How to Prepare and Run Hex Crawls for D&D

Подписаться 166 тыс.

Просмотров 47 тыс.

50% 1

dScryb | Get the SONIC LIBRARY and professionally written narrative descriptions for your RPG game. www.dscryb.com/... - Use coupon code THEDMLAIR for 10% off!
Lair Magazine Hex Crawl Issue the-dm-lair.my...
Navigating the Hexes the-dm-lair.my...
___
In this video, you'll learn the secrets to creating and running exciting RPG hex crawls in D&D. We'll go over everything from crafting the perfect hex crawl map to adding thrilling elements like random encounters, planned encounters, adventures, and events. With our expert tips and tricks, you'll be able to take your players on an unforgettable journey through uncharted territories, unlocking the full potential of hex crawls in your RPG gaming sessions. Whether you're a seasoned game master or just starting out, this video is a must-watch for anyone looking to elevate their hex crawl skills.
Bob World Builder's Sonic Library video: • The Sonic Library Walk...
FREE RANDOM ENCOUNTER TABLES: www.thedmlair....
LAIR MAGAZINE | easy-to-use D&D 5e GM resources (adventures, maps, puzzles, traps, and more) designed to reduce GM prep time! / thedmlair
THE SECRET ART OF GAME MASTERY | Get decades of GM experience in one book! www.kickstarte...
FREE GM RESOURCES | Join the DM Lair Newsletter to get 100% FREE D&D 5e adventures and other GM resources emailed to you every week: thedmlair.getr...
LAIRS & LEGENDS | over 700 pages of D&D 5e GM resources: adventures spanning levels 1 to 15, 100+ new monsters, encounters, puzzles, traps, villains, NPCs, maps, and more! the-dm-lair.my...
DM LAIR STORE | Get back issues of Lair Magazine, Lairs & Legends, Loot & Lore, Into the Fey, map packs, 5e adventures, and other 5e GM resources! the-dm-lair.my...
KICKSTARTER | Get notified when DM Lair Kickstarters launch! thedmlairkicks...
DISCORD | Join our awesome, welcoming community of game masters who encourage and help each other out: / discord
ROLL20 ADVENTURES | Get professionally made Roll20 D&D 5e adventures The DM Lair team has created here. marketplace.ro...
~~2023 Convention Schedule~~
Please come up and say hi if you see me!
Gen Con, August 3-6 www.gencon.com/
Grand Con, September 1-3 www.grand-con....
Lair Con, October ???-??? www.thedmlair....
#dungeonsanddragons #dungeonmaster #gamemaster

Опубликовано:

26 сен 2024

Ссылка:

Скачать:

Готовим ссылку...

Добавить в:

Мой плейлист

Посмотреть позже

Комментарии : 153

@theDMLair Год назад

Lair Magazine Hex Crawl Issue the-dm-lair.myshopify.com/products/endeavors-exploration-lair-magazine-27-march-2023-issue Navigating the Hexes the-dm-lair.myshopify.com/products/navigating-the-hexes-a-game-masters-guide-to-hex-crawls

@RyuuKageDesu Год назад

I have literally been running a randomized hex crawl for over a year. We recently tried a new adaptation, where the trip is planned ahead, and the travel rolls were all grouped together, like a montage, then all of the events are montaged together. It really helped many of the players stay engaged because it allows them to stay in one mindset longer.

@trebot9292266 Год назад

thats an awesome idea. Totally borrowing it.

@RyuuKageDesu Год назад

@@trebot9292266 Hope it serves you well. Let me know how it works out for your group.

@spencerzempel702 Год назад

@@RyuuKageDesuwould you mind explaining a little more what you mean by “planned ahead” is there a lost chance? I’m just starting my first hex crawl this week!

@RyuuKageDesu Год назад

@@spencerzempel702 There is a chance of loss, as well as side tracking, which is why even though the group may decide on a six day round trip, they only roll for three days. When the group starts their journey back to their home town, they roll for the rest of the journey. As I mentioned above, my group finds it easier to roll up everything for their travels, such as hunting, daily downtime activities, and what not. Then we jump from event to event. If the group does get sidetracked, a weather event makes them buckle down for an extra day, or the like, the extra rolls aren't difficult to add in.

@RottenRogerDM Год назад

I loved the old judges guild Wilderlands of High Fantasy supplement. DM map had all the encounters and players map was mostly blank.

@bakuiel1901 Год назад

So first game I ran was a HEX crawl and biggest mistake was having a 24 km HEX map but not having something in every Hex but using random encounters and they got to rest before every battle, the way you suggest would be much better

@andrewlustfield6079 Год назад

Lot of pretty good info---another tip would be roll out all of your random encounters as you're planing your adventure, too. It gives you time to decide why they are there in the first place and add context to the actual encounter.

@braedenaldridge8452 Год назад

This is a interesting idea. My players are going to be searching for Vampires and their lairs in the coming weeks. I could certainly incorporate some of this to it. 😊

@Jeremy-rp3in 5 месяцев назад

This is a CRAZY good video and underrated. I began running a hexcrawl recently and man has it helped me to prepare a session so much easier .... Another "non-combat" roll you could have is a traveling merchant with some nice magic itema out of reach for the party but could be given something if they work as a caravan guard to make sure they get to the next location.

@themulticulturalistjames Год назад

I really appreciate the Hex Crawl preparation methodologies! I've been into OSR things and I've been curious as to how to do everything and lean in to what makes it fun. This helps a bunch!

@shellbackbeau7021 Год назад

You should give them a hex grid with only the starting town on it. Let them fill in the rest of the grid as they explore. And remember, they won't know if you roll that 1, 2,or3 in 6 chance each hex that they get lost(unless they have a ranger, rangers cause the dm to roll a d8, at level 4 is now a d10, and finally at level 8 it is a d12)

@mke3053 Год назад

Dont forget to include "no encouter", "plot advancement" and "friendly npcs" on your random encouter table.

@dbvelocity6508 Год назад

I like the d4’s from “Role 4 Initiative” called “arch’d4”, it’s like a d6 with two sides arched and provides good roll and ease of pickup.

@UrbanVerse69 Год назад

I love a good hexcrawl. I'm working on one right now, inspired by the old Isle of Dread module and the whole Oak Island treasure legend. It's evolved into something much larger, tying into the world lore of what happened to dragons, and developing my unique kobolds.

@mkmasterthreesixfive Год назад

The biggest boon to weather is splashing in difficult terrain pockets. Running through sopping soggy grass that pulls up with each Step and Stride taken, leaving behind muddy steaks as you slide forward can make an impactful combat.

@petergreening1334 Год назад

I agree with you on the pyramid D4s, that why I use a 12 sided D4

@dahelmang Год назад

Aww that sponsored segment was fun!

@pewprofessional3181 Год назад

Hex crawls have been apart of D&D since back in the day. Wotc has left out soooo much that made the game fun. Basic D&D (B/X 1981) had hex crawls.

@AaronHill4 Год назад

Such a useful video - exactly what I needed as I’m planning a hex crawl!

@null_error_valuable Год назад

Learned something today, never thought about doing this with my group. They do like to take walkabouts, now we can spice those up a little. :D

@benjaminholcomb9478 Год назад

I immediately went to the same place as the barb did with the Sonic library. Nice plug👌

@minimoose7890 Год назад

Hex-flower table is a good way to randomly roll and track weather in a more realistic fashion. Rolling twice on a random encounter table and thinking up the combination of the results is another way to add variety to travel.

@ShaneKennedy-gt8nl 6 месяцев назад

Thank you Luke, love your videos.

@keithwinget3450 Год назад

I use something I call a node-crawl for certain parts of adventures. For example I had an adventuring party who needed to travel through the city sewers of a massive city, and those sewers contained numerous "nodes" or rooms(or collections of rooms). Rather than rendering a fully fleshed out map of every 5ft square of it, I made a diagram of connected nodes that I used to reveal where they could go as they explored. It could have worked a lot like a hex crawl, except that the topology of my map wasn't consistent. Nodes could have any number of connections to other nodes so long as it was more than 1 (If that node was accessible through mundane means). I've thought of doing a sub-adventure that's modeled in this way but themed similarly to the Arcane Sanctuary from Diablo II.

@cardsandcrusades Год назад

If you run an hour by hour travel you can control how much "extra time" the players have and choose how many short rests they get. With that number even increasing or decreasing with slow and fast travel. Just one thing needs to be added to keep them from just long resting constently to avoid this problem, and that is random encounters that's right they are actually pretty cool

@onealflynn2414 Год назад

I’d use the the tables in the back of Scarlet Heroes to flesh out a hex crawl exploring

@JKevinCarrier Год назад

For weather, what I like to do is to pick a location in the real world that is geographically similar to where the PCs are travelling, and look up what the weather was like there for a matching period of time ("Ok, the party will be travelling through a desert in the Spring, let's see what it was like in Egypt last April..."). That way the weather is plausible, but still kinda random, and you can plan encounters around it (e.g., several days of heavy rain might wash out roads and bridges).

@dickermannfilme_cora1717 Год назад

I made a D6 with weathersymbols on it and refine them aording to the location when asked for Weather. Snowstorm in the desert? More like Sandstorm. Works well.

@trollge3712 Год назад

@@dickermannfilme_cora1717can u link a picture of the die

@O4C209 Год назад

Love the giving the players a blank hex map. Do you warn the players that they may get lost?

@Surag1057 Год назад

If you hate classic d4, I think you will love MODERN d4 :). I bought one from the q-workshop company that produces this kind of dice.

@cyntogia Год назад

People forget how fun an interesting a hexcrawl can be. WOTC failed to make one for 5E. It's such a shame.

@mistergoats4380 Год назад

Step 2 is HARD

@johnathanrhoades7751 Год назад

Populate hexes? There’s a Dungeon World supplement that has amazing Discovery and Danger generation tables that I’ve been using. I was super intimidated, but with that I can easily roll up a few discoveries and dangers for each hex and contextualize it to my world. It’s been a game changer for me.

@cyntogia Год назад

I disagree. I find that the most fun part. Groove of the unicorn, lair of the Umberhulk.

@Zenas521 Год назад

About D4s, ask a dice maker to make you special D8s that go up to four twice over.

@TheCiroth 11 месяцев назад

I have rollable D4 dice. They are pretty balanced and makes it feel like you're rolling dice. I've only seen one Kickstarter with them (I bought a lot) but no where else.

@BigCowProductions Год назад

For my game (a large homebrew campaign and setting), I like the idea of a Hex Crawl, but to prepare it more with guided random encounters. Still use a hex map. Have the 6 mile scale one, with an event at 6 or 12 miles. For your local region. Listening, I like your 8 mile one. But yeah, once you have the area, you can feed in random encounters for that area which make up cool encounters that will inform your players of your world and challenge them in some way. The hex part comes with the ones on the map, or hidden ones to find. I just don't think I'd set something for every single square, but have everything with an overseen AI of sorts with established locations added also.

@BigCowProductions Год назад

You totally cover not doing everything on the 6 or 8 mile hexes hahaha. That's what I get for typing as I watch 😅 But I do prefer the more random encounter scenario, though. Like you said, being relevant and not completely random. Like if a city is growing, trade caravans would come up more often on the roads in the direction they're trading. So, now, what if a caravan is attacked by a creature related to the campaign? These merchants are of a specific faction. A faction the players will have been in contact with, or will be. Etc.

@screamingblue7 Год назад

Woo! More love for the underused d12! I use them for my weather chart!

@TruaxOutdoors Год назад

Love the wheel of time books on your shelf back there! My favorite book series of all time!

@rylandrc Год назад

That hex map example at 0:20 seems especially difficult to populate with interesting encounters and other features. So many open plain land hexes!

@jeffreymackay4343 Год назад

Hey Luke! Great video! Was great playing with you in the Thursday 9am game at Gary Con.

@Ironoclasty Год назад

I use cylindrical d4s. It rolls just like a d6 but two sides bulge out or come to points. They make it much easier to roll.

@malcolmrowe9003 Год назад

Regarding D4s, I think that they should be used for determining damage from caltrops, since that is basically what they are. Incidentally, I recently acquired a D4 (as part of a DCC dice set) which has the pointy corners cut off, so A) it rolls a bit better B) it should be less painful to step on C) there is a (very) slight chance that it could land point side down.

@johnathanrhoades7751 Год назад

I super recommend starting with a 6 mile hex around a central town and generate something interesting per hex. 24 miles per day is not happening on anything other than flat plains. (no need to come up with something crazy, Perilous Wilds has great tables to populate hexes). Don’t pre-generate too much to start or you’ll burn out, but make sure you have something generated for a days travel or so from the town. Also, make sure you have rumors available about the surrounding area, some evocative points of interest on the map, and factions moving in the area so that your players have some direction they can latch on to and aren’t just left to wander around (they still CAN just wander around, but giving them things they can do in the area and points of interest they can head to and check out is super important)

@MonsieurBooyah 8 месяцев назад

12-sided D4s exist for the record. they changed my life.

@TheMightyDM Год назад

Love me some hex crawls. Ever since running Tomb of Annihilation I try to work a good hex crawl into every one of my games. It helps that my group really enjoys the big sandbox games too, which I think pairs great with a well-made hex crawl.

@nickm9102 Год назад

This sounds like a lot of fun from both sides. As for the dice I like the idea of a D6 form for my D2 and D3 and a D8 or D12 form for the D4.

@Q_Cooper Год назад

I’ve been playing in a C&C barrow maze game for a few months, if you’re group likes combat and adventure I’d highly recommend it

@TheLegoLord100 Год назад

First book campaign I ever ran was ToA back when it first came out and, from the DM's seat at least, it didn't feel great, which was my own fault. The biggest reason was not properly handling the constantly shifting playerbase (I had maybe 1/3 of my original players in the last session) but the other big one was me not properly running the hexcrawl in an engaging way. It fizzled out around the Heart of Ubtao and ever since that I've wanted to retry it, this time properly. So I hope this video helps me take another step towards that revival by helping me properly run the hexcrawl portion (need to finish DM'ing Icewind first tho)

@dickermannfilme_cora1717 Год назад

IF you really hate D4s, there are plenty Diceshops that make custom dice. So you can have a D12shaped Die with 1-4 on them. Rolls good, no math involved.

@leofriclac Год назад

Love this, I am definately gonna nick it for my game

@dahelmang Год назад

What should be the limits on the characters' ability to see into adjacent hexes? It would make sense they can't see every encounter coming, but if there's an open area couldn't they see some things and aim for them or avoid them?

@johnathanrhoades7751 Год назад

On flat terrain, I’ve read you can normally see 3 miles in any direction (depending on air quality, etc.) that’s one of the reasons for the 6 mile hex. But it’s all very dependent on elevation and terrain and general visibility.

@dahelmang Год назад

@@johnathanrhoades7751 sounds good, thanks!

@NikozBG Год назад

I have some house rules I can offer. For instance if you are on a somewhat flat, unobstructed terrain in a clear weather you can see into adjacent hexes(if they are flat, unobstructed terrain as well). If you are on a high hill or a mountain tile, you can see 2 hexes over(if they are lower ground). Your perception DCs will go +5 for every hex. Also it's up to you what can even be seen at such far distances. I use 10 km hexes, that's roughly equivalent to 8 miles. You can do so much more if you like - climbing trees in forested hex, can give you vision in the next hex, etc etc.

@dahelmang Год назад

@@NikozBG nice! Easier checks for something easy like a dragon or army, and bonus if you have a spyglass.

@atomicnectar Год назад

This video doesn’t suck. In fact I’d even say it’s watchable! Love the content

@sengembarom3065 Год назад

I like your videos because even when I don't agree with your advice, at least I get some ideas out of it

@BrazenBard Год назад

One funny encounter: someone falls out of the sky and splats onto the ground in front of the party. In the person's hand there's a (smashed) potion bottle with a stuck cork. The person also has a bag of holding containing various personal items and two potions of flying...

@searchforsecretdoors Год назад

Great video. Re: d4 hate, I agree. I switched about a year ago from d4 over to d8 with 1-4 printed twice. WAAAY better!

@Marcus-ki1en Год назад

D4s are only a problem when you step on them in bare feet, gamer's caltrops. (yes, been there done that)

@bsabruzzo Год назад

Dungeon crawls are fun for specific places, but sometimes you need a hexcrawl to explore the world around you as you travel. Just started watching the video, so I don't know if you mention point crawls. If not, I'd love to hear your take on them.

@Calebgoblin Год назад

I didn't know I also felt that way about d4s until you mentioned it, so, thanks...I think...

@zombiehampster1397 Год назад

Great video, and i completely agree about d4s...

@TheCiroth Год назад

I love my rollable D4. It was a kickstarter I backed. Maybe someone should make them?

@anon-yw4wd Год назад

In other words play D&D like Gary Gygax told us all to play it. Like a TTRPG MMO, a la the West Marches style. Going old school is the best school.

@doranconall9995 Год назад

I think i'm gonna start using hex crawls when my players move about Night City

@tylerwhorff7143 Год назад

I ran an Arctic hex crawl that took 3 months. Some of my players were a bit bored but the people that enjoyed exploring did enjoy it! I find them fun but some people don't enjoy the "crawl" aspect but I feel like some parts of a ttrpg have to be slow. It doesn't make sense to bounce through every location and quest

@duncanmacneil4759 Год назад

RU-vid he doesn't suck! (I got you message nice and clear)

@RobKinneySouthpaw Год назад

My son has some cool d4s. They are like a stretched out d6, with two rounded faces, so they'll only roll in the direction of the four numbered sides. They roll and they don't stab feet

@Boss-_ Год назад

Was doing this a couple years ago in my campaign, except it was more procedurally generated with occasional pre-makes, and in squares. Needed it to be ready at a moment's notice, and it was just one location in a larger campaign that can be visited and left. Now that the campaign is over, I'm defining it and making a reusable system out of it. Watched this to see if I can get some tips I didn't think about, and sad to say "nope". Would have been more useful to me 3 years ago.

@MrJonVogt Год назад

I hate d4s for random encounters, too, Luke! I justify the d12 by letting the 10, 11, and 12 represent different difficulty levels of the encounter

@thesonofdormammu5475 Год назад

This is a good idea!

@kailankuroneko Год назад

Use a d4 in a tower, that's how you make it roll.

@murgel2006 Год назад

24 miles is over 38 Km. And frankly, walking that distance, even with a light load only and with good to very good physical fitness, within 8 hours will guarantee that you are not making anything close to that on the next day. I used to be an infantryman and we had to do a 30 km march within 5 hours with a 10 kg load, twice a year to demonstrate fitness. Most of the men were not able to walk normally the next day. Adventurers are fairly fit but do not have boots as comfortable as modern shoes also backpacks are much less comfortable. Besides that, the regular load of an Adventurer is closer to 15-20 kg probably more. I would suggest a distance of 18 miles per day and Hex, braking it down to 3 blocks with 6 miles/hexes etc.

@russellfishes 8 месяцев назад

The barbarian sounds like Grover.

@dondumitru7093 Год назад

Hexagons are the bestagons.

@xavierp7658 Год назад

I like this old school style of play. Difficult to get my party into it

@peterscheler Год назад

I agree with you on D4s and I ordered two alternatives. You might be interested in them too. The first that already arrived is the "Modern D4" by Q-Workshop. They are fine IMO. But there is a really slight chance of undefined rolls. The other is the Orbidice by Blaster Light. But I haven't received them yet.

@cadenceclearwater4340 Год назад

Has the Barbarian splashed a level of Bard?

@ferencfeher2647 Год назад

Don't think I have ever seen someone who hates specific dice.

@ultimateiceofficial 4 месяца назад

Subscribing after that D4 tangent cause I felt that I once had an agreement with my long-term DM that I was allowed to roll a d8/2(rounded up) whenever the game calls for a D4 just because I hate these tumbling pyramids so much 😄😄 Also looking forward to trying these hexcrawl rules, I'm about to run a Robinsonade OneShot for my party and hexcrawl felt just like the right medium to handle the exploration of the lonely island where they are stranded

@minimoose7890 Год назад

Have you ever used those rectangular prism shaped d4s?

@trebot9292266 Год назад

TIL ive been accidentally doing a hex crawl as a new dm. didnt think of using weather, could have made for an interesting layer.

@gddion Год назад

anybody interested in running or playing in a hex crawl should go straight to Forbidden Lands, the game is basically set up around it.

@CharlesGriswold Год назад

Hey, RU-vid! This guy doesn't suck.

@sumdude4281 Год назад

This is a really excellent video.

@jeffreykershner440 Год назад

I'm a bit confused about folks finding set encounters in a hex. Let's say you have a party that says they will travel overland and avoid rivers at any price, but you have a fishing village event set up. Would you just have them travel the hex without finding it, or move it Infront of them somehow?

@princesskanuta3495 Год назад

Very good video!!

@markgnepper5636 Год назад

Great stuff friend 👏 👍

@twilightgardenspresentatio6384 Год назад

Hex crawls are awesome sandboxes

@alexandersun86 Год назад

You don't Suck!

@GreycatRademenes Год назад

Get a D4 that's shaped like a D6 only 2 sides are round, they roll in a fun way.

@tqbrowne 11 месяцев назад

You don’t suck!

@wolfkore8959 8 месяцев назад

RU-vid, he doesn't suck.

@hexchad765 Год назад

Forbidden Lands

@dennisthornton4434 Год назад

Yeah Bob the world building. Is the video where the barbarian stats playing the sage still here.

@TheAurgelmir Год назад

I'm more fond of The AngryGMs take on map crawls. Where the player facing map doesn't actually have the hexes on them, just a scale ruler. Why? Because that way the players can get lost. There's rules for getting lost in D&D after all. They have to use the map and their expectations on how their travel will go, in order to get to where they will go. The GM facing map on the other hand has the hexes, and more details about things that are there, and the GM will track what hex the players are in at any given time.

@honkeykong4049 Год назад

If I wanted to get in on one of your patreon games, what all do I need to have? I have a cell phone, but I don't have a computer right now

@davidrinehart7415 Год назад

you dont suck!

@christopherarduini4203 Год назад

You don’t like d4s? Luke, I don’t know who you ARE anymore! :) I would want to roll a d12 just because they seem to be little used in the games I’m in. Also, I literally just ate bacon.

@MeepChangeling Год назад

Its so wierd to see people calling what I've done for decades a "hip new thing" XD

@carolinelabbott2451 Год назад

What about a D3? That rolls.

@TexasDevin Год назад

I also dislike d4s. I bought a set of 12-sided d4s that are labeled 1-4 three times. They are much more fun to roll.

@geraldstacy3658 Год назад

There are lots of D4 alternatives, you know.

@Drahjan_TheoryBREAK Год назад

Wait? You're d4s don't flip, spin and bounce? They just drop? What is your landing pad? Just a hard table? A carpeted dice tray? A fluffy square of shag carpet? Does your surface need to be cleaned? Is there something sticky on it? [I am not making fun of you, this is a general concern. I personally love using d4s whenever possible. Mostly because I like the Double-Bladed Scimitar and Magic Missile.]

@dennisthornton4434 Год назад

I'll play of someone plays one. Haven't found a hex crawl yet.