Desert terrain exists in cold, temperate, and warm climates, but all deserts share one common trait: very little precipitation. The three categories of desert terrain are tundra (cold desert), rocky deserts (often temperate), and sandy deserts (often warm). The most common rules sections to reference for adventures in these areas are Cold Dangers (see page 400), Heat Dangers (see page 402), Starvation and Thirst (see page 404), and Weather (see page 398).
Stealth and Detection in the Desert
In general, the maximum distance in desert terrain at which a creature can succeed at a Perception check to detect the presence of others is 6d6×20 feet; beyond this distance, elevation changes and heat distortion in warm deserts makes sight-based Perception checks impossible. The presence of dunes in sandy deserts limits spotting distance to 6d6×10 feet. The scarcity of undergrowth or other elements that offer concealment or cover makes using Stealth more difficult.
Survival
| Task | DC |
|---|---|
| Endure severe weather | 15 |
| Live off land | 15 |
| Predict weather | 15 |
| Orienteering (GM rolls) | 15 |
Endure Severe Weather
You can use Survival to better withstand the effects of severe weather. Typically, one check determines the success of your efforts for a single day. If you succeed at the check, you gain a +2 bonus to Fortitude saving throws against severe weather while moving up to half your overland speed, or a +4 bonus if you remain stationary and build a temporary shelter. You can grant this bonus to one other creature for every 1 point by which your result exceeds the DC. You can’t take 20 on Survival checks to endure severe weather.
Live Off the Land
You can use Survival to keep yourself and others fed in the wild by hunting and foraging, enabling you to move up to half your overland speed without needing food and water supplies. Typically, one check determines the success of your efforts for a single day. You can provide food and water for one other character for every 2 points by which the result of your check exceeds 10. In some cases, an environment may be so inhospitable (such as an airless asteroid) that it is impossible to live off the land. You can’t take 20 on Survival checks to live off the land.
Orienteering
Once each hour while traveling through unfamiliar terrain and each time you move close to a natural hazard such as quicksand or patches of poisonous atmosphere, you can use Survival to keep from getting lost or to notice or avoid the hazard.
Predict Weather
You can use Survival to predict the weather up to 24 hours in advance. You must spend at least 1 minute observing the surrounding area and its current weather patterns. You can predict the weather an additional day in advance for every 5 points by which your result exceeds 15. You can’t take 20 on Survival checks to predict weather.
Travel
Desert Modifiers:
- Highway: x1
- Road/Trail: x1/2
- Trackless: x1/2
| Speed | 20 ft | 30 ft | 40 ft |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 Round | |||
| - Walk | 20 ft | 30 ft | 40 ft |
| - Hustle | 40 ft | 60 ft | 80 ft |
| - Run | 80 ft | 120 ft | 160 ft |
| 1 Minute | |||
| - Walk | 200 ft | 300 ft | 400 ft |
| - Hustle | 400 ft | 600 ft | 800 ft |
| - Run | 800 ft | 1200 ft | 1600 ft |
| 1 Day | |||
| Walk | 16 mi | 24 mi | 32 mi |
Forced March
In a day of normal walking, you walk for 8 hours, and then you spend the rest of your daylight time making and breaking camp, resting, and eating. However, you can walk for more than 8 hours in a day by making a forced march. For each hour of marching beyond 8 hours, you must succeed at a Constitution check (DC = 10 + 2 per extra hour) or you take 1d6 nonlethal damage. If you take any nonlethal damage from a forced march, you become fatigued (see page 276). When you recover from this nonlethal damage, you also eliminate the fatigued condition. Still, it’s quite possible to march yourself into unconsciousness by pushing yourself too hard.
Fatigued: You cannot run or charge; you take a –1 penalty to AC, attack rolls, melee damage rolls, Reflex saves, initiative checks, and Str- and Dex-based skill and ability checks; and you reduce your encumbered limit by 1 bulk.