How to Prepare and Run Hex Crawls for D&D

[@theDMLair]

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]

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]

thats an awesome idea. Totally borrowing it.

[@RyuuKageDesu]

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

[@spencerzempel702]

@@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]

@@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.

[@JKevinCarrier]

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]

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]

@@dickermannfilme_cora1717can u link a picture of the die

[@andrewlustfield6079]

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.

[@RottenRogerDM]

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

[@bakuiel1901]

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

[@themulticulturalistjames]

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!

[@braedenaldridge8452]

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. 😊

[@shellbackbeau7021]

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)

[@UrbanVerse69]

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.

[@dbvelocity6508]

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.

[@Jeremy-rp3in]

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.

[@petergreening1334]

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

[@AaronHill4]

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

[@mkmasterthreesixfive]

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.

[@cardsandcrusades]

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

[@benjaminholcomb9478]

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

[@keithwinget3450]

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.

[@minimoose7890]

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.

[@mke3053]

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

[@pewprofessional3181]

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.

[@TheCiroth]

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.

[@dahelmang]

Aww that sponsored segment was fun!

[@TruaxOutdoors]

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

[@johnathanrhoades7751]

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)

[@null_error_valuable]

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

[@mistergoats4380]

Step 2 is HARD

[@johnathanrhoades7751]

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]

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

[@cyntogia]

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

[@onealflynn2414]

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

[@ShaneKennedy-gt8nl]

Thank you Luke, love your videos.

[@O4C209]

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

[@Ironoclasty]

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.

[@Surag1057]

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.

[@vortega472]

Oooooooh! Non-combat encounters - I like that idea. Something beyond the normal encounter (DM: You see a wagon on its side - Players: I roll initiative) something that fills in knowledge gaps or even something for a future campaign or even nothing the leads to a side-quest - just RP. Never thought of adding that to my charts. Agree also on context as to why they encounter - after all why would a Yeti be in the Sahara.

[@malcolmrowe9003]

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.

[@nickm9102]

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.

[@BigCowProductions]

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]

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.

[@rylandrc]

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

[@StanleyNunn]

I dig this. My players are currently moving across the lands east of the sword coast battling a Zhentarim incursion. This could be good to keep them busy on their way to the next town.

[@TheMightyDM]

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.

[@leofriclac]

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

[@TheLegoLord100]

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)

[@searchforsecretdoors]

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!

[@bsabruzzo]

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.

[@tylerwhorff7143]

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

[@Q_Cooper]

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

[@Boss-_]

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.

[@Zenas521]

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

[@jeffreymackay4343]

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

[@peterscheler]

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.

[@BrazenBard]

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...

[@dahelmang]

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]

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]

@@johnathanrhoades7751 sounds good, thanks!

[@NikozBG]

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]

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

[@polvotierno]

I use hexes of 3 miles wide for overland travel. The maps are about 100 to 150 miles wide. Any map bigger than this does not need hexes.

[@screamingblue7]

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

[@sengembarom3065]

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

[@murgel2006]

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.

[@RobKinneySouthpaw]

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

[@Marcus-ki1en]

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

[@atomicnectar]

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

[@princesskanuta3495]

Very good video!!

[@sumdude4281]

This is a really excellent video.

[@TheCiroth]

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

[@zombiehampster1397]

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

[@MonsieurBooyah]

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

[@duncanmacneil4759]

KZbin he doesn't suck! (I got you message nice and clear)

[@Calebgoblin]

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

[@xavierp7658]

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

[@jeffreykershner440]

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?

[@markgnepper5636]

Great stuff friend 👏 👍

[@twilightgardenspresentatio6384]

Hex crawls are awesome sandboxes

[@trebot9292266]

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

[@anon_laughing_man]

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.

[@GreycatRademenes]

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

[@gddion]

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

[@MrJonVogt]

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]

This is a good idea!

[@ferencfeher2647]

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

[@ultimateiceofficial]

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]

Have you ever used those rectangular prism shaped d4s?

[@doranconall9995]

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

[@MeepChangeling]

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

[@JAH711]

Hey, KZbin, this guy doesn’t suck

[@kailankuroneko]

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

[@dondumitru7093]

Hexagons are the bestagons.

[@TexasDevin]

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.

[@CharlesGriswold]

Hey, KZbin! This guy doesn't suck.

[@hexchad765]

Forbidden Lands

[@russellfishes]

The barbarian sounds like Grover.

[@alexandersun86]

You don't Suck!

[@cadenceclearwater4340]

Has the Barbarian splashed a level of Bard?

[@wolfkore8959]

KZbin, he doesn't suck.

[@honkeykong4049]

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

[@christopherarduini4203]

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.

[@dennisthornton4434]

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

[@sanjeevshah168]

Great video but the title is about hex crawl, and the listing in KZbin is about Quests. What happened?

[@TheAurgelmir]

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.

[@tqbrowne]

You don’t suck!

[@davidrinehart7415]

you dont suck!

[@andrewhalmo656]

I think there are some non conventional d4s that can roll

[@jefersonlopes9463]

Systems that value exploration and travel are great for hexcrawls, systems that despise these two things... not so much

[@SuperGoose42]

Mmmmmm I have the perfect location for this. Corrupt jungles in the south, filled with monstrosities and mutated animals. Further south are the ashen wastes, vast fields of ash scarred by wars of the last, the entire region imbued with magic. In the heart of these ashes wastes lives an Ancient Black Dragon, in the ruins of a once great city, who is slowly sucking the life force from everything in the region, turning it into a pseudo-Shadowfell