Cross-Country Movement

A normal day's marching lasts for 10 hours, including reasonable stops for rest and meals. Under normal conditions, a character can walk twice his movement rate in miles in those 10 hours. Thus, an unencumbered man can walk 24 miles across clear terrain.

Characters can also force march, intentionally hurrying along, at the risk of exhaustion. Force marching enables a character to travel 2 ½ times his movement rate in miles (thus, a normal man could force march 30 miles in a day). At the end of each day of the march, the character or creature must roll a Constitution check. Large parties (such as army units) make the check at the average Constitution of the group (weaker members are supported, encouraged, and goaded by their peers). Creatures must roll a saving throw vs. death at the end of each day's force marching (since they lack Constitution scores). A -1 penalty is applied to the check for each consecutive day spent force marching. If the check is passed, the force marching pace can be continued the next day. If the check fails, no more force marching attempts can be made until the characters have completely recovered from the ordeal. Recovery requires half a day per day of force marching.

Even if the Constitution check fails, the character can continue overland movement at his normal rate.

One drawback of force marching is that each day of force marching results in a -1 penalty to all attack rolls. This modifier is cumulative. Half a day's rest is required to remove one day's worth of force marching penalty. Characters who have managed to force march for eight straight days suffer a -8 penalty to their attack rolls; it takes four days of rest to return to no attack roll penalty.

Overland movement rates can be increased or decreased by many factors. Terrain can speed or slow movement. Well-tended roads allow faster marching, while trackless mountains slow marches to a snail's pace. Lack of food, water, and sleep weaken characters. Poor weather slows their pace. All these factors are detailed in the DMG.

Table of Contents