
“AT LEAST IF I FALL,
feet deep. I’LL BE IN THE SHADE!”
These barriers can be used to add depth (pun If the players decide to navigate across the
intended) to the desert environment of your fissure field, it stretches on for (6d100) feet
campaign, and they have the potential to delay, in the direction that the party wishes to travel.
injure, or exhaust player characters. Such hindrances There is a fissure approximately every 30 feet,
can cause prolonged exposure to unforgiving and these fissures are each (1d12 + 4) feet
weather conditions of the desert environment and across. There is no need to measure out exact
can become quite dangerous. Placing a fissure distances for each fissure, however, because
the GM may run the crossing as a Group Skill
field in your players’ path is the perfect way to add
Challenge with the following parameters:
some drama when characters need to arrive at a
destination within a given timeframe. It can also • The group must accumulate a total of
add complexity when characters are attempting to 1 success for each creature traveling
escape a pursuer. Finally, a barrier like this might with the party (including mounts and
lead to a hidden treasure or the lair of some deadly pack animals) before accumulating 3
predator. total failures as they use skill checks to
navigate past the fissure field. A character
may only use skills in which he or she is
NEXT-LEVEL DESCRIPTION Proficient. Grant Advantage on any skill
“PEOPLE LIVE OUT HERE?” check for which the character is using
Passive Perception: In this particular section equipment or special techniques that
of the desert, a number of fissures have formed, could be considered particularly helpful
significantly complicating travel in the intended (ladder, 10-foot pole, ropes, climber’s kit,
direction. The fissure field expands as far as the eye etc.)
can see to your right and to your left. Your group
might have to travel for miles in either direction in • It may be beneficial to have all players
order to bypass this hazard. declare the checks that they are making
and to have them roll simultaneously.
DC 15 INT (Nature) or WIS (Survival) or This allows the GM to adjudicate the
Higher: You understand that most of the fissures combined successes or failures of the
group and to adjust consequences
that stretch out before you will likely be fairly narrow
accordingly.
at the top, but the risk of injury is significant if a
member of your party were to fall into one. Some of • The following skill checks are possible
them could be up to 100 feet deep. solutions that characters may consider,
however, the GM may choose to allow
DC 15 INT (Investigation) or Higher: Stepping other creative solutions at his or her
to the edge of one of the fissures, you kick a stray discretion:
stone and wait impatiently as it clatters down into the
darkness of this massive crack in the earth. Based * DC 14 STR (Athletics) to perform a
on the timing of the fall, you judge the fissure to be running long jump across fissures
as much as 80 to 100 feet deep. It’s best to avoid * DC 14 DEX (Acrobatics) to cross on
taking that tumble yourself. a narrow pole, plank, rope, or other
improvised bridge
* DC 14 WIS (Animal Handling) to have
a domesticated mount or pack animal
perform a running long jump
* DC 14 WIS (Survival) to locate areas to
DESERT WASTELANDS 67
descend, cross, and climb slowly and safely
* DC 14 WIS (Perception) to notice a potential mistake by another party member before
it is made * Special Feature: On a success, this eliminates one failure previously
accumulated by the group.
Spell casters may choose to use spells to help them navigate this hazard. The spell does not
count as a success or a failure with regard to the group challenge, but it may potentially aid
the skill checks of other characters at the GM’s discretion.
• Any creature who fails a check begins to tumble into a fissure and risks serious injury. The
falling creature must succeed on a DC 15 DEX Saving Throw. On a failure, the creature
plummets (10d12) feet and takes the appropriate bludgeoning damage (1d6 per 10 feet
fallen). Other injuries may be sustained based on the depth of the fall according to the Fall
Injury Table on page 7.
• Additionally, when a creature has fallen into a fissure, no other skill checks may be made
purely for the purpose of crossing the fissure field until any checks required by the GM have
been made to bring the fallen creature back to the surface. These additional “emergency”
skill checks do count toward both the success and failure totals for the group skill challenge.
If the party chooses to abandon an injured or dead creature at the bottom of a fissure (How
Rude!), they may continue making checks toward the necessary total instead of attempting
retrieval.
If the group reaches the required number of successes before reaching 3 total failures, all
characters who are not Incapacitated find themselves on the opposite side of the fissure field
and are able to continue traveling in the originally intended direction.
If the group reaches 3 total failures first, they drag themselves, beaten and bruised, back to the
side of the fissure field where they started. All characters take one level of Exhaustion and have
no choice at this point but to take the extra time to travel around the hazard.
68 DESERT WASTELANDS
DRY LIGHTNING
Player Difficulty Rating: |Mechanical Complexity Rating:
DESERT WASTELANDS 69
SALT FLAT QUAGMIRE
Player Difficulty Rating: |Mechanical Complexity Rating:
NARRATIVE THREAD Or perhaps it’s the ground itself that is making the
“MOUTHS OF THE EARTH.” deeper crunching noise.
Deep within arid deserts occasionally lays a
salt flat; miles of blinding white terrain formed DC 21 INT (Investigation) or Higher:
by evaporated saltwater where no flora and You decide to test your hypothesis, using your
few fauna reside. While salt flats appear dry equipment to dig a bit in the soil. After you get about
above, the truth is not always so simple. a foot deep, you see there is a crevice underneath
Beneath many salt flats, moisture gathers that feels wet to the touch. It seems that the terrain
below the salt in an enormous natural cistern
underneath your feet is not fully solid, and it would
that houses a small lake of sandy mud. While
the average creature travelling through this be wise to take care travelling forward.
treacherous terrain might not cause a collapse
of the brittle crust of salt that tops this pit, PLAYER ACTION OPPORTUNITY
groups or caravans could break through and “DON’T STAND SO CLOSE TO ME!
be swallowed whole in moments. SPREAD OUT!”
Once the threat is perceived (DC 17 check or
Consider using a Quagmire to slow the party’s higher), the cracks become noticeable and
travel to an important destination, by swallowing characters who have managed to notice them
their mounts and supplies, or by blocking off wide can each take an Action, Bonus Action, and
swathes of land.. Quagmires can also be used as a Movement to attempt to prevent the ground
dangerous natural trap with dire repercussions. An underneath them from collapsing in on
itself. Characters might spread out, thereby
intelligent enemy might incorporate this hazard into
distributing their weight more evenly across
a battle strategy. Characters who are compelled to the terrain. Horses might be dismounted,
rush toward a location or away from a threat might or caravans emptied and carried by several
stumble into the quagmire unaware. people to do the same. Armor can be taken
off and carried by multiple people. For equally
distributing their weight, they get advantage
NEXT-LEVEL DESCRIPTION
“CAN FOOTSTEPS FEEL HOLLOW, OR IS on the initial Saving Throw to avoid the
THAT JUST ME?” collapse.
Passive Perception: The landscape before you
has begun to change dramatically. There is a fine MECHANICAL RESOLUTION
layer of dust particles that have settled onto a “I HATE TO PUT IT THIS WAY,
thicker base layer of salt here, which has developed BUT DON’T BE SUCH A STICK IN THE MUD.”
• The area of the quagmire that is subject
a ruddy sheen. The appearance of this layer of dust
to collapse risk takes (1d4 + 3) rounds to
is unusual . . . very different from the desert soil that traverse.
you’ve seen up to this point . . . and you are not able
to determine its source. • On each turn, characters must make a DC
12 Dexterity check as they are walking
DC 13 WIS (Survival) or Higher: There is no across the salt flat. On a success, the
sign of animal or plant life anywhere nearby. No crust remains intact. On a failure, the
tracks. No cacti or desert flowers. Just blinding crust breaks, and all players stop making
white salt for miles, as far as the eye can see. Dexterity checks as the ground beneath
them gives way.
DC 15 INT (History) or Higher:
You recall stories of great battles that happened • Characters must now succeed on a DC12
near these Salt Flats, which involved deep trenches Dexterity Saving Throw, taking (8d4)
dug by both armies. Occasionally, large ruts in the Bludgeoning damage on a failure and
half as much on a success, as the immense
ground have served as strategic encampments,
weight of the salt crust slides in on top of
although this particular area seems quite flat, with them. All creatures and objects are initially
little area for cover. If there were trenches here long buried 10 feet under the quagmire mud as
ago, they would be completely covered over by now. this heavy crust pushes them downward.
DC 17 WIS (Perception) or Higher:
Grooves and crenulations reveal that you’re walking
on an extremely shallow depression in the ground,
descending by just over an inch from the salty
wasteland that surrounds it for miles. You notice your
footsteps are crunchier than before; perhaps there is
even less moisture here than the surrounding desert.
70 DESERT WASTELANDS
• Creatures likely will not have had an opportunity to hold their breath before falling into
the quagmire and are immediately Suffocating beneath the surface. When a creature runs
out of breath or is choking, it can survive for a number of rounds equal to its Constitution
modifier (minimum of 1 round). At the start of its next turn, it drops to 0 hit points and is
dying, and it can’t regain hit points or be stabilized until it can breathe again.
• A creature beneath the surface may make a DC 12 STR (Athletics) check on its turn as an
Action. On a success, the creature moves at half of its normal movement speed toward the
surface. On a failure, the DC of the STR (Athletics) check rises by 1 as no progress is made
and fatigue begins to set in. If a creature fails the check by 5 or more, they inadvertently
dig themselves 5 feet deeper, confusing which direction is up. If a character does not need
to breathe, the check DC does not increase, but they can still accidentally dig themselves
deeper.
• Vocal and Somatic components for spells are impossible while beneath the surface of the
mud.
• A character who has reached the surface moves at half speed until exiting the mud. They
are no longer Suffocating and can freely exit the quagmire, but they may have trouble
finding their companions and supplies.
• To rescue a creature that is buried beneath the mud, one of the other characters must first
succeed on a WIS (Perception) check to discover the approximate location of the buried
creature beneath the surface. The DC on this check is equal to the number of feet the
target is currently buried below the surface, plus 5. On a success, they may use any means
at their disposal to draw the buried creature out of the mud.
• A spell such as Move Earth works as normal once above ground, and makes excavating one’s
friends and equipment much easier. Divination spells like Locate Object could likewise aid
one in finding companions or gear, bypassing the required WIS (Perception) check.
DESERT WASTELANDS 71
SANDSTORM
Player Difficulty Rating: |Mechanical Complexity Rating:
NEXT-LEVEL DESCRIPTION
“THAT DOESN’T SEEM RIGHT”
Passive Perception:
The air around you feels momentarily stagnant, and
then the wind changes direction with a conspicuous
whistling flourish.
72 DESERT WASTELANDS
MECHANICAL RESOLUTION • Creatures with exposed skin due to
“I’LL NEVER GET ALL THE SAND improper desert clothing take (6d4)
OFF OF ME” slashing damage for each hour of exposure
The sandstorm covers an area that is (4d10) to the storm. Characters with proper Desert
miles wide and (1d100 + 50) feet high. The Garments take half of that damage each
storm lasts for (1d3 + 1) hours, but the sky hour. Objects left out in the storm also take
will remain orange and somewhat darkened slashing damage and have the potential to
for the next (1d4) days even after the winds be completely buried in the sand.
have died down. • Characters without a proper Respiration
Mask, moistened cloth, magical barrier, or
For each hour that the sand storm lasts, some other effective means of covering
characters who are in the area of the storm their noses and mouths (such as a blanket
and who are not completely surrounded by or bedroll) are forced to begin holding their
a solid structure, or by protective magic, are breath as the dirt and sand fills their lungs.
subjected to the following effects. Ɵ A creature can hold its breath for a
number of minutes equal to 1 + its
• All exposed, non-magical flames are Constitution modifier (minimum of 30
extinguished. seconds).
• Protected flames, like those of a lantern, Ɵ A creature gains one level of Exhaustion
have a 75% chance of being extinguished. for every minute spent in the area of the
• All ranged weapon attacks are Sandstorm without complete coverage
at Disadvantage. of the nose and mouth.
• A creature cannot hear anything above Ɵ These levels of Exhaustion cannot
the howling of the wind unless the source be removed by any means until the
of the sound is directly adjacent to it. creature is surrounded by fresh air.
• Characters without specific eye protection
are Blinded for the duration of the storm.
The visual range of creatures with eye
protection is reduced to 5 feet.
DESERT WASTELANDS 73
SINKHOLE
Player Difficulty Rating: |Mechanical Complexity Rating:
NARRATIVE THREAD • Safe Characters: Creatures who succeed
“AH, A RELATIVELY FLAT PIECE on the DC 21 check know the exact
OF THIS DESERT” dimensions and dangers the sinkhole
Desert sinkholes are holes in the ground that imposes and know how to avoid them.
have been covered over time by a loose layer These characters will avoid being caught
of sand. When that layer of sand is disturbed, in the hazard and will not have to make
the unstable structure begins to collapse. The the following Strength Saving Throw
sand funnels into a narrow vertical shaft that to avoid being pulled downward by
may lead to a larger underground cavern, the sinkhole under any circumstances.
much in the same way that sand funnels These successful characters may also
through an hourglass. If a large enough choose to grant Advantage, or eliminate
creature stumbles onto the unstable surface Disadvantage, on the Strength Saving
area above a sinkhole, it will be dragged down Throw of one other party member who
into the depths of whatever lies beneath. can hear or see them. This can only be
achieved by casting an assistive spell or
A desert sinkhole can serve your story as any man- by extending a rope, a pole, or some other
made trap might, forcing the adventurers to utilize object with reach while remaining outside
their strength and cunning to escape. It might also of the unstable area.
be used to lead an unwary party to a significant
underground location or to reveal the ruins of a • Cautious Characters: Creatures who meet
long-lost desert civilization. This event is an intense or exceed the DC 17 check are aware
that something is happening and are
encounter that could be deadly for one or more
on alert. They may approach cautiously
characters if the dice are not friendly. Use with and try to move around the sinkhole, but
caution! they may not actually be aware of its
full dimensions. The unstable area has a
NEXT-LEVEL DESCRIPTION radius of (2d10 + 10) feet. If the cautious
“CAN YOU SEE THAT UP characters do not give the sinkhole a wide
AHEAD TOO?” enough berth, they could still be pulled
DC 17 WIS (Perception) or Higher: You notice in. A successful DC 17 INT (Investigation)
a subtle change in the topography of the desert floor check at this stage will provide a cautious
up ahead. You see a slight depression in the ground, character with ALL of the information that
could have been obtained through the
with an oddly circular appearance to it.
checks above, but a failure leads to their
triggering and being caught in the hazard.
DC 19 WIS (Perception) or Higher: You are able These cautious characters will not have
to see that the terrain before you actually looks like a Disadvantage on their Strength Saving
pit filled to the brim with sand. The earth appears to Throw as they are being dragged into the
have settled in an unusual way, indicating that there sinkhole.
is something below the surface. It’s very difficult to
understand what lies beneath, or if the ground in the • Surprised Characters: Creatures who
area nearby is stable. did not meet any of the checks above
are surprised as the sinkhole collapses
DC 21 WIS (Survival) or DC 21 INT (Nature) and have Disadvantage on their Strength
or Higher: The area out ahead of you is clearly Saving throws to avoid being pulled into
a sinkhole. You are not only able to tell that the the sinkhole once they are within its
ground is unstable and about to collapse, dragging unstable area.
anything within its radius underground, but you are
• Magic items or character features that
also able to tell the exact dimensions of the sinkhole prevent a character from being surprised
and which areas of the ground are safe to traverse. can counteract this effect and allow a
character a straight roll when making the
PLAYER ACTION OPPORTUNITY Strength Saving Throw.
“DON’T LET YOUR CIRCUMSTANCES
DRAG YOU DOWN.”
Characters caught in a desert sinkhole have
only a second to react before being pulled
quickly and completely beneath the surface.
Allow characters to act as follows based on
how well they did in the checks above:
74 DESERT WASTELANDS
MECHANICAL RESOLUTION
“GOING DOWN?”
• At the beginning of the collapse, all creatures within the unstable surface area of the sinkhole
must succeed on a DC 19 Strength Saving Throw to resist being dragged down into the void
as the sand gives way. Players who are completely aware of the sinkhole’s dimensions DO
NOT need to make this Saving Throw, as they are standing safely outside of the unstable
area.
• Creatures who fail this initial Saving Throw are Restrained and are immediately moved
downward into the vertical shaft as the sand pulls them under. These characters take
(5d6) Bludgeoning damage from the fall and the debris that falls in on top of them. These
characters land Prone and are immediately buried with an enormous amount of sand and
debris. The sand need not fill the entire chamber below to pose a risk to buried creatures.
The sheer volume of material that is raining down on the character is enough to bury him or
her alive in seconds. The sinkhole only acts once. At the end of this initial action, all of the
sand that was suspended near the surface has fallen to the bottom of the chamber, along
with any creatures who were dragged down with it.
• If a creature succeeds on the initial Strength Saving Throw, it is able to grasp enough solid
ground to keep from being swept into the hole. It can use half of its Movement speed to
stand safely at the beginning of its next turn and may act as it normally would.
• Any characters at the bottom of the chamber are now Restrained and Suffocating, unable
to free themselves through non-magical means.
A Suffocating creature can survive for a number of rounds equal to its Constitution modifier
(minimum of 1 round). At the start of its next turn, it drops to 0 hit points and is dying, and it
can’t regain hit points or be stabilized until it can breathe again.
Characters may take turns in Initiative Order to free the Restrained and Suffocating party
member(s). A successful DC 12 STR (Athletics) check is sufficient to move a substantial amount
of debris from the pile on the floor of the chamber. Characters who utilize shovels or other tools
that increase the amount of sand that can be moved may roll this check at Advantage. Each
successful check has a 25% chance of uncovering a buried creature. The Power Shovel moves
twice as much earth and has a 50% chance of uncovering a buried creature.
DESERT WASTELANDS 75
76 TROPICAL JUNGLES
CHAPTER FIVE
TROPICAL JUNGLES
ADVENTURE ENVIRONMENT FESTERING WOUNDS
Tropical Jungles, sometimes known as & JUNGLE ROT
rainforests, can be incredibly challenging The constant moisture of the tropical rainforest
environments for adventuring parties for can lead to debilitating skin infections over
several reasons. The incessant precipitation extended periods of travel. Any serious open
may lead to flash floods and mudslides. The wounds sustained in combat may fester, as
thick overhead canopy is home to an entire outlined in the Festering Wounds section on
ecosystem of interesting and dangerous (page 10) of the introduction. Additionally,
creatures. Undergrowth at the ground tropical ulcers that are sometimes known
level may be so thick that basic navigation as “jungle rot” may form from the simplest
becomes a serious problem, and the heat blisters or scrapes. The GM may choose to
and moisture of this natural biome make it a apply Festering Wounds as jungle rot at his
breeding ground for parasites and disease. or her discretion, even if serious injuries have
not been sustained from combat encounters.
LANDSCAPE & Jungle rot is most likely to take hold around a
creature’s feet and ankles.
EXCESSIVE MOISTURE
Adventurers will find that blazing a trail
through the jungle without a machete may TRAVEL PACE IN THE JUNGLE
be nearly impossible. Thick vegetation
dominates the landscape and makes travel
DIST. DIST. DIST.
slow and arduous. Where trails exist, they
PACE PER PER PER EFFECT
may lead to the dens of any number of wild MINUTE HOUR DAY
beasts and monstrosities who call the jungle
their home. -5 penalty
to passive
Clothing choice is very important to managing Wisdom
body heat and perspiration. Unlike in the (Perception)
200
Desert, where a traveller needs to be fully Fast 2 Miles 15 Miles scores AND
Feet
covered to protect from the blazing sun, a wise CON Saves
traveller in the tropical rainforests of the world for low water
will leave skin exposed to keep from losing intake at
water to excessive perspiration. Characters Disadvantage
who wear Medium or Heavy Armor, or thick
clothing of any kind will need to drink twice 150
Normal 1.5 Miles 12 Miles None
as much water as they normally would to Feet
avoid the effects of dehydration.
WATER REQUIREMENTS
IN THE JUNGLE Slow
100
1 Mile 9 Miles
Able to use
Feet stealth
A character typically needs one gallon of
water per day, but while wearing Medium or
Heavy Armor in the jungle, that requirement
increases to two gallons of water per day. A
character who drinks only half the required **Disadvantage on CON Saves also applies
amount of water must succeed on a DC 15 to any rolls required due to a Forced March
Constitution saving throw or suffer one level of beyond 8 hours of travel in a day.
Exhaustion at the end of the day. A character
with access to even less water automatically
suffers one level of Exhaustion at the end of
the day.
TROPICAL JUNGLES 77
78 TROPICAL JUNGLES
FLASH FLOOD
Player Difficulty Rating: |Mechanical Complexity Rating:
TROPICAL JUNGLES 79
JUNGLE GORGE
Player Difficulty Rating: |Mechanical Complexity Rating:
80 TROPICAL JUNGLES
RAZOR GRASS
Player Difficulty Rating: |Mechanical Complexity Rating:
TROPICAL JUNGLES 81
ALLERGIC REACTION
Player Difficulty Rating: |Mechanical Complexity Rating:
82 TROPICAL JUNGLES
discard their clothes to avoid the effects. Anaphylactic shock causes blood pressure
Spells like Resilient Sphere that create a to drop suddenly and airways to constrict,
protective barrier between creatures and blocking breathing. This shock can be
the plants are effective, but spells that cured through forced administration of an
protect against incoming attacks, such as Antitoxin, accompanied by a successful DC
Shield, do not have any effect. 10 WIS (Medicine) check. Spells like Lesser
Restoration and Greater Restoration can also
• Face Covering - Against airborne reverse the effects of shock. Until the shock is
allergens, such as the pollen above, a cured, a creature is Suffocating.
party member can cover their nose and
mouth with a damp cloth or a mask. A dry STINGING UNDERGROWTH
cloth will have no effect. Using a damp
cloth only alleviates breathing problems. An exposed creature must make a DC
The dust will still get onto their clothes 14 Constitution Saving Throw upon initial
and into their eyes. If the party makes exposure, and repeat the save each hour until
no effort to remove the pollen from their clothing is changed or washed. On a success,,
clothes and armor, such as washing them, a creature is immune to the effects of the
removing them, or using spells such as allergen for the next 24 hours.
Prestidigitation to clean them, they will
still suffer the inhalation effects when they A creature who fails this saving throw is
remove their face coverings. Poisoned and goes into anaphylactic shock.
Roll for Initiative. Suffocation begins on
• Antitoxin - All of the allergic reactions the character’s next turn. (See Anaphylactic
here may be treated through ingestion of Shock Above) If a creature fails the saving
Antitoxin. throw by 5 or more, its Constitution score is
also temporarily reduced by 5 points until
• Fire - A lit torch or a sustained flame of finishing a Long Rest.
any kind is enough to keep Velvet Ants
at bay. Other spell effects that would Furthermore, the stingers that have embedded
prevent an ant from making contact with themselves into the exposed skin will become
a creature are also strategically valid. Festering Wounds. A creature may spend
time removing the stingers during a Short
Rest.
MECHANICAL RESOLUTION
“WE’RE NOT GOING THROUGH
THERE AGAIN” VELVET ANT STING
Reminder of Suffocation Rules: When a
creature runs out of breath or is choking, it Characters who notice the approach of the
can survive for a number of rounds equal ants can easily outrun them, or they may
to its Constitution modifier (minimum of 1 use spell effects or fire to keep the ravenous
round). At the start of its next turn, it drops creatures from getting close enough to bite.
to 0 hit points and is dying, and it can’t regain The ants are unable to get within attack range
hit points or be stabilized until it can breathe if one of these tactics is used by the party.
again.
A creature who is stung must make a DC 16
INHALED POLLEN Constitution Saving Throw.
An exposed creature must make a DC 17 Roll for Initiative and place the ants at count
Constitution Saving Throw approximately 10 10. The colony is an enhanced swarm that
minutes after initial exposure, and repeat the covers a circular area with a radius of 20 feet.
save each hour until success. On a success, a The swarm can move 20 feet per round. On
creature becomes immune to the effects of its turn, the mega swarm makes simultaneous
the allergen for the next 24 hours. Once all sting attacks on all creatures who are within
creatures in the party have succeeded on the its area. The sting attacks have a +7 to hit,
saving throw, there is no further risk from the deal (4d4) poison damage, and force a DC
inhaled pollen. 16 Constitution Saving Throw. A creature who
fails the saving throw is Paralyzed. Affected
Creatures who fail the saving throw creatures can repeat the save at the end of
immediately become Poisoned and Blinded their turn.
for (1d4) hours as the pollen makes their eyes
swell shut. If a creature fails the saving throw
by 5 or more, there is a 50% chance of going
into anaphylactic shock and beginning to
Suffocate within a matter of seconds. Should
this occur, Roll for Initiative to resolve the
effects of the shock. Suffocation begins on
the next turn for any affected creatures.
TROPICAL JUNGLES 83
FUNGAL BLOOM
Player Difficulty Rating: |Mechanical Complexity Rating:
86 TROPICAL JUNGLES
VINE WALLS
Player Difficulty Rating: |Mechanical Complexity Rating:
TROPICAL JUNGLES 87
THROUGH THE WALL SWARMS THAT EMERGE
ROLL 1d8
TO ATTACK THE PARTY
• The party may attempt to cut or bludgeon
their way through the wall, however, it is 3 swarms of bees and 3
incredibly difficult as many of the still living 1
swarms of wasps
vines are old and thick. The vine wall has
an AC of 13, each 5-foot cube has 20 HP,
and it is Resistant to non-magical Slashing 3 swarms of centipedes
2
and Bludgeoning damage. It is immune to and 3 swarms of spiders
all Piercing damage, magical or not. The
wall is Vulnerable to Fire damage.
3 2 swarms of bees
• As such, any Fire damage applied to the
wall will also ignite an active flame that 4 2 swarms of wasps
can spread quickly through the entire
barrier. After it has been ignited, the Vine 5 2 swarms of centipedes
Wall burns uncontrollably and unleashes
the creatures mentioned in the table to 6 2 swarms of spiders
the right. The entire wall is reduced to
smoldering ashes in a number of rounds 7 1 swarm of bees
equal to (Thickness x Height)/100. There
is a risk that this tactic could lead to a 8 1 swarm of spiders
Forest Fire encounter, as detailed on page
148.
88 TROPICAL JUNGLES
CENOTE
Player Difficulty Rating: |Mechanical Complexity Rating:
NARRATIVE THREAD have worn away the rock, causing the clearing
“PEERING INTO THE BOWELS to be unstable ground.
OF THE EARTH”
These underground limestone caves vary in DC 18 INT (Investigation) or Higher:
size and are typically found in the jungles The humidity slightly increases in the already
of the world. Many are nothing more than a sodden air. Bending down you notice several
narrow tunnel, some are vast and deep open tracks from the local wildlife and they all
pits, and others cannot be seen from the completely avoid the clearing. The ground at
surface at all. Invariably they contain fresh the edge of the clearing is porous and slightly
water and are perhaps the only source of crumbles when you press a finger against it.
fresh water for miles around. Ancient jungle
civilizations have risen and fallen based on
the health of a nearby cenote. PLAYER ACTION OPPORTUNITY
“TRY NOT TO FALL BEHIND”
Cenotes are also incredibly dangerous. Establish a clear marching order for the party,
Characters may not even realize that they are as the characters in front are particularly at
standing on one until their weight breaks the risk. A party that spots the cenote may choose
fragile dome and they fall dozens, or hundreds to go around it and may encounter (1d4-1)
of feet to the clear, dark water below. The smaller and more obscured cenote entrances
interior walls are often sheer and sloped as they try to avoid the larger cenote.
inwards towards the top making climbing
up the sides of a cenote nearly impossible The top of the dome below hasn’t yet fallen
without climbing equipment. Disorienting in, but it is very thin and weak. Perhaps its
subterranean structures, lack of light and fresh ceiling may even have a few sizable holes in
air, and the potential for unknown horrors in it. No trees grow on the top of the weakened
its depths makes a cenote a potentially deadly ceiling, but ferns and other smaller plants
place to explore. may obscure the openings. A medium or
larger creature moving across the ceiling of
Cenotes are sacred places where it is said the dead the cenote will easily break through it and fall
into the depths.
travel the afterlife. Sacrifices made at a cenote are
seen as being directly transmitted to the gods. Food, Allow players to state any special preparations
goods, crafts, and people, both willing and unwilling, that their characters are making as they move
have been cast into cenotes to appeal to the gods through the area. Belaying one another with
for rain, fair weather, fortune, or power. These awe- ropes and spreading out to more equally
inspiring locations can serve your story as an unseen distribute weight are valid strategies.
risk during a chase scenario, as an entrance to the
underworld, or as the lair of a legendary monster.
MECHANICAL RESOLUTION
“WHERE DID HE GO?”
NEXT-LEVEL DESCRIPTION • The circular clearing above the cenote has
“THIS DOESN’T FEEL RIGHT AT ALL” a radius of (1d100 + 50 feet).
Passive Perception: You come to a very large, • If the party fails to discover a cenote
almost perfectly circular clearing in the thick entrance, the first character(s) in the
jungle undergrowth, which seems very odd. marching order must make a DC 15
There aren’t even stumps where trees might Dexterity Saving Throw or fall into the
have grown - only a few small ferns. cenote as the fragile roof collapses. On a
success, the falling character manages to
DC 15 INT (Nature) or Higher: It’s clear that catch the edge, delaying a fall. However,
something is preventing large trees from if the party was moving at a fast pace, or
growing in the clearing, and the trees on the was otherwise being reckless with their
outskirts of this area are different from what movements, the first character(s) in the
you’ve seen elsewhere in the jungle. Their marching order make this saving throw
roots are thicker and less spread out,and they at Disadvantage, and the next closest
seem to get their water from sources nearer character(s) in the marching order must
to the surface. also make a DC 15 Dexterity Saving Throw
to avoid falling into the cenote.
DC 18 INT (Nature) or Higher: Judging by
the composition of the soil, the average • Any sudden movements or any additional
rainfall this part of the world receives, and the weight that is added to the unstable area
relief of the surrounding land, there is likely where a character has already broken
an underground water source somewhere far through the ceiling will lead to a total
below the clearing. The moisture within may
TROPICAL JUNGLES 89
collapse. If this collapse occurs, all creatures in the area of the clearing fall into the deep
water below.
• The water at the bottom of the cenote is (3d10 x 5) feet below the ceiling and is half as
deep. Calculate the falling damage as you normally would (1d6 bludgeoning per 10 feet
fallen), as a fall from this height is still quite dangerous. A character who is attempting to
dive gracefully into the deep water below may avoid half of the calculated bludgeoning
damage with a successful DC 15 DEX (Acrobatics) check. Spells like Feather Fall completely
negate this damage.
• A submerged creature must make a swim check in order to get back to the surface of
the deep pool at the bottom of the cenote - See the Expanded Swimming System in the
Introduction.
• The deep pool at the bottom of the cenote may lead to an important adventure location.
The Flooded Passage Encounter can be used for further exploration.
90 TROPICAL JUNGLES
MUDSLIDE
Player Difficulty Rating: |Mechanical Complexity Rating:
TROPICAL JUNGLES 91
MUDSLIDE POWER TABLE
ROLL 2d8 TO DETERMINE THE STR SAVE DC TO RESIST
MUDSLIDE POWER STR MODIFIER OF MUDSLIDE
MUDSLIDE
2-5 11 +5
6-10 15 +7
11 or More 20 +10
92 TROPICAL JUNGLES
TROPICAL JUNGLES 93
94 SWAMPS, MARSHES, & BOGS
CHAPTER SIX
SWAMPS, MARSHES, & BOGS
ADVENTURE ENVIRONMENT hour of drinking the unsafe water, a character
Wetland environments are synonymous with must succeed on a DC 18 Constitution Saving
misery for adventurers who are traveling on Throw. On a failed save, the character is
foot or on standard mounts. Even traveling infected with Swamp Gut. See below for
by boat can be very difficult because of the details.
thick vegetation beneath the surface of the
murky waters. Reptiles, insects, and poisonous
plants thrive here, and finding a dry place to
SWAMP GUT
This parasitic infection arises from ingesting
camp for the night is nearly impossible.
tainted water. The symptoms include fever,
muscle cramps, vomiting and/or diarrhea,
This is another biome that presents constant
and severe fatigue.
(and sometimes oppressive) challenges for an
adventuring party. Groups who dare to travel
A character who has contracted Swamp Gut
in this environment must deal with parasites,
automatically takes a level of Exhaustion
ambush predators, very slow travel pace,
every 8 hours until the disease is cured. These
and a significant risk of disease. We advise
levels of Exhaustion are in addition to levels
GMs and players who are not interested in a
accumulated from any other source (lack
highly challenging environment to avoid the
of sleep, forced marches, extreme weather
Wetlands biome altogether.
conditions, etc).
LANDSCAPE AND SWAMPY WATERS Swamp Gut can be cured with a Lesser
Standing water dominates this environment. Restoration spell, and may be impossible to
Sometimes the ground is saturated and contract while under the protection of certain
spongy with a few puddles of water that spells. It may also be cured by a Digestive
have accumulated in low-lying areas. At other Tincture brewed by a skilled herbalist.
times the water may be several feet deep. The
opacity of the water in swampy terrain reduces Standard uses of a Healer’s Kit, or a WIS
visibility when characters are attempting to (Medicine) check performed by someone
see what lies beneath the surface. If fully without Herbalism training, have no effect
submerged in the water, a creature’s vision against Swamp Gut.
is Lightly Obscured by the murkiness of
the water, putting all vision-based WIS FESTERING WOUNDS AND JUNGLE ROT
(Perception) checks at Disadvantage. For a The constant moisture of the swamp can lead
character who is looking down on the surface to debilitating skin infections over extended
of the water from above, items and creatures periods of travel. Any serious open wounds
below the surface are Heavily Obscured. sustained in combat may fester, as outlined in
the Festering Wounds section on (page 10) of
WATER REQUIREMENTS IN THE SWAMP the introduction. Additionally, tropical ulcers
A character typically needs one gallon of water that are sometimes known as “jungle rot” may
per day. A character who drinks only half the form from the simplest blisters or scrapes.
required amount of water must succeed on The GM may choose to apply Festering
a DC 15 Constitution saving throw or suffer Wounds at his or her discretion, even if
one level of Exhaustion at the end of the day. serious injuries have not been sustained
A character with access to even less water from combat encounters. Jungle rot is most
automatically suffers one level of Exhaustion likely to take hold around a creature’s feet
at the end of the day. and ankles.
FOULED WATER
Fresh drinking water is not prevalent in a
wetland environment. All water should be
boiled before drinking, and often reeks of
sulfurous emissions, giving it a rotten egg
smell. A Detect Poison and Disease spell will
make this characteristic evident to the caster.
Characters who drink fouled water without
boiling or magical purification efforts, have a
chance of becoming incredibly ill. Within one
SWAMPS, MARSHES, & BOGS 95
TRAVEL PACE IN THE SWAMP
All overland travel speeds are cut in half while moving through the Wetlands biome due to
standing water. The exertion of travel can also increase the risk of Exhaustion from heat and
dehydration. If a Constitution Saving Throw must be made to avoid the effects of insufficient
water intake, characters moving at a Fast Pace make the saving throw at Disadvantage. The
following adjustments to the Travel Pace Table in 5th Edition manuals should be taken into
account.
-5 penalty to
passive Wisdom
(Perception)
Fast 200 Feet 2 Miles 15 Miles scores AND CON
Saves for low
water intake at
Disadvantage
• The leech swarm covers a circular area with a radius of 30 feet and has a walking, climbing,
and swimming speed of 10 feet. The area of the swarm counts as Difficult Terrain. While a
character is within the area of the swarm, whether it be on land or in the water, new leeches
attach themselves to the character each round. Armor or clothing will not mitigate this as
leeches can find the tiniest of holes to squeeze through.
• Each round on Initiative Count 20 and Initiative Count 10, every character in the area of the
swarm is automatically inflicted with (1d4) “Leech Points”. These points must be tracked,
and each point represents ten wriggling bloodsuckers that are attached to that character. A
character can have a maximum of 10 Leech Points, at which point, there just isn’t any more
room for new leeches.
• At the end of each of their turns, a character with at least one Leech Point remaining must
roll a Constitution saving throw due to the loss of blood. The DC of this saving throw is 10 +
the player’s current number of Leech Points. On a failed save, the player immediately takes
a level of Exhaustion.
• This encounter lasts as long as characters are within 100 feet of the swarm or as long as at
least one character has remaining Leech Points
• If a character has opened wounds by failing a Constitution Saving Throw on any of its
previous turns, the automatic Piercing and Poison damage each increase by 2 points on
the next turn. The creature must repeat the Saving Throw at the beginning of each turn
spent inside the swarm, and the Piercing and Poison damage each continue to increase by
2 on every subsequent failure.
• Magical healing, a successful DC 12 WIS (Medicine) check with a Healer’s Kit, or specific
knowledge of Herbalism remedies are all sufficient to heal the wounds rendered by the
Insect Swarm. This healing attention must be provided within 8 hours after the wounds are
sustained, or the wounds will begin to Fester. See Festering Wounds on page 10 of the
Introduction.
• Egg clusters laid in a creature’s skin will hatch, and larvae will burrow their way to the
surface 60 hours after being laid. As they burst out, they open fresh wounds and do (2d4)
Slashing damage and (2d4) Necrotic damage to the affected creature.
A creature who wishes to hold its breath before going completely under must use a Bonus
Action to inhale deeply at or before the Submerged Depth Level. Otherwise, the creature
begins Suffocating immediately on the next turn.
Suffocation Rules
A creature can hold its breath for a number of minutes equal to 1 + its Constitution modifier
(minimum of 30 seconds).
When a creature runs out of breath or is choking, it can survive for a number of rounds equal
to its Constitution modifier (minimum of 1 round). At the start of its next turn, it drops to 0 hit
points and is dying, and it can’t regain hit points or be stabilized until it can breathe again.
For example, a creature with a Constitution of 14 can hold its breath for 3 minutes. If it starts
suffocating, it has 2 rounds to reach air before it drops to 0 hit points.
NARRATIVE THREAD
“SOGGY STEPS . . . UGH”
A bog is specifically defined as a wetland that accumulates peat, or dead plant material. Over
time, this peat can create thick layers, sometimes in the form of floating mats of dead vegetation.
When these mats build up long enough to crowd together, they can completely cover large
bodies of water. This happens quite often in glacial basins that form relatively small, but deep,
ponds. As peat accumulates over time, other wetland plants, small shrubs, and even trees may
begin to grow on top of the floating mat of vegetation, giving it the appearance of an average
meadow. These quaking bogs may appear as if they are solid ground with only a few puddles
on the surface, when in reality they consist of relatively thin floating mats of vegetation on top
of a surprisingly deep body of water. The quaking bog may be able to support the weight of
adventurers walking on top of the floating mat . . . up to a point. When a hapless traveler is
unlucky enough to fall through a weak point in the mat into the dark water below, it can be
incredibly difficult to break through to the surface again as it closes overhead. Many animals
and human beings have drowned in quaking bogs for this reason.
A quaking bog is a misleading hazard that may lull your adventurers into a false sense of confidence. After
trudging through more obvious wetlands, they may mistake it as relatively dry ground. It may be even more
surprising to find one of these deep ponds covered over by floating mats of vegetation in a highland valley
among the peaks of jagged mountains. Regardless of where they are found, quaking bogs hide many
secrets. Perhaps other unfortunate adventurers (and their valuable belongings) have been lost to the bog in
ages past. Or maybe a coven of villainous hags uses the bog to snare unwary prey. A wealthy benefactor
may even send a group of adventurers to retrieve a valuable item that was lost in the bog.
There typically would not be any beastly threats beneath the surface of a quaking bog because the mat
completely blocks the surface, and the resulting acidity and low oxygen content of the waters below make it
an inhospitable environment for creatures who might otherwise live here. However, there is the possibility that
Undead creatures could exist beneath the bog mat. When one of them reaches up and pulls an adventurer
under, this makes for an incredibly complex combat environment.
PERCENTILE
BREAKS THROUGH PERCENTILE (1d100)
TOTAL WEIGHT OF
SURFACE ON (1d100) ROLL FOR ROLL FOR
ADVENTURER +
PERCENTILE (1d100) BREAKTHROUGH IF BREAKTHROUGH
GEAR CARRIED
ROLL OF MOVING RECKLESSLY IF TAKING
PRECAUTIONS
In order to help retrieve a fallen member of the party, the location of the victim must be
established first. TThis will require creating a hole in the mat or using a spell like Locate Creature.
A rescue aid like a rope or a pole may be extended through a section of the mat that has
already been cleared within range of the compromised individual.
Distribution of weight is still very important! If an attempt is made to pull a creature back up
onto the surface of the quaking bog mat, the combined weight of the rescuer(s) and rescuee(s)
should be taken into account on the Bog Mat Table above. It’s possible that additional pieces
of the mat will give way and that more of the team will fall into the water.
For example, if an adventurer with a total weight of 160 lbs is attempting to drag an adventurer
with a total weight of 250 pounds out of the water, without taking precautions to distribute
weight, there is a 70% chance (410 lbs total weight) that the rescuer will fall through the mat
as well.
Furthermore, a submerged creature must make a swim check in order to get back to the surface
- a prospect that can be made incredibly difficult by heavy armor or encumbering equipment.
See the Expanded Swimming System on page 8 of the Introduction.
NARRATIVE THREAD that form around the base of trees. When methane
“THIS SWAMP HAS GAS” and oxygen combine, they produce carbon dioxide,
Methane and Hydrogen Sulfide emissions which can lead to illness and/or asphyxiation.
are mostly harmless occurrences within the
swamplands, but direct exposure can be
deadly. As the players travel, they may find PLAYER ACTION OPPORTUNITY
themselves in an area that has pockets of “SO HORRIBLE I CAN TASTE IT”
swamp gas trapped beneath the surface. As Characters may use a number of methods to
various swamp gasses combine, the reaction deal with swamp gas emissions. The following
causes noxious bubbles to appear on the is a short list of possibilities:
surface of the water and produces steam-like
vapor. Bulges of peat moss and soil might Magical detection of (and/or resistance to)
be present, indicating pockets of poisonous the swamp gasses be achieved through spells
gas that have collected below.. Extremophile like Detect Poison and Disease, Protection
plants feed off these emissions in the soil, From Poison, and Resistance.
growing wherever they can carve out a niche.
It is important to refrain from lingering too Depending on the amount of time spent in
long in such an area as one can become ill the area, a creature might be able to avoid
and exhausted. It is vitally important not to the effects of the gas by holding its breath. A
expose these natural gases to fire. The results Plague Mask or a Respiration Mask would be
can be catastrophic. much more reliable though.
Swamp gas emission is a great way to introduce It is crucially important to avoid metallic
your players to the hazardous atmosphere of a sparks and any sources of fire while in the
swamp environment. It is perfect for games that proximity of swamp gas emissions.
require the players to spend an extended amount
of time traversing wetlands, and it also serves as an
excellent complication to a combat encounter.
NEXT-LEVEL DESCRIPTION
“DO YOU THINK THOSE BUBBLES
ARE SIGNIFICANT?”
DC 12 WIS (Perception) or Higher: While
traversing the swamp, your vision is lightly obscured
by a gentle mist that rises from the surface of the
water. Outside of the occasional bubbling sounds
coming from the fetid pool, it is eerily silent. There is
also a pungent odor of rotten eggs.
• The general mist created by the swamp gas emissions covers an area with a radius of (4d10
x 10) feet. Within this circular area, there are (4d10) individual methane pockets indicated
by slight bulges in the soil or bubbles on the surface of the water. These individual pockets
are spaced out rather evenly within the area of the mist but are close enough to one another
to create a chain reaction if just one pocket of gas is ignited.
• Each pocket has the potential to ignite and create an explosion with a radius of 10 feet. A
creature can perform the DC 14 INT (Investigation) check from the Next-Level Description
section above as a Bonus Action to locate all individual methane pockets within 30 feet of
it at the time of the check.
• Ignition: If fire or a spark of any kind comes within 10 feet of a swamp gas emission point,
all creatures in a 10-foot radius of the gas pocket must succeed on a DC 14 Dexterity Saving
Throw or take (8d6) Fire damage. A creature takes half as much damage on a success.
• Roll for Initiative! A methane pocket that has been ignited only burns for a few seconds, but
the remaining gas pockets in the area begin to light in a chain reaction. On Initiative Counts
20 and 10, all any swamp gas pockets within a 20-foot radius of one that has just exploded
will also ignite, and the players within the radius of each new explosion must make the DEX
Save mentioned above. This continues until all methane pockets in the area have exploded.
The island is a dome of decaying vegetation with a radius of 100 feet. At its highest point, it is
5 feet above the surface of the water in the surrounding swamp. The water around the island
is 5 feet deep.
The island uses the Shambling Mound stat block with the following alterations:
• The island does not move from its current position due to its massive bulk and only acts on
Initiative Counts 20 and 10.
• The island’s STR score is 22, and its CON Score is 24.
• On Initiative Count 20, the island rumbles and shakes, forcing a DC 12 Dexterity Saving
Throw from all creatures who are atop it. On a failure, the creature falls Prone. The island also
inflicts crushing damage to any creatures who are currently engulfed.
• On Initiative Count 10, the island uses its Multiattack on any creatures who are within 10
feet.
• Multiattack. The island makes four slam attacks. If three attacks hit the same Medium or
smaller target, that target is Grappled (escape DC 16), and the island uses its Engulf on the
creature.
• Slam. Melee Weapon Attack: +9 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: (3d8+6) Bludgeoning
damage.
• Engulf. The shambling island engulfs a Medium or smaller creature Grappled by it. The
engulfed target is Blinded, Restrained, and unable to breathe, and it must succeed on a DC
16 Constitution Saving Throw on Initiative Count 20 or take (3d8+6) Bludgeoning damage.
RATE OF ASCENT
Travel pace in the Mountains is restricted by elevation and rate of ascent. The following table
shows the maximum distance and altitude gain a party can attain in a day’s travel (not including
forced marches).
Easy (Gentle Slope) 12 Miles, 3,000 Feet 18 Miles, 5,000 Feet 22.5 Miles, 6,000 Feet
Medium (Moderate
8 Miles, 4,000 Feet 12 Miles, 6,000 Feet 15 Miles, 8,000 Feet
Slope)
Hard (Steep Slope) 4 Miles, 3,000 Feet 6 Miles , 4,500 Feet 7.5 Miles, 6,000 Feet
Early signs of mild altitude sickness include a slight headache, nausea, vomiting, and loss of
appetite. Later, a mental fog falls on the creature, extremities begin to swell as tissues fill with
fluid, and nosebleeds may occur. Creatures who do not need to breathe are unaffected by
Altitude Sickness. As the party ascends they will begin to experience shortness of breath, even
while idle or sleeping, a persistent dry cough, and fever. Severe headaches follow, along with an
uncoordinated movements, inability to concentrate, and increased nausea and vomiting. If the
party climbs high enough, their vision will go blurry as the blood vessels in their eyes begin to
burst, and they might even lose consciousness as their lungs begin to fill with fluid.
Characters with knowledge of mountainous hazards, such as Rangers with mountains as their
favored terrain, Circle of the Land (Mountain) Druids, or those proficient with vehicles or mounts
that traverse the air will know that altitude sickness can be avoided by a gradual ascension of
no more than 1,000 feet per day.
For the uneducated, the symptoms of altitude sickness are mysterious and seemingly sourceless.
To them, there appears to be no perceptible reason why their physical and mental faculties
would be leaving them.
High Altitude is defined as 4,000 to 11,000 feet, Very-High Altitude is 11,000 to 18,000 feet, and
Extreme Altitude is anything above 18,000 feet.
If a party chooses to ascend at a gradual rate of less than 1,000 feet per day, Altitude Points
do not impact creatures traveling with the party until they are in the Extreme Altitude zone.
A creature accumulates 1 Altitude Point for every 4 hours of travel in High Altitude, every 2 hours
of travel in Very-High Altitude, and every 1 hour of travel in Extreme Altitude. These Altitude
Points are cumulative, and may only be removed by the specific methods mentioned below.
When a creature receives the benefits of a Long Rest, remove one Altitude Point.
- AND -
Lesser Restoration can be used to remove one Altitude Point. Greater Restoration can
be used to remove two Altitude Points. Spells that bring a creature back from the
dead do not remove Altitude Points. A skilled herbalist may also create an infusion
from Chachacoma and Mint which can increase blood circulation and help to fight
altitude sickness. When consumed during a Short Rest or a Long Rest, this tea removes
1 Altitude Point.
NARRATIVE THREAD
“THIS MOUNTAIN IS SOMEWHAT
INHOSPITABLE”
Traversing mountainous terrain has its fair
share of dangers. However, none of them
are as formidable or deadly as being caught
in a mountain storm. Finding oneself in high
winds, freezing temperatures, falling hail, and
lightning strikes can most certainly lead to an
untimely death.
NEXT-LEVEL DESCRIPTION
“DID YOU SEE THAT FLASH?”
Passive Perception: A swift wind suddenly rushes
past you, sending chills through your body and filling
your nostrils with the familiar smell of rain.
• Hypothermia: Before a character makes a skill check as a part of the group skill challenge,
that character must succeed on a Constitution Saving Throw at the DC determined by
the Wind Rate on the table above. On a failure, the character immediately takes (3d6)
Cold damage before attempting the chosen skill. If a character is wearing specialized
Cold Weather Clothing, or if the character is Resistant to Cold damage, the CON Save
may be rolled at Advantage. Creatures who are Immune to Cold damage automatically
succeed on this CON Save.
• Lightly Obscured Vision: If the storm includes Heavy Rain or Heavy Hail, any WIS
(Survival) checks to navigate to safety, as well as any WIS (Perception) checks that rely
on sight, are rolled at Disadvantage.
• Hail Damage: If the storm includes Hail, before a character makes a skill check as part
of the group skill challenge, that character takes either (1d4) points of Bludgeoning
damage for Light Hail or (3d4) points of Bludgeoning damage for Heavy Hail.
• Lightning Strike: If the prescribed number of failures takes place before a party reaches
shelter, lightning strikes in the immediate area. All creatures must succeed on a DC 15
Dexterity Saving Throw or take (8d6) Lightning damage. Creatures take half damage
on a success.
• Roll for Initiative! Alternatively the GM may have all players declare the checks that they
are making and to have them roll simultaneously. This allows the GM to adjudicate the
combined successes or failures of the group and to adjust consequences accordingly.
• The DCs of the required skill checks, as well as the number of successes required to find
shelter, are determined by the severity of the storm as rolled on the Storm Severity Table
above. A GM may choose to allow the players to know the DC required for success, but
they should not be aware of the number of successes that are required to find shelter
unless a character uses the WIS (Survival) skill as mentioned below.
• The use of spells does not count as a success or a failure in this challenge, but it may
assist other characters with the required skill checks, or it may help mitigate damage
from hypothermia, hail, or lightning. Due to the high winds, precipitation, and imminent
lightning strikes, Ritual spellcasting cannot be used while exposed to the storm, and
spellcasters may find it incredibly difficult to maintain concentration on spell effects.
• As per usual, characters may only use skills in which they are Proficient. The following
skills may come into play during the skill challenge, but other creative methods may also
be allowed at the GM’s discretion. The GM may choose to suggest some of these skills
for characters who are Proficient.
• A successful STR (Athletics) check may allow a player character to help the
group along through the difficult winds and treacherous terrain or to carry an
incapacitated character.
• A successful DEX (Acrobatics) check can be used to help others avoid lightning
strikes. * Special Feature: On a success, this eliminates one failure previously
accumulated by the group.
• A successful WIS (Insight) check may be used to predict the movement of the
worst parts of the storm and to seek shelter outside of its primary path.
• A successful WIS (Religion) check may be used to invoke the name of a deity
and to plead for safe passage.
Once the required number of successes has been reached, the party finds themselves in a
mountain cave that is deep enough to protect them from the cold winds, the precipitation, and
the lightning caused by the storm. The storm remains in the area for 1 additional hour and
then passes.
NARRATIVE THREAD
“SUCH PICTURESQUE VIEWS”
An avalanche is one of the most powerful and terrifying forces of nature, rivaling hurricanes,
earthquakes, and forest fires in its intensity. Tons of ice and snow barreling down a mountainside
at speeds of up to 200 miles per hour can be absolutely catastrophic. This hazard is a killer;
mountain travelers should always be wary of the potential for avalanches after a recent snowfall.
Avalanches create an intense and exciting hazard for your adventuring party as they trek through a snowy
mountain pass, but they should be used sparingly and are likely a once-per-campaign type of encounter. Not
only do avalanches have the power to annihilate a party, but to experience the power of an avalanche once
is likely enough to keep characters on the lookout any time they venture into the mountains. Be thoughtful
when including this hazard and pick the proper timing and location.
The relative power of the avalanche is determined by its thickness as indicated on the Avalanche
Power Table below:
The Strength Save DC of the avalanche and its Strength Modifier will be especially important
in determining the safety of characters who have climbed trees, who are hanging onto
boulders, or who are using special equipment or magic to resist the effects of the avalanche.
At any point when a creature is in direct contact with the moving snow in the area of the
avalanche, that creature must succeed on a Strength Saving Throw against the DC determined
by the avalanche’s thickness. On a success, that creature is able to avoid being dragged away
and buried by the snow. On a failure, the creature is dragged and buried somewhere down
the mountainside. Any equipment or objects that were not being worn by a character who is
caught up in the avalanche are also dragged away and buried in random locations downhill.
A buried creature’s or object’s depth beneath the surface is determined by the Bury Depth on
the Avalanche Power Table.
If a creature is utilizing equipment or a specific terrain feature to resist the pull of the snowslide,
the avalanche also makes a Strength check (with the appropriate modifier from the Avalanche
Power Table) against the Breakage Threshold of the piece of equipment or terrain feature. A
list of common breakage points are listed below:
DC 15 INT (Nature) or WIS (Survival) or Higher: You have stumbled into an area that is ripe for an
avalanche! Any sudden movements or loud noise will most certainly set it off, and you have only a moment
to get yourself and your companions to safety!
DC 18 INT (Nature) or WIS (Survival) or Higher: Outrunning an avalanche is impossible. The snow
and ice will reach incredible speeds as it slides down the steep mountainside. Your only hope is to climb high
enough, or to move laterally across the slope of the mountain, to get yourself completely out of its path. If you
are ultimately caught in the deluge, you are likely to be buried alive!
• Characters with Passive Perception of at least 12, and who are aware of the avalanche
threat, may immediately assess the width of the avalanche area and their relative
position in it. Surprised and imperceptive characters are unaware of the avalanche
dimensions or their options to avoid it. Roll (1d6) on the Party Location Table to
determine the party’s general position within the avalanche zone:
• This same DC 12 Passive Perception check may also reveal trees and boulders
that are in close proximity and that offer potential elevation above the flow of the
avalanche for characters who are aware of the threat. Surprised characters may
not take advantage of these terrain items. A DC 13 STR (Athletics) check will be
required to climb any of these terrain features at the beginning of the Group Skill
Challenge. Have each alerted character roll (1d10) according to the following table
to determine what terrain elements are nearby.
• If a character is aware that the party is close enough to the lateral edge of the
avalanche area, the best possible self-preservation strategy is likely to Dash out
of the potential path of the avalanche. However, if an alerted character is unlucky
enough to be in the middle of the affected area, the only option may be to climb a
tree or a boulder and to hope for the best. Surprised characters have no option but
to rely on their strength as the avalanche begins. Allow the casting of helpful spells
and the use of specialized equipment by alerted characters here, if they choose to
use their Actions or Bonus Actions for that purpose, and then move on to the group
skill challenge mechanic to resolve the encounter.
• The group is already in Initiative Order because they were in the midst of a combat
engagement with Trevanya, the evil mage, and her minions.
• The earthberg on which this combat encounter takes place is 900 feet in the air.
• Grio Whiteshine is propelled off of the edge of the earthberg when Trevanya casts
Thunderwave.
• If Grio hits the ground, it will be at a velocity that is sufficient to cause his death.
• Grio will have fallen 500 feet by the end of Trevanya’s 6-second turn in combat unless
someone else in the party has prepared a Reaction spell, like Featherfall, or can use a
Reaction in some other way to change this eventuality.
• Luckily for Grio, his good friend Vertha had previously positioned himself at the edge
of the earthberg and had readied an Action to lasso anyone unlucky enough to fall. He
uses his Reaction to make the Dexterity check that is necessary to toss a rope around
Grio’s flailing legs, . . . but he fails miserably when he rolls below the necessary DC of 13
that the GM has established for this task.
• Grio’s other companion, Klaesic, uses his action to leap onto the back of his trained
wyvern mount and Dash through the air to Grio’s rescue. However, since the wyvern can
only fly a maximum of 160 feet on its turn, Klaesic comes up 340 feet short. He has no
other abilities that can help Grio at that range.
• As Grio continues to fall, he can cast Levitate on himself when his next turn comes
around because he has another 400 feet to fall before he makes contact with the hard
ground below.
• If Grio is all out of spell slots, he might also remember that he can use his Ring of Air
Elemental Command to slow his descent. If all of those options fail, Grio goes SPLAT!
Woodlands offer a little bit of everything to your party, but the general level of risk is lower than
in some of the other environments in this book. Many of the hazards mentioned here provide
opportunities for narrative expansion and world-building, but most will not be life-threatening
for player characters. See the Player Difficulty and Mechanical Complexity Ratings for more
information.
• A 10-foot-thick layer of accumulated cave gas lingers at the bottom of this entrance.
• The specific properties of the gas may cause asphyxiation, explosion, or both.
• A creature can hold its breath for a number of minutes equal to 1 + its Constitution modifier
(minimum of 30 seconds).
• When a creature runs out of breath or is choking, it can survive for a number of rounds equal
to its Constitution modifier (minimum of 1 round). At the start of its next turn, it drops to
0 hit points and is dying, and it can’t regain hit points or be stabilized until it can breathe
again.
Accumulated Gasses
These gasses are odorless and colorless and will slowly suffocate the party if they remain at the
base of the cavern. They also have the potential to ignite if given a spark.
• While in the gas layer in the bottom 10 feet of the cave entrance, any source of mundane
or magical flame, or any forceful metal-on-metal contact that is sufficient to create a spark,
immediately causes the gasses to detonate.
• Any creature caught in the explosion must make a DC 15 Dexterity Saving Throw, taking
(6d6) points of Fire damage on a failure, or half as much on a success.
• Furthermore, the detonation shakes the cave walls violently. Any creatures who are climbing
walls in any part of the cave at the time of the explosion must succeed on a separate DC
13 Dexterity Saving Throw to avoid falling from the wall. Use of a climbing rope grants
Advantage on this Save, and use of a Climber’s Kit will prevent a fall of more than 25 feet.
Consult the Expanded Climbing Rules for details on fall damage and injuries.
• If a creature is hit by the tree, it must roll a DC 14 Strength Saving Throw or be knocked
Prone and become Restrained by a large piece of the fallen tree. The creature may repeat
the Saving Throw at the end of its next turn to end the Restrained condition.
• This obviously interrupts a Long Rest attempt, and the impending chaos after the tree falls
may draw the attention of forest predators or other enemies who may attack while members
of the party are hurt and distracted.
Wounds sustained from the Tension Spear or the Pit Trap may begin to fester at the
GM’s discretion. Use the mechanics for Festering Wounds from the introduction.
The fire cannot use a Dash action, nor does it suffer from Exhaustion. The chase ultimately ends
when every member of the party has remained outside of the ring of smoke for 3 consecutive
rounds.
• The fire begins as a circular area with a radius of 200 feet, and its outer edge starts 100 feet
from the party.
• On Initiative Count 20, the fire Moves 60 feet in the direction of a wind that is determined
by a percentile roll on the Fire Direction Table below. This wind direction may be altered by
character spells. If there is no prevailing wind when Initiative Count 20 arrives, the Fire does
not Move on that turn.
• On Initiative Count 10, the radius of the fire Expands by 30 feet in all directions. The circular
area of the fire continues to grow by 30 feet each turn, regardless of wind direction.
• A creature who begins its turn within 10 feet of the fire takes (4d4) Fire damage.
• A creature who begins its turn Inside the area of the fire takes (8d8) Fire damage.
• A creature who is within 30 feet of the fire is also impacted by the smoke that is generated
by the blaze and must make the CON Save below. The area affected by smoke is always larger
than the area affected by fire. The smoke exists within the area of the fire and extends 30
feet beyond the edge of the fire.
• The smokey area is Lightly Obscured, putting all vision-based checks at Disadvantage
• A DC 13 Constitution Saving Throw is required by a creature who starts its turn within 30 feet
of the fire in the area affected by the ring of smoke. On a failure, the creature takes one level
of Exhaustion. Creatures who are actively holding their breath, as well as creatures who do
not need to breathe, do not need to make this Saving Throw. Consider the description of any
spells, items, or other features that might negate this effect.
Chase Complications
As a party is moving across space threatened by a forest fire, or as they are fleeing the area of
the forest fire, the following chase complications may arise. You may use the Wilderness Chase
Complications Table from the core rules, or you may roll on the Forest Fire Complications Table
below.
Complications occur randomly. Each participant in the Chase (including the Fire) rolls (1d20) at
the end of its turn. Consult the appropriate table to determine whether a complication occurs. If
it does, it affects the next chase participant in the initiative order, not the participant who rolled
the die. The participant who rolled the die, or the participant affected by the complication, can
spend inspiration to negate the complication.
If a complication is rolled a second time, take the next lowest result to avoid repetition. Feel free
to add other complications if this list is used in its entirety.
The forest floor begins to rise in elevation. Make a DC 12 WIS (Survival) check to
1 locate a path of escape that does not put you and your companions at greater risk.
On a failure, the fire and smoke move an additional 10 feet in your direction.
A sudden and unexpected gust of wind envelopes you in plumes of dark smoke.
2
Make a DC 13 Constitution Saving Throw, or take 1 Level of Exhaustion.
A small forest stream intersects your path. Make a DC 10 DEX (Acrobatics) check
3 to move across the slippery stones. On a failure, you fall Prone and take (1d4)
Bludgeoning damage.
You become entangled in the thick undergrowth of the forest. Make a DC 14 STR
4 (Athletics) check to break free. On a failure, you are Restrained and do not move
this turn.
The sap within a nearby tree explodes from the intense heat. Make a DC 15
5 Dexterity Saving Throw. On a failure, pieces of the splintered tree strike you, doing
(1d10) points of Piercing damage.
Burning embers are raining down all around you. Several of them find patches of
6 dry vegetation and erupt as new extensions of the inferno. The fire immediately
Expands by an additional 30 feet.
Trees in the area have begun to topple, and a large trunk blocks your path. Choose
7 either a DC 12 STR (Athletics) check to jump over it or a DC 12 DEX (Acrobatics)
check to slide under it. On a failure, you collide with the trunk and fall Prone.
Animals are running away from the fire in a panicking stampede. A large Elk runs
directly into your path and impulsively Charges you before continuing to flee. The
8
ram attack is a +5 to hit and does (3d6 + 3) Bludgeoning damage. If it hits, make a
DC 13 Strength Saving Throw or be knocked Prone.
A thick haze is filling the forest ahead, and your vision is Lightly Obscured. Make a
9 DC 14 WIS (Perception) check at Disadvantage to continue moving toward your
objective. On a failure, you move at half your normal speed this round.
11-20 No Complication
The basic stampede is modeled off of a Complications occur randomly. Each participant
herd of buffalo-like creatures with a Walking in the chase rolls (1d20) at the end of
Speed of 50 feet, STR +5, DEX +0, and CON its turn. Consult the appropriate table to
+4, giving the herd 5 Dash actions before determine whether a complication occurs. If
it suffers from Exhaustion and slows to a it does, it affects the next chase participant
walk. The chase ultimately ends when the in the initiative order, not the participant
stampede has used up all of its available who rolled the die. The participant who rolled
free Dashes. the die or the participant affected by the
complication can spend inspiration to negate
*As the GM, you may decide to use any the complication.
creatures that regularly travel in herds. To
increase the difficulty of this hazard, consider If a complication is rolled a second time, take
using a herd of wild Riding Horses with a the next lowest result to avoid repetition.
Walking Speed of 60 feet. Feel free to add other complications if this list
is used in its entirety.
• The stampede begins as a circular area
with a radius of 100 feet, and it starts
with its leading edge 100 feet from the
party.
Roll
Complication
(1d20)
Rocky outcroppings on either side of your path begin to funnel you and the herd into
a narrow gully ahead. Make a DC 12 WIS (Survival) check to locate a path of escape
1
that does not put you and your companions at greater risk.On a success, you avoid the
gully. On a failure, the herd gains an extra Dash action that can be used immediately.
If you are on a mount, make a DC 13 WIS (Animal Handling) check to keep the animal
2 from being spooked by the animals in the herd. On a failure, your mount runs in a
random direction this round as determined by the GM.
A medium-sized fissure cuts across the plain and intersects your path. The fissure is
(5d4) feet across. Use your Long Jump movement ability (number of feet equal to
3
your Strength score) to jump across the gap. On a failure, you move at half speed this
round as you scramble through the shallow fissure instead.
A single, large tree sprouts from the open grassland ahead of you. Choose either a
4 DC 14 STR (Athletics) check to climb the tree or a DC 14 DEX (Acrobatics) check to
bypass the tree and continue running. On a failure, you fall Prone.
A lone beast surges wildly ahead of the herd and makes a reckless attack against
5 you. Make a DC 15 Dexterity Saving Throw. On a failure, you take (2d8) Bludgeoning
damage and are knocked Prone.
You are redirected into a small canyon as the herd presses against you. Cast a spell
that creates a loud noise or make a DC 16 CHA (Intimidation) check to make the
6 creatures back down. On a success, you are able to get out of this tough spot. On a
failure, you take (2d8) Bludgeoning damage this round, and each subsequent round,
until you are successful.
The terrain ahead has become exceedingly rocky and uneven. This area counts as
7
Difficult Terrain for the next two rounds.
A sudden gust of wind blows across the flat open plain and kicks up a cloud of dust.
8 Make a DC 12 Constitution Saving Throw to maintain your pace. On a failure, you are
momentarily blinded and your Movement Speed is halved.
The herd is moving erratically. Make a DC 13 WIS (Insight) check to predict what they
9 will do next. On a failure, you misjudge the area that is most dangerous and have to
double back, losing all of your Movement Speed for this turn.
11-20 No Complication
• Roll for Initiative! Alternatively the GM may have all players declare the checks that they
are making and to have them roll simultaneously. This allows the GM to adjudicate the
combined successes or failures of the group and to adjust consequences accordingly.
• The smoke that is blowing rapidly across the open grasslands precedes the fire by a
full 300 feet, and characters will need to take precautions against smoke inhalation
if they choose to remain downwind of the fire. A Plague Mask, a Respiration Mask, or
an improvised filter mask made from moistened cloth can prevent smoke inhalation
throughout this encounter. A character without a mask or other protection from smoke
inhalation makes all skill checks at Disadvantage
• Checks that rely on vision are at Disadvantage regardless of preparations because the
smoke creates a Lightly Obscured area.
• The blaze is moving quickly and will reach the area in 5 minutes. During this Prep Phase,
the players can attempt a number of protective strategies that count toward the total
successes and failures in the Group Skill Challenge. Allow each character one skill check
during the Prep Phase.
• The following skill checks are possible solutions that characters may consider during the
Prep Phase, however, the GM may choose to allow other creative solutions at his or her
discretion.
• All of the following checks should be made at Disadvantage unless characters use
specific equipment or spells to counteract smoke inhalation.
• Players must now attempt to actively protect themselves and the targets of their
protective efforts. The players may choose appropriate skill checks as the flames close
in around them. The checks in the list from the Prep Phase are still valid, with the
exception of the INT (Arcana) check for “back burn.” Players may choose other creative
methods at the GM’s discretion.
• On any skill check failure during the Burn Phase, the character takes (6d6) Fire damage
and gains one Level of Exhaustion.
Resolution of the Challenge: If the party accumulates a total of 10 successes before they reach
4 failures, the brush fire burns itself out as fuel becomes scarce, and the risk to people and
property in the area ends. If the party reaches 4 failures first, they are forced to flee through
the flames and smoke to make a narrow escape. All creatures take (6d6) Fire damage and gain
one Level of Exhaustion. The Brush Fire destroys all structures in its path as it continues to burn
for the next (3d6) hours.
Tar pits can represent a unique problem solving The Right Tool for the Job - Those hoping
scenario, they can provide access to a needed to discover treasure, trinkets, or creature
resource, or they can be a potentially deadly remains may come up with a clever way to
complication to a combat encounter. Consider search beneath the surface of the tar. A 10-
a quest item or a rare magical artifact that has foot pole or a Telescopic Pole can be useful
for probing down into the tar without making
allegedly been lost in the sticky mess. Use the tar
direct physical contact. However, the tar
pit as a trap while a predator or a band of ruffians here is highly adhesive and will permanently
waits nearby. Alternatively, the tar can be used as impact any equipment that is used to probe
an adhesive or flammable substance the party can its depths. Gear of any kind that makes direct
utilize. Did someone say flaming catapult projectiles? contact with the tar is unusable afterward
unless it can be thoroughly cleaned. Utility
spells like Prestidigitation can clean an item
NEXT-LEVEL DESCRIPTION
“IS THAT SMELL ... YOU?” magically. Alternatively, a skilled Alchemist or
Herbalist may create a solution that will clean
Passive Perception: As you continue your trek
a single creature or item with a successful
across the grasslands, you come to an area where DC 15 skill check using the appropriate set
a foul odor permeates the air, but the source of the of tools (Alchemist’s Supplies or Herbalism
smell is unclear. Kit).
DC 15 WIS (Perception) or Higher: What looks Magical Assistance - Magic can play a
like a sizable pond lays before you, but it is covered significant role in this encounter. Consider
by so much vegetation and debris that it almost spells like Water Walk as an effective means
escapes your attention until you are standing right of moving across the surface of the tar
next to it. An extremely dark substance of some kind pit without risk of becoming stuck. The
exists beneath the layer of debris. In certain areas, transformative properties of Intrepid Shoes
small bubbles grow steadily before gently bursting can also negate the adhesive properties of the
tar pit, and Locate Object is definitely helpful
at the surface.
for pinpointing items that are buried beneath
the surface. Without the aid of divination
DC 15 INT (Investigation) or Higher: After spells, a creature must have a way to probe
probing the ground in the area, it is very clear that beneath the surface and must succeed on a
the substance is highly adhesive. It takes all of your DC 20 INT (Investigation) check to locate
strength to retrieve the tool after inserting it just a any object that is covered by the tar. See the
few inches into the muck. Tar Pit Investigation Table below.
Encounter Complications
• When a creature enters the water of the geyser pool for the first time, and whenever a
creature starts its turn in the water of the pool, it immediately takes (8d8) Fire damage and
(8d8) Acid damage. The creature is also Blinded if its eyes are directly submerged in the
water of the pool.
• The Acidic Geyser erupts on Initiative Count 20, beginning (1d4) rounds from the start
of any combat engagement. The eruption begins with an enormous bubble that pushes
the corrosive gases outward to fill the 60-foot-radius area around the geyser pool. Any
creatures in this area must immediately succeed on the DC 15 Constitution Saving Throw
or suffer the Acid damage and the Poison effects from the caustic gases mentioned above.
• On Initiative Count 10 of the same round that it begins to erupt, the geyser douses everything
within a 60-foot radius with hot, acidic
water. Creatures who are caught within the
60-foot radius at the time of this second
stage of the eruption must succeed on
a DC 18 Dexterity Saving Throw or take
(4d8) Fire damage and (4d8) Acid
damage from the superheated and acidic
water, taking half as much damage on a
successful save.
• The radius of the funnel is a number of feet equal to (1d4) x 10 x Tornado Category.
• The tornado acts on Initiative Count 20 and Initiative Count 10 every round and lasts for
(3d4) rounds.
• When the Tornado acts, it moves 50 feet in a random direction and makes four Debris
Attacks. The Debris Attacks are each a Ranged Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, range 150/600
ft., one target. Hit: 6 (2d6) Slashing damage. The movement is determined by rolling (1d8)
on the Tornado Direction Table below:
• A flying creature is immediately knocked Prone and falls to the ground, taking (1d6)
Bludgeoning damage for every 10 feet fallen.
• The creature must succeed on a Strength Saving Throw or be borne skyward by the
tornado. The DC of the Strength Saving Throw depends upon the Tornado Category.
Consult the table below. On a success, the creature is able to remain on the ground.
• A creature who is lifted skyward by the tornado is immediately ejected away from the
funnel in a direction determined by a (1d8) roll on the Tornado Direction Table. The
character then falls the entire Lift Distance and lands Prone, taking (1d6) Bludgeoning
damage per 10 feet fallen.
Distance
Distance Distance
Pace per Effect
per Hour per Day
Minute
-5 penalty to passive
Wisdom (Perception)
Fast 200 feet 2 miles 15 miles scores AND CON Saves
for low water intake at
Disadvantage
NARRATIVE THREAD
“NATURAL DETONATION . . .”
Mines are often home to many dangerous gases. The most common gas to cause underground
mine explosions is methane. Methane is a colorless, odorless, highly flammable, and highly
explosive noxious gas that occurs naturally and gets trapped in coal layers. All it takes is a naked
flame or a spark to cause an explosion. Cave-ins happen when the supporting pillars within the
mine fail, which can occur with or without an explosion. Often cave-ins occur due to the less
predictable hazard of seismic activity.
Mine explosions and cave-ins can serve your story by separating the party, by blocking a specific mode of
exit, by opening up a previously unavailable pathway or chamber, or by driving the party toward an important
narrative location. This hazard is not intended to be a party killer, but rather as a surprising redirection. However,
it can be deadly for lower level characters, so use it with caution.
• A successful DC 14 WIS (Survival) check may be used to retrace the group’s footsteps
through the mine tunnels. On a failure, the tracks of the party have been covered by dust
and debris and are completely imperceptible for the remainder of the challenge.
• A successful DC 14 CHA (Intimidation) check may be used to spur the group onward,
helping them to escape the dangerous area. On a failure, the member of the party with
the lowest Dexterity score trips over a fallen rock and needs to be helped back to his or
her feet, slowing the party’s progress. The player who tripped must roll his or her next
skill check at Disadvantage.
• Additional skills may be used at the discretion of the GM. Describe successes and failures
based on the context of the situation.
Resolution of the Challenge: If the party achieves the 6 required successes, they arrive safely
at a point of the GM’s choosing. If they reach a 3rd failure before reaching safety, the party
member with the lowest Dexterity score is buried by falling rubble. When buried in this way,
the character takes an additional (3d6) Bludgeoning damage, is Restrained by the rubble, and
requires the assistance of the party to dig them out. Death Saving Throws may be necessary
due to accumulated damage, but the character is not Suffocating while buried.
NARRATIVE THREAD
“I REALLY DO HATE WATER SOMETIMES . . . ”
Subterranean caves and passages are most often created by the power of moving water, and
sometimes that water accumulates at the lowest points in a cave system. This can lead to flooded
passageways that may only be accessed by explorers who are willing to swim.
A flooded passage is an excellent way to challenge player characters within a subterranean cave. As the GM,
you may choose what goal or objective exists on the other side of this watery tunnel. Is it a dragon’s hoard? Is
it a secret entrance to a fortress? Is it simply the only way out of the cave? Regardless of what you choose, the
tension created by a swim through a pitch black tunnel of unknown length is sure to get your players thinking
creatively.
If a player character is willing to venture • However, the last 60 feet of the swim
into the pool while utilizing Darkvision or a is nearly vertical as characters emerge
waterproof light source: into an open chamber with breathable
air. Expanded Swimming Rules apply
Passive Investigation: You submerge yourself to all characters for this final vertical
swim. Once characters emerge safely
into the darkness of the still pool and swim downward
from the Flooded Passage, they are free
to get a closer look. Although you can only see the to continue traveling through the cave as
features that are within a relatively short distance, they normally would.
you can tell that there is a long flooded passage
ahead of you. It is impossible to tell how far it goes, • If a character runs out of breath, the GM
or where it leads, without risking the swim. should immediately call for all players to
Roll for Initiative in order to resolve how
that character’s companions are able to
PLAYER ACTION OPPORTUNITY assist.
“YEP, THIS IS WHERE I DROWN”
The design of this encounter is meant to force
• Creatures with a Swimming Speed, or
the player characters into a difficult decision.
with special equipment that allows them
The only apparent choices are to turn back
to move more efficiently under water, may
the way they came or to risk a swim through
use those alterations when calculating
the flooded passageway of unknown length.
distance on the Swimming Pace Table
If the characters choose to swim, they may
below.
pause to make some potentially helpful
decisions here as well.
• Characters who do not have a Swimming
Speed move at half their normal Walking
The Expanded Swimming System Rules from
Speed while travelling through the
the Introduction should be used as a part of
passage. Characters are completely
this encounter, so the overall weight of each
submerged through the entire swim, so
character will be very important. Note the
they are forced to hold their breath if
total bodyweight plus equipment weight
they have no other assistance from spells
of each character when they enter the
or special equipment. There may be air
water. Intelligent characters may choose to
pockets available to characters during
leave heavy items behind, or they may think
the swim if the GM decides that they are
of creative ways to keep heavy gear from
necessary. A DC 12 WIS (Perception)
weighing down the weakest swimmers in the
check should be8 sufficient to spot an air
• Ask players to use the calculations below to determine how long their character can hold
his or her breath and how many rounds he or she can survive after running out of breath
or choking.
• A creature can hold its breath for a number of minutes equal to 1 + its Constitution modifier
(minimum of 30 seconds).
• When a creature runs out of breath or is choking, it can survive for a number of rounds
equal to its Constitution modifier (minimum of 1 round). At the start of its next turn, it drops
to 0 hit points and is dying, and it can’t regain hit points or be stabilized until it can breathe
again.
• For example, a creature with a Constitution of 14 can hold its breath for 3 minutes. If it starts
suffocating, it has 2 rounds to reach air before it drops to 0 hit points.
If characters are not in Initiative Order, the Swimming Pace Table below can be used to speed
up the resolution of this encounter. Ask the players to select a swimming pace and to calculate
how far that will allow them to swim for each 30-second increment. It might be wise to share
with the players that swimming at a faster pace comes with a significant risk of reducing the
amount of time that a character can hold their breath.
A Constitution Saving Throw is required at the end of each 30-second swim to avoid panic and
to continue holding one’s breath. The pace of the swim determines the DC of this “composure”
CON Save and whether that Saving Throw is rolled normally, or with Advantage or Disadvantage.
These “Composure” Constitution Saving Throws should not be used if the party is in Initiative
Order.
CONSTITUTION SAVING
HORIZONTAL DISTANCE THROW REQUIRED AFTER
SWIMMING PACE
TRAVELED IN 30 SECONDS EACH 30 SECONDS AT
CHOSEN PACE
Succeed on a DC 12 CON Save
Rolled at Disadvantage or lose
Fast Pace (Dashing) 10 x Swimming Speed
30 seconds of Hold Breath
time.
Succeed on a DC 10 CON Save
5 x Swimming Speed
Normal Pace or lose 30 seconds of Hold
(Rounded Down)
Breath time.
Succeed on a DC 8 CON Save
Slow Pace (Conserving Rolled at Advantage or lose
4 x Swimming Speed
Energy) 30 seconds of Hold Breath
time.
If a creature’s Swim Checks in the final 60 feet are sufficient to reach the surface of
the water, they may easily exit the pool and resume travel as they normally would.
DC 14 INT (Nature) or Higher: Some type of tiny DC 18 WIS (Perception) or Higher: There is a
fungal spores are suspended in the air here, though staleness to the air, and a distinct lack of smell to it.
what type of fungus is difficult to determine. No moldiness or dampness or anything else, which
is exceedingly odd. Something is amiss here.
DC 18 INT (Investigation) or Higher: Wedged
between some nearby rocks you find the recently DC 20 INT (Nature) or Higher: Concentrations of
dead corpse of a common cave rat. It has small certain gases can be toxic. What we’re experiencing
pale hairlike tendrils growing out of its mouth, and may be signs of the presence of these gases. It
it appears that an invasive fungus has taken root would be wise to use face coverings here.
inside the dead body.
40-50 18
50+ 20
NARRATIVE THREAD
“IT’S GETTIN’ HOT IN HERE”
A magma chamber is a large pool of molten rock that exists in the area of the earth’s crust
beneath a volcanic crater. Adventurers who are traveling through the subterranean realm may
not be aware that they are in the vicinity of such a volcano until they come upon this chamber
deep beneath the surface. The chamber will include intrusive rock formations that allow for very
cautious travel across the chamber. The GM will decide how many of these rock formations there
are and where they are placed.
This environment makes for an exceptional complication to combat. Fire Elementals, Red Dragons, and other
creatures who are immune to fire damage are at an incredible advantage in such areas. A magma chamber
may also represent a challenging barrier for your player characters to cross. Even with obvious structures
that allow for foot traffic, they may be forced to think of some very creative solutions to avoid taking massive
damage. This hazard is also closely related to the Volcanic Explosion encounter in the Coastal chapter, and
the two can be used creatively in close coordination.
186
187
188 ARCTIC EXPANSE
CHAPTER ELEVEN
ARCTIC EXPANSE
ADVENTURE ENVIRONMENT Frostbite if exposed to the extreme cold for
The icy expanse of the Arctic is technically a as little as one hour.
desert because it receives very little precipitation
throughout the year. However, the precipitation • Frostbite typically affects exposed extremities
that does fall remains frozen for most of the like the nose,fingers,and toes first. If a creature
year, leading to unique terrain formations that is traveling in extreme cold with exposed
cannot be found anywhere else. Adventurers skin or improper clothing, frostbite will
who travel in the arctic may have to deal with have the following effects:
snowy tundra, rugged glaciers, and seas of
colliding icebergs. This is not a biome for the • When affected by Frostbite, the
faint of heart. character takes cumulative (2d6) cold
damage for each half-day (4 hours)
In addition, groups who dare to travel in this of travel in freezing temperatures,
environment must deal with the constant and the DC of the CON Saving Throw
threat of frostbite, snow blindness, and for the next half-day of travel in
hypothermia. We advise GMs and players Extreme Temperatures rises by 2. The
who are not interested in a highly challenging character’s Max HP is reduced by the
environment to avoid the Arctic biome damage taken. On subsequent days
altogether. of travel while exposed to the cold,
the CON Saves must be rolled at the
LANDSCAPE AND LACK OF VEGETATION higher DC for characters who are
Due to the lack of precipitation, unusual light already frostbitten. This damage and
conditions, and the permafrost caused by HP reduction cannot be healed with a
extreme cold, there are no trees or large plants Short Rest or a Long Rest.
in the extreme arctic environment. During
the summer months, when the snows have • Frostbite of the lower extremities will
melted, the open tundra is filled with mosses, cut a creature’s movement speed in
lichens, and wildflowers for a short time. half, much the same as 2nd-Level
Exhaustion would.
EXTREME TEMPERATURE AND OTHER
WEATHER CONDITIONS • Frostbite of the upper extremities will
The average Arctic winter temperature is put the creature at Disadvantage on
-30° F / -34°C, while summer temperatures all weapon and spell attack rolls.
range from 37-54° F / 3-12° C. Wind chill
can lower these perceived temperatures • Frostbite can also affect the corneas
significantly. Summer temperatures that of the eyes, causing Blindness, but
average above freezing are only realized in this only takes place during Blizzard
the warmest four months of the year. The rest conditions where a character is
of the year is brutally cold. traveling without eye protection.
The best clothing for this environment consists • To heal Frostbite and reset the DC
of layers of insulated fabrics, animal furs, and of CON Saves to 12, a character
thick outer clothing. Gloves, sturdy boots, and must spend at least a Short Rest
goggles are also necessary to avoid the risks without direct exposure to freezing
associated with extended exposure to the temperatures and receive magical
elements. healing from spells or Potions of
Healing that restores the character to
While traveling in the arctic, characters must its original Max HP.
make a DC 12 CON Save against Extreme
Temperature for every half-day (4 hours) of • If Frostbite is allowed to progress for
travel. With the aid of cold weather clothing two full days without the proper
or Resistance to Cold damage, a character healing procedures, blood flow to the
may remain in sub-freezing conditions for a affected areas will cease completely,
number of hours equal to 1 + its Constitution and the Frostbite will transition
modifier without making these Constitution into Gangrene. Gangrene is a serious
Saving Throws. Thereafter, even a character infection that can become systemic,
with these protections must succeed on a and it should be treated according to
DC 12 Constitution saving throw, but may roll the rules for Festering Wounds in the
at Advantage. Wearing the appropriate cold Introduction. By the time Frostbite
weather clothing generally prevents Frostbite has become gangrenous, it is already
as well. Conversely, a character who is not at the 48-hour stage of the Festering
wearing the appropriate arctic clothing may Wounds table.
not roll at Advantage on these CON Saves
and also has a 100% probability of suffering
ARCTIC EXPANSE 189
• Hypothermia occurs when a body loses heat more quickly than it can produce heat, resulting
in a dangerously low body temperature. If left untreated, hypothermia will eventually lead to
failure of the heart and respiratory system. In the arctic environment, hypothermia is well-
represented by Levels of Exhaustion.
• Snow blindness is caused by overexposure to UV rays as they reflect off of the snow. A
creature who is not adapted to the arctic environment, who travels without specific eye
protection, may experience this condition. Four every hour of travel during which a character
is without eye protection, that character has a 60% chance of developing snow blindness.
If this condition takes effect, the character is Blinded for a period of 24 hours. After the 24
hours have passed, the character’s vision returns to normal.
Standard wheeled vehicles like wagons, carts, and carriages do not function in off-road snowy
tundra. Grio’s All-Terrain Artificer Wagon is a magical exception to this rule. Dogsleds and
horse drawn sleighs must be used in place of these vehicle types. Snowshoes and cross-country
skis increase the efficiency of foot travel through this environment.
Any creature who is traveling by foot through deep snowy tundra, without the aid of specialized
equipment to aid in efficiency, must succeed on a DC 10 Constitution saving throw at the end
of every hour of travel or take a level of Exhaustion. Additionally, the daily food and water
requirements double for a creature who travels for at least one hour in these difficult conditions
without the use of specialized modes of transportation.
Both snow-covered and icy surfaces count as Difficult Terrain for the purposes of Chases and
Combat encounters.
The frozen surface breaks based on relative thickness. Ice is typically thicker and more solid near
the shoreline, and weaker near the deeper areas of the body of water. Use the Ice Breakage Table
below to determine whether or not the ice breaks in a given scenario. Both player characters and
enemy combatants may choose to break ice intentionally with the included Strength checks.
• A creature may move at half its normal • If more than 400 pounds of combined
movement speed while submerged in weight (creatures and equipment) is applied
Frigid Water, unless character features, to the adjacent area of Questionable Ice,
magical assistance, or special equipment another circle of ice (15-foot radius) breaks
grant a faster Swimming Speed. away, and any other creatures within that
radius are also submerged in the Frigid
Water.
• Once out of the water, the party will no longer be in Initiative Order, but the ordeal continues
until all creatures’ body temperatures are brought back above the hypothermic threshold.
• Wet clothing must be doffed to aid in the warming process. Use the Table below for Doffing
clothing and armor.
• Any creature who has been submerged in the Frigid Water must succeed on a DC 13
Constitution Saving Throw every minute to avoid taking additional levels of Exhaustion.
While wearing wet clothing, the Saving Throw is an automatic failure. If in completely dry
clothing or blankets, the Saving Throw is rolled normally. If immediately next to a sustainable
heat source (a campfire, a Thermal Cube, a Create Bonfire spell), or in a warm shelter, the roll
may be made at Advantage.
• Once sufficiently warmed (after making one successful Saving Throw), existing levels of
Exhaustion remain, but new levels do not accrue.
● The GM should secretly assign each creature in the party who has a risk of falling into a
crevasse a number that corresponds to one of the sides of an appropriate polyhedral die.
Pick a die that most closely matches the number of creatures in the party who have a risk
of falling into a crevasse, rounded up. If there are 5 members of the party, use a d6. If there
are 7 members of the party, use a d8, and so on. This “random fall” die will be rolled when
there is a random chance of a party member falling through the snow into a crevasse. If an
unassigned number is rolled, no one in the party falls.
● Travel Pace has a significant effect on the likelihood of falling into a hidden crevasse. A
creature who is travelling quickly or recklessly (as they might when fleeing, pursuing, or
fighting atop a glacier) has a high probability of breaking through a snow bridge and falling
into a deep fissure in the ice. Use the Glacier Travel Pace Table below to determine the
likelihood of a fall.
• As the party moves across the glacier • If that creature was moving at a Slow
surface, the GM should roll (1d100) for Travel Pace, was Wearing Crampons,
every hour of travel when not in Initiative was Readying an Ice Axe, or was
Order. If the fall percentage threshold actively probing for Crevasses at the
on the table above is met or exceeded, time of the fall, the Saving Throw is
roll the polyhedral die that most closely rolled at Advantage. This Advantage
approximates the number of creatures in overrides any sources of Disadvantage
the party. The creature that is assigned to from above.
the result of this “random fall” die roll falls
through a snow bridge into a crevasse. • On a success, the creature momentarily
grabs onto the icy surface just below
• When a creature falls through a snow the opening of the crevasse and gives
bridge, it must immediately make DC other members of the party the use of a
17 Dexterity Saving Throw to slow the Reaction to offer assistance. A spell with
momentum of the fall with crampons, ice a casting time of a Reaction can be cast if
axes, other readied equipment, etc. one has been prepared. On a failure, the
falling creature immediately disappears
• If the creature was moving at a Fast into the void without slowing its own fall,
Travel Pace, was Dashing, or was and no Reaction spells can be cast on that
moving while in a Chase or Combat creature.
scenario at the time of the fall, the
Saving Throw is rolled at Disadvantage.
Many of the encounters in this chapter are EXTREMELY challenging for lower-level adventuring
parties. Use with caution.
BLUDGEONING
DEPTH CON SAVE EFFECTS ON A FAILURE
DAMAGE
100 Feet (2d4) DC 12 Takes 1 Level of Exhaustion
150 Feet (3d4) DC 13 Takes 1 Level of Exhaustion
200 Feet (3d6) DC 14 Takes 1 Level of Exhaustion and Stunned
250 Feet (4d6) DC 15 Takes 1 Level of Exhaustion and Stunned
300 Feet (4d8) DC 16 Takes 1 Level of Exhaustion and Stunned
350 Feet (5d8) DC 17 Takes 1 Level of Exhaustion and Stunned
400 Feet (5d10) DC 18 Takes 1 Level of Exhaustion and Stunned
450 Feet (6d10) DC 19 Takes 1 Level of Exhaustion and Stunned
500 Feet + (8d10) DC 20 Unconscious and Making Death Saving Throws
Below 500 feet, sunlight is not able to penetrate the water effectively. This zone between
500 feet and 1,000 feet only receives Dim Light during daylight hours. The water temperature
here also drops below 40°F/5°C, qualifying it as Frigid Water.
● A creature immersed in Frigid Water (any water below 40 degrees Fahrenheit) must
immediately succeed on a DC 13 Constitution Saving Throw or gain one Level of
Exhaustion from the initial cold shock response. Creatures who are Resistant or Immune
to Cold damage immediately succeed on this initial saving throw, as do creatures that are
naturally or magically adapted to living in ice-cold water.
● A creature may remain in Frigid Water for a number of rounds equal to 5 + its Constitution
modifier before beginning to lose body functions. On the next round after reaching this
threshold, speech becomes slurred and Movement Speed drops to 0 as the creature loses
muscle control. The creature also takes another level of Exhaustion as hypothermia begins
to set in. When Movement Speed drops to 0, the creature can no longer swim without
assistance. If no assistance is available, the creature sinks beneath the surface at a rate of
15 feet per round. Suffocation rules are in effect while the creature is submerged.
Below 1,000 feet, a diver enters a realm of crushing darkness that few have ever experienced.
Aquatic beasts like the killer whale will not go beyond 1,000 feet, though sperm whales, giant
squid, and some sharks are able to withstand the pressure at greater depths. This abyssal
realm is unreachable unless extremely powerful magic or GM accommodation makes it
possible.
○ Description: The dark recesses of this claustrophobic chamber make for an exceptional
hiding place. There is a natural shelf that has been punched out of the rock up near the
ceiling, and on this shelf sits {narrative or treasure element}. Nosy explorers have to work
fairly hard to get back here. There are no obvious passageways leading away from this
room, but there is a 3-foot-high, very narrow crack, only the width of a person’s hand, in
the back wall. Peering through this crack, you can see that an enormous cavern stands
on the other side of the thick stone wall. Much of the cavern appears to be flooded, and
dim light creeps in from openings in the ceiling.
○ Have whatever battle is necessary, and allow your players to discover a treasure that
makes the risk worthwhile. Just as they get the last bit of information about the huge
chamber on the other side, they might notice that water is slowly creeping into the
“Hiding Spot” and that the “Lower Chamber” is already flooded.
○ Mechanics: Characters can immediately jump into the dark water and swim for it if they
choose, spending 3 feet of movement for every 1 foot of progress as they fight against
the incoming surge. Once a swimmer gets through the 180 foot “Lower Chamber,” they
should be able to surface for air in the “Entrance Chamber” which is only just beginning
to flood. They still have 60 feet to go, but at least they can breathe while fighting to
make the exit.
Complications:
• The physical exertion required to make this swim is noteworthy. Consider using the
“Composure” CON Saves from the Expanded Swimming System by having a character
make a DC 12 CON Save if they choose to use Dashes as a part of the swim.
• Additionally, it’s dark and cramped in the “Lower Chamber.” If the characters do not
have reliable magical light sources, the GM might require WIS (Survival) check, at
Disadvantage, for players to navigate this part of the swim.
• Finally, there is the option to break through the wall into the larger chamber beyond.
A DC 30 Strength check is required to break through the rock wall and to continue
exploring. A party who breaks through successfully will not face the drowning risk in the
larger caverns beyond.
NARRATIVE THREAD malnourishment are very real threats if you are not
“I’D HAVE RATHER DIED IN THE ACCIDENT rescued soon. The relentless rays of the sun from
THAN SUFFER THE SLOW DEATH THAT above, as well as hungry predators from below, also
NOW PRESENTS ITSELF”
put you at great risk. You must do what you can
There are a number of ways in which an
individual adventurer, or an entire party, might to ration food and water, to prevent unnecessary
become stranded at sea. A shipwreck might exposure, and to protect yourself from sea creatures
be caused by a severe storm, a collision with - all while remaining visible to would-be rescuers.
icebergs, or a sea battle that sends a vessel remaining visible to would-be rescuers.
to the depths. In any case, survivors may
find themselves in dire circumstances long Frigid Arctic Seas
after the destruction of a ship. Exposure,
dehydration, exhaustion, and underwater Passive Perception: The sting of the cold
predators are all significant risks for characters water feels like being stabbed by a thousand
who are stranded at sea. tiny knives. As you rise to the surface, icicles
immediately begin to form on the exposed
A GM who allows player characters to become surfaces of your body and clothing. Pieces
stranded at sea can use the tension and desperation of floe ice and small icebergs are visible all
that arises from the event as a powerful narrative around you, and they may help to keep you
tool. Perhaps it leads to a dramatic rescue by NPCs afloat. However, it’s the cold that presents
the biggest challenge. Desperation starts to
who are crucially important to the story. It could
sink in, along with the hypothermia.
be an opportunity for a patron deity to intervene.
Hallucinations and delirium might lead to an altered DC 12 WIS (Survival) or DC 12 INT (Nature)
state of mind for one or more characters. And of or Higher: Your first priority is to get your body
course, character death is a real possibility as temperature up. As cold as the water is, you know
well. Be creative and make sure that the story is that cold will set in even more quickly once you get
well-served by the time that your characters spend yourself out. Fire is not a realistic option in the midst
stranded at sea. of this ice floe. The only other options for warmth
may be physical exertion or shared body heat.
NEXT-LEVEL DESCRIPTION
“THIS IS A DIFFICULT REALITY DC 13 INT (Investigation) or Higher: As you
TO ACCEPT” move around through the floating ice, you’re able
to locate a sizable piece of wreckage - a broken
Temperate Coastal Seas piece of hull that is large enough to allow (1d6 + 2)
creatures to get up out of the frigid water.
Passive Perception: You find yourself swimming
upward and striving to reach the surface of the
dark blue expanse. As you burst through and take
a massive gasp of fresh air, you look around and PLAYER ACTION OPPORTUNITY
see that you are surrounded on all sides by the “IF ONLY THERE WERE A DOOR
I COULD FLOAT ON”
immeasurable vastness of the sea. You rise and fall
Depending on the environment, Coastal
on blue swells that reach outward to the horizon on or Arctic, this encounter may present very
all sides, and you realize that you are stranded. different challenges for adventuring parties.
The Coastal variant may play out over a
DC 12 WIS (Perception) check or Higher: period of days or weeks and has many of the
Within a few moments you notice some flotsam same risks as being stranded in the Desert.
floating on the surface of the water only about 100 The Arctic variant is not likely to last as long
feet away from your location. The planks and crates due to the imminent threat of hypothermia.
will not be a solution to all of your problems, but
they may serve to help keep you afloat. Some of Allow players to describe what their
the containers may also hold usable supplies, if you characters do to improve the chances of
can get to them quickly enough. survival. Floatation of some kind is crucially
important to avoid exhaustion and drowning.
DC 15 WIS (Survival) or DC 15 INT (Nature)
or Higher: There are a number of serious
concerns that come to your mind. You have only the
supplies in your personal gear, so dehydration and
MECHANICAL RESOLUTION
“HOW MANY TIMES MUST I BE
THREATENED WITH DROWNING?”
Roll for Initiative and move in turn order until all creatures have secured life-saving floatation.
The mechanics for this encounter will include a combination of mechanics from core rules and
from elsewhere in Grio’s Guide.
● The Pyroclastic Flow lasts (2d4) rounds ● For every hour that a breathing creature
and acts on Initiative Count 20. spends in the Aftermath, it must succeed
on a DC 12 Constitution Saving Throw
● The area is Highly Obscured during these or take (2d8) Poison damage from the
rounds. ash and toxins in air. A creature takes
half as much damage on a successful
● On the Pyroclastic Flow’s turn, each save. Wearing a Plague Mask negates the
creature within a 30-mile radius of the need to make this CON Save for up to
volcano who is not completely protected an hour (until the oxygen stores must be
by magical forces must roll a DC 20 replenished). Wearing a Respiration Mask
Dexterity Saving Throw or take (6d6) grants Advantage on the saving throw.
Fire damage, or half as much on a
successful save. A creature with shelter ○ A creature who is not Immune to
has Advantage on this saving throw. Poison takes one Level of Exhaustion
each time it fails this saving throw.
● Structures automatically sustain double
the Fire damage produced by the ● For every hour of foot travel within the
Pyroclastic Flow. Collapsing structures radius of the Aftermath, roll (1d100) to
do an additional (4d10) Bludgeoning determine if a random event affects the
damage to creatures caught inside. party:
Creatures inside a collapsing structure
must make a DC 15 Dexterity Saving ○ Lava Flow: A river of lava 50 feet wide
Throw to avoid falling rubble, taking half snakes continuously across the party’s
damage on a successful save. path. They must find a way to cross
or lose 1 hour of travel time. See the
● Additionally, a creature in this radius must Magma Chamber encounter for details
succeed on a DC 15 Constitution Saving on contact with lava.
Throw or be Poisoned by the toxic gases of
the Pyroclastic Flow for 1 hour. A creature ○ Choking Gases: The party stumbles
who is wearing a Plague Mask cannot be into a pocket of choking gases
poisoned in this way, and a creature who released by the eruption. Use the
is wearing a Respiration Mask may roll the Accumulated Gases mechanics from
save at Advantage. the Forest Cave encounter.
BLACKLIGHT CRYSTAL
Wonderous item, uncommon (+1), rare (+2), very rare (+3) (requires attunement by a sorcerer, wizard, or warlock)
This item can be used as an arcane focus that grants the listed bonus to attack rolls and saving
throws for your spells. As an action, you can attach the crystal to a Tiny object that is being
held or worn (such as a sword, staff, or jewelry). While attached in this way, the crystal grants
the attuned user Darkvision within a radius of 30 feet, or it extends existing Darkvision by an
additional 30 feet.
When the command word is spoken, the crystal glows with a soft UV light that illuminates
intentionally hidden objects, granting Advantage on Investigation checks made to find secret
doors or similar hidden clues.
This turquoise bead is rumored to have been created by a lost civilization that once thrived in
a lush and beautiful landscape. A character may plant the bead in any terrain and simply apply
a gallon of water. Within 4 hours the surrounding area will grow into a lush oasis. The oasis
contains an ample supply of fresh water, has several varieties of fruit trees, and maintains a
moderate temperature both day and night. At the GM’s discretion, some of the special features
from the following table may also be added:
Magical Waterfall and Lake. Those who bathe in the water receive the effects of the Greater
1
Restoration spell.
Lush with Valuables. The Oasis contains 1d12 x 100 gp worth of valuables (Gold Coins, Scattered
3
Jewels, Treasure, Etc). The Oasis may also contain one Legendary alchemy or herbalism ingredient.
A Cozy Paradise. Those who take a short rest here receive the benefits of a Long Rest instead.
4
Those who take a Long Rest gain Inspiration.
A Touch of Fey. The Oasis contains 1d4 nymphs who will assist the players with their needs. They
5
provide the Help action to any activities taken within the Oasis.
Pool of Resurrection and Reincarnation. A pool which contains magic healing properties. A body
6 can be placed within the pool and receives the full benefits of the Resurrection spell. Anyone who
drinks from the pool has a 25% chance of being reincarnated in the pool upon death.
A Djinn is Born. A Djinn is created and tied to the Oasis. The Djinn will grant three wishes to a
7
character, but those wishes may only add features to the Oasis.
222 APPENDIX A
Canary Locket Captain ’s Cutlass
Cross-Country Skis
This small journal was lost by an accomplished You gain +1 to attack and damage rolls made
Herbalist, and it contains hundreds of with this magic weapon. As an action you can
useful entries on the flora in several distinct jam this plain knife into a hard surface, such
wilderness biomes. While carrying this book, as ice or stone, and it will act as a hammered
you can gain Advantage on all checks to piton that is able to support up to 500 pounds.
locate and combine useful herbs. As another action, from its hilt, up to 25 feet
of thin silk rope unravels and can be used to
CANARY LOCKET repel or otherwise climb to safety. As a third
Wondrous item, uncommon (requires attunement) action, the rope can wind itself back around
the hilt of the knife.
This golden bird-shaped locket, when worn
around the neck, makes a shrill chirping sound COWL OF THE BADLANDS
in the presence of foul air or poisonous fumes. Wondrous item, uncommon (requires attunement)
In addition to the warning sounds, the locket
grants Advantage to the wearer on saving While wearing this cowl, you automatically
throws against poisonous or acidic fumes. succeed on Constitution Saving Throws
related to Extreme Temperatures (heat)
and are Immune to the related condition
CAPTAIN’S CUTLASS of Sunburn. In addition, your daily water
Weapon (any sword with the Finesse trait), very rare requirements are halved while attuned to this
(requires attunement) item.
APPENDIX A 223
Free- Diving Gear
Ghillie Suit
EVER-CHANGING MAP
Ever-Changing Map Wonderous item, rare
Due to limited visibility and hearing, all WIS GHILLIE SUIT (UNIQUE TO BIOME TERRAIN)
Adventuring gear, uncommon - 20 gp, 5 pounds
(Perception) checks are made at Disadvantage
while wearing this gear.
This set of clothing has been specially
designed to go over top of clothing and armor
DUAL CINCH CLIMBING HARNESS that is already being worn. The thin, net-like
Adventuring gear, common - 5 gp, 2 pounds
material is interwoven with cloth strips that are
made to look like the environment for which
This modified climbing harness has two long the ghillie suit is designed. The suit comes in
leather straps that can be thrown around a four varieties: Dark Foliage (Jungle, Forest,
tree, column, pole, or other cylindrical object Swamp), Light Foliage (Grassland, Mountain,
and clipped into the belt for swift ascent. The Coastal), Desert, and Arctic. Wearing a ghillie
harness allows the wearer to use full Walking suit imposes Disadvantage on sight-based
Speed instead of half while ascending. WIS (Perception) checks to detect a creature
who is wearing it in the proper biome.
224 APPENDIX A
GOGGLES OF HEAT DETECTION GRIO’S ALL-TERRAIN ARTIFICER WAGON
Wondrous Item, rare Wondrous item, legendary
In addition to providing all the normal eye This wagon uses artificer technology to
protection benefits of standard goggles, these deliver an all-purpose, all-terrain, all-inclusive
goggles are magically imbued with the ability experience. The internal combustion engine
to detect specific heat signatures of living is powered by four air elementals working in
entities. When activated by the command perfect harmony, providing the wagon with
word, the goggles allow the wearer to detect unique and customizable properties. The
a glowing red aura around any creature that wagon is perfect for those who constantly
is producing significant body heat within 120 find themselves in harsh environments such
feet. The goggles do not detect undead or as archaeologists, alchemists, or your run-of-
any other creatures that exhibit abnormally the-mill adventurers.
low or absent metabolism.
• Expanded Internal Living Space: The
Typically used by search and rescue teams to wagon comes with powerful enchantments
track down creatures who have been lost in which allows for an average size exterior
blizzards or avalanches, these goggles may with a cozy and roomy interior. Complete
also be used to identify invisible creatures with living quarters, wash room, storage
within range. area, and two spare rooms to use at your
leisure.
ICE AXES
Adventuring Gear, common - 5 gp, 3 pounds
Grio s All-Terrain
’
Artificer Wagon
APPENDIX A 225
Intrepid Shoes
Plague Mask
PLAGUE MASK
INTREPID SHOES Wondrous Item, uncommon
Wonderous item, very rare (requires attunement)
This self-contained breathing apparatus
These shoes are decorated with stylized completely covers the head and protects the
images of waves, sand, and snow. As an wearer from airborne hazards in the external
action, the wearer can transform these shoes environment for a short time. With its own
into wide flat footwear that act as flippers, limited oxygen supply, a plague mask can be
snowshoes, crampons, or other protective worn for up to one hour, during which time
footwear. The shoes may confer any of the the wearer cannot be harmed by smoke, toxic
following abilities: fumes, or allergens that affect the eyes, nose,
throat, or lungs, nor can the wearer contract
• Swimming Speed equal to your Walking airborne diseases.
Speed
• Ignore Difficult Terrain cause by ice or The supply of breathable air in this mask is
snow provided by a special alchemical oil, called
• Negate the Fire damage conveyed by lava Oleum Vitae, that is vaporized in the form
that is dense enough to be traversed of oxygen. Once the oil has been consumed,
• Ignore the sinking qualities of quicksand a creature who is wearing the mask begins
to Suffocate. The mask can be used again
MACHETE when the supply of Oleum Vitae has been
Adventuring gear, common - 1 gp, 2 pounds replenished by a capable alchemist.
A machete is designed to cut through thick Due to limited visibility and hearing, all WIS
jungle undergrowth. Difficult terrain caused (Perception) checks are made at Disadvantage
by thick vegetation does not slow you down while wearing this head covering.
while using this tool. If used as a weapon, the
machete uses the stats of a Sickle.
PORTABLE BRIDGE
MAGNIFICENT MACHETE Wondrous Item, rare
Weapon (sword), common
Inside a tall canvas bag are two iron stakes,
This item contains the same properties as each of them four feet long, When these
the machete, but is much sharper and more stakes are driven into the ground no more
versatile. Reinforced with adamantine that than five feet apart, and the command word is
allows the machete to cut through even the spoken, a sturdy suspension bridge magically
hardest of materials, this machete can be extends from the location between the stakes
used to cut through large trees and magically out to a piece of ground up to 60 feet away.
augmented plants. When used as a weapon it The bridge can support up to 3,000 lbs, and
provides a +1 to attack and damage rolls. can be reduced back to a pair of stakes by
speaking the command word from either side
of the bridge.
POWER SHOVEL
Wonderous Item, common
226 APPENDIX A
Respiration Mask
Rod o f Water Detection
and Extraction
RESPIRATION MASK
Wondrous Item, uncommon
Lake, River, or
6 Large Unlimited
Oasis
APPENDIX A 227
Seismic Detector Snare Whip
This small round device of gnomish design This 10-foot-long, lightweight pole folds in
consists of a metal spring suspended in a upon itself into a 1-foot-long handle that can be
clear liquid behind sealed glass. When placed easily carried or stored. Used mainly to probe
on the ground or other flat and level surface, dangerous ground, the pole will collapse or
it can detect even the most subtle vibrations break if more than 50 lbs of weight is placed
from seismic activity. It takes one minute to upon it. Additionally, the pole includes a pair
precisely level the device for it to function of pincers on the telescoping end that may
accurately. be activated by a button on the handle end.
These pincers are strong enough to grasp and
A skilled user may also make a DC 15 WIS hold Tiny objects weighing up to 1 pound.
(Survival) check to detect the movement of
large creatures, or groups of more than 20
smaller creatures, and the direction in which ULTIMATE ALCHEMIST METAL DETECTOR
they are moving. Creatures must be moving Staff, Uncommon
on the ground in order to be detected. On a
failure, the vibrations indicate movement, but While holding this staff, you can use an action
the user is unable to determine the direction to expend 1 of its 5 charges to cast Locate
from which it is coming. Object from it. The staff can also be used as a
magic quarterstaff.
228 APPENDIX A
APPENDIX A 229
PLAYTESTING BACKERS
Ace McCrae Durin Brewhammer Michael “Mikeystein” Ramage
AJ “Asphodel” Dylan “Howl” Hall Michael Ingle
Alan Castellano Tanori Eric Gonzalez Mike McElroy
An Angry Altmer Heidi Jugovic Nicholas O’Brien
Andrew C. Hintz Hunter Harwood Noelle A. Martinez
Andy Lieberum J. Finkiewicz Owen Rion
Ben O’Connor James Eustice Penphiva
Brian Black James Honey Rafael Mejia
Bruce Spiegelman Jeff Gregory Renee Hupp
Bryan Edwards Jesse “symetrik” Warren Richard Comstock
Chad Neely John Hammond Rob Black
cheekycleric (Jessica) Jonathan Hamilton Robert T
Chris Sweat Joshua A. Fischer Seán Gordon
Craig Hicks JP Shawn Craine
Dakota Reighard Justin Mitlehner Shawn Surber
Dan Estabrook Justin Washington Taylor Sansom
Daniel Dower Kelly W. Rush Thomas Saunders
Daniel Reid Kmart Timothy J. Gordon II
David Mkrtchyan Kym Wright Umbraxon
Donovan Baures LeoPoldine WhiteHowl
Downs Deering Louis G. Pratt Wilson W. Chan
Duncan Cuny Mark P. Madden Zack Olson
APPENDIX B 231
STANDARD EDITION BACKERS
A W Verbraeck Asis J. Carlos Charlie J. Ulloa Darryl Viljoen
Aaron F. Stanton Askur Þór Björgvinsson Cheyenne Martin Daryl Graham
Aaron G. Sorensen Astrid Portner Chi Kin Choy Dave P Blewer
Aaron Huff Atle Sveen Chris Adams Dave Patriquin
Aaron L. Bulger Augustin Daumas Chris Black Dave Rockwell
Aaron Pollett Austin Farrar Chris Gonnella David A. Santiago
Aaron Roush Aydin Mardan Chris Hughes David Ameer Tavakoli
Abby Thornton Barnabas Fletcher Chris Kottman David Arnold
Abdulla Hamad Ahmed Alkhalifa Beau Cazet Chris McKinnon David Benkarski
Adam B. Learn Ben Beaver Chris Perry David Gibson
Adam Chunn Ben Brady Chris Shakespear David Greig
Adam Dahlheim Ben Lachman Chrissy Gugel David James Wright
Adam Epstein Ben O’Connor Christian Bedard David King
Adam Gerecke Ben Olsen Christian Pirlet David L. Pierce Jr
Adam Gruszczynski Ben Wood Christian T Wenham David Lapp
Adam Jung Benet Davis Christian Ulm David Marshall
Adam Kappel Benjamin Charlet Christie Jennings-Wyckoff David McQuiston
Adam Koszela Benjamin D. Appleton Christine Balne David Nemeth
Adam Rodgers Benjamin Lindsey Christoffer Jadepalm David Powell
Adam Toulmin Benjamin Saxton-Ruiz Christopher A. Hoffmann David Richard Schlabach
Adenis Alexandre Benjamin Tanner Christopher A. LeBlanc David Swan
Adrian Dittrich Benjamin Wernette Christopher Anderson David Wiggins
Adrián Merino Martínez Bert Van Pol Christopher Avery David William King
Adrian Money Beth Baguley Christopher Battaglia Dawn K. Garcia
Adrian Ross Beth Johnston Christopher Cody Harrison Dawson Moon
Adrien BAUDRAZ Bill McIntyre Christopher Creamer Dawson Vander
Aidan Bohannon Billy Clark Christopher E. Hearne Dean Black
AJ Price BJ Hillinck Christopher Heck Declan
Alan A. Valdez Blaine C. Nicolaisen Christopher Hepworth Delaney Pinnick
Alan Greve Blair McKenzie Christopher J.C. Ryan Dennis Courneyea
Alan L. Livingston Blake Johnson Christopher Laws Dennis vandebroek
Alan Mateo Blake Taylor Christopher McDowell Deena Shipler
Alan Purdy Brad Stitt Christopher Shaw Derek Paul Ibarra
Alberto Gonzalez Brandon Aten Christopher Streissguth Derick D. Spiekerman
Alex Chisolm Brandon Jones Christopher Thibodeau Derrick Cunningham
Alex Ford Brandon LaBonne Christopher Thompson Devin Puls
Alex Geray Brandon Mcguire Christopher Wilson Devon Mitchell
Alex Kearney Brandon Shaw Cleef Dizon Dillon Morris
Alex Norman Brandon Varga Cliff Kamppari-Miller Dillon Van Buskirk
Alex Parker Brennan Wilson Clifton Ponciano Dominic Guido
Alex Shields Brett Palmer Cody L. Lewis Dominik A. Rudolph
Alex Whitehurst Brian Anderson Cody Rinehart Dominique Declerck
Alexander Archibald Brian Eric Taylor Coleman Hiebert Donald Andrew Bronson
Alexander Cotterill Brian Fohlmeister Colin Dunn Donny August
Alexander Gaynor Brian Haynes Collier B. Gladin Doug Connelly
Alexander Hasselstrøm Brian Kim Collin Farr Douglas Blume
Alexander Maas Brian Koonce Connor Riggs Douglas Paul
Alexander Sawyer Brian Lewis Cory Nelson Drew Zambrotta
Alexandre Allard Brian Lovell Courtney Carlson Duncan Harris
Alexandre Gosselin Brian Severson Craig A. Kreger Duncan Kight
Alexandrian Tse Brian Shepherd Craig Coley Duncan Robert Leugs
Alexis Jeffries Brian Skinner Craig Hicks Dustin DeMink
Alfie J. Ailes Jr. Brian Van Nostrand Craig P. Zielonka Dustin Follett
Alisha Cox Broc Atkinson Cully Smutzler Dustin Michal Tallman
Allison Jean Smith Bruce Abbott Curt Duval Dustin R. Leatherman
Alysia Smith Bruce Jackson Cynthia Heaton Dylan Lisoway
Alyssa Hadfield Bruce Mohon Cynthia King Dylan P. Moore
Amanda Gedeon Caelen McMillan Dakota Reighard E Justin Mast
Amr Helmi Caeli Jollimore Dale Hargrove Eduardo Ramirez
Andreas Haas Cai Brockley Damian Adams Edward J. Ryder III
Andrew Brouwer Caitlin Baker Dan Dittmer Edward Jacobson
Andrew Elliott Cam Mullins Daniel A. Brothers Edward Paul Warren
Andrew Franklin Cameron Beck Daniel Boyd Edward Zych
Andrew J Wallen Cameron Robinson Daniel DiMeo Edwin Robertson
Andrew Lieberum Cameron Schaub Daniel Garcia Elgin Scott
Andrew Martin Candice Joslin Daniel Gutierrez Elisa Franssen
Andrew Moses Carlos Cisneros Daniel Harris Elizabeth Tharby
Andrew Obrigewitsch Casey Cain Daniel Higbee Ellis Putman
Andrew P Matthias Casey Kelley Daniel J. Thompson Emily Jackson
Andrew Richardson Casiah Lewis Daniel Jones Emmet Peak
Andrew Williams Catherine Harding Daniel L. Justice Eric Baldwin
Andy Gullikson CC Snyder Daniel Markey Eric Bounous
Andy Tri Nguyen Chad Buell Daniel Matheson Eric Duffy
Angela Mazur Chancey Scott Daniel Prewitt Eric Huff
Annie Castaneda Chappall Gage Daniel Smith Eric Liberti
Anthony Lazaroski Charles Bud Curtis Danika Brasic Eric Owens
Anthony Ray Niedrich Charles Hill Danil Bulatov Eric Salahub
Anthony Walmsley Charles Mars Daphne Wang Eric Stitzman
Apakorn Phasuk Charles Vavrick Darimont Thomas Eric Swirsky
Aron Glasser Charlie Drake Darren Moore Eric Ware
232 APPENDIX B
Erick Anderson Jacob Law Jochen Buennagel Karl Harrison
Erik Johnson Jacob McSweeney Jodie Dennhardt Kat Keillor
Ernst Naezer Jacob Mitchell Trom Jodie Williams Katarzyna Korona
Esko Halttunen Jacob T. Causey Joe Blowers Kate Young
Esko Vesala JacQuez Page Joe D. Finley Katharine Benn
Ethan Daniel Rauch Jaime Easter Joe Rigney Katherine Lugo
Ethan Kurylo Jaime Leigh HARVEY Joel Graves Katie C. Frimodig
Etienne D Meylan Jaime Mayo Joel Rodriguez Katie Johnson
Eugene Demaitre Jaime Rivera John A. Baggett Katrina McQuarrie
Fahad Mustafa Jake Crigger John A. Favaro Katy Dent
Fiona McLoughlin Jake de Bis John Aaron Davis Kazimir Wake
Florian Macé Jake Grant John David Dunn Kelly W. Rush
Francesca Gatti Jake Thompson John Fernett Kelly Weaver
Francis Carelli Jakob Pfafferodt John Gronquist Kelly Williams
Frank Damato James Albert Monaghan John H. Bookwalter Jr. Kelsie O’Dea
Fred Herman James Bartlett John Hammond Ken E. Elwert
G. Galen Mayhew James Blagden John Hein Kenan Rubenstein
Gabriel Casillas James Colaiseno John Schultz Kendall Rogers
Gabriel Gauthier James Crowder II John Scott Erdoesy Kenneth M Watson
Garnet Shepherd James D. Porter John Snyder Kenneth N. Fairbank
Garvin W. Anders James Daniel Reid John Stoops Kent Morris
Gavin A. Boutdy James Davison John Thomas Keven Ruest
Geraldine Shipler James E. Beadle John Williams Kevin Brennan
Georg Heller James Hepburn John Zanath Kevin Chapman
George Fazakerley James Honey Johnathan K. Taylor Kevin Cowdin
George Sherburn James Jackson Johnathan Taylor Kevin Feeman
Gerald Daigle James Johnson Jonathan Carter Kevin Hoffman
Gerald McEvoy James Lorenzana Jonathan Chiaravalle Kevin M Saxton
Gerardo Medina James Makepeace Jonathan Peterson Kevin Pagliarini
Gerben van Essen James Payne Jonathan Sill Kevin Ramdeo
Ginette Beavis James Ross Jonathon T. Engstrom Kiai Weidemann
Gissela Baker James Young Jordan A. Furman Kim Brandes
Giuseppe D’Aristotile Jr. Jamie Corfield Jordan Arnold Kim Øien
Goh Choon Guan Jan Artoos Jordie Jenkins Kimberly Haling
Gordon Milner Jan Eberhart Jorrit Muller Kimberly Pauley
Graham Davey Jan Philip Kolbaum Jose A. Acevedo Kirby Adams
Granby Limb Janice Elaine Roy José Gonçalves Klara Allsopp
Grant Bischoff Janine Lünenborg Jose Rivera Zarandona Kodey Bruno
Grant Potts Jarred Merriam Jose Rodriguez Kolten Webber
Greg Moss Jasmine Weeks Joseph Antone Guzman Konrad van Heukelom
Greg Rowe Jason B. Gabel Joseph Budovec Kory Beatty
Gregg Marshall Jason Gross Joseph Cabrera Kristchan Crespo
Gregor Steinhorn Jason Lotito Joseph DeOliveira Kristen Heacock
Gregory Hastings Jason Marlar Joseph Finkiewicz Kristian Williams
Gregory Lynn Jason Melton Joseph Flores Kristin Deeds
Grétar Mar Sigurðsson Jason Quistorff Joseph Henry Blanco Kristina Powell
Haci Ibrahim Tanirgan Jason Sallis Joseph Marek Kyle D. McHenry
Hamilton Spivey Javier Velez Joseph Michael Jewell Kyle Ross Conway
Harold S. Hughes III Jay Grenier Josh Crompton Kyle Tippets
Hayden Robertson Jay H. Peringer Josh Elliott Kyle Urban
Hayden Wasley Jay Straughan Josh Newton Landon Jamieson
Heather Chamberlain Jayson Santiago Josh Scheibe Lane Michael Luebber
Heather Nelson Jean-Marc Rivas Josh Sjothun Larry Determan
Heidi Jugovic Jean-Yves Trouveroy Joshua Bailey Lars Enzweiler
Henning Eriksen Jeff Clark Joshua D. Mailhiot Laura Brunberg
Henry Meier Jeff Herron Joshua Grosser Laura L. Picou
Holly Koponen Jeff Gregory Joshua Johnson Lauren & Tish Fox
Honore Depew Jeff Mackewicz Joshua King Lauren Jameson
Houssin Bazire Jeff Phinney Joshua Mattern Lee Holloway
Hunter Henrichsen Jeffrey Brownson Joshua Ohmer Lena Mao
Hunter J. Allen Jeffrey Fitch Joshua Phillips Lennert Faltysek
Hunter M. White Jeffrey Harden Joshua Remer Leo Petrazickis
Ian Barnes Jeffrey Harper Joshua Sciberras Leon Adrian
Ian Williams Jeffrey Lanzer Joshua Sonnie Leonardo C. Cornelio Jr.
Isaac Frank Jeffrey Smith Joshua Van Laningham Lev Flowers
Isaac Graham Jennifer Patterson Josiah Rise Lewis Johnson
Isaac Lamb Jennifer Pawlik Josue Rangel Pena Liam O’Sullivan
Isaac McClellan Jennyfer Wren Binns JT Thompson Lidia Coe
Isobel Thompson Jens Eberle-Sudo Juan Pablo Gonzalez Lilette Lacaden
Israel Martinez Jeran Jenks Juergen Barters Lily Lin
Iulian-Ioan Puț Jeremy Huggins Julia Margolies Logan J. Shafer
Ivan Danielewicz Jeremy J. Smith Julian Christensen Logan Williams
Iván Rael Núñez Harper Jeremy Orriss Justin Ackinson Lonnie C. Daniel
Iwona Kiszelewska Jeremy Pinske Justin Carroll Lorenzo Moscianese
J.R. Devid Jerry Hanson Justin Coffran Lorenzo Suiker
Jack Doughty Jesse Rathbun Justin Grant Louis Bloomfiepd
Jack Frost Jesse Warren Justin Merrick Louis Deutschman
Jack Kuszel Jessica A. Eaton Justin Mitlehner Louis Pratt
Jackie Mayrose Jessica Bohlman Kaelib Winarski Lowell Burton
Jacob Chapin Jessica Kenney Kaelon Fullmer Lowesky Rosario
Jacob Cornelius Jim Frederick Kalle Lukkala Lukas Scheerer
Jacob Daniel Hughes Jin Ying Li Kane Gartrell Luke Alexander
Jacob Keating Jobin Veach Sr. Kara Argue Luke Fabis
APPENDIX B 233
Luke Timms Michael Liebhart Pedro Grana Carmona Ryan Kearns Stewart P. Taylor
Lynette Guzman Michael Lonon Pedro L. Salgado Ryan McGregor Stuart Morell
Magdalena Wanzen- Michael Palmer Pelle Bjørn Nilausen Ryan Schaufele Susan McCafferty
böck Michael Poznanski Pete Fry Ryan Schnackel Sven Drießen
Magnar Sveen Michael Schwab Peter Cohen Ryan Vanderwerf Szabó Gábor
Malachi Cowells Michael Weeks Peter Fox S. Kelly Marshall Talakai Na’Dane
Malcolm Mackenzie Michael Young Peter Georges Sabrina Hernandez Tanya Jackson
Malinda Weiner Michele Jacobsen Peter M. Bemelmans Sage Vizcarra Tatyana Vogt
Malte Wendt-Larsen Miguel Therriault Peter Mason Sam Moran Taylor Venteicher
Marcin Nowicki Mike Costello Phil Beneker Samuel Bunda Ted McClintock
Marco A. Lopez Mike Mancini Philip Hindley Samuel Lopes Tegan Bourke
marcus arena Miles Canyon Spencer Philip Sheppard Samuel Rice Terry Davidson
Marcus B. Puller Miles Mateus Philip Wert Sarah Bartlett Terry E Roberts
Marie L. Erck Mitch Cowan Phillip Bush Sarah Cantley Terry Kolhoff
Marisa L. Hoffower Mitchel Wilson Phillip Prochaska Sascha Wetzel Terry Zembrzuski
Mark Bannon III Mitchell Porteous Phillip Swanson Sasha Calame Thaddeus Watulak
Mark Gunter Morten Cornelsen Polychronidis Nikolaos Saskia Leymann Thiago Malta Fernandes
Mark H. Dreschler Mr Jason Reynolds R.T.W. Goossens Savan Ashok Gupta Thilo Schub
Mark Madden Mr M A Brown Rachelle Mildren Savannah L. Oellrich Thomas Burns
Martijn Jansen Mr Richard J. Ashton Randall Ellington Scott Berger Thomas Clifford
Martin Bontrager Mr. Robert Jackson Randy Smith Scott Drouin Thomas Guy
Martin Michel Natalie Taber Ray Coleman Scott E. Eckert Thomas Higginbotham
Mary Daniels Nathan Gearhart Raymond Taylor Scott McGloughlin Thomas J. Talamini
Mary Olivia Harlow Nathan Levesque Rebecca Schroeder Scott Simmons Thomas Olson
Mat Stewart Nathan Lords Rebecca Tom Scott Wells Thomas WIlliam Hartwig II
Mathias Eek Nathan Royalty Reece Hanlin Sean Drewanz Thorbjørn Reimann-Andersen
Matous Adamec Nathan Wolke Regina Korhut Sean Frackowiak Tim Griffin
Matt Byrne Nathaniel Johnson Remo Maillart Sean Rowan Tim Neill
Matt Cook Nathaniel Jones Renate Braul Sean Ryan Duffy Tim Rinehart
Matt Frazita Nathaniel Laveck Ricardo Sanfins Searlait O’Hagan Tim Sullivan
Matt Knapil Neil Lilley Richard Balsley Sebastian Puper Tim Winton
Matt Merrell Neil Taylor Richard Line Selina Gowin Timothy Ferrell
Matt Pickup Ngai Yiu Wong Richard Rodriguez Senne Audier Timothy Foss
Matt Sywenky Niccolo Grando River T. Ross Seth Bell Timothy G. Smith
Matteo Marannino Nicholas Hall Rob Cuomo Seth Church Tobias Christensen
Matthew Barker Nicholas Harvey Robert Borriello Seth Kravetz Todd Dowd
Matthew Barnes Nicholas Hull Robert Browning Seth Lilly Toop Nouwens
Matthew Bliss Nicholas Loving Robert Guthrie Shana Bolander Travis Pogmore
Matthew Byron Nicholas Madrid Robert Harrts Shane Collins Trent Redfield
Matthew Carroll Nicholas R Lehnert Robert Hupf Shane Giles Trevar Fracchiolla
Matthew D. Pierce Nicholas R. Williams Robert Hurn Shane Power Trever Bergh
Matthew Golub Nicholas Shaw Robert McGookin Shaun Bixby Trevor Brian Nesbitt
Matthew J. Delaney Nicholas Slowes Robert Wallace Shaun Kiefer Trevor James Knoebel
Matthew Jones Nick Heinbaugh Robert Matros Shawn M. Fortier Tristan Conor McGee
Matthew Michael Agee Nick Martin Robert Muhlig Shawn Rose Tristan Saindon Groulx
Matthew Quinn Nick Sutton Robert Praetorius Jr Shea Michael Duerler Tyler Erickson
Matthew Robert Engles Nicolas Dulière Robert Scripps IV Shea Williams Tyler Lane Cody
Matthew Rudolph Nicolas Hampton Robert Wilson Shelby Watkins Tyler Lee Yates
Matthew sharp Nicole Borruso Roberto Mejias Silvio Oehme Tyler R. Gibson
Max Barker Nicole Frame Robin Beddow Silvio Sibilia Tyler S
Max Krembs Nik Bradač Robin Jonsson Simon Dalcher Tyler Schaeffer
Max Morehouse Nikkolette Lee Robin M. Mayenfels Sir Robert Bombalier Tyler Stewart
Max Topping Noah Acierno Robin Pallett Skyler A. Hall Vic Harris
Maxx Ratliff Noah Ruhmer Robin Tanquerel Sohan Rao Victoria French
Megan Chester Noel Smith Robyn Pesticcio Sol Sukut Victoria Hunsaker
Meghan A. McElaney Noelle Martinez Ron Miller Sophia Brittain Victoria Peter
Meghan Cobourn Olivier Boudreault Ronen Orland Stefan Dyke Walter Hosking
Micah Olguin Oscar Ortiz Ronnie Nocera Stefan Schlichting Wayne Marshall
Michael B. Daugherty Owen Rion Ross Guthro Steffan Grønlund Wayne Naylor
Michael Bakker Owen Smith Roux du Toit Stephane Gelgoot Will Matthews
Michael Carrig Oxto Santiago Medina Roxanne Sergeant Stephanie Kellogg William Combs
Michael Chadd Øystein Borhaug Ruben Brandt Stephanie Meier William Crewe
Michael Edward Martin Pablo Llanos Ortiz Russel Pryor Stephen Bowyer William F. Wittman
Michael Field Paige Lisko Russell Hoyle Stephen Hoffman William G. Schiemenz
Michael Gadd Parker Maxwell Russell McLaughlin Stephen Nash William Hart
Michael Green Patrick Beaulieu Ryan Allison Stephen Schorn William Henry Greenslade
Michael Griffeth Patrick Harrington Ryan Arias Delafosse Stephen Smith William Shepherd
Michael Hansen Patrick Hennessey Ryan Benson Stephen Tonks William Wood
Michael Hebert Patrick Hoskins Ryan Cherry Steve Capezza Zachary Paul
Michael J Rider Patrick Lee Ryan Copeland Steve Nelms Zachary Stephen Battista
Michael Jacobson Patrick Russell Ryan Finn Steve Ray Zacharyah Barlow
Michael John Essers Patrick Smith Ryan Ford Steve Riese Zack Olson
Michael Johnson Paul A. Didonato Ryan Hover Steven Cairnduff Zack Thompson
Michael Leguillow III Paul Gasperini Ryan Hughes Steven Jaskowiak Zeke Fowler
Michael Lehmann Paul Van Rompay Ryan Johnston Steven M. Almasy
234 APPENDIX B
APPENDIX B 235