Extreme Cold
Whenever the temperature is at or below 0 degrees Fahrenheit, a creature exposed to the cold must succeed on a DC 10 Constitution saving throw at the end of each hour or gain one level of exhaustion. Creatures with resistance or immunity to cold damage automatically succeed on the saving throw, as do creatures wearing cold weather gear (thick coats, gloves, and the like) and creatures naturally adapted to cold climates.
Extreme Heat
When the temperature is at or above 100 degrees Fahrenheit, a creature exposed to the heat and without access to drinkable water must succeed on a Constitution saving throw at the end of each hour or gain one level of exhaustion. The DC is 5 for the first hour and increases by 1 for each additional hour. Creatures wearing medium or heavy armor, or who are clad in heavy clothing, have disadvantage on the saving throw. Creatures with resistance or immunity to fire damage automatically succeed on the saving throw, as do creatures naturally adapted to hot climates.
Strong Winds
A strong wind imposes disadvantage on ranged weapon attack rolls and Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on hearing. A strong wind also extinguishes open flames, disperses fog, and makes flying by nonmagical means nearly impossible. A flying creature in a strong wind must land at the end of its turn or fall.
A strong wind in a desert can create a sandstorm that imposes disadvantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on sight.
Foraging
Very little, if any, food and water sources can be found in the wasteland of Athas. Foraging for adequate food and water can be attempted by making a Wisdom (Survival) check with a DC of 20.
For a creature of Medium size, 1 pound of food a day and 2 gallons of water a day are necessary to survive and sustain one's self in the hot climate of Athas.
Quicksand
A quicksand pit covers the ground in roughly a 10-foot-square area and is usually 10 feet deep. When a creature enters the area, it sinks 1d4 + 1 feet into the quicksand and becomes restrained. At the start of each of the creature's turns, it sinks another 1d4 feet. As long as the creature isn't completely submerged in quicksand, it can escape by using its action and succeeding on a Strength check. The DC is 10 plus the number of feet the creature has sunk into the quicksand. A creature that is completely submerged in quicksand can't breathe.
A creature can pull another creature within its reach out of a quicksand pit by using its action and succeeding on a Strength check. The DC is 5 plus the number of feet the target creature has sunk into the quicksand.
Becoming Lost
Unless they are following a path, or something like it, adventurers traveling in the wilderness run the risk of becoming lost. The party's navigator makes a Wisdom (Survival) check when you decide it's appropriate, against a DC determined by the prevailing terrain, as shown on the Wilderness Navigation table. If the party is moving at a slow pace, the navigator gains a +5 bonus to the check, and a fast pace imposes a -5 penalty. If the party has an accurate map of the region or can see the sun or stars, the navigator has advantage on the check.
If the Wisdom (Survival) check succeeds, the party travels in the desired direction without becoming lost. If the check fails, the party inadvertently travels in the wrong direction and becomes lost. The party's navigator can repeat the check after the party spends 1d6 hours trying to get back on course.
| Terrain Type | Navigation Difficulty |
|---|---|
| Forest, jungle, swamp, mountains, or open sea with overcast skies and no land in sight | DC 15 |
| Arctic, desert, hills, or open sea with clear skies and no land in sight | DC 10 |
| Grassland, meadow, farmland | DC 5 |
Weapon and Armor Fragility
Armor in Athas tends to be constructed from obsidian or the corpses of wasteland beasts. Fur or other fiber from certain creatures can be used to weave small segments of chitin or bone together, forming protection analogous to chainmail or scale male. Plate armor can be constructed from scales removed from only the hardiest of desert creatures.
When you are on the receiving end of a critical hit while wearing armor constructed from hide, chitin, obsidian, or the like, the armor you are wearing takes a -1 penalty to your armor class. Once this penalty reduces the item's armor class to 10, the armor breaks. For example, if you are wearing studded leather armor, which normally grants an AC of 12 + your Dexterity modifier, the armor would break after receiving two critical hits, when the -2 penalty reduces the base AC of 12 to a base AC of 10.
Weapons are similarly constructed; some sturdy wood can be found in certain forested regions of Athas, and is imported to the desert city-states as a pricey commodity. Most blades, spearheads, arrowheads, and the like are constructed solely from carved bone and tusk. Bludgeoning weapons such as clubs or warhammers are generally made entirely of wood or incorporate hardened rock and blunted bone.
When you roll a critical failure while wielding a weaopn constructed from wood, bone, obsidian, or the like, your weapon takes a -1 penalty to its attack and damage rolls. Once this penalty reduces the item's damage below your weapon attack ability modifier, the weapon breaks. For example, imagine you are wielding a club made from bone, which normally deals damage equal to 1d4 + your Strength modifier, and you have a Strength score of 14, for a modifier of +2. The weapon would break after making two critical failures, when the -2 penalty negates your weapon attack ability modifier of +2.
Armor and weapons crafted from metal are generally treated as items with +1 to AC or +1 to attack and damage rolls, as appropriate, and they lack the fragility described above. However, characters touching metal while in the desert sun are going to find that perhaps bone and wood are not so bad after all; any metal exposed to direct sunlight for one round or more becomes afflicted by an effect identical to the Heat Metal spell, dealing nonmagical fire damage to any creature touching the metal.
