In the following example, we’ll combine creatures, elements, props, and terrain to make up the zones of a combat arena. The arena’s total challenge rating is a combination of each zone’s CR, which is itself the total CR of its assets, including creatures.

Note that generic assets, those marked with ^G, have no additional mechanics. They are still affected by movement types, such as a burrow speed for dirt floors, or spells that affect the material they are made of, such as flaming sphere igniting flammable objects. Any other assets that are mentioned in this arena can be found in this article.

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Burning Barn Rescue

Total Challenge 14 (3,720 XP)

Fire-worshiping cultists have attacked a nearby farm, setting a barn alight with innocents trapped inside. One of the farmhands managed to escape and is desperately searching for help. Will the adventures be able to save the day?

Zone 1: Outside the Barn

The cultists will only warn trespassers once before attacking, unless they are visibly armed, in which case they attack immediately. If the cult fanatic dies, the remaining cultists will flee. The cultists and cult fanatic are all immune to the extreme heat element.

Challenge 4 (850 XP)

Size Large (60 feet)

Direction West of zone 2 and 3

Elements Extreme heat, heavy rain, spacious

Terrain  Grass^G, wooden wall^G, door (between zone 1 and 2)

Props Bucket, hay mound, well (20 feet deep)

Creatures 4 cultists, 1 cult fanatic

Zone 2: Aisle and Stalls

The rampaging elemental soon attacks any non-cultist who enters the barn. An adventurer that notices the weak wooden ceiling knows that destroying it will disperse the dense smoke element and introduce heavy rain. The ladder that connects zone 2 and 3 is broken, leaving only an opening in the floor.

Challenge 9 (2,650 XP)

Size Large (60 feet)

Direction East of zone 1, below zone 3

Elements Dense smoke, extreme heat, inferno

Terrain Dirt floor^G, weak wooden ceiling, 4 wooden walls^G

Props  Barrel (empty) ×2

Creatures  Fire elemental

Zone 3: The Loft

Two farmhands cower in the corner. They will cooperate with rescuers, but quickly panic if put in more danger. The loft door leads to zone 1, but is a 20 foot drop.

Challenge 1 (220 XP)

Size Medium (30 feet)

Direction East of zone 1, above zone 1 and 2

Elements  Extreme heat

Terrain Door (between zone 3 to 1), wooden ceiling^G, wooden floor^G, 4 wooden walls^G

Creatures 2 commoners

The most interactive part of a combat arena, props are items that creatures can utilize to varying effect.

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Barrel

Medium prop (storage)

Hit Points 5

A rotund container where almost anything could be stored.

• One Medium or smaller creature can take position inside the barrel if it is empty. If the barrel is full, a creature can spend an action to remove some of its contents and take position.
• Creatures that take position in the barrel are heavily obscured and have three-quarters cover , and are restrained if the barrel has other contents.
• As an action, a creature can make an improvised thrown weapon attack with the barrel, targeting a creature within 30 feet.

On a hit, the target takes 1d6 bludgeoning damage, an additional 1d6 if the barrel had contents, and an additional 2d6 if the target was downhill (maximum of 4d6).

Variant: Alcohol

A barrel filled with strong spirits.

• If the barrel is destroyed or a creature uses its action to dump the contents, the alcohol covers a 10-foot square in the zone.
• The contents can be ignited with an open flame. Once lit, it burns for 1 minute. A creature that enters or ends its turn in the burning alcohol take 1d6 ongoing fire damage for up to three rounds or until it uses an action to douse the flames.

Variant: Apple

A barrel filled with apples or other hand fruits. If the barrel is destroyed or a creature uses its action to dump the contents, the apples cover a 10-foot square in the zone. A creature that moves through this area makes a DC 12 Dexterity saving throw , falling prone on a failure.

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Bucket

Small prop (storage)

An open container for carrying liquids.

As an action, a creature can attempt to shove the bucket on a Large or smaller creature’s head. The target must make a Dexterity saving throw or be blinded . A creature can remove the bucket by spending an action to make a DC 10 Strength check.

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Campfire

Medium prop (equipment)

A small roaring fire. If lit, sheds dim light in the zone. A creature that enter or ends its turn in a lit campfire takes 1d6 ongoing fire damage for up to three rounds or until it uses an action to douse the flames.

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Chandelier

Medium prop (fixture)

Hit Points 5

A hanging ornate knot of gilded branches and candles.

• Sheds bright light in the zone when lit.
• One creature with a free hand or other means to hang on the chandelier can take position on it. While in position, the creature cannot be targeted by melee attacks with a reach of 5 feet or less.
• If destroyed, the chandelier falls onto one creature in the zone. The target makes a DC 12 Dexterity saving throw or takes 2d6 bludgeoning damage and is knocked prone . Any creature hanging from the chandelier also makes the save.

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Hay Mound

Large prop (resource)

A large pile of straw. A creature that falls into this zone can use its reaction to land in the hay, receiving 1 less point of damage from the fall per die rolled. If the fall was 30 feet or less, it instead takes no damage.

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Rug

Large prop (furniture)

A fabric or animal skin floor covering. Once per encounter a creature can, as an action, pull the rug. Up to two Large or smaller creatures make a Dexterity saving throw or be knocked prone . The pulled rug can also be used as an improvised net. The rug will rip beyond use if either of these actions is attempted again.

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Tent

Medium, large, or huge prop (equipment)

Hit Points 5 (immunity: bludgeoning)

A portable shelter from the elements made from cloth, rope, and poles.

• One creature can take position inside if the tent is Medium, two creatures if it’s Large, or six if it’s Huge.
• Creatures that take position inside the tent are heavily obscured from those outside it.
• If destroyed, creatures inside the tent are restrained . A creature can free itself or another creature within reach by spending an action to make a DC 10 Strength saving throw .

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Well

Medium prop (fixture)

Hit Points 5

Challenge 1 per 30 feet (maximum 4)

An open shaft leading to a reservoir of water.

• A creature forcefully moved into the well can use its reaction to make a Strength or Dexterity saving throw to grab onto the edge. The creature must have at least one hand free to do so, but can drop an item it’s holding as part of this reaction. On a failure, it falls to the bottom of the well and can’t reduce the damage by diving.
• A creature at the bottom of the well can’t make or be targeted by melee attacks involving creatures outside the well. Thrown weapon attacks targeting it from outside the well have advantage .
• A creature at the bottom of the well must make a DC 12 Athletics check to tread water each round. On a failure, it must hold its breath or begin suffocating and suffers a level of fatigue . To surface, it must repeat the check. Each time the creature fails to surface, the DC for the next check increases by 1. The DC resets when the creature surfaces. Creatures wearing medium or heavy armor or do not have both hands free make these checks at disadvantage .
• A creature at the bottom of the well can climb out of it by spending an action and its movement to make a DC 12 Acrobatics or Athletics check. It gains an expertise die to this check if a rope is lowered.

Terrain refers to the entrances, exits, and boundaries of a zone, including walls, floors, bottomless pits, and windows.

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Door

Wall terrain (entrance)

Hit Points 10

A hinged entrance between two adjacent zones.

• Can be either open or closed. While open, provides line of sight between the two zones. The opposite is true while closed.
• As an action, creatures can brace themselves or a suitable object against the door. A creature that braces itself also takes position at the door. Removing a braced object takes an action.
• Creatures can force the barricaded door open by making a Strength check (DC 8 + 2 per creature or object braced against it). If the door is barred, the check is made with disadvantage
• If barged through or destroyed, One creature in the other zone makes a Strength saving throw or takes 1d6 bludgeoning damage and is knocked 10 feet away. Alternatively, all creatures braced against the door make the save.

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Ledge

Floor terrain (constructed, natural)

Challenge 1 per 30 feet (maximum 4)

A lack of a wall, followed by a lack of a floor. A creature forcefully moved over the ledge can use its reaction to make a Strength or Dexterity saving throw to grab onto it. The creature must have at least one hand free to do so, but can drop an item it’s holding as part of this reaction. On a failure, it falls to the bottom of the ledge.

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Mosaic Tiles

Floor or wall terrain (constructed)

Hit Points 10

Beautiful tiles that turn deadly when shattered. When the tiles’ hit points are reduced to zero, they shatter. A creature forcefully moved into the shattered tiles takes 1d4 slashing damage. As an action or as part of the Attack action, a creature can pull a shard from the shattered tiles. The shard can be used as an improvised weapon or as sling ammunition, dealing 1d4 slashing damage on a hit.

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Rocky Slope

Wall terrain (natural)

An incline with many loose handholds. A creature climbing up or down the slope gains an expertise die to ability checks made to do so. On a failure, it falls to the bottom of the slope and takes an additional 1d6 bludgeoning damage from falling rocks.

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Short Wall

Wall terrain (constructed)

A waist high barrier.

• Creatures that take position at the wall gain half cover .
• Moving over the wall does not require additional movement.
• A creature shoved into the wall has disadvantage on its saving throw . On a failure, the creature is also moved into the next zone (if applicable).

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Tall Grass

Floor terrain (natural)

Overgrown ground cover that’s easy to hide in. Small or smaller creatures are lightly obscured, as are prone creatures. If a creature is wearing appropriate camouflage, it is instead heavily obscured.

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Tall Fence

Wall terrain (constructed)

A wooden or wire barrier that prevents easy passage.

• Does not obstruct line of sight.
• Creatures can climb over the fence by spending half their movement to make a DC 10 Athletics check.

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Weak Ceiling

Ceiling terrain (constructed)

Hit Points 10 hp

A ceiling that has recently taken damage or been poorly repaired. A DC 12 Engineering or Perception check identifies this structural instability.

In Gate Pass Gazette Issue #29 , we introduced Combat Arenas—a robust system for building and running rich and dynamic theater-of-themind combat encounters. In this issue, we will be supporting that system and your games with additional arena assets, as well as a more complicated example of a combat arena. While reading or using the following assets, it’s important to be familiar with the rules in “Enhance Your Battlefield: Combat Arenas”, as well as world actions found in World Bonuses, Penalties, and Cover in Chapter 8: Combat of Adventurer’s Guide.

Elements

In a combat arena, elements are aspects of the environment that affect the zone, such as light level, temperature, and weather.

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Cramped

Element (environment)

Challenge 1/2

An area that’s cluttered, narrow, or otherwise restrictive for its size. The zone’s max occupants decreases by 1 if it’s Small, 2 if it’s Medium, or 3 if it’s Large.

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Dense Smoke

Element (environment)

Challenge 1

Choking gas that burns the eyes and throat.

• The zone is lightly obscured.
• When a creature that need to breathe starts its turn in the smoke and is not holding its breath, it makes a DC 12 Constitution saving throw . On a failure, it is blinded and begins to suffocate . A creature can make this save again on subsequent rounds, continuing to suffocate on a failure.
• A creature with resistance to fire damage or with appropriate precautions, such as a face covering, gain an expertise die on this save. Creatures with immunity to fire damage automatically succeed.

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Extreme Heat

Element (weather)

Challenge 1

A sweltering area at or above 100° Fahrenheit (38° Celsius).

• At the end of every hour a creature is exposed to this heat, it makes a DC 10 Constitution saving throw , suffering a level of fatigue on a failure.
• Creatures with resistance or immunity to fire damage, keeping a light pack (less than half carrying capacity), or are native to an extremely hot environment automatically succeed on the saving throw. Creatures wearing medium armor, heavy armor, or heavy clothing have disadvantage .
• Saving throws made against effects that deal fire damage in this zone suffer disadvantage.

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Fog

Element (weather)

Challenge 1/4

Airborne vapor that makes it difficult to see. The zone is lightly obscured .

Variant: Thick Fog

Challenge 1/2

This fog is unusually dense. The zone is heavily obscured .

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Heavy Rain

Element (weather)

Challenge 1/2

A torrential downpour.

• Perception checks made to see or hear are made with disadvantage .
• Small open flames are extinguished.
• Any effect which causes fire damage inflicts 1 less point of damage per die rolled.

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Inferno

Element (environment)

Challenge 2

An out-of-control fire that engulfs the area.

• The zone is brightly lit and lightly obscured .
• When a creature first touches a burning object or surface on its turn or is forcefully moved into one, it takes 1d6 fire damage. 

World Action (Recharge 5–6). A random creature makes a DC 12 Dexterity saving throw , taking 1d12 fire damage on a failure.

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Spacious

Element (environment)

An area with ample open space for its size. The zones’ max occupants increases by 1 if it’s Small, 2 if it’s Medium, or 3 if it’s Large.

Vehicles are equipped with a wide variety of powerful weaponry. Most fall into one of the following broad categories: direct fire, indirect fire, guided fire, or area fire. Vehicular weapons can have the same breaker, burst fire, loading, long range, or reloading properties as personal weapons. Vehicle weapons can also be fitted with weapon augments (see Customized Weapons on page 368). All vehicle weapons are considered to be braced. 

Vehicle weapons of up to Large size can be purchased as a braced weapon or added to existing vehicles. Weapons with a size of Huge or larger or with a price of “integrated” are large, complex, or otherwise demanding in some way and can only be installed on a vehicle specifically designed to use it. Additionally, the Aquatic weapon trait applies to some vehicle weapons.

 

SPECIAL AMMUNITION

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Indirect fire and guided weapons typically have a wider variety of ammunition types than direct fire weapons do. Basic weapon descriptions assume a general purpose warhead, but additional types exist. When using special ammunition, the number of dice remains the same as the base ammunition type, but the size of dice and type of damage can change and additional effects may be present. Ammunition with a “special” damage type does no damage on impact/detonation and instead produces some other effect.

Armor-Piercing. This ammunition deals piercing damage and ignores up to 5 points of damage reduction.

Anti-Personnel. This ammunition deals slashing damage, and its damage die is increased one step from its normal damage. The radius of this effect is determined by the weapon’s size:
Medium—15 feet, Large—30 feet, Huge—45 feet, and Gargantuan—60 feet.

Creatures in this area can make a DC 15 Dexterity save, taking half damage on a success.

High Explosive. This ammunition deals thunder damage to its target, as well as half damage to all targets within a certain radius. This distance is determined by the weapon’s size:
Medium—10 feet, Large—20 feet, Huge—30 feet, and Gargantuan—40 feet.

Incendiary. This ammunition deals fire damage to its target, as well as half damage to all targets within a certain radius. This distance is determined by the weapon’s size:
Medium—10 feet, Large—20 feet, Huge—30 feet, and Gargantuan—40 feet.

Flammable objects in area ignite for 2d6 fire damage per round until extinguished.

Singularity. This ammunition deals force damage. Additionally, nearby targets make a DC 20 Strength save. On a failure, it is pulled violently towards the center of the blast, taking bludgeoning damage equal to half the original blast and are knocked prone. The area of this secondary affect is based on the vehicle’s size:
Medium—20 feet, Large—40 feet, Huge—60 feet, and Gargantuan—90 feet.

EMP. This ammunition deals no damage, but acts as an EMP grenade, but with a radius determined by the weapon’s size:
Medium—30 feet, Large—60 feet, Huge—90 feet, and Gargantuan—120 feet.

Gas. This ammunition deals no damage, but acts as an gas grenade, but with a radius determined by the weapon’s size:
Medium—30 feet, Large—60 feet, Huge—90 feet, and Gargantuan—120 feet. 

Foam. This ammunition deals no damage, but acts as an foam grenade, but with a radius determined by the weapon’s size:
Medium—30 feet, Large—60 feet, Huge—90 feet, and Gargantuan—120 feet.

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Table: Vehicle Weapons

WEAPON	COST	RANGE	TARGET	DAMAGE	PROPERTIES
MEDIUM VEHICLE WEAPONS
Flamethrower	400 cr	30 ft.	30-ft Cone	3d12 Fire, 3d6 ongoing Fire	Area Fire
General-Purpose Machine-Gun (GPMG)	225 cr	150/600 ft.	1	2d8 Piercing	Direct Fire, Burst Fire
Infantry Mech Missile	800 cr (800 cr /4-Missile Pack)	1 mi.	1	5d10 Piercing	Breaker, Guided, Reloading (4)
Light Blaster	300 cr	150/600 ft.	1 Creature  or Vehicle	2d8 Force	Direct Fire
Light Missile Launcher	500 cr (175 cr /Missile)	1 mi.	1	5d10	Breaker, Guided, Loading
LARGE VEHICLE WEAPONS
Ground Attack Rocket	600 cr	400/1,600 ft.	1	4d8 Piercing	Direct Fire, Burst Fire, often loaded with High-Explosive or Incendiary ordinance
Heavy Blaster	500 cr	200/800 ft.	1	4d8 Force	Direct Fire
Heavy Flamethrower	650 cr	50 ft.	50-ft Cone	5d12 Fire, 5d6 ongoing Fire	Area Fire
Heavy Machine Gun (HMG)	350 cr	200/800 ft.	1	4d8 Piercing	Direct Fire, Burst Fire
Smart Torpedo	Integrated (1k cr /Torpedo)	10 mi.	1	9d10 Piercing	Aquatic, Breaker, Guided, Loading
Water Cannon	Integrated	60 ft.	80-ft Line	1d8 Bludgeoning, DC 15 STR save to avoid being knocked prone	Area Fire
HUGE VEHICLE WEAPONS
Heavy Electrolaser	Integrated	500/2,000 ft.	1	6d8 Lightning	Direct Fire, Long Range
Heavy Missile Launcher	Integrated (1k cr /Missile)	100 mi.	1	13d10 Piercing	Breaker, Guided, Loading, often fitted with Armor Piercing or High-Explosive warheads
Kinetic Cannon	Integrated (15 cr /Shell)	250/1,000 ft	1	6d8 Piercing	Direct Fire, Loading
Plasma Cannon	Integrated	250/1,000 ft.	1	6d8 Fire	Direct Fire
Tank Cannon	Integrated (3.5k cr /Shell)	4 mi.	1	11d10 Piercing	Breaker, Indirect Fire, Loading
GARGANTUAN VEHICLE WEAPONS
Cruise Missile	Integrated 10k cr /Missile)	1,000 mi.	1	16d10 Piercing	Breaker, Guided, Loading
Devastator Torpedo	Integrated (7.5k cr /Torpedo)	1,000 mi.	1	16d10 Piercing	Aquatic, Breaker, Guided, Loading

 

Vehicles in a science fiction setting have the ability to go many more places and do many more things than those in a typical medieval setting do, including incorporating massive tools, mobile working environments, and protections from hostile environments.

All-Terrain. All-terrain vehicles have heavy-duty suspensions and tracks or special tires. They ignore difficult terrain. 

Amphibious. Vehicles with this feature count as both land and water vehicles.

Armed. Armed vehicles have one or more weapons in place on board. A creature can use an action to fire a weapon or reload it.

Armor. The vehicle is covered in some sort of armor plating. Like personal armor, multiple levels of vehicle armor exist. Each level of armor reduces the damage dealt by an attack by a number listed in the Damage Reduction column of Table: Armored Vehicles and grants the cover listed to its occupants.

Table: Armored Vehicles

ARMOR GRADE	COVER	DAMAGE REDUCTION	SPECIAL
Light	Half Cover	2	—
Medium	Three-Quarters Cover	4	—
Heavy	Full Cover	6	Immune to the Breaker Weapon Property
Ultra-Heavy	Full Cover	8	Immune to the Breaker Weapon Property

 

Drop. This vehicle descends from the upper atmosphere at terminal velocity. Landing thrusters engage at about 500 feet above the ground. The given Speed applies to the vehicle once the landing thrusters have fired.

Heavy Equipment. The vehicle contains a digger, wrecking ball, roller, massive saw, or other heavy tool. Attacks made with this tool suffer disadvantage and deal bludgeoning, piercing, or slashing damage as appropriate. 
The tool deals damage according to the vehicle’s size: Large—4d6 damage, Huge—8d6 damage, Gargantuan—12d6 damage, or Titanic—16d6 damage.

Hover. A high-tech development, this vehicle hovers above the surface of solid ground or liquids. It is a land vehicle, but can traverse any surface features by hovering up to 10 feet above the ground without being slowed by difficult terrain or sinking into liquid.

Integrated Equipment. The vehicle includes one or more pieces of integrated equipment. 
This equipment can be activated or deactivated as a bonus action.

Plow: The plow provides an additional +1 to AC against attacks from the front and pushes loose, solid obstacles such as unpacked dirt or snow out of the vehicle’s way as it travels. A vehicle can only travel at half its Speed with a plow deployed.

Crane: The vehicle includes a crane arm for reaching high locations. The vehicle must be stopped to use the crane arm. A crane arm may have a tool attached, but typically has either a passenger basket or a winch. A Large vehicle can reach up to 40 feet with a crane boom and a Huge one can reach up to 150 feet. The winch on a Huge crane can lift up to 80 tons, but the vehicle must be stopped and anchored (a process which takes 10 minutes) before it can start moving cargo. 

Fire Suppression System: This vehicle has high-pressure hoses that can spray water or fire suppressing foam up to 120 feet. 
This equipment can also be used as a water cannon.

Floodlight: The vehicle has one or more floodlights.

Construction Foam Dispenser: The vehicle includes a heavy construction foam tank and dispenser system. The tank can carry up to 350 cubic feet of construction foam.

Winch: The vehicle has a sturdy winch and cable. To use a winch, the vehicle must be stopped on a solid surface. A large vehicle can move up to 10 tons, a huge one can move up to 80 tons, and gargantuan winches that can move even heavier weights exist, but are primarily found at ports rather than out on vehicles.

Legged. The vehicle has mechanical legs. It gains the benefits of the all-terrain feature and can also clamber over obstacles of up to the vehicle’s own size (moving at a maximum of half the vehicle’s Speed when doing so), but the vehicle can be knocked over, suffering from the prone condition. Just like a creature, a prone vehicle must spend half its movement to stand up from prone and cannot move until it does.

Mass Transit. A mass transit vehicle is a specialized version of the transport type, and only needs a crew of up to 4 people to operate, regardless of size, though often additional crew members will provide security, customer service, and similar functions. The remaining capacity can be occupied by passengers.

Miniature. A miniature vehicle is designed to be operated by an operator one size larger than the vehicle itself without penalties. 

Mobile Facilities. The vehicle incorporates the features of a starship deck. A vehicle must be at least Huge size to accommodate a single mobile facility or Gargantuan to have up to 4. Available options are leisure deck, medical bay, operations center, and science bay (see Capital Ship Decks in Star Captain’s Manual). 
Additionally, mobile facilities can have the following additional options:

Workshop: Provides the benefits of any four types of vehicle repair tools as well as weapons and armor maintenance tools.

Kitchen: The vehicle has compact but versatile food storage and preparation equipment such as freezer, ovens, providing cook’s tools that can be simultaneously used at advantage by a number of creatures equal to half its crew size.

Residence: The vehicle provides sleeping quarters, shower and toilet systems, and a set of cook’s tools.

Store: The vehicle has a cramped, but browsable, selection of retail shelving. 

Holding Cell: The vehicle has a passenger compartment that can be secured from the outside for prisoner transport. DC 20 Strength check to escape.

Open-Frame. Open-frame vehicles do not have enclosing body panels. They provide excellent visibility (and fields of fire) for their occupants, but provide no cover against incoming shots. Regardless of how armored a vehicle with open-frame is, the armor only protects the vehicle itself, not the occupants.

Personal. Personal vehicles are designed for a single occupant and usually have far less space. Vehicles with this property can only ever carry a maximum of one person, and have one-quarter the carrying capacity of a normal vehicle of the same size.

Pressurized. A pressurized vehicle must also be sealed. It has internal pressure systems that maintain a livable pressure for the occupants, allowing them to survive in hard vacuum, at high altitudes, or deep underwater without the need for additional protective gear.

Railway. A railway vehicle travels along a permanent route of some sort, such as train tracks, a maglev system, or the tether of a space elevator.

Ridden. A ridden vehicle relies on the muscle power of its rider to propel it, and its speed is determined by the speed of the creature riding it. Multiply the speed of the creature by the indicated value to get the speed of the vehicle, rounding the result down to the nearest 10 feet. For example, a ridden (×3) vehicle ridden by a creature with a speed of 35 feet has a speed of 100 feet or 10 miles per hour. Furthermore, because ridden vehicles rely on the muscles of their riders to move, their carrying capacity is limited to double that of their rider unless otherwise stated. 

Sensor Array. The vehicle provides the crew with the benefits of a set of multi-spectrum goggles while crewing the vehicle. An occupant can use a bonus action to do an active scan, giving them an expertise die on Perception checks.

Sensor Array, Long Range. The vehicle has a sensor package including technologies such as radar, sonar, or satellite imaging data that allows a creature to make Perception checks to locate vehicles or structures of at least Large size within a range of 10 miles. Each such attempt requires an action. 

Sealed. A sealed vehicle is airtight, keeping the interior atmosphere in and whatever is outside out. This is more for comfort than protection, however, keeping out sand or high and low temperatures. Extreme environments, such as those in a vacuum, high-altitude, and underwater, require the additional protection of the pressurized feature.

Sprayer. The vehicle has either a spraying nozzle to distribute liquids across an area behind it or a rotating spreader that performs the same function for solid particulate substances, such as sand, salt, or even seeds. In either case, the effect is the same: a path behind the sprayer the same width as the vehicle and a length equal to the distance the vehicle traveled that round is covered in whatever is loaded into the sprayer. Some common loads are listed below. Unless otherwise noted these loads refer to land vehicles. Typically a liquid sprayer can be used for 20 turns. Solid sprayers are normally incorporated into large, heavy vehicles that can cover miles and miles before needing to be refilled.

Adhesive: A gluey substance coats the area. Vehicles that enter this area make a DC 17 Constitution save, involuntarily taking the Braking action until stopped on a failed save. It cannot move again until repairs are made. Creatures also make the Constitution save, becoming restrained on a failure.

Caltrops: Vehicles and creatures that enter this area or begin their turn in it make a DC 15 Dexterity save, taking 1d6 piercing damage for every 10 feet of distance they move. The driver of a vehicle with tires makes a DC 15 Dexterity saving throw and safely stops the vehicle on a success. On a failure the vehicle either takes the Brake action and stops or rolls over and crashes at the Narrator’s discretion. 

Grit: Vehicles and creatures in the affected area ignore difficult terrain caused by ice and/or snow.

Lubricant: A slippery trail is left behind. Vehicles and creatures that enter this area for the first time on a turn or begin their turn in the area make a DC 15 Dexterity save. On a failed save, the vehicle spins, moving half its movement speed in a randomly determined direction. Creatures that fail the save become prone.

Stealth. The vehicle has advanced detection countermeasures. Attempts to locate it with sensors or target it with guided weapons are at disadvantage.

Submersible. Submersible vehicles are able to travel safely below the surface of the water. They function as having the three-dimensional property with respect to traveling in water and can move up or down below the surface of the water as well as traveling along the surface of it. Submersible vehicles must also have the pressurized feature.

Three-Dimensional. A three-dimensional vehicle may also turn up or down when making turns. Flying vehicles nearly always have the three-dimensional property. Land or water vehicles need the tunneling or submersible property, respectively, to have this property and, if they are on the surface, can only turn down unless they also have a fly speed.

Transforming. The vehicle has two separate forms. This is often a legged form and a more typical vehicular form, but many variations exist. Both forms must be of the same size category.

Transport. Transport vehicles are designed for cargo and crew, and have twice the carrying capacity and maximum number of passengers as normal for a vehicle of the same size.

Tunneling. The vehicle is equipped with a heavy drill, grinder, or other tunneling apparatus at the front, granting it a burrow speed equal to its movement speed as well as the three-dimensional feature (down only). Vehicles always leave a tunnel equal to their size when burrowing.

VTOL. A vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) vehicle must have a fly speed. It can hover in place. This is typically either due to rotary wings (like a helicopter) or an anti-grav system.

Windowless. The vehicle grants full cover to its occupants regardless of its armor level. However, occupants must rely on sensors or cameras to perceive their surroundings.

 

Maybe a mix of good ideas and good dice makes them look slick and cool, or maybe they run into some trouble and come out a bit worse for wear, but either way the adventure continues. Unless the party made a real mess of it and failed, the Narrator should reward them with experience. For every two obstacles of the challenge, give one-quarter the normal experience for an encounter with CR that matches their tier. If one of the consequences was a fight, don’t give separate experience for that fight.

Example 4: Complex Timing and Flashbacks

If a Narrator is comfortable with flexible use of narrative time, they don’t have to come up with all the obstacles in a challenge at once, nor to run the Assess the Challenge stage first. They can simply present the first obstacle, then let an adventurer try to overcome it, and if their roll isn’t good enough, the player can retroactively describe how they would have prepared for that. In this style, the presentation of obstacles, efforts, and flashbacks to preparations can continue until the party overcomes enough obstacles (one per adventurer) to earn them a win on the overall challenge.

Consider a possible perilous challenge for a 17th level party. One of the players, Ford, had his rogue petrified last session by a bounty hunter and her pet basilisk . His petrified form has been taken as a trophy for Filpot, a crime boss who hated him. The party wants to rescue their companion, but George the Narrator would rather avoid running a multi-session rescue mission while Ford twiddles his thumbs.

Without explicitly telling them that he’s running a perilous challenge, George asks how they’re going to get to Ford’s character without making the crime boss panic and destroy the petrified rogue. Billy asks what his savant knows about Filpot and George has him make a DC 18 Investigation check, which counts as his effort for the Assess the Challenge stage. He succeeds, so George quickly invents some broad strokes about defenses and Filpot’s penchant for wild parties and cruel executions.

Carrie’s marshal poses as a bounty hunter to try to sneak in with a scroll of stone to flesh. She makes a Deception check and fails. She asks if she could have retroactively purchased a necklace of fireballs to threaten to detonate, to get an expertise die , and George allows it. However, even with the bonus from the die, the result is still a failure. To represent the imperiled nature of the operation, George says Filpot lets her into his lair, but he still has his suspicions. She decides to still try to unpetrify Ford, this time with a Stealth check to sneak around after dark. However, she fails the second roll and is discovered. George says she did manage to get in and unpetrify Ford’s rogue, but they’re spotted. The rogue is thrown in a cell, and Carrie’s marshal is disarmed and forced to attend Filpot as a servant.

Peter suggests his berserker could be there too, having gone in as the bounty Carrie brought in. He makes an Athletics check to secretly break his bonds, so he’ll be ready to fight at full strength when the time comes. Meanwhile, Mark wants his herald to walk in and threaten Filpot to release everyone. George advises that this is a bad plan, since the guards at the gate will ensure he’s unarmed and the DC will be higher because of it. Mark is overconfident, and he rolls an Intimidation check against DC 20 and fails. Imperiled and facing DC of 25, he decides to attempt a Sleight of Hand check to steal a weapon from a guard, but fails again. George says a trap door dumps him into a dungeon where he has to fight a hill giant. The herald survives the encounter, but is taken prisoner.

Billy has only used his Assess the Challenge effort, so as his Face the Challenge effort he says that this whole time he’s been posing as one of Filpot’s guards, which has let him seed the whole organization with his allies. He wants to spring everyone now, but he fails his initial DC 18 Stealth check. George says that the escape will have to wait until all adventurers are gathered together for a public execution: being fed to a Gargantuan sand worm.

Since success hinges on Billy beating a DC 23 check, Mark says that in preparation before the mission, he could have sent a follower ahead undercover with his weapon, so he can be armed for the escape attempt. Peter suggests that he was put into a cell with Ford as a fellow prisoner and can make a Medicine check to get his friend strong enough to fight. The two expertise dice together give Billy enough of a bonus to succeed his second check.

George then details the resolution: the herald’s ally tosses him his magic sword, the berserker hurls a few guards in the monster’s mouth, the martial strangles Filpot, Ford’s rogue takes out the bounty hunter who initially captured him, and Billy’s savant pilots them all to safety on Filpot’s dirigible. The team is together again and ready to go save the world, all within a single session!

The Narrator and players collaboratively narrate how they approach the obstacles. For each obstacle, one character takes the lead in overcoming it. They describe what they’re doing, and if necessary they’ll roll a check. The party might each go after different obstacles, or one might handle multiple, such as if a single character goes in alone.

If the character fails their check, the situation becomes perilous! The Narrator should describe how danger is looming. The adventurer can then try again, or have another party member make an attempt, but either way the DC is increased by 5 unless they come up with a new approach that is well-suited for the moment. If they fail on their second check against a given obstacle, they suffer a consequence.

Example 3: Chase, Continued

At each location a player describes an effort of how they’ll try to outpace the gnolls at each location, then they roll. In the plains, one adventurer might use Survival to use the herd as cover to make it harder for the gnolls to track. At the bridge, another might use Engineering to sabotage it. In the woods, a Nature check might recall the right offering to appease the fey, and then an Athletics check could get the party up the cliffs to reach the fortress to warn them of the approaching army.

Perhaps while sabotaging the bridge, the adventurer fails their first check, imperiling them. The Narrator describes one of the lead gnolls coming into sight, rushing for the bridge. The adventurer could keep trying to drop the bridge, increasing the DC by 5, or might decide to use Deception to feign looking eager so the gnoll is tricked into thinking the bridge is already sabotaged and avoids it out of caution. Either way, if the second check is failed, the consequence could be a small fight with one over-eager gnoll.

Even reaching the fortress isn’t the end of the adventure. The party can take a short rest before the enemy army arrives, but don’t have enough time for a long rest. This way any consequences of failure along the way actually matter.