Dungeon Adventuring

Sequence of Play Per Turn

Wandering monsters: The referee makes checks as applicable.
Actions: The party decides what action to take (e.g. moving, searching, listening, entering rooms).
Description: The referee describes what happens. If monsters are encountered, follow the procedure described in Encounters.
End of turn: The referee updates time records, with special attention to light sources, spell durations, and the party’s need to rest.

Doors

Doors are common in many dungeons, some hidden, some obvious, some locked, and some stuck.

Searching for Secret Doors

Some doors are hidden or concealed. Adventurers may choose to search a 10’ × 10’ area for secret doors. See #Searching.

Chance of finding: If a character is searching in the right location, there is a 1-in-6 chance of finding a secret door. (Some types of adventurers may have an increased chance.)

Stuck Doors

Forcing: The chance of forcing open a stuck door depends on the character’s Strength (see Ability Scores).

Surprise: A failed attempt to force open a door eliminates any possibility of surprise (see Encounters) that the party may have against any monsters on the other side of the door.

Locked Doors

Locks may be picked by a character proficient with lock picks or opened by magic.

Doors Swinging Shut

Doors opened by adventurers (by whatever means) are likely to swing shut after they pass. To prevent this, doors may be held open using iron spikes or other wedges.

Monsters and Doors

Monsters that live in the dungeon can usually open doors (even stuck doors), unless they are blocked, magically closed, or wedged shut with spikes.

Listening at Doors

Chance of success: PCs have a 1-in-6 chance of detecting subtle sounds beyond a door. (Some types of adventurers may have an increased chance of success.)

Referee rolls: The referee should always roll for the character listening so that the player never knows if the roll failed or if there simply is no sound behind the door.

One chance: Each character may only make one attempt to listen at each door.

Silent monsters: Some monsters (e.g. undead) cannot be detected by listening.

Movement

Exploring the unknown: When exploring unknown areas of a dungeon, characters can move their base movement rate in feet per turn. This very slow rate of movement accounts for PCs exploring in a dark, unknown environment, moving carefully and stealthily, and mapping their progress.

In familiar areas: When PCs are moving through dungeon areas with which they are familiar, the referee may allow them to move at a faster rate. For example, the referee might allow PCs to move at three times their base movement rate per turn, when moving through familiar areas.

Resting

Frequency of rest: Characters must rest for one turn every hour in the dungeon.

Penalty for not resting: A –1 penalty to attack and damage rolls is incurred until the characters rest for one turn.

Searching

The following stipulations apply to searching for secret doors, room traps, and treasure traps.

Time: Searching takes one turn.

Referee rolls: The referee should always roll for the character searching, so that the player does not know if the roll failed or if there are simply no hidden features present.

One chance: Each character can only make one attempt to search a specific area or item.

Traps

There are two kinds of traps:

Room traps: Large traps that are designed to affect anyone who enters a certain area (e.g. a pit that opens in the floor when walked over).
Treasure traps: Small traps placed on an item, to prevent it being tampered with or stolen (e.g. a poison needle on a chest or lock).

Triggering Traps

Each trap has a trigger—an action which causes it to spring (e.g. turning a door handle, walking into a specific area).

Chance of triggering: When a character performs the action that triggers a trap, there is a 2-in-6 chance of the trap being sprung.

Trap damage: Damage inflicted by a triggered trap is usually automatic, without an attack roll.

Monsters: Monsters may be able to bypass traps without risk, if the referee wishes.

Searching for Room Traps

Adventurers may choose to search a 10’ × 10’ area for room traps. If the search succeeds, the trap is discovered. See #Searching.

Chance of finding: If a character is searching in the right location, there is a 1-in-6 chance of finding a room trap. (Some types of adventurers may have an increased chance.)

Searching for Treasure Traps

Characters with the ability to find treasure traps (as noted in their class description) may choose to search items (e.g. chests, locks) for traps. See #Searching.

Chance of finding: The chance of finding treasure traps, if a character is searching in the right location, is noted in the character’s class description.

Wandering Monsters

Frequency: A check is typically rolled once every two turns in the dungeon.

Chance: The typical chance of encountering a wandering monster is 1-in-6.

Distance: Wandering monsters are encountered 2d6 × 10 feet away, moving in the direction of the party.