I wanted to know if any of the DDB community has any idea of what to plan during traveling to other towns, and I mean, something different than random encounters.
Things I’ve toyed with are finding a magically enforced geocache. How it’s enforced is up to you. The point is, if they don’t put something of comparable value in the cache, they can’t take what’s in it.
I also like the idea of passing traveling merchants in a box-wagon. Like a trading post on wheels. I just really like barter and trade. I realize there’s a 50% value sell back rule to govern trade-ins in the PHB, but I think it feels more engaging to trade stuff for stuff with characters who want what you have than to turn it in to the rule book for equivalent gold. The merchant can also have news from the town they’re headed to.
I’ll think of more stuff soon. I enjoy thinking of this stuff. But I have stuff to do right now.
When you say random encounters, you mean combat encounters, but other travelers, changes in weather, finding of items, and discovering of locations can all go on your random encounters chart.
You could cross a troll’s bridge, but he’s collecting tolls on the legit. “Come on, man. I’ve put a lot of resources into building this bridge so people don’t have to go miles downstream. Upkeep isn’t free, either. I’m just trying to cover my expenses, not trying to rob you.”
You can encounter a Faerie Dragon, only realizing it because of the laughs he’s having at your party’s expense. Like altering your appearances. Or creating an illusion of the grumpiest member of the party escorting them along the road dancing and stripping and whatever other indignities.
It could be raining so much that a large chunk of road has been lost to a mudslide, and many of the nearby villagers are out with shovels trying to clear the road. The party could be tasked with helping them for a reward.
They come upon an old watchtower on the side of the road, only it’s clear that no one uses the road directly in front of the tower. Instead there’s a newly worn trail leading off the side opposite the tower, like travelers are keeping a safe distance, yet still well within sight, so it’s not about not being seen from the tower. Have fun making up reasons for that, and any encounters that ensue.
Have them meet up with an NPC who works to gain their trust, and then attempts to steal from them and disappear if given an opportunity.
If what you’re really asking for is just a more flavorful way to set up a generic combat enounter, maybe have some kids run up to the group begging for help, because a monster is dragging their parents away.
They can interrupt a highway robbery, dispatch brigands, and collect a reward from a grateful victim.
They come across a cottage that looks very welcoming. A monster attacks as it opens the door of this well laid trap.
Do you mean encounter ideas, or how DMs may prefer to do travelling?
If the latter... My overland travel is set-up like so:
I have four 'travel roles'. The group can decide who is doing what, and they can change them once per day, if they want to. These roles are the Trailblazer, Scout, Provisioner, and Watcher. Each day has each of those members roll once, at different times of the day.
The Trailblazer decides which route to take (Road/Path/Wilds), the Scout keeps the party safe during the day, the Provisioner manages resources, and the Watcher keeps the party safe at night.
Each roll has a variable DC depending on what terrain their in, and whether they are taking a road, a defined path, or making their own path. These are set roll-tables I made once, and never have to make again.
Day Begin: Trailblazer Rolls Survival or History. Afternoon Rest: Scout Rolls Stealth Travel Day Ends: Provisioner Rolls Survival OR Medicine (on road) / Nature (not on road) Long Rest: Watcher Rolls Perception
Each roll-table has Consequences for low rolls, Encounter chances for low/medium rolls, and Benefits for high rolls.
Most of the time, they'll have an average roll, and the entire group will roll a dX. The dice size depends on how many pre-made encounters I have set up. My current travel build is a d6. So everyone in the group rolls a d6. I have six piles of index cards in front of me that the players can see, labelled 1-6. Each time a matching number is rolled, I pull a card. When I pull the last card-- That encounter will occur! Each pile has a different number of cards. So pile #2 might have only 4 cards (likely to happen) while pile #6 might have 10 cards (unlikely to happen).
I then secretly roll 1d4 to determine if the encounter will occur during which phase of travel (Day Start, Afternoon Break, Day End, Long Rest), and mark it down in my notes.
The players don't know if an encounter is good or bad. They might discover an old ruin with some treasure. There might be a lightning storm that makes it dangerous to keep travelling, costing them time. They might be ambushed by hobgoblins. So they don't yet know if it's good or bad-- Which creates the tension that makes it fun!
All in all, each day is just that set of four rolls, which I usually just have them all roll at the same time, which saves game time and keeps everything moving. The players get to roll dice, which they like, and each day goes by quickly enough to keep travel from being boring, with the tension of possible encounters keeping it from being a slog-fest.
I often find my characters wanting to use skills to help their tool proficiencies. Looking for ingredients from wood to whittle to herbs for cooking or alchemy. That sort of thing.
Also sometimes its nice to have non combat encounters, a random traveller on the road. Maybe even a merchant if you're lucky. Good way to stop and chat a little and get news of whats ahead. In that news you can drop plot hooks or follow up on what the players did elsewhere and let them know what happened next.
Dungeon World has a similar system for travelling, which determines how fast you move ("pathfinder" role), who much provisions you spend ("provisioner") and how you can prepare for danger on the road ("watcher"). Failing your roll (or not having someone to fill that role, because each player can fill only one) means a longer travelling time, more rations needed or something bad happening (a wheel breaks, a mule runs away, you are surprised by bandits etc.).
I have had Partys meet trade caravans, other party caravans, farmers taking crops to market, folks going to town for a festival, stuff like that. It gives good opportunities for RP.
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Cum catapultae proscriptae erunt tum soli proscript catapultas habebunt
These are all great ideas, but also, I'd add, don't be afraid to hand wave traveling. I like to keep the story tight. Sometimes, you can just say "It took you a week to get there." and be done with it. Most often, if I do traveling encounters it will be either because 1. I see a chance to incorporate a character back story, 2. I see a chance to do a little side mission that will help develop either a character, major NPC or lore or 3. The party is under-leveled and I want to give them XP.
And in the case of No. 3, I'll usually tie it to No. 1 or 2.
Yes, I like to make travelling a lower level pastime and I use it develop the lore, introduce important NPCs (without the players realizing it at the time) and give away some XP. As for Lore, it might let the players learn of a dangerous passage between this town and the next, or a busy crossroads that they may wish to explore the other roads or some such thing like that.
In one of my worlds an adjoining nation has a network of spies that pose as caravanners. They travel through the land selling their wares (all legitimate) but their main pursuit is to learn about what is going on in the countryside.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
Cum catapultae proscriptae erunt tum soli proscript catapultas habebunt
I wanted to know if any of the DDB community has any idea of what to plan during traveling to other towns, and I mean, something different than random encounters.
Things I’ve toyed with are finding a magically enforced geocache. How it’s enforced is up to you. The point is, if they don’t put something of comparable value in the cache, they can’t take what’s in it.
I also like the idea of passing traveling merchants in a box-wagon. Like a trading post on wheels. I just really like barter and trade. I realize there’s a 50% value sell back rule to govern trade-ins in the PHB, but I think it feels more engaging to trade stuff for stuff with characters who want what you have than to turn it in to the rule book for equivalent gold. The merchant can also have news from the town they’re headed to.
I’ll think of more stuff soon. I enjoy thinking of this stuff. But I have stuff to do right now.
When you say random encounters, you mean combat encounters, but other travelers, changes in weather, finding of items, and discovering of locations can all go on your random encounters chart.
You could cross a troll’s bridge, but he’s collecting tolls on the legit. “Come on, man. I’ve put a lot of resources into building this bridge so people don’t have to go miles downstream. Upkeep isn’t free, either. I’m just trying to cover my expenses, not trying to rob you.”
You can encounter a Faerie Dragon, only realizing it because of the laughs he’s having at your party’s expense. Like altering your appearances. Or creating an illusion of the grumpiest member of the party escorting them along the road dancing and stripping and whatever other indignities.
It could be raining so much that a large chunk of road has been lost to a mudslide, and many of the nearby villagers are out with shovels trying to clear the road. The party could be tasked with helping them for a reward.
They come upon an old watchtower on the side of the road, only it’s clear that no one uses the road directly in front of the tower. Instead there’s a newly worn trail leading off the side opposite the tower, like travelers are keeping a safe distance, yet still well within sight, so it’s not about not being seen from the tower. Have fun making up reasons for that, and any encounters that ensue.
Have them meet up with an NPC who works to gain their trust, and then attempts to steal from them and disappear if given an opportunity.
If what you’re really asking for is just a more flavorful way to set up a generic combat enounter, maybe have some kids run up to the group begging for help, because a monster is dragging their parents away.
They can interrupt a highway robbery, dispatch brigands, and collect a reward from a grateful victim.
They come across a cottage that looks very welcoming. A monster attacks as it opens the door of this well laid trap.
We’re pursuing a caravan on the road right now and trying to catch them. So the trip is the adventure.
Professional computer geek
Do you mean encounter ideas, or how DMs may prefer to do travelling?
If the latter... My overland travel is set-up like so:
I have four 'travel roles'. The group can decide who is doing what, and they can change them once per day, if they want to. These roles are the Trailblazer, Scout, Provisioner, and Watcher. Each day has each of those members roll once, at different times of the day.
The Trailblazer decides which route to take (Road/Path/Wilds), the Scout keeps the party safe during the day, the Provisioner manages resources, and the Watcher keeps the party safe at night.
Each roll has a variable DC depending on what terrain their in, and whether they are taking a road, a defined path, or making their own path. These are set roll-tables I made once, and never have to make again.
Day Begin: Trailblazer Rolls Survival or History.
Afternoon Rest: Scout Rolls Stealth
Travel Day Ends: Provisioner Rolls Survival OR Medicine (on road) / Nature (not on road)
Long Rest: Watcher Rolls Perception
Each roll-table has Consequences for low rolls, Encounter chances for low/medium rolls, and Benefits for high rolls.
Most of the time, they'll have an average roll, and the entire group will roll a dX. The dice size depends on how many pre-made encounters I have set up. My current travel build is a d6. So everyone in the group rolls a d6. I have six piles of index cards in front of me that the players can see, labelled 1-6. Each time a matching number is rolled, I pull a card. When I pull the last card-- That encounter will occur! Each pile has a different number of cards. So pile #2 might have only 4 cards (likely to happen) while pile #6 might have 10 cards (unlikely to happen).
I then secretly roll 1d4 to determine if the encounter will occur during which phase of travel (Day Start, Afternoon Break, Day End, Long Rest), and mark it down in my notes.
The players don't know if an encounter is good or bad. They might discover an old ruin with some treasure. There might be a lightning storm that makes it dangerous to keep travelling, costing them time. They might be ambushed by hobgoblins. So they don't yet know if it's good or bad-- Which creates the tension that makes it fun!
All in all, each day is just that set of four rolls, which I usually just have them all roll at the same time, which saves game time and keeps everything moving. The players get to roll dice, which they like, and each day goes by quickly enough to keep travel from being boring, with the tension of possible encounters keeping it from being a slog-fest.
Good system, Mellie. I’d enjoy playing under a framework like that. And it seems super customizable to make it an even better fit for anyone’s group.
I often find my characters wanting to use skills to help their tool proficiencies. Looking for ingredients from wood to whittle to herbs for cooking or alchemy. That sort of thing.
Also sometimes its nice to have non combat encounters, a random traveller on the road. Maybe even a merchant if you're lucky. Good way to stop and chat a little and get news of whats ahead. In that news you can drop plot hooks or follow up on what the players did elsewhere and let them know what happened next.
Dungeon World has a similar system for travelling, which determines how fast you move ("pathfinder" role), who much provisions you spend ("provisioner") and how you can prepare for danger on the road ("watcher"). Failing your roll (or not having someone to fill that role, because each player can fill only one) means a longer travelling time, more rations needed or something bad happening (a wheel breaks, a mule runs away, you are surprised by bandits etc.).
I love this! Thanks so much, I'm a new DM and trying to make the travel a little more varied.
I have had Partys meet trade caravans, other party caravans, farmers taking crops to market, folks going to town for a festival, stuff like that. It gives good opportunities for RP.
Cum catapultae proscriptae erunt tum soli proscript catapultas habebunt
These are all great ideas, but also, I'd add, don't be afraid to hand wave traveling. I like to keep the story tight. Sometimes, you can just say "It took you a week to get there." and be done with it. Most often, if I do traveling encounters it will be either because 1. I see a chance to incorporate a character back story, 2. I see a chance to do a little side mission that will help develop either a character, major NPC or lore or 3. The party is under-leveled and I want to give them XP.
And in the case of No. 3, I'll usually tie it to No. 1 or 2.
Yes, I like to make travelling a lower level pastime and I use it develop the lore, introduce important NPCs (without the players realizing it at the time) and give away some XP. As for Lore, it might let the players learn of a dangerous passage between this town and the next, or a busy crossroads that they may wish to explore the other roads or some such thing like that.
In one of my worlds an adjoining nation has a network of spies that pose as caravanners. They travel through the land selling their wares (all legitimate) but their main pursuit is to learn about what is going on in the countryside.
Cum catapultae proscriptae erunt tum soli proscript catapultas habebunt
Finding this helpful in 2022. Thanks Mellie. Great ideas. Very adaptable.
I really like the legitimate troll bridge. My current party would totally kill the troll anyway.