System Reference Document 5.2.1
192
Gameplay Toolbox
Travel Pace
A group of characters can travel overland at a Nor -
mal, Fast, or Slow pace, as described in “Playing the 
Game.” During any journey stage, the predominant 
terrain determines the characters’ maximum travel 
pace, as shown in the Maximum Pace column of the 
Travel Terrain table. Certain factors can affect a 
group’s travel pace.
Good Roads
The presence of a good road increases the group’s 
maximum pace by one step (from Slow to Normal or 
from Normal to Fast).
Slower Travelers
The group must move at a Slow pace if any group 
member’s Speed is reduced to half or less of normal.
Extended Travel
Characters can push themselves to travel for more 
than 8 hours per day, at the risk of tiring. At the end 
of each additional hour of travel beyond 8 hours, 
each character must succeed on a Constitution sav -
ing throw or gain 1 Exhaustion level. The DC is 10 
plus 1 for each hour past 8 hours.
Special Movement
If a party can travel at a high Speed for an extended 
time, as with a spell such as Wind Walk  or a magic 
item such as a Carpet of Flying , translate the party’s 
Speed into travel rates using these rules:
Miles per hour = Speed ÷ 10
Miles per day (Normal pace) = Miles per hour  
× number of hours traveled (typically 8)
Fast pace = Miles per day × 1⅓ (round down)
Slow pace = Miles per day × 2/3 (round down)
If the characters are flying or their special move -
ment allows them to ignore Difficult Terrain, they 
can move at a Fast pace regardless of the terrain.
Vehicles
Characters traveling in a vehicle use the vehicle’s 
speed in miles per hour (as shown in “Equipment”) 
to determine their rate of travel, and they don’t 
choose a travel pace.
Creating a Background
A character’s background represents what the char -
acter did prior to becoming an adventurer. Creating 
a unique background or customizing an existing 
one can reflect the particular theme of your cam -
paign or elements of your world. You can also create 
a background to help a player craft the story they 
have in mind for their character. 
 This section describes, step by step, how you can 
create backgrounds tailored for your world and the 
heroes in it.
1: Choose Abilities
Choose three abilities that seem appropriate for the 
background:
Strength or Dexterity.  These abilities are ideal for 
a background involving physical exertion.
Constitution.  This ability is ideal for a background 
that involves endurance or long hours of activity.
Travel Terrain
Terrain Maximum Pace Encounter Distance Foraging DC Navigation DC Search DC
Arctic Fast* 6d6 × 10 feet 20 10 10
Coastal Normal 2d10 × 10 feet 10 5 15
Desert Normal 6d6 × 10 feet 20 10 10
Forest Normal 2d8 × 10 feet 10 15 15
Grassland Fast 6d6 × 10 feet 15 5 15
Hill Normal 2d10 × 10 feet 15 10 15
Mountain Slow 4d10 × 10 feet 20 15 20
Swamp Slow 2d8 × 10 feet 10 15 20
Underdark Normal 2d6 × 10 feet 20 10 20
Urban Normal 2d6 × 10 feet 20 15 15
Waterborne Special† 6d6 × 10 feet 15 10 15
*Appropriate equipment (such as skis) is necessary to keep up a Fast pace in Arctic terrain.
†Characters’ rate of travel while waterborne depends on the vehicle carrying them; see “Vehicles.”