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#1 perrywrogers Aug 09, 2005 13:29:39	These descriptions are designed for use with water and lava created cave systems that have natural features that will inhibit movement and other activities to varying degrees. Passages and rooms in naturally formed complexes are anything but regular when considering moving, fighting and performing other type of actions within them. These features were carved out by nature and generally served one purpose- to move various liquids, water or lava, from one place to another. With this in mind, floors are never actually floors, walls are never walls and so on. These features are shaped only by the path of least resistance to whatever force or quantity of liquid needing to move through them. Rooms do not actually exist, but are merely passages that are larger in several dimensions due to softer, more easily worn stone in that area. For purposes of this article, terms like passage, room, floor, wall are used with their standard definitions. Three Dimensions Naturally formed caverns are rarely anything resembling two dimensions. This makes them extremely confusing to anyone without an acute sense of direction. There is virtually no such thing as a passage or room that does not slope and spiral so that whatever liquid formed the cave could continue its inexorable journey onward. Mapping a cave while you are exploring it from the typical adventurer’s perspective is all but impossible. Walls often come together in the shape of a ‘V’ making a formal floor almost non-existent. Rooms and Passages Due to the ever sloping/spiraling nature of caves, performing nearly any activity can potentially become very difficult- especially in haste or combat. To simplify adjudicating and mapping this, each room/passage should be described in the following terms. Do not bother making the relevant die rolls until called for in play. All of these modifiers are cumulative. Height and Width (Degree of Constraint) How high and wide is the passage? These can be easily drawn and marked on the battlegrid. Remember the rules for moving and drawing a line of sight through battlegrid squares containing enemies and allies both in and out of combat. See PHB & DMG Combat sections for more. In constrained areas of combat (less than a creature’s listed Space in the MM), weapons which are overly large, or must be swung in a wide arc cannot be used. Only weapons that use a small swing arc, or may be ‘thrust’ can be used in these areas. If a creature must duck in an area apply -d6 to its To-Hit rolls. If the area is really short for a creature, increase the penalty to -2d6. If crawling is required to fit through an area, no offensive actions are possible. Slope What is the degree of slope from one end/side of the passage to another? Can it be walked across, or must creatures scramble, or even climb/repel to cross the space? Slope can give an elevation advantage and/or create footing hazards (Balance Checks) in combat. Obstruction How difficult is it to see/move from one place (battlegrid square) to another? Stone outcroppings, stalagmites, stalactites, boulders, debris, etc. can make it more difficult to move, see, shoot from one place to another in caves. Each passage/room should be given a Degree of Obstruction rating to show just how broken the terrain of a particular area is. To simplify the effects of obstructions in combat, use the following table to determine the negative modifiers on To-Hit rolls from one battlegrid square to another. For areas of negligible obstruction apply a modifier of -d4 to To-Hit rolls. Use a progression of -d6, -d8, -2d6, -2d8 for increasingly more obstructed areas. Line of Sight In areas with higher levels of obstruction, elevation changes and size constraint alter the line of sight for missile, spell and action purposes. Roll a die of your choosing (d4, d6, d8, d10 depending on the degree of obstruction), and multiply it by five feet to determine random line of sight distances. Other Natural Things Found in Caves: -Stalagmites (because they might trip you) & Other Floor Debris -Stalactites (because they stick tightly to the ceiling) & Things Hanging Down -Holes and pits -Ledges attached to, or running around the sides of large rooms. Can require Climb checks to access. -Water and other liquids can be found in caves from merely dripping, to trickling, flowing, and even rushing at high pressure. This can present various levels of hazard or obstruction to movement and other actions. -Cave Dark is oppressive and as with all areas lacking any resident lighting, use the rules for Vision & Light found in the PHB pages 164-165. Skills Commonly Needed in Caves -Climb, Balance Swim, and Jump for moving around -Escape Artist for very narrow spaces -Move Silently and Hide in shadows from enemies -Knowledge (dungeoneering) -Search, Spot, Listen -Survival to help not get lost and avoid other lurking hazards -Tumble when falling -Use Rope
#2 zombiegleemax Aug 18, 2005 7:22:17	To simplify the effects of obstructions in combat, use the following table to determine the negative modifiers on To-Hit rolls from one battlegrid square to another. For areas of negligible obstruction apply a modifier of -d4 to To-Hit rolls. Use a progression of -d6, -d8, -2d6, -2d8 for increasingly more obstructed areas. Good article. Too often, a DM will design a cave as any dungeon. It's good to remember there is always some stalagmite, stone or other obstruction. However, the rules for Cover can be used, and are far more simple than the suggested negative modifier on the attack rolls.