Running PF2e Exploration Mode in FG

[Stargrove]

My players have been hinting at wanting to utilize exploration mode but I am still unsure if and when it is applicable or really how to manage it in FG. I am running them through a converted PF1 AP (The Mummy's Mask) and there are a lot of indoor places with lots of encounters (it is an AP) to run through. We have been slowly adding more systems to the game as we all learn things. However, I am not sure if exploration mode is applicable for tombs/crypts/dungeons/buildings/etc as players move themselves around the virtual map a little at a time. Right now, after an encounter I have them re-roll initiative and then they start making their way to the next area of the map using the 3 action economy. They can certainly tell me they are doing specific things on their turn like looking for traps, searching for X, or whatever as they progress down the hallway or through a room at which time I will have them make a roll.

The core rule book does not really mention interior spaces so much as exterior travel and movement in cities and towns. So far, it seems to be better used for cities and overland map types of situations without so much combat around every other corner as APs typically have. Looking at the TRAVEL SPEED (pg 479) section of the CRB it seem that movement in this mode is tracked in Feet/min, MPH, MPD which does not seem conducive to the type of exploration (tombs/crypts/dungeons/buildings) they have been doing in this particular AP. As they get into book three and four of this campaign there some overland exploration that seems very applicable and Exploration Mode combined with the overland travel rules from the GM Guide seem very applicable.

I am looking for advice or ideas on how other GMs are using Exploration mode in FG and if they feel it is applicable to interior exploration or not. Or, how they are doing interior space exploration for their players with a modified exploration mode.

Thanks

[Trenloe]

Exploration mode is pretty much any time you're not in an encounter or in downtime, the location doesn't really play into it IMO. Some activities make a difference at the start of encounter mode, for example bonuses to initiative or shield already raised.

In FG I have an image that has the names of the various exploration mode activities on it, and I have the players token added to it (not from the CT, just a stand alone tokens) and the players position their tokens on it to indicate what activity there are currently undertaking, if any.

[Weissrolf]

Exploration is a bit less intuitiv in confined spaces, but it still makes sense to use it over combat rounds. Keep in mind that everyone choose their *main* activity and thus only get to benefit from one of those. This very specifically includes free Seek/Perception rolls, which should be reserved for Search and Scout activities mostly. So instead of always having all party members roll Seek/Perception and thus nearly always having one or more successes, people have to prioritize.

This does not mean that someone scouting does not try to sneak (using their passive Stealth DC), or someone sneaking does not try to keep their surrounding in sight (using their passive Perception DC). But mechanically you only get one of the goodies, not multiple.

Also keep in mind that exploration activities can be changed at any time. So they are mostly important when combat starts to know what activity each group member did *last* before they stumbled into combat by opening that next door.

Travel Speed: Is only relevant if someone wants to move fast. Then you use feet as speed and have people using exploration activities move at half speed (unless they have a corresponding feat). That's the folks staying more and more behind looking for glyphs and traps while while the others don't care and just move on. In practice the whole group will usually move as a unit, so that speed doesn't matter much unless time is of the essence or someone sneaks past guards.

Avoid Notice: Allow sneaky types to use their Stealth for initiative in dungeons if they use this activity. If the new dungeon room offers hiding places close to the entrance then allow them to place their token in one of those places as the start of combat. Busy watching not to step on twigs, rocks and crunchy insects, so no free Seek/Perception roll.

Defend: Obviously folks can walk through dungeons with their shield raised. Hiding your face behind a shield, so no free Seek/Perception roll.

Detect Magic: Obvious use, never miss a magic aura, but preoccupied sending and receiving constant pings and thus again, no free Seek/Perception roll unless it is coupled to a detected magic effect (magical Hazards).

Follow the Expert: Expert busy showing off, everyone else busy following in their footsteps. So no free Seek/Perception roll with everyone busy not to step on everyone else's toes.

Hustle: Sometimes time is of the essence, especially if you try to catch up to a foe that has a headstart through a series of tunnels. Look closely at Constitution modifiers and speed. The group may have to slow down for one member or stop the hustle when only one member is giving up. If a player with high Con insists on hustling on then remind him that it may be a bad idea to stand alone against the big evil monster just to win a race. No looking left and right, so no free Seek/Perception roll.

You may allow people to keep hustling despite reaching their Con limit, but then they should start combat fatigued (maybe even getting multiple penalties if they ran too long). This would give high Con group-members a bit of extra leverage even when they usually are forced to stay with the group.

Investigate: Trying to decipher glyphs on the wall, strange statues and odd looking fungi along the way. Usually I also allow a free knowledge roll at the start of combat to identify a creature or use the Recognize Spell feat, even if the player did not gain reactions yet (like an intellectual "Defend" activity).

Generally I tend to give out creature information only when its the player's turn who did identify a creature, though. And often I share the creature record with the player right then, giving them only a few seconds to quickly glance over it and then allow them to share a few words. This can lead to some information getting a bit mixed up (especially with English not being our native language), which fits the stressful combat situation.

No free Seek/Perception roll while being busy staring at scribbles on the wall or telling the group about the fascinating religious significance of the insects they just squished under their boots. But sometimes there may be clues hidden within all that stuff, so one (knowledge) may lead to the other (perception).

Repeat a spell: Obviously fully occupied putting magical incantations on repeat. Keep in mind that this often needs clearly audible words (not stealthy!) and gestures (hard to climb, balance and squeeze). No free Seek/Perception rolls while trying to not mix up syllables and gestures without getting a headache.

Scout: This one is somewhat hard to make sense of in all situations, but maybe even more so in confined spaces. What it usually comes down to is not being the person who keeps running circles around the group, but rather being the lookout, sentry or watch. Everyone being busy treating wounds, identifying magic or being preoccupied with the architecture? The scout is the one on the lookout for trouble and as such allows the initiative bonus when one of the group is willing to do the job. Gets free (secret) active Seek/Perception rolls to notice potential foes (as in creatures).

Search: Does what it says on the box. Get free (secret) active Seek/Perception rolls against traps, hazards and hidden doors. Also makes sense to have them notice clues in a room that don't need special knowledge first.

Skill exploration activities: Identify and Treat Wounds is what happens most often after an encounter/room is finished. Someone might want to search the room and someone might want to stand guard. Remind the group that you cannot do several things at once, treat wounds and identify or be treated and search.

The whole Exploration Mode system likely is a consequence of Pathfinder 1 groups wanting to do and get everything. Back then everyone was rolling Perception to notice/find stuff and everyone tried to identify magic items and everyone wanted to roll knowledge when something came up. Now each groupmember concentrates on a specific role, which in turn lowers the amount of rolls and takes time in the game-world. No more steamrolling through dungeons to keep all those buffs up from start to finish. ;)

[Weissrolf]

A short explanation what I meant by "passive" Perception or Stealth vs. "active" ones, which are terms not used by the rules.

Player A using "Avoid Notice" does an active Stealth check, doing a roll on Stealth against a (passive) Perception DC of a foe. Their foe might be hiding themself, which gives the foe an "active" Stealth roll against the Player A's "passive" Perception DC.

Player B using "Scout" is an advance guard (vanguard) sneaking a bit in front of the group, getting "active" Perception rolls against the "passive" Stealth DC of (hiding) foes. Of course player B is trying to stay stealthy while scouting, but no roll is allowed. Instead Player B's "passive" Stealth DC is used for any foes being actively on the lookout. Keep in mind that foes also don't have everyone permanently scanning the area, so only foes on active guard (or scouting) duty might get "active" Seek/Perceptions rolls against Player B.

So the mechanical difference between two exploration activities often is the difference between getting an "active" roll or just using your "passive" DCs. Use this as argument against players trying to do everything and trying to persuade you that their scout is of course also trying to avoid notice. Players cannot have all at once! ;)

[dsaraujo]

Can you share your image?

[stephan_]

I am using something similar to Trenloe's approach (image with tokens [not from Combat Tracker]).

Alternatively, you may be able to repurpose the formation field on the order tab.

Image attached. It's not pretty (threw it together in five minutes once) but it does the trick.

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[myyra]

If you want to do more turn based and structured exploration, in a dungeon for example, I would go with 10 minute turns. 10 minutes is enough to search a room, carefully figure out how to open a door, use treat wounds or refocus, just to give a few examples. If you want your turns to have some actual meaning to them, you would also have to do some random encounter rolls (or other similar rolls/checks to see if something happens outside of players' control) every 3-6 turns.

It doesn't really make sense for the players to act one by one when the turns are 10 minutes long, so I would just have everyone decide what to do and have them act simultaneously.

[Farnaby]

If you want to do more turn based and structured exploration, in a dungeon for example, I would go with 10 minute turns. 10 minutes is enough to search a room, carefully figure out how to open a door, use treat wounds or refocus, just to give a few examples. If you want your turns to have some actual meaning to them, you would also have to do some random encounter rolls (or other similar rolls/checks to see if something happens outside of players' control) every 3-6 turns.

It doesn't really make sense for the players to act one by one when the turns are 10 minutes long, so I would just have everyone decide what to do and have them act simultaneously.

Great idea, I'll try it with my groups this week.

[dsaraujo]

Did a quick version for me to use, and I want to share with you. It is transparent, so you can add a cool exploration image related to your characters environment.

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[stephan_]

Looks good.

Note that there may sometimes be more than one PC doing a specific activity (in particular search).

[Transbot9]

I just wrapped up the first chapter of Kingmaker (fast and dirty conversion, got impatient waiting for the official one), and I have a nice big map of the Stolen Lands on a hex grid. 1 token for the party, and dropped other little images/icons on the map as they did their checks to explore. Next time I run it I need to add tables for weather and potential natural (and unnatural) disasters.