The exploration challenges here provide a plethora of ways to make journeys impactful and memorable, but Narrators can also create new obstacles for their campaigns.

Step 1: Start With a Problem

Come up with a problem the adventurers need to solve. When creating an exploration challenge, keep in mind that its purpose is to provide something to overcome on their journey to other, greater things (the campaign’s plot, the next big conflict, and so on). A good exploration challenge is something that the party doesn’t just react to, but can also directly apply their skills, gear, and ingenuity to overcome.

Step 2: Add Challenge Traits

Many exploration challenges have traits that add mechanics to change the way the adventurers can interact with them or details for the party to discover. For example, the Magical Effect trait says that the challenge can be overcome or simplified by using the spell dispel magic, and it gives the DC for doing so successfully.

Other traits grant adventurers bonuses or penalties depending on which strategies they employ. For example, an adventurer that uses fire to deal with plants gain a bonus to checks made against the plants.

Also consider the size of the challenge. Exploration challenges that gradually deal damage should be large enough in area to threaten adventurers, but not big enough that it means certain death for the party — unless it is being used to create a barrier that the PCs must circumvent or otherwise advance in level before attempting because something crucial to the campaign waits on the other side.

Step 3: Brainstorm Solutions

The solutions provided by each encounter challenge are by no means an exhaustive list of ways around the problem, although they do suggest which approaches should be harder or easier to attempt.

For example, bandits waiting by a falling net have seen plenty of violence in their careers, so it might be easier to persuade or deceive them than it is to intimidate them. In that case, the Intimidation check might be at disadvantage , while a Persuasion check would not.

Certain solutions might also have an added cost or penalty associated with them. If adventurers would rather take the time to engineer a solution to a broken bridge instead of just trying to jump over it, then that should take more time to overcome.

When an exploration challenge makes it to the table, players might present a completely unexpected solution and that’s okay! Use the existing solutions to gauge how difficult this new solution should be in the situation, and the DCs for each Challenge Rating listed in the sidebar on Setting DCs.

Step 4: Determine the Consequences

There are usually four outcomes to consider in an exploration challenge: critical failure, failure, success, and critical success. Not every exploration challenge follows this structure, but those which are based on a group check or an individual ability check often do, and these outcomes can be applied at the Narrator’s discretion.

Step 5: Challenge Rating and Experience

To determine the appropriate challenge rating and experience points to reward for a new exploration challenge, use the same calculations used for a new creature (averaging the DCs for ability checks and using them in place of Armor Class). Otherwise compare the consequences of failures between the new exploration challenge and those listed in this chapter.

When you are hidden from a target, you gain advantage on your first attack roll against it. After your first attack roll, unless you are invisible or your target is otherwise unable to see you, you are no longer hidden.

Each campaign is different—every magic item may not be the best fit for a game, or the Narrator may need something that no one has thought of yet. In these instances, use the rules below to guide the process of coming up with new magic items and the ways a character might craft them.

Determining Rarity

Determining the rarity of a new magic item is one of the most difficult parts. While there’s no set formula
for determining rarity, refer to the following points when choosing the rarity of a new magic item;
• An item with one low power property that is consumed upon use is most likely common or uncommon, depending on the property. If the property recharges, it may still be common if the effect has little mechanical impact. Examples: blackbird pie , mug of warming , potion of climbing , prismatic gown .
• An item with multiple low to mid-level power properties, or a single lower power property which recharges, is likely uncommon or rare. Examples: boots of striding and springing , medallion of thoughts , ring of the ram , subtle mage gloves .
• If an item has multiple powerful properties that recharge, or one significantly powerful property that recharges, it is most likely rare or very rare. Examples: elemental quiver , helm of teleportation , robe of stars , staff of withering .
• If the item is powerful enough to be gamechanging, or is especially powerful and one of a kind, it is likely legendary or even an artifact. Examples: deck of many things , luck blade , sphere of annihilation , vorpal sword .
• If the item grants a creature the ability to cast spells, or replicates the effects of a spell, what level is that spell? The higher the spell level, the higher the item’s rarity. Examples: magic mirror , potion of flying , scroll of commune with nature , scroll of meteor swarm .
• Finally, consider the item’s purpose. Items that are less about making whoever carries them more effective, and more about granting access to something important for roleplaying purposes—such as defenses against a harsh environment, a way to overcome multiple language barriers, or survive somewhere without air—may have their rarity reduced. Conversely, items that allow for an adventure or their party to easily complete dangerous tasks (particularly those granting flight) may have a higher rarity than usual. Examples: Freelinking: Node title helm of comprehend languages does not exist , ring of warmth , water charm , winged boots .

Determining Cost

In most cases when including a new magic item for crafting or purchase it will be necessary to set a price for it. The Magic Item Costs table contains guidelines for pricing new magic items. Rarity isn’t the only thing to consider, however—for example, a magic item that is consumed on use is almost always cheaper than one of the same rarity that recharges.

The following list contains a few things that may help determine the price of a new item.
• Is it single use, multiple uses, or does it recharge indefinitely? Single use items should be cheaper than multiple use items, which are themselves typically cheaper than something that recharges regularly.
• How does it compare to other items of the same rarity? If another item is of a similar power level, use that item’s cost as a starting point.
• Does it have one property or multiple properties, and how many uses does each of the item’s properties have? Something with multiple rechargeable properties is going to be more expensive than one with multiple single use properties, or even one recharging property.
• Does the item grant a creature the ability to cast spells, or replicate the effects of a spell? If so, what level is that spell? The higher the spell level, the higher the potential cost.

A magic item may be only of rare rarity, but require extremely rare and expensive components to create, thus raising the price. The Magic Item Costs table does not take these outliers into account, and instead provides both an average low cost and average high cost for magic items that only require the standard components to create.

A Tricky Measure

Whenever a new magic item is being introduced to the game, Narrators should contemplate the ways it might be abused and exercise caution—what seems like a fun suggestion at first can easily get out of hand if its full implications aren’t carefully considered when it’s created.

Sample Magic Item Details

Narrators keen to make their own magic items can look to the rest of this chapter for examples to work from, or roll randomly to quickly pick out the origins, properties, and quirks to make a new piece of enchanted gear.

For those who have reached the height of mundane crafting there is the intricate practice of creating magical items. This can be done during downtime, like crafting mundane items, but is often a more finicky process. Magic items can be as unique as their crafters, ranging from potions to armor sets, and a particular magic item can look different every time someone new crafts it. Unlike crafting mundane items, crafting magic items is rather hit or miss. Crafting a magic item is either successful or it is not.

Player Level. Common magic items are called such for a reason—just about anyone can create them. As the rarity of an item increases however, so does the level of skill required. The Minimum Player Level table shows what level a character must reach before being able to craft magic items of a certain rarity. Unless their statistics state otherwise, an NPC is only able to craft magic items if they have spellcasting levels.

Base Materials. To craft a magic item a character must first acquire base materials equal to half the magic item’s cost; this includes special metals, wood, leather, and other substances which make the basic item, plus a mixture of common alchemical reagents, arcane components, or divine ingredients. These materials can be purchased easily as long as the character has the requisite funds and usually do not need to be accounted for individually.

Special Components. For most magic items, specific additional components are also needed that may not be available for purchase. PCs may need to undertake adventures in order to acquire these components. See the description of the desired magic item to learn what, if any, special items are needed. Special components include exotic items (such as a mirror that a basilisk has seen its reflection in), or creature parts (such as dragon scales). Creature parts can be easily collected from a defeated monster with no special ability checks required; this takes one hour and gives one dose plus one dose per size category of the creature above Medium. Collecting creature parts from any unwilling sentient humanoid is considered an evil act.

Special components generally can’t be bought or sold (the market for them is just too niche), but Narrators may decide that instead of questing for the special components to create a magic item that they can be purchased for 25% of the magic item’s cost.

Item Quality. Common magic items can be made from items of any quality, but uncommon magic items require an item of fine quality, and rare or greater magic items require an item of masterwork quality (see the Craft downtime activity on page 426 in Chapter 7: Adventuring in the Adventurer's Guide). Costs for an item’s quality are included in a magic item’s base cost.

Time Required. The time required to craft a magic item depends on its rarity, as shown on the Magic Item Crafting Time table. To craft a magic item, a character must make multiple ability checks due to the difficult nature of magic item crafting: an initial check and a final check.

Initial Check. At the beginning of the required time, the character makes an ability check against the DC for an item of that rarity. On a success, they can continue crafting the item as normal. On a failure, they have to start over. On a failure by 5 or more, crafting can continue but the final check’s DC increases by 2. Failing this check by 10 or more consumes half the required materials and is considered a failed attempt; however you gain one expertise die that you can use the next time you attempt to craft the same item, as long as it has been no longer than a month.

Final Check. At the end of the required crafting time, the character makes another ability check to complete their magic item against the DC for an item of that rarity. On a success, all the materials are consumed and they make the desired magic time. On a failure, the process consumes half of the required materials and the crafting fails. On a failure by 10 or more, all the materials are consumed and the crafting fails.

Ability Checks. Different types of items, and different rarities, require different ability checks to successfully craft. The Magic Item Crafting Abilities table shows what ability checks are required to craft items of that type. Some magic items may fit in multiple categories, such as an amulet crafted from wood or suits of armor that also allow a character to cast spells. In these cases, which type the item falls under is determined by the Narrator.

Tool Requirements. Crafting anything requires the right tools for the job—this is especially important when crafting magical items. Each type of magic item and the tools associated with those types are detailed on the General Magic Item Crafting table. A character does not require proficiency with the tools needed to make a magic item, only access to those tools.

At the Narrator’s discretion, enough time spent crafting a specific type of magic item may grant a character proficiency with the required tools. This should only be done after a character has successfully crafted multiple magic items, or after they have created an item of very rare rarity or higher.

Campaigns and Crafting

The crafting times listed here are suitable for most groups, but when playing a game that spans years within the campaign setting the Narrator may choose to double, triple, or even quadruple them to match the pacing of the adventures.Alternatively in a campaign that only spans a few seasons within the setting, they may instead be halved. The time needed to craft an item is always at the discretion of the Narrator.

Some magic items are sentient and sapient, possessed by a spirit or given life through arcane power. Despite their outward appearances these objects are full fledged characters with their own agendas, desires, and personalities. Unless otherwise specified, sentient items are NPCs under the Narrator’s control, and adventurers must negotiate with and become allies to them rather than simply use them as items. A sentient item’s properties and abilities are under their own control rather than the wielder’s, and accessing them requires the item’s willful cooperation.

Ability Scores

Sentient magic items have a mind and so also possess mental ability scores (Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma). Each sentient item has these ability scores defined in their descriptions, and is capable of making checks and saving throws just like any other creature.

Unless otherwise specified, sentient magic items don’t possess a typical body and thus usually don’t have Strength, Dexterity, and Constitution scores. These sentient items automatically fail any checks or saving throws made for these ability scores.

Durability and Hit Points

Most magic items are already far more durable than their mundane counterparts but the enchantments required to encapsulate a sentient mind must be steadfastly reinforced. Some sentient magic items have hit points listed within their description along with other statistics normal for a creature. Sentient magic items without hit points can only be broken by special and specific means detailed within the item’s description.

Senses and Communication

Sentient magic items rely on magical senses and forms of communication that can vary wildly between items. Some items may be able to communicate telepathically with their wielder or see with extranormal senses, or they may be severely limited in their capacity to interact with the world around them. Each sentient magic item’s description details its unique sense and communication abilities. Unless otherwise specified, assume that a sentient magic item can at least speak and understand Common, and can see and hear its surroundings as a typical humanoid creature would.

Personality and Conflict

Just like any NPC, sentient magic items have their own unique personality. Some have very specific goals in mind, while others may operate on guidelines or ideals. Sentient magic items can be as deep and complex as any character with intricate backstories and motivations that cannot be summarized by a single attribute or phrase. However, most sentient magic items have some issue or trait that can lead to conflict.

While a sentient magic item and a creature wielding it are not in conflict, the wielder has access to the abilities and properties of the sentient magic item. While a sentient magic item and a creature wielding it are in conflict, the wielder may lose access to some or all of the sentient magic item’s abilities, and the sentient magic item may even be able to inflict additional negative effects or influence the wielder’s actions.

Exactly what leads to conflict, what happens during conflict, and how these conflicts can be resolved depends on the personality of the sentient magic item (detailed in its description).

For example, a lance containing the soul of a righteous cleric might deal radiant damage to its wielder whenever it is used to commit an evil act, and will refuse to function for that wielder until that evil act is atoned for. Alternatively, a staff haunted by an arrogant wizard may refuse to attune to a wielder unless flattered with a high Charisma check, forcibly ending the attunement if it feels unappreciated or insulted.

Creating Sentient Magic Items

Creating a sentient magic item has elements of both character creation and item creation. Use the Backgrounds , Cultures , and perhaps even the Destinies in Chapter 2: Freelinking: Node title Origins does not exist to develop their personality and the information elsewhere in this chapter to create the sentient magic item’s traits and other statistics. In addition, make sure to include the following features:

Sentience: Include the item’s Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma scores. The Narrator can simply select these scores or determine them randomly by rolling 4d6 for each, dropping the lowest roll and totalling the rest.

Then, describe how the item communicates and what languages it knows. Some common forms of communication include:
• Telepathy with the wielder or others.
• An actual audible voice.
• Vague impulses and feelings empathically transmitted.

Finally you’ll need to describe how aware the item is of its surroundings:
• Vision common to most humanoids.
• Darkvision.
• Blindsight.
• Shared awareness using the wielder’s senses.

Personality: The description of a sentient item’s personality can be a simple list of traits or as extensive as a full backstory. Whatever level of detail, the Narrator needs at least some indication of the item’s motivations, what will bring the item into conflict, the repercussions of conflict and how to resolve it.

Common causes of conflict include:
• Going directly against the item’s values.
• Fighting against creatures aligned with the item.
• Insulting or causing the item injury.

Common repercussions of conflict include:
• Damaging the wielder.
• Blocking access to one or more of the item’s features.
• Attempting to control the wielder temporarily through a battle of wills, resolved with a contested Charisma check.
• Forcibly ending attunement.

Common resolutions of conflict include:
• Apologizing with a high Persuasion check.
• Bringing current actions back in line with the item’s values.
• Performing tasks or favors that benefit the item.

Being the Narrator is a gratifying and rewarding experience, but that doesn’t make it easy. This chapter is a trove of advice for running Level Up to be as engaging, enjoyable, memorable, and worthwhile as possible with a focus on two aspects of play: player archetypes and safety tools. When the group isn’t getting along, the party is led astray, or the campaign goes off track Narrators are encouraged to try to better understand the players, focusing on what they’re enthusiastic about so the story and gameplay better suit their passions. Cooperative games like Level Up are just that: cooperative. Whether gripping with mature themes or much more light-hearted quests, safety tools are an essential part of keeping everyone at the table happy and coming back for more.

Safety Tools

Player Archetypes

Birdfolk Traits

Characters with the birdfolk heritage share a variety of traits in common with one another.

Age: Birdfolk reach physical maturity around age 20, when they shed their drab juvenile feathers for a new, adult coloration. It is very rare for them to live past 100 years.

Size: Birdfolk often have lean builds. They stand between 5 to 7 feet tall, though due to their hollow bones they average 90 pounds. Your size is Medium.

Speed: Your base walking speed is 30 feet.

Avian Senses. You gain an expertise die on Perception checks that rely on sight or hearing.

Wind Rider. Your arms function as protowings that allow you to glide safely to the ground. Each round you can move horizontally 5 feet for every 5 feet you descend, up to a distance equal to your speed. You cannot hover and so must move your full Speed each turn or land. Otherwise, you fall as normal. To use this movement, you cannot be encumbered and cannot wield a weapon. At the Narrator’s discretion you may be able to hold a small weapon, such as a dagger, or a small item, such as a potion, but cannot use them while gliding. Whenever you spend 3 full consecutive rounds gliding without landing, you gain a level of fatigue . Any fatigue gained in this way is removed upon finishing a short or long rest.

Additionally, you have resistance to falling damage as long as you are not incapacitated .

Birdfolk Gifts

Birdfolk can vary greatly from each other. In addition to the traits found in your birdfolk heritage, select one of the following gifts.

Aspect of the Hunt

Birdfolk especially in tune with birds of prey are never unarmed. You gain the following trait:

Sharp Talons. Your talons are sharp enough to be used as deadly weapons. The talons are natural weapons with the finesse trait, which you can use to make unarmed strikes that deal slashing damage equal to 1d4 + your Strength or Dexterity modifier. They do not require an empty hand to use.

Darkvision. You have superior vision in dark and dim conditions. You can see in dim light within 60 feet of you as if it were bright light, and in darkness as if it were dim light. You can’t discern color in darkness, only shades of gray.

Wind Mastery

Rarely, a birdfolk is born with true wings sprouting from their back, as well as tail feathers to help them fly. While not capable of sustained flight, such chicks are considered blessed and often go on to hold roles of spiritual or political significance. You gain the following trait:

Flight. You gain a fly speed of 30 feet. To use this speed, you can’t be wearing medium or heavy armor. Whenever you spend 3 full consecutive rounds airborne without landing, you gain a level of fatigue . Any fatigue gained in this way is removed upon finishing a short or long rest .

You can use your Wind Rider trait to glide on a following round, but if you resume flying before landing you gain fatigue as normal. Similarly, you can begin flying during a glide but are still subject to gaining fatigue if you resume gliding.

Birdfolk Paragon

As a birdfolk matures, they achieve their full potential, boosting their innate abilities to higher levels. When you reach 10th level, your heritage gift improves considerably.

Greater Aspect of the Hunt

The range of your darkvision increases to 120 feet and your talons’ damage die increases to 1d8. Additionally, you can now make an attack roll with your talons as a bonus action.

Greater Wind Mastery

Your fly speed increases to 40 feet and you can fly while wearing medium or heavy armor. When you would suffer fatigue from using your fly speed, you make a Constitution saving throw (DC 10 + 1 per previous save in the last minute). On a success, you do not suffer fatigue from flying that round and you do not suffer fatigue from flying that round.

Birdfolk Culture

Often deeply attuned to the spirits and small gods of nature, most birdfolk flocks are a reverent people culturally encouraged to consider the effects their actions will have on the greater web of the community and the land around them. No matter where it is found, community is the most important pillar of a birdfolk’s life, with protection of and service to the flock seen as the highest calling. Birdfolk who strike out as adventurers or settle among other peoples tend to consider party members and neighbors as part of their personal flock.

Suggested Cultures

While you can choose any culture for your birdfolk character, the following cultures are linked closely with this heritage: crag-keeper simirengo , far-flyer simirengo , nomad , sky-seeker simirengo , wildling .

Dreamborn Traits

Characters with the dreamborn heritage share a variety of traits in common with one another. 

Type. Fey.

Age. Age means little to dreamborn. Some age like humans, while others have seemingly always been wrinkled and old, and others are perpetually young, or even go in cycles, returning to youth every spring.

Size. Usually Medium or Small. Some dreamborn can be smaller, but see Fey Logic below.

Speed. Your base walking speed is 30 feet.

Fey Logic. While you may appear to be Tiny, Small, or Medium size, you interact with the world as if you were Small or Medium (chosen at character creation). Spells such as enlarge/reduce mean the size category you appear to be increases or decreases as appropriate, though your stats change according to the size you interact with the world as.

Even if your body has no limbs with opposable thumbs, you can hold and manipulate items as if you had humanoid hands, perhaps wielding things with a tail or wingtips. You can talk even if your mouth normally wouldn’t permit it. In turn, though, efforts that would thwart a humanoid thwart you, such as a gag to mute you or bonds to confine you.

Knack for the Unexpected. Once per short rest you can add an expertise die (+1d4) to a skill check you’re not proficient in.

The Power of Words. If you promise something to a creature, that creature intuitively senses that it can use a reaction to compel you to fulfill a promise you made to them as though they had cast suggestion . The DC to resist this is 10. Succeeding the save represents you devising a way to wiggle out of the promise. A given creature can only levy one such obligation per day.

Once you are 3rd level, you can cast suggestion once per long rest , but only on a creature that has agreed to the stated course of action in word or text. Your spellcasting ability for this spell is Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma (whichever is highest).

Aversion. Since dreamborn are protean beings, they often loathe things that ‘define’ them or the place around them. Other fey just develop a deep distrust or resentment of some random type of thing for reasons perhaps only they understand. Choose a fairly common thing from the Waking you are averse to, such as ticking clocks (the Dreaming hates when time is orderly), measuring rulers (or national rulers too, since rules are just the worst, aren’t they?), mirrors, iron, or laughing babies. You cannot willingly touch that thing, come within 5 feet of it, or even use tools to manipulate such items.

You can attempt a DC 20 Wisdom saving throw to ignore this aversion from a particular item—and anything similar within 30 feet of it—for one hour. If you fail, your turn ends and you cannot try to ignore that particular aversion for a day. However, if you or an ally is attacked in any way by a creature protected by a repellant item or creature, you can freely ignore the repellant effect as though you had succeeded on your saving throw.

Dreamborn Gifts

Fey are notoriously diverse, even among a given court or community. In addition to the traits found in your dreamborn heritage, choose two of the following dreamborn gifts.

Aquatic. You have a swimming speed of 30 feet and you can hold your breath for up to 15 minutes at a time.

Animate Objects. Once per short rest you can cast animate objects , but only to animate a number of Tiny objects equal to your proficiency bonus. These objects have a speed of 30 feet and cannot fly. Additionally, you must spend your action to maintain concentration on the spell each round. Once you reach 3rd level, you can instead spend your reaction to maintain concentration. At 5th level, you can animate Small objects as though they were 2 Tiny objects.

Change Size. You can spend an action to become Small or Medium size as though you had chosen that option with Fey Logic. All items you are wearing or carrying also change size; however, any items that you drop, sell, or give away return to their original size if it has changed because of this gift.

Darkvision. You can see in dim light within 60 feet of you as if it were bright light, and in darkness as if it were dim light. You cannot discern color in darkness, only shades of gray.

Fey Whimsy. You know one of the following cantrips: dancing lights , druidcraft , mage hand , minor illusion , prestidigitation , thaumaturgy . Your spellcasting ability for these spells is Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma (whichever is highest).

Flight. You gain a fly speed of 30 feet as long as you are no more than 10 feet off the ground. To use this speed, you can’t be wearing medium or heavy armor. Additionally, if you attempt to go higher, or if you have spent 3 full consecutive rounds flying, on your next turn you instead fall safely for 30 feet or until you touch the ground. All falling damage beyond 30 feet (if you exceeded your height restriction by flying over a cliff, for instance) is still calculated.

Nature Skin. Whether stone, wood, or some other element, your magical skill grants you an AC of 13 + your Dexterity modifier when you’re not wearing armor. You can use a shield and gain this benefit.

Speak with Beasts. Choose one: birds, fish and amphibians, mammals, reptiles, or creepy crawlies (like bugs and spiders). You can cast speak with animals a number of times per day equal to your proficiency modifier, but only to speak with the chosen animal type.

Vanish. As a reaction immediately after taking damage, you can turn invisible . The invisibility lasts until the end of your next turn, and it ends early if you attack, deal damage, cast a spell, or force a creature to make a saving throw . Once you use this feature, you must finish a long rest before doing so again.

Wild Senses. You gain advantage on skill checks that rely on hearing or smell.

Dreamborn Paragon 

When you reach 10th level, you are an exemplar of the fey, and you gain one paragon gift from the following list.

Improved Flight. If you chose Flight as a fey gift, you gain a fly speed of 40 feet even if you are wearing medium or heavy armor. You have no height restrictions, though you will still fall after 3 full consecutive rounds of flight; however, you can now ignore up to 60 feet of falling damage when falling in this manner.

Metamorphosis. Whenever you complete a long rest , you may choose a fey gift you don’t normally possess. Your nature shifts to gain that gift until you use this ability again.

Now I’m Over Here. A number of times per day equal to your proficiency bonus you can, as a bonus action, teleport to a space you can see within 30 feet.

Dreaming Culture

Depending on where in the Dreaming they hail from, fey cultures can vary greatly. Just as the Dreaming reflects the real world, fey seem to reflect whatever the residents of the Waking think the fey should be. Some set up in courts with strict hierarchies and elaborate games of manners and trickery. Others live more simply in small communities, while a few choose a solitary existence, carving out their own little spot in the Dreaming.

Suggested Cultures

While you can choose any culture for your dreamtouched character, the following cultures are linked closely with this heritage: Dreaming Wilds, Fey Court.