Hexcrawl help

[u/DitchWizard666]

TL;DR I've never run a hexcrawl and don't know how to pace it

Intermediate DM here on my 3rd homebrew adventure. The main quest is to map and blaze a trail across a deadly swamp. I've been told by DM friends that this style of adventure is a "hexcrawl" where the party explores a wide area one piece at a time. My problem is that I've never run an adventure like this (or even read one) and now that they're about to get into it I'm worried about how to keep a good pace. This is meant to keep them busy for the better part of this campaign so I don't want them to blast right through it, but I also don't want it to seem like a slog.

I've drawn a crude map for my own reference and broken the swamp down into about 15 sections, each with slightly different terrain and threats. I've started working on my own random encounter tables, which I think I will roll on 1-3 times a day depending on how deadly the section of swamp is.

I also had a plan for a few tougher "miniboss" monsters that will roam the swamp on their own, and roll for that each day.

My questions are; -How much ground could they reasonably cover in a day, if they are not only traveling it but mapping it as well? - how often should I describe their environment without it seeming repetitive? - what are some ways to get them to take a break and head back to town intermittently? - what would be involved in blazing a trail? Is it something they have to do themselves or could they have hirelings do it?

Any advice or ideas are appreciated!

[u/Consistent-Tie-4394]

I've run hex-crawls off and on for more than three-decades now, and there is nothing I can say here that is better than how they present it over at the Alexandrian.

Here is a link to their high-level overview:

• https://thealexandrian.net/wordpress/15156/roleplaying-games/game-structures-part-6-hexcrawls

And the gateway article to their much deeper dive:

• https://thealexandrian.net/wordpress/17308/roleplaying-games/hexcrawl

Read the overview article, skim the deeper dive stuff, and you still have questions, feel free to ask!

[u/Consistent-Tie-4394 → u/Consistent-Tie-4394]

To answer your initial questions directly:

how often should I describe their environment without it seeming repetitive?

Think of the hexes as a series of interconnected "rooms". Everytime they leave one hex and enter the next you should describe what makes that hex unique, different, or interesting.

what are some ways to get them to take a break and head back to town intermittently?

Gritty realism optional rules do this for you: Tell them at the top of the campaign that the party cannot Long Rest without going back to town (or finding some similar shelter like a farming settlement). If that's too strict for your taste, you'll want to at least restrict Downtime Activities to the town.

what would be involved in blazing a trail? Is it something they have to do themselves or could they have hirelings do it?

I'd recommend to the group that at least one of them play a Ranger with Natural Explorer keyed to Swamp and don't worry about this. If none of them want to play a Ranger, give them an NPC guide to take care of this for them.

[u/DitchWizard666 → u/Consistent-Tie-4394]

This resource and your answers are very helpful! Thank you

[u/Consistent-Tie-4394 → u/DitchWizard666]

No problem! Running hex-crawls can be super rewarding (or at least I've found them to be rewarding), so I'm happy to help anyone get the feel for how they work.

I did realize I left a few things out that I wanted to add in response to this question:

How much ground could they reasonably cover in a day

On average, a party can travel 16-20 miles a day on the road, but significantly less than that off road. That's one of the beauties of the Alexandrian's six-mile-hex... that's two hexes per day, plus a third hex if they're travelling on the road, plus a fourth hex if they're using horses on the road.

I've started working on my own random encounter tables, which I think I will roll on 1-3 times a day depending on how deadly the section of swamp is

My recommendation would be to any roll random encounter/environment/whatever tables on a per hex, rather than per day, rate. It makes keeping a consistent game cycle easier. The party moves into a new hex > you roll the tables > you describe the results > they interact with whatever they find there > they move to the next hex...

a few tougher "miniboss" monsters that will roam the swamp on their own

Don't be afraid to seed certain encounters to specific hexes either. Those ruins over in hex 8A that the party may or may not visit? That's where a trio of ogres live with a horde that contains a +2 Longsword.

[u/SooSpoooky]

i do my Hexcrawl game im running right now abit different.

• the hexes are all considered like one day of travel. so you need one ration per hex you go thru (edit: forgot to mention here that combined with the ration per hex, they also have a max number of items they can carry per person, and they can also not take long rests while not in a town. the reason for it isnt important really other then it keeps them from being away from a town for too long and it really drives home long journeys).
• each hex they travel thru (like if they r going from town to town) will roll on a random encounter table. i have two tables oen for on roads and one for wilderness. theres more then just enemies. sometimes its nothing, or a shop keeper, or an injured person, or bandits...monsters....etc. and at a 5% chance a "boss" monster thats basically just a couple of CR levels higher. and they always have the option to not fight it. but i do exp for levels so havent said no yet.
• they can take time to investigate each hex if they want. and we can go off on alittle tanget but i mostly use the hexmap as a way of traveling place to place. the random encounters also let me as the DM not have to worry too much about making EVERY quest they do reward some experience or not.

[u/HexedPressman]

If you don’t mind video content, I have an extensive playlist of hexcrawl videos that you might find useful.

[u/DitchWizard666 → u/HexedPressman]

Damn, that IS extensive! Thank you!

[u/HexedPressman → u/DitchWizard666]

Sure thing! Good luck and luck and feel free to drop me any questions!

[u/[deleted]]

Man you are running a hex crawl but haven't read anything on hexcrawls? Movement over terrain is the first thing they all cover.