Interesting Terrain for Better Combat

They're using terrain - so can your players.

In my previous series of posts about making combat more interesting, I discussed the use of terrain features with mechanical effects. The Adventures in Middle Earth RPG from Cubicle 7 has some really good rules in there that I think deserve more use. Using those as a basis, here's some examples of how you can use terrain to shake up combat encounters. I've streamlined the rules and come up with a table to generate some interesting battlegrounds.

Terrain Tags

Before we begin, I'd like to lay out a few tags for terrain features in order to give them some mechanical support. This will help organize the different options and give some insight into how they can be used interestingly in play.

It should go without saying that, while these mechanics give a framework to make terrain interesting in play, they are not meant to limit how players can interact with their environment. Players may come up with other ways to exploit terrain features, and if it makes logical sense, they should be allowed to do so. DMs are free to use the rules as much or as little as they like - even if they don’t want so much crunch when it comes to combat, looking over the lists of options and thinking about how they could be used in a battle is a good way to add atmosphere to locations and descriptions.

Climbable - Features with this tag may count as high ground (see below) if a creature uses a full movement action to climb on top of them. Jumping down from the feature counts as normal movement.

Concealing - Creatures hiding behind or amidst this feature have Advantage on all ability checks relating to evading their opponents (eg. Stealth).

Covering - Creatures hiding behind this feature are considered to have half (+2 to AC and DEX saves), three-quarter (+5 to AC and DEX saves), or full (can't be targeted) cover for attacks made by opponents on the other side of the feature.

Dense - The presence of dense foliage makes it difficult to aim ranged attacks. Ranged attacks from short range are made with Disadvantage, and those from long range cannot be made at all.

Difficult - The feature counts as difficult terrain (ie. it costs twice as much movement to move through it).

Distracting - In the presence of this feature, creatures have Disadvantage on attack rolls and ability checks.

Exhausting - For every three rounds of combat a creature spends within the bounds of this feature, they gain one level of Exhaustion.

High Ground - A creature standing on higher ground has advantage on attack rolls when attempting to hit creatures on the ground below it.

Impassible - The feature cannot be crossed during combat.

Ledge - Creatures performing a Shove action that would knock a creature off a ledge gain +2 to their attack roll.

Narrow - Attacks using two-handed weapons are made with disadvantage when in this feature. Additionally, creatures must move in single file through this feature. 

Particulate - Creatures crossing this feature must make a DC 10 Dexterity saving throw or stir up dust, sand, or other particulate matter. Creatures standing next to this feature can use an action to kick the matter into the face of an opponent in melee range, forcing them to make the save. See the feature for details on what happens if this save is failed.

Path - This feature must be placed in the same area as at least one obstacle, and represents a safe route through that feature. Moving through this path does not incur the same penalties as the rest of the feature. If you roll a feature with the Path tags when no such obstacles exist, roll again.

Pit - Creatures falling into a pit take 2d10 damage. Climbing out of the pit requires a DC 10 Athletics or Acrobatics check.

Sheer - This terrain must be climbed. For every 10 feet of height a Sheer feature has (roll 1d6 and multiply the result by 10 if you wish to generate this randomly), a creature must use their entire move action to climb it. Ranged attacks made against creatures climbing a Sheer feature are made with Advantage.

Slippery - Creatures crossing this feature must make a DC 9 Dexterity saving throw or fall prone.

Steep - Creatures moving up along this feature move as though through difficult terrain. Creatures moving down along this feature move normally. Additionally, the terrain counts as high ground (see above) and creatures on the low ground also have Disadvantage when trying to hit creatures on the high ground.

Unsteady - Creatures fighting on, in, or amidst unsteady ground take -1 to their attack rolls.

Wildlife - Creatures moving through an area occupied by wildlife will alert any opponents to their presence. Opponents cannot be surprised by creatures that move directly through a wildlife-occupied area, and any checks to sneak up on an opponent adjacent to a wildlife-occupied area are made with Disadvantage.

Creating a Battlefield

For each combat encounter you have planned, roll 1d4-1 (minimum 1) times on the Terrain Features table for the relevant environment (or just choose what you would like to use). This will give you a number of features to place around the battlefield. I recommend you do this before a session - this way, you have time to plan out how the different features fit together, and can map out the area if you use battle maps. It may be a good idea to roll random encounters for a session in advance if you are doing this as well, so you know how many battlefields will be needed and can think about how enemies may make use of the environment.

Bodies of Water (d8)

1. Bridge; roll 1d4: 1-2, sturdy (Path, Ledge); 3-4, rickety (Path, Ledge, Unsteady)

2. Current (Creatures in the area of the current must make a DC 12 Acrobatics or Athletics check or be swept up, moving 15 feet in the direction of the current)

3. Deep water (Difficult, Exhausting)

4. Mud or gravel (Unsteady)

5. River, shore, or lake (Impassible)

6. Roaring rapids (Creatures adjacent to this feature have the Deafened condition)

7. Slick rocks (Difficult, Slippery)

8. Standing water (Any creature falling, or being shoved into, the water must make a DC 10 Constitution saving throw or suffer one level of Exhaustion)

Deserts (d12)

1. Chasm (Impassible, Ledge, Sheer). Roll 1d6: 1-2, no bridge; 3-4, rickety bridge (Path, Ledge, Unsteady), 5-6: sturdy bridge (Path, Ledge)

2. Deep sand (Difficult, Exhausting)

3. Hole or ditch (Concealing, Total Cover, Ledge, Pit)

4. Large rubble (Concealing, Difficult)

5. Loose sand (Particulate; if save is failed creatures gain the Blinded condition until the end of their next turn)

6. Pit (Concealing, Total Cover, Ledge, Pit. Roll 1d4: on a 3-4, it is concealed and is not visible until a creature falls in it)

7. Rock, roll 1d4: 1-2, medium (Climbable, Concealing, Three-Quarters Cover, High Ground, Ledge); 3-4, large (Climbable, Concealing, Total Cover, High Ground, Ledge)

8. Sandstorm (Creatures caught in the sandstorm must make a DC 15 Constitution saving throw or gain the Blinded condition for one round. Creatures failing by 5 or more also take 1d4 slashing damage)

9. Shifting sand (Unsteady)

10. Slope, roll 1d4: 1-2, average (High Ground); 3-4, steep (High Ground, Steep)

11. Uneven ground (Difficult)

12. Roll on the Ruins table

Forests (d20)

1. Bramble patch (Any creature passing must make a DC 10 Constitution saving throw or take 1d10 slashing damage. Roll 1d4 when generating this feature: on a 4, creatures that fail their save also receive the Poisoned condition).

2. Deer track (Path)

3. Hedge (Concealing, Half Cover, Difficult)

4. Low boughs (Difficult, Dense)

5. Mossy rocks or tree roots (Difficult, Slippery)

6. Mud (Unsteady)

7. Mushrooms (Particulate. Roll 1d4: 1-2, if save is failed they release spores that induce the Poisoned condition; 3-4, if save is failed they release spores that induce the Blinded condition for ten minutes)

8. Nettle patch (Difficult)

9. Pit (Concealing, Total Cover, Ledge, Pit. Roll 1d4: on a 3-4, it is concealed and is not visible until a creature falls in it)

10. Rock, stump, or fallen tree; roll 1d4: 1-2, medium (Climbable, Concealing, Three-Quarters Cover, High Ground, Ledge); 3-4, large (Climbable, Concealing, Total Cover, High Ground, Ledge)

11. Rotten tree (If combat comes within 10 feet of the tree, there is a 1 in 6 chance each round that it will fall, dealing 1d10 bludgeoning damage to all creatures in a 10-foot radius)

12. Slope, roll 1d4: 1-2; average (High Ground); 3-4, steep (High Ground, Steep)

13. Spiderwebs (Creatures crossing (or shoved into) the web must make a DC 12 Athletics or Acrobatics check and are considered restrained if they fail. They must make a successful check to escape, after which they may exit the web on any side)

14. Thick tree (Concealing, roll 1d4: 1-2, Three-Quarters Cover; 3-4, Total Cover)

15. Tightly-packed trees (Narrow)

16. Uneven ground (Difficult)

17. Birds, deer, rabbits, etc. (Wildlife)

18. Roll on the Ruins table

19. Roll on the Bodies of Water table

20. Roll on the Weather table

Grasslands (d12)

1. Hedge (Concealing, Half Cover, Difficult)

2. Pit (Concealing, Total Cover, Ledge, Pit. Roll 1d4: on a 3-4, it is concealed and is not visible until a creature falls in it)

3. Rock, stump, or fallen tree; roll 1d4: 1-2, medium (Climbable, Concealing, Three-Quarters Cover, High Ground, Ledge); 3-4, large (Climbable, Concealing, Total Cover, High Ground, Ledge)

4. Rotten tree (If combat comes within 10 feet of the tree, there is a 1 in 6 chance each round that it will fall, dealing 1d10 bludgeoning damage to all creatures in a 10-foot radius)

5. Slope, roll 1d4: 1-2; average (High Ground); 3-4, steep (High Ground, Steep)

6. Tall grass (Concealing)

7. Thick tree (Concealing, roll 1d4: 1-2, Three-Quarters Cover; 3-4, Total Cover)

8. Uneven ground (Difficult)

9. Birds, deer, etc. (Wildlife)

10. Roll on the Ruins table

11. Roll on the Bodies of Water table

12. Roll on the Weather table

Mountains (d20)

1. Chasm (Impassible, Ledge, Sheer). Roll 1d6: 1-2, no bridge; 3-4, rickety bridge (Path, Ledge, Unsteady), 5-6: sturdy bridge (Path, Ledge)

2. Cliff (Ledge, Sheer)

3. Deer track (Path)

4. Hedge (Concealing, Half Cover, Difficult)

5. Hole or ditch (Concealing, Total Cover, Ledge, Pit)

6. Narrow pass (Narrow)

7. Nettle patch (Difficult)

8. Precariously-perched boulder (If combat comes within 10 feet of the tree, there is a 1 in 6 chance each round that it will fall, dealing 1d10 bludgeoning damage to all creatures in a 10-foot radius)

9. Rock, stump, or fallen tree; roll 1d4: 1-2, medium (Climbable, Concealing, Three-Quarters Cover, High Ground, Ledge); 3-4, large (Climbable, Concealing, Total Cover, High Ground, Ledge)

10. Rocky ledges (Steep, High Ground)

11. Rubble (Difficult)

12. Large rubble (Concealing, Difficult)

13. Slick rocks (Difficult, Slippery)

14. Slope, roll 1d4: 1-2; average (High Ground); 3-4, steep (High Ground, Steep)

15. Thick tree (Concealing, roll 1d4: 1-2, Three-Quarters Cover; 3-4, Total Cover)

16. Birds, goats, etc. (Wildlife)

17. Roll on the Ruins table

18. Roll on the Tundra table

19. Roll on the Bodies of Water table

20. Roll on the Weather table

Ruins (d20)

1. Gravel (Unsteady)

2. Narrow walls (Narrow)

3. Rock, stump, crate, barrel, or fallen tree, pillar, or statue; roll 1d4: 1-2, medium (Climbable, Concealing, Three-Quarters Cover, High Ground, Ledge); 3-4, large (Climbable, Concealing, Total Cover, High Ground, Ledge)

4. Stairs (Climbable, High Ground, Steep)

5. Slick rocks (Difficult, Slippery)

6. Slope, roll 1d4: 1-2; average (High Ground); 3-4, steep (High Ground, Steep)

7. Track (Path)

8. Steady wall or barricade (Climbable, Concealing, Three-Quarters Cover, Impassible)

9. Unsteady wall or barricade (Half Cover, Impassible)

10. Well, hole, or ditch (Concealing, Total Cover, Ledge, Pit)

11. Chasm (Impassible, Ledge, Sheer). Roll 1d6: 1-2, no bridge; 3-4, rickety bridge (Path, Ledge, Unsteady), 5-6: sturdy bridge (Path, Ledge) 

12. Covered pit (Concealing, Total Cover, Ledge, Pit. Not visible until a creature falls in it)

13. Dust (Particulate; if save is failed creatures gain the Blinded condition until the end of their next turn)

14. Rubble (Difficult)

15. Large rubble (Concealing, Difficult) 

16. Spiderwebs (Creatures crossing (or shoved into) the web must make a DC 12 Athletics or Acrobatics check and are considered restrained if they fail. They must make a successful check to escape, after which they may exit the web on any side) 

17. Unstable Wall (Half Cover, Impassible. Creatures can use a shove action to push the wall onto creatures on the other side, which must make a Dexterity saving throw or take 4d10 bludgeoning damage) 

18. Birds, deer, rabbits, etc. (Wildlife)

19. Roll on the Bodies of Water table

20. Roll on the Weather table (if above ground) 

Settled Lands (d20)

1. Chasm (Impassible, Ledge, Sheer). Roll 1d6: 1-2, no bridge; 3-4, rickety bridge (Path, Ledge, Unsteady), 5-6: sturdy bridge (Path, Ledge)

2. Crop fields (Dense, Concealing)

3. Deer track (Path)

4. Hedge (Concealing, Half Cover, Difficult)

5. Hole or ditch (Concealing, Total Cover, Ledge, Pit)

6. Rock, stump, or fallen tree; roll 1d4: 1-2, medium (Climbable, Concealing, Three-Quarters Cover, High Ground, Ledge); 3-4, large (Climbable, Concealing, Total Cover, High Ground, Ledge)

7. Rotten tree (If combat comes within 10 feet of the tree, there is a 1 in 6 chance each round that it will fall, dealing 1d10 bludgeoning damage to all creatures in a 10-foot radius)

8. Slick rocks (Difficult, Slippery)

9. Slope, roll 1d4: 1-2; average (High Ground); 3-4, steep (High Ground, Steep)

10. Thick tree (Concealing, roll 1d4: 1-2, Three-Quarters Cover; 3-4, Total Cover)

11. Uneven ground (Difficult)

12. Well (Concealing, Total Cover, Ledge, Pit)

13. Birds, rabbits, stray livestock, etc. (Wildlife)

14-18. Roll 1d10 on the Ruins table

19. Roll on the Bodies of Water table

20. Roll on the Weather table

Swamps (d20)

1. Bog (Difficult, Exhausting)

2. Buzzing insects (Distracting)

3. Deer track (Path)

4. Mossy rocks (Difficult, Slippery)

5. Mud (Unsteady)

6. Mushrooms (Particulate. Roll 1d4: 1-2, if save is failed they release spores that induce the Poisoned condition; 3-4, if save is failed they release spores that induce the Blinded condition for ten minutes)

7. Pit (Concealing, Total Cover, Ledge, Pit. Roll 1d4: on a 3-4, it is concealed and is not visible until a creature falls in it)

8. Poisonous fumes (Creatures passing receive the Poisoned condition while in this feature and for 1d6 rounds after leaving it)

9. Quicksand (Creatures crossing (or shoved into) the quicksand must make a DC 12 Athletics or Acrobatics check. If they fail, they sink 1d4+1 feet into the quicksand. Escaping quicksand once one is stuck in it requires a DC 10 Strength check, with 1 added to the DC for each foot the creature has sunk. After escaping, creatures may exit the quicksand on any side)

10.  Rock, stump, or fallen tree; roll 1d4: 1-2, medium (Climbable, Concealing, Three-Quarters Cover, High Ground, Ledge); 3-4, large (Climbable, Concealing, Total Cover, High Ground, Ledge)

11. Rotten tree (If combat comes within 10 feet of the tree, there is a 1 in 6 chance each round that it will fall, dealing 1d10 bludgeoning damage to all creatures in a 10-foot radius)

12. Slope, roll 1d4: 1-2; average (High Ground); 3-4, steep (High Ground, Steep)

13. Sucking bog (Creatures crossing (or shoved into) the bog must make a DC 12 Athletics or Acrobatics check and are considered grappled if they fail. They must make a successful check to escape, after which they may exit the bog on any side)

14. Tall grass (Concealing)

15. Thick tree (Concealing, roll 1d4: 1-2, Three-Quarters Cover; 3-4, Total Cover)

16. Uneven ground (Difficult)

17. Birds, frogs, snakes, etc. (Wildlife)

18. Roll on the Ruins table

19. Roll on the Bodies of Water table

20. Roll on the Weather table

Tundra (d20)

1. Blizzard (Creatures caught in the blizzard must make a DC 15 CON save or be blinded for one round. Creatures failing by 5 or more also take 1d4 cold damage)

2. Chasm (Impassible, Ledge, Sheer). Roll 1d6: 1-2, no bridge; 3-4, rickety bridge (Path, Ledge, Unsteady), 5-6: sturdy bridge (Path, Ledge)

3. Deep Snow (Difficult, Exhausting)

4. Deer track (Path)

5. Fragile ice over standing water (Any creature falling, or being shoved into, the water must make a DC 10 Constitution saving throw or suffer one level of Exhaustion and take 1d10 cold damage. Not visible until a creature falls in it)

6. Loose snow (Particulate; if save is failed creatures gain the Blinded condition until the end of their next turn)

7. Pit (Concealing, Total Cover, Ledge, Pit. Roll 1d4: on a 3-4, it is concealed and is not visible until a creature falls in it)

8. Rock, stump, or fallen tree; roll 1d4: 1-2, medium (Climbable, Concealing, Three-Quarters Cover, High Ground, Ledge); 3-4, large (Climbable, Concealing, Total Cover, High Ground, Ledge)

9. Rubble (Difficult)

10. Large rubble (Concealing, Difficult)

11. Shrubbery (Concealing)

12. Slope, roll 1d4: 1-2; average (High Ground); 3-4, steep (High Ground, Steep)

13. Sturdy ice (Difficult, Slippery, Unsteady)

14. Thick tree (Concealing, roll 1d4: 1-2, Three-Quarters Cover; 3-4, Total Cover)

15. Uneven ground (Difficult)

16. Birds, reindeer, etc. (Wildlife)

17. Roll on the Forests table

18. Roll on the Mountains table

19. Roll on the Ruins table

20. Roll on the Weather table

Underground

1. Chasm (Impassible, Ledge, Sheer). Roll 1d6: 1-2, no bridge; 3-4, rickety bridge (Path, Ledge, Unsteady), 5-6: sturdy bridge (Path, Ledge)

2. Dust (Particulate; if save is failed creatures gain the Blinded condition until the end of their next turn)

3. Foul stench (Distracting)

4. Low ceiling (Medium-sized or larger creatures must crouch when moving through this area and make all attacks and ability checks at Disadvantage)

5. Mushrooms (Particulate. Roll 1d4: 1-2, if save is failed they release spores that induce the Poisoned condition; 3-4, if save is failed they release spores that induce the Blinded condition for ten minutes)

6. Narrow walls (Narrow)

7. Pit (Concealing, Total Cover, Ledge, Pit. Roll 1d4: on a 3-4, it is concealed and is not visible until a creature falls in it)

8. Poisonous fumes (Creatures passing receive the Poisoned condition while in this feature and for 1d6 rounds after leaving it)

9. Rock; roll 1d4: 1-2, medium (Climbable, Concealing, Three-Quarters Cover, High Ground, Ledge); 3-4, large (Climbable, Concealing, Total Cover, High Ground, Ledge)

10. Rocky ledges (Climbable, High Ground, Steep)

11. Large rubble (Concealing, Difficult)

12. Slick rocks (Difficult, Slippery)

13. Slope, roll 1d4: 1-2; average (High Ground); 3-4, steep (High Ground, Steep)

14. Spiderwebs (Creatures crossing (or shoved into) the web must make a DC 12 Athletics or Acrobatics check and are considered restrained if they fail. They must make a successful check to escape, after which they may exit the web on any side)

15. Thick pillar (Concealing, roll 1d4: 1-2, Three-Quarters Cover; 3-4, Total Cover)

16. Uneven ground (Difficult)

17. Unstable stalagmite (If combat comes within 10 feet of the stalagmite, there is a 1 in 6 chance each round that it will fall, dealing 1d10 bludgeoning damage to all creatures in a 10-foot radius)

18. Bats, rats, etc. (Wildlife)

19. Roll on the Bodies of Water table

20. Roll on the Ruins table

Weather (d8)

1. Birds are flying overhead (Add a Wildlife feature to the battlefield)

2. Cloud cover blocking sunlight (Treat as dim light. Reroll if the encounter takes place at night)

3. Fog (Creatures gain the Blinded condition)

4. Foreboding atmosphere (Creatures must make a DC 10 Wisdom saving throw at the beginning of combat or have Disadvantage on ability checks and attack rolls for the remainder of the encounter)

5. Lightning (Every 10 rounds, there is a 1 in 100 chance of a bolt striking a random creature if it is out in the open, dealing 10d6 lightning damage and inducing the Deafened condition for 1 minute. If creatures are less than 10 feet apart, treat each group as a single creature and roll randomly to determine which is hit. A creature can make itself the target of the lightning bolt in place of another if it succeeds on a DC 20 Dexterity saving throw).

6. Rain or snow (Distracting, Exhausting, unless in shelter)

7. The sun breaks through the clouds as the battle begins (Creatures without Sunlight Sensitivity gain Inspiration. Reroll if the encounter takes place at night)

8. Wind (Ranged attacks are made with Disadvantage)

Examples

Let's say that for my next session, I expect there to be a combat encounter with the PCs taking on a raiding party of six orcs in a forest. I roll my d4 and come up with a 3, so subtracting one, I have two features to roll from the Forests table. Rolling a d20 twice, I get a 7 and a 12. This means the battlefield will include Mushrooms and a Slope. In both cases, I'll need to do some further rolling. For the mushrooms, I roll a 4 on the d4, so these are the kind of mushrooms that will release blinding spores if disturbed. For the slope, I roll a 2 on the d4, so this is an average-sized slope.

Now it's time for me to think about how I can use these features in the battle. I'm going to say that three of the orcs will position themselves on the slope to fire arrows down at the PCs from the high ground, while the remaining three will charge into melee. So I'll place the slope on the side of the battlefield the orcs will enter from (remember, having enemies exploit terrain features against the PCs is a good way to let them know that's an option).

The mushrooms are an interesting tactical element that can help or hinder the PCs depending on what happens. I'll place in the middle of the battlefield, between the party and the orcs, so that either stands a risk of triggering them. With this in mind, a rough map of the battlefield for this encounter might look like this:

Listen, it'll do the job.

Now, let's say I want to draw up a map for a combat encounter with four Rat Men taking place underground. Here, my d4 turns up another 3, so once again, I have two features. Rolling the d20 twice, I get a 9 and a 14. My battlefield will contain a Rock, and another d4 roll turns up a 2, so it's a medium-sized rock. It will also contain a Spiderweb.

Rat Men are sneaky creatures, so I'll take advantage of the Concealing feature here. When the PCs encounter the Rat Men, they'll only see three of them out in the open. The last will be hidden behind the rock, and will make a Stealth check with Advantage against the PC's Perception to see if he can avoid detection. If he stays hidden, he might try to sneak around and attack from behind if the PCs approach the rock. Otherwise, he might climb up on it to attack from high ground, or take advantage of its three-quarter cover!

As for the spiderweb, since this battle is underground, I'll set it in a cavern with a few discrete exits. Let's have the web blocking one of those exits - for fun, let's make it the exit closest to where the Rat Men are camped. That way, anyone who tries to break away from the battle (PCs or Rat Men - don't forget about morale!) risks being tangled up in the web! Thus, a map might look like this:

Don't these already sound like much more interesting combat encounters than your typical 5e slugfest? Throwing in a few terrain features helps get players and DMs alike thinking tactically, and creates interesting options that can shake things up. I'd love to see them be used more. And if you have any other ideas for terrain features, feel free to drop them down below!