Wagon Encounter Rules

Wagon Encounters

Combat on a wagon is best suited for certain types of encounters. The basic wagon rules, models, and attachments are compatible with regular 5e rules and fit in any combat. However, the rules in this section can help create a particularly exciting scenario that puts a well-designed wagon through its paces.

Here are some combat situations where wagons shine, and rules to make them even better.

Enormous Enemies

The following rules give encounters with enormous creatures some extra weight (if you will), to reflect their stature and the way their size affects their capacity for damage. Temporary changes in size (such as from the enlarge spell) don’t grant these benefits, but permanent transmutations do.
Until fatigue gives way to wounds, the bodies of enormous creatures are reinforced by the simple physics of having so much more mass than the average combatant. Add the following special trait to all Huge and Gargantuan creatures:

Enormity. When this creature is hit by an attack from a Large or smaller creature, its damage taken is reduced by 1 for each of its Hit Dice (before calculating resistance or vulnerability to the damage). If this creature falls below half its maximum hit points, this trait doesn’t function until it finishes a long rest.

The terror of being trampled and crushed flat by a gigantic monster isn’t borne out in 5e’s damage calculations. A slight rule change makes it so a massive creature can deliver devastating damage when they focus their effort into the strike. Add the following special trait to all Huge and Gargantuan creatures:

Stark Size. When this creature hits with a melee weapon attack on its turn before moving, if the target is at least one size category smaller, the attack is a critical hit.

Mobile Encounter Rules

5e combat is written to allow creatures to move, then stop to perform actions. The moving is separated from the action, and used only for positioning. The Mobile Encounter Rules make movement a more integrated part of an encounter.

Representing Space in Motion

A mobile encounter takes place on a larger map than in base 5e combat. Squares of terrain 120 feet on a side are called grounds. Unlike base combat’s “space,” multiple creatures can occupy the same ground. Positioning is abstract on a ground; creatures are constantly shifting and moving. Distance is calculated in feet during actions, but otherwise, it’s measured in grounds.

Time and Large Battlegrounds

Mobile encounters take longer than conventional combat. When forces move across a battlefield, it takes time to get into position. In rallies, forces spend more time moving side-by-side, punctuated by moments of action.
In a mobile encounter, a round is 12 seconds long.

Redefined Terms

When running a mobile encounter, use the following substitutions for base combat terms.

Initiative

In a mobile encounter, all friendly creatures on the same ground move and act together as a force. On their force’s turn, the players decide the order of their actions. A force on a wagon rolls initiative with the driver’s bonus. Any other force rolls initiative with the highest initiative bonus of its creatures.
During some mobile encounter actions, multiple creatures take actions at the same time. Creatures that take actions together can’t take a bonus action afterward on the same turn. For example, a cleric can’t make a melee attack during a pass (more on that later), then use a bonus action to cast healing word later, even if they didn’t use a bonus action during the pass.

Movement

The number of grounds a crew can move depends on the wagon’s speed, while other forces use their slowest creature’s speed. Grounds can be traversed all at once or split up before and after an action. If a force’s speed is 0, it can’t change the ground it’s on. Otherwise, a force’s speed in grounds is equal to 1 + (walking speed ÷ 50), rounded down. Forces can’t move diagonally. If a force splits up, new forces are formed on each ground. The new forces act after the original one in the initiative order, starting the following round (otherwise a force could split in half repeatedly to get lots and lots of turns!).

Cover

A force benefits from cover if at least three quarters of the creatures have that cover. For example, a ground with one big tree can’t cover 50 creatures, but a dense forest can, even if there are a few exposed stragglers. On a wagon, creatures have the best cover between where they are on board and the cover offered by the ground.

Range

Movement is fluid in mobile encounters, and distance changes often between attacker and target. If a creature chooses a target on the same ground, the distance between them is treated as 60 feet. Otherwise, a target’s distance is 120 feet per ground. Sword-and-board fighters still have options! Passing, outlined later, allows a force to close to melee range.

Mobile Actions & Movement

In addition to its creatures’ normal actions, a force has the following options on its turn.

Press

This action can be taken in place of the Dash action, and replaces it in mobile encounters. By taking the Press action, a force adds 1 ground to its speed. All creatures in a force must take the Press action, but a wagon only needs its driver to take this action, leaving others on board free to take other actions before or after.

Conceal

This action can be taken in place of the Hide action, and replaces it in mobile encounters. A force can take the Conceal action when there are no hostile forces within 2 grounds. All of the creatures must take this action to gain the benefits. After taking the Conceal action, a force’s creatures are hidden until it moves onto a ground without at least half cover or light obscurement, or it’s revealed by the Scout action.

Scout

With the Scout action, a force patrols the border of its ground to learn information about its surroundings. On a force’s turn, one creature of the force’s choice chooses a number of grounds within 2 equal to its Wisdom modifier. For each one, the scout makes a Wisdom (Perception) check contested by a Dexterity (Stealth) check made by the creature with the lowest modifier in a concealed force. Any concealed force that fails the opposed check is revealed. Only one creature on a force can take the Scout action per turn.
A force can immediately take the Scout action against a concealed force that moves within 2 grounds of it, or one that targets it with an attack or spell. The check automatically succeeds if the concealed force is on the same ground.

Entrench

This action can be taken in place of the Dodge action, and replaces it in mobile encounters. A force can create cover for itself, turning a ground with no cover into one with half cover, or a ground with half cover into one with three-quarters cover. All creatures in a force must take the Entrench action on the force’s turn. The trench cover lasts until the force spends movement. If a force increases in number, it loses the benefits of the trench.

Pass

By spending 1 ground of movement, a force can rush past targets on the same ground to take actions against them at close range. A deft creature leads the charge to find the best position, but a wagon depends on its driver to manage the distance.
While passing, a force moves past targets in a straight line at a distance of 30 feet. As the attackers draw near, both sides maneuver to change how close the attackers get. Each force chooses a creature to lead the charge. They both make a pass check: a contested Dexterity check against the other (a wagon makes a Drive check instead). While passing a force with speed 0, a force skips this step and chooses any distance (their target can’t maneuver away if they can’t move).
The force that rolled higher on the check can widen or narrow the pass by a distance in feet up to 10 times the difference between their pass check results. The minimum pass distance is 5 feet, and the maximum is 60 feet.
Each creature in the passing force can take an action as they close. It can treat its target as if at any range between 60 feet and the passing distance—they choose when to act as the force closes in. A creature has advantage on melee attacks during the pass if its force rolled higher by 4 or more. If a passed creature is targeted within its reach, it can make an opportunity attack against the passing creature.
For example, a wagon passes a force of stone golems. The wagon’s Drive check is 21, and the stone golem rolls 19. The wagon can choose to pass the golems up to 20 feet closer or farther than 30, as their pass check was 2 higher. The driver chooses to ride by 10 feet away. As the wagon passes, the ranger on the roof fires from 30 feet away, while the fighter in the window waits until the wagon is 10 feet away before thrusting their lance.

Optional Pass Rules

If you’re looking for a bit more strategic complexity, here are some optional considerations while passing:
Passing Speed. If the creature with the slowest walking speed in either force is faster than the slowest in the other, that difference is factored into the amount a force can alter the pass distance. For example, if a wagon’s Drive check is 3 higher but passing creatures that move 20 feet faster, it can alter the pass distance up to 10 feet.
Reflexive Rescue. If a creature is incapacitated while passing, it normally falls into the custody of the passed force. However, another creature in the passing force can use its reaction to grab its helpless ally on the way by, if it’s strong enough and has a free hand.
Clusters. A passing force (or one being passed) can sacrifice maneuverability to stay close to each other. Its leader has disadvantage on the Dexterity check, but every creature in the force is treated as having another one in its force within 5 feet when taking actions or opportunity attacks. Pack Tactics and some class abilities benefit from clustering.
Snatch. A creature that can grapple can make the attempt with disadvantage during a pass. If successful, its target is taken into its custody.

Corner

Cornering can put a force on the back foot, wrangling enemies close to each other and keeping them in melee range. By spending 1 ground of its movement, a force can attempt to corner another force on the same ground. All of a cornering force must spend the movement. Cornering a creature with a speed of 0 automatically succeeds.
Each force chooses a creature to lead the charge that makes a corner check: a contested Dexterity check against the other (a wagon makes a Drive check instead). The cornering force makes the check with advantage if at least one adjacent ground is inaccessible (such as when cornering a force against a canyon wall). A force that outnumbers the other has advantage on the check.
If the cornering force succeeds, the target force is cornered. If the target force succeeds, a number of creatures equal to the difference between the checks can use their reaction to make an opportunity attack against a target in the cornering force.
Cornered. Until a cornered force escapes:

It can’t leave its ground
It can’t take the Scout action, pass, or corner another force
Its creatures have disadvantage on ranged attacks
Double the result when determining targets in an area

Creatures in the cornering force close, and both forces can target the other with melee attacks. Creatures taking actions in the cornering force can treat up to 3 different targets in the cornered force as at a range of 5 feet, and vice versa.
Escaping a Corner. A cornered force can spend 1 ground of movement to attempt to escape the corner. (all of its creatures must spend the movement). To do so, the cornered force must succeed on a contested corner check against the cornering force. If the cornering force succeeds, a number of creatures equal to the difference between the checks can use their reaction to make an opportunity attack against a target in the cornered force.

Custody

When a creature is paralyzed with fear, tied up, or otherwise indisposed, their allies (or enemies!) can scoop them up into their force. A creature can attempt to take custody of an incapacitated target within reach or one it is grappling as an action. It automatically succeeds if the target is incapacitated. If the creature is grappling the target, it must succeed on a grapple check against the target to take them into custody. If the attempt is successful, the creature in custody is carried with the force.
A creature in custody can use its action to escape. To do so, it must succeed on a Strength (Athletics) or Dexterity (Acrobatics) check contested by the captor’s Strength (Athletics) check. Depending on the circumstances, a creature who escapes custody might be treated as cornered.

The Racing Condition

When a creature moves as fast as possible over a long distance, they gain the racing condition. Only creatures with a walking speed of at least 60 feet can enter the racing condition.
A racing creature:

Travels in a straight line, except for up to a combined 20 feet to either side per round.
Moves triple its speed in grounds or 4 times its speed in a normal round.
Can’t take actions, bonus actions, or reactions.
Has disadvantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks, except to see things in a 30-foot cone in the direction of their movement.
Has disadvantage on Dexterity and Strength saving throws.
Can race for a number of minutes equal to 2 + its Constitution modifier before it gains two levels of exhaustion and must stop racing. This duration resets after the creature finishes a long rest.

Gaining and Losing the Racing Condition. A racing creature needs time to reach top speed to prevent collision or tripping. A creature gains the racing condition on the start of its next turn if it moves at least twice its speed in a straight line, or until it takes the Press action to move in a straight line during a mobile encounter.
Likewise, a racing creature or wagon needs time to completely stop. It can choose to begin decelerating on its turn, moving double its base speed instead of quadruple. In a mobile encounter, a decelerating creature or wagon moves double its speed in grounds in a straight line. It stops racing at the start of its next turn.

Sprinting

While racing, a creature or wagon can push itself to its absolute physical limit to squeeze out a bit more speed. To sprint, a racing creature rolls a Constitution (Athletics) check with a DC equal to 12 + the number of rounds the creature has sprinted since its last short rest. A wagon uses a Drive check instead, determining the DC based on its draughts. The racing creature or wagon can treat the result of the check’s d20 roll as 10, but must choose to do so before rolling.
On a successful sprint, a creature moves an additional distance in feet equal to 5 times the difference between the check result and the DC.
On a failed check, the racing creature or wagon must begin decelerating out of the racing condition on its next turn. If it fails the check by 3 or more, it skids.
Skidding and Crashing. When a racing creature or wagon enters difficult terrain, is forced below a speed of 60, or is incapacitated, it must succeed on a DC 15 Dexterity saving throw or skid. A skidding creature falls prone and slides 10 feet, losing the racing condition and taking 3d6 bludgeoning damage. A wagon takes 4d6 bludgeoning damage, and slides 10 feet.
If a racing creature or wagon collides with a Small or larger object, it crashes. A creature immediately stops, loses the racing condition, and takes 4d6 bludgeoning damage. A wagon also stops and loses the racing condition, but takes 6d6 bludgeoning damage instead.
The collided object takes 2d6 bludgeoning damage for each size category above Small of the racing creature. A racing wagon deals 4d6 bludgeoning damage.

Riders

A creature riding a racing mount or vehicle can act normally, but can only target objects or creatures on the same ground, and that are racing in the same direction. The creature can attempt to pick up an item as it passes on the ground by succeeding on a DC 13 Dexterity check.
If a riding creature falls off the mount or vehicle, or if it crashes, it must make a DC 15 Dexterity save. On a failed save, it falls prone and slides 15 feet in the racing direction, taking 3d6 bludgeoning damage.

Rallies

A rally is a mobile encounter in which most of the action takes place on a straight path, such as a race or pursuit. Creatures and wagons don’t need to have the racing condition during a rally, and a racing creature doesn’t need to be in a rally. However, they work well together, especially for the last sprint!

These rules step back from tracking absolute position in favor of relative distances between things moving at a similar speed. The “camera” follows overhead as the crew gets up to Mad Max antics.

The Map

Rally maps are the space within a single ground measured in 5-foot increments, tracking each force’s position relative to others within 120 feet. The map is 24 squares by 24 squares, as a ground is a square 120 feet on a side. When a force catches up, slows down, or pulls in from the side, put them at their relative distance on the map. If it moves farther than 120 feet away, it drops off the grid and enters an adjacent ground.
A rally moves in the same general direction from round to round. On the map, “up” is “forward,” and “down” is “behind.” Forces can move laterally (such as a wagon pulling in close so that the fighter on the roof can jump across), but most movement is forward as they chase or race toward a destination. The map changes every round as the action moves forward. Each round’s map is where the action is in that round.
Calculate distance at the end of every round. If one force moves farther forward than the other, move it one square up on the map for every 5 feet farther it traveled that round. A force higher on the map can freely slow down at this point, moving down on the map. However, it can’t stop directly in front of another force this way—that’s what cornering is for (outlined below).

Actions & Movement

Rally encounters work like other mobile encounters, with the following exceptions.

Movement

Forces in a rally don’t move freely around the map. Instead, at the end of each round, the faster force moves a space upward on the map for every 5 feet faster its base walking speed is than the others, to represent pulling ahead.
A force can also move down on the map, which represents pulling back.

Shift

In a rally, a force can shift at the start of its turn to move sideways relative to another A shift check is similar to a pass: one creature from each force makes a Dexterity check contested by the other’s (wagons use a Drive check instead).
(wagons use a Drive check instead). First, a shifting force moves laterally up to 1d6 x 5 feet. The force that rolled higher on the shift check can add or subtract up to 5 feet times the difference. Finally, the faster force can add or subtract up to the difference in their speeds. This reduces the distance they pull ahead at the end of the round by an equal amount. The final calculation is:
Distance shifted in feet = (1d6 x 5) + (up to the difference in contested results x 5) + or - (up to the difference in speed)

Corner

Cornering lets a force attempt to stop another’s movement or force it into a 90 degree turn. A force can attempt to corner another force it’s ahead of on the rally map. A corner check is similar to surrounding: one creature from each force makes a Dexterity check contested by the other’s (wagons use a Drive check instead). If successful, the cornering force can bring both forces to a stop or turn the rally 90 degrees left or right.

Hordes

A crew facing off against a force of dozens of skeletons is awesome, but the combat is exhausting in practice. The following rules help run mobile encounters against a horde, which is a group of more than 12 creatures acting together. We don’t recommend mixing these rules with other optional mass combat rules.

Size of a Horde

A horde can occupy multiple grounds at once in a mobile encounter. The creatures on each ground a horde occupies are a separate force. All of the forces in a horde move on the same turn in initiative.

Commanders

Some hordes are led by a commanding officer, necromancer, or other single authority on the field. The GM secretly determines which ground this commander occupies, revealing its location when a force moves onto its ground. Every force can have one commander.

Horde Forces

Horde forces come in three types, based on their number of creatures. Consult the Force Size table to determine its type.
Force Size
# of Creatures - Type
1-18 - Ambush
19-100 - Unit101+ - Mob

Ambush

Small groups can move with agility and subtlety. An ambush is the only horde force capable of hiding. However, they have a harder time blocking a hostile force’s movement through their ground.

Unit

The standard horde force type is a unit. A unit can’t use the Conceal action to remain undetected, but it can obscure its numbers (outlined later in this section). A unit benefits from large numbers, while still being responsive to commands on the field.

Mob

When tactics fail, some hordes resort to overwhelming numbers. While a mob is difficult to move and command, it can easily overwhelm an unprepared enemy by making escape impossible. A mob can’t take the Press or Conceal actions.

Movement

A force can move onto a ground occupied by an ambush force. However, if a force attempts to move onto a ground occupied by a hostile unit or mob, the force can use its reaction to attempt to block entry. The moving force makes a Dexterity check using the lowest modifier of its creatures, and a wagon uses a Drive check. The DC to move onto the ground is 15 for a unit’s, and 18 for a mob’s.

Actions

Conceal

A unit can take the Conceal action to hide its numbers. After doing so, it disguises itself as an ambush until the Scout action is successfully used against it. Additionally, any force that uses the Conceal action can hide the presence of their commander.

Split

Extra coordination is necessary for a horde unit to separate. When all the creatures in a force take the Split action, the force can move onto two different grounds, or stay on its current ground and send creatures 1 ground away.

Join

If a horde force moves onto a ground with another force in its horde, it must use its action to join the two forces into one. A force can only join one that has already taken its turn in that round.

Area of Effect vs Hordes

To determine the number of creatures in an area, consult the Number of Creatures in an Area table.
Number of Creatures in an Area
Shape - Number of Creatures in an Area
Cone - Size / 10Cube - Size / 5Cylinder - Radius / 3 Circle - Radius / 3 Sphere - Radius / 3 Line - Length / 20
If the force is a unit, use the result. For an ambush, divide the result by 2. For a mob, double it.

Routing

When a horde force’s numbers are diminished, morale suffers and it can be wiped from the map. At the end of a turn in which creatures were killed in a force, it makes a Wisdom saving throw using the highest modifier of its creatures. The DC is rounded down:
The DC is rounded down: 20 x (The # of creatures killed ÷ The # of creatures in the force at the start of the concluding turn)
In other words, 20 times the fraction of creatures killed that turn. If half of a force’s creatures were killed, the saving throw DC is 10, and so on. Forces with a commander have advantage on the save, and forces in which at least three quarters of the creatures are immune to the frightened condition automatically pass the save. If a commander was killed, its force has disadvantage on the save.
On a failed save, the force is routed. Half its creatures immediately flee and effectively leave the encounter. The remaining force has disadvantage on all attacks, ability checks, and saving throws. It only acts to attempt to join another force, and flees if unable to do so by the end of its next turn.
Example. Buck single-handedly destroys 50 of the 75 goblins in a unit in a single round. The remaining unit makes a DC 13 Wisdom save (20 x 50 / 75). The goblins roll a 9. 12 of them run away, while the other 13 must find a new unit, or also run away after the end of their next turn.

Resolving a Horde’s Attacks

Forces in a horde take the Attack action together. Rather than roll 50d20, hits are calculated based on the target’s AC and the attacks’ bonus. Subtract the bonus from the target’s AC to determine the minimum d20 roll to score a hit, then consult the Horde Attack Hits table below to determine how many creatures must attack to score one hit.
Horde Attack Hits
Roll Needed - # of Attacks per Hit
20 - 20
19 - 10
17-18 - 5
15-16 - 4
12-14 - 3
6-11 - 2
1-5 - 1
Example. 20 goblins use their shortbows to attack a squirrel rogue with a 15 AC. Their shortbow attack has a +4 bonus to hit, so they need to roll an 11. According to the table, every 2 attacks hit. The squirrel rogue eats 10 arrows, and is probably in trouble.

Targets on Wagons

Attacks against a wagon are distributed by where its crew is on board. To determine how many attacks target each crew member, consult the Wagon Targets table below. Remember, attacks against creatures in the wagon’s interior are impossible, as they have total cover.
Wagon Targets
Location - Attacks Targeting
Roof - 25%
Driver - 20%
Window - 10%
Each location’s creatures are targeted with attacks in order from most-to-least vulnerable (the number of attacks is rounded down), and the wagon itself is the target of any that remain. The creatures in a position that takes the last of the attacks divide them equally (see example 3 below). As a reminder, a medium or smaller creature can’t make melee attacks against creatures on the wagon’s roof unless its reach is at least 10 feet.
Example 1. 20 goblins bombard a wagon with 4 creatures on its roof. Each of the creatures on the roof are targeted by 25% of the attacks (5 attacks each).
Example 2. 20 goblins bombard a wagon with 1 creature on the roof, 1 creature in the driver’s seat, and 1 creature at a window. The rooftop delver is targeted by 5 attacks (25%), the driver is targeted by 4 attacks (20%), and the delver in the window is targeted by 2 attacks (10%). The remaining 9 attacks target the wagon itself.
Example 3. 20 goblins bombard a wagon with 3 creatures on the roof and 2 creatures in the driver’s seat. Each rooftop delver takes 5 attacks (25% each, for a total of 75%), and the remaining 25% of the attacks are divided between the 2 drivers (one taking 3 attacks and the other 2 attacks).

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