The party receives their next orders: scaling the frigid mountains north of the village to find a mad mage, an isolated hermit with unique knowledge of the coming threats to the realm. The party prepares for the terrifying journey, and your players ask what challenges their characters might encounter. You freeze, not knowing what to tell them.

Welcome to RAW Review, where I examine the rules as written for a specific part of the Dungeons & Dragons 5E system, aiming to explain how the game works Rules As Written (RAW), and offer my thoughts and occasionally some alternate rules you can use as well. This time, I’m starting my look at the Exploration rules in 5E, specifically at Extreme Cold terrain.

For a quick summary of navigating extreme cold terrain in D&D 5E, please scroll to the bottom of this post or click here.

5E Exploration: Somewhat Sparse

If you’ve ever heard me talk about the exploration pillar, you’ve probably heard my criticisms of it. D&D 5E’s simplified approach to the D20 system can make it hard to properly simulate the nuances of exploration, as seen when we look at the rules around Vision and Light. Often, we see a rule that boils down to a binary system, providing a simple pass/fail option to keep the gameplay moving fast at the cost of nuanced reactions.

Additionally, D&D 5E’s rules are often written with combat in mind. This means we see a lot of spells focusing on their offensive uses and how long they last in terms of combat rounds (which represent six seconds in real life). While this helps during exciting moments when the party fights a horrifying monster, it makes translating some of these options to exploration more difficult.

This means that while 5th Edition has rules for exploration, those wanting a more detailed set of mechanics for wilderness adventures might be disappointed with the base game. Nevertheless, the rules exist and can be useful.

Mercury Falling: Extreme Cold

One of the key elements of traveling into frigid wastelands is the lower temperature. While the Basic Rules don’t mention low temperatures, the 2014 Dungeon Master’s Guide (DMG) provides rules for 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.”

So, your players will need to ensure their characters are prepared for this or face penalties during their travels. But what can players use to combat the effects of the cold weather? There are a few options available in the game to combat Extreme Cold.

The first option is the Ring of Warmth, found in the DMG’s magic item section. This uncommon ring requires attunement and gives the wearer resistance to cold damage, as well as protecting them and their belongings from temperatures as low as -50 degrees Fahrenheit.

Icewind Dale: Rime of the Frostmaiden introduces the adventuring gear “Clothing, cold weather.” For 10 gp, this 5 lbs of clothing “consists of a heavy fur coat or cloak over layers of wool clothing, as well as a fur-lined hat or hood, goggles, and fur-lined leather boots and gloves.” This clothing makes the wearer automatically succeed on saving throws against Extreme Cold, as long as the clothing remains warm (more on this later).

Since the above specifies “resistance or immunity to cold damage” allowing a creature to automatically succeed on saving throws, any creature with this trait or who gains it through other means can avoid making these checks. One example is the Goliath species, whose trait Mountain Born gives them resistance to cold damage, thus allowing them to withstand Extreme Cold.

Many spells, such as Tiny Hut, also negate Extreme Cold. Tiny Hut’s wording states, “The atmosphere inside the space is comfortable and dry, regardless of the weather outside.”

As mentioned previously, this is a prime example of how the simplified ruleset of 5E creates something easy to check but somewhat lacking in depth. The check is once per hour, which can be tracked during travel, but there are many ways for players to avoid the check entirely. The Ring of Warmth makes sense as an uncommon magic item that takes up an attunement slot, forcing player characters to make certain decisions when choosing magic items. But something like Icewind Dale’s Cold Weather Clothing resolves those problems with barely any investment.

And while Tiny Hut is a 3rd level spell, it’s a Ritual spell, so any character able to cast rituals can spend 10 minutes creating a safe shelter for the night.

* A good rule of thumb when running a D&D game is to avoid setting-specific or adventure-specific material, such as spells, magic items, or adventuring gear. This material is often designed to be balanced in specific situations. In the case of Cold Weather Clothing, Icewind Dale will have a lot of Extreme Cold areas, so it makes sense. As we will discuss later, that same adventure also provides some interesting mechanics for Dungeon Masters (DMs) to potentially use.

Snowfall

In addition to the cold weather, cold locations often have snowfall. Snowfall can range from a delightful and charming flurry to a dangerous blizzard, making travel difficult and hazardous for a group of adventurers. While the DMG doesn’t have specific rules for snowfall, it does have rules for Heavy Precipitation that can be used in certain situations. In an area of Heavy Precipitation, the terrain is considered lightly obscured. If you recall from my RAW Review on Vision, lightly obscured terrain gives creatures disadvantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on sight. Unlike obscurity caused by light levels, most abilities will not negate this penalty, meaning a party may struggle to see enemies or hazards ahead.

Heavy snowfall often comes with dangerous winds, complicating matters further. The DMG provides rules for Strong Wind, noting that it “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.”

Combining Heavy Precipitation, Strong Winds, and Extreme Cold, we get the following conditions:

DC 10 Constitution saving throws every hour or gain a point of exhaustion.
Lightly obscured terrain gives creatures disadvantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on sight.
Disadvantage on ranged weapon attack rolls and Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on hearing.
Open flames extinguished, fog dispersed, and nonmagical flight nearly impossible.

If your party is caught out in a blizzard of this level, it can be very dangerous. In such a situation, it often makes sense for them to seek shelter as soon as possible, hopefully waiting out the intense weather.

Tasha’s Cauldron of Everything

Earlier, I referenced Icewind Dale: Rime of the Frostmaiden as having material for both DMs and players that helps with cold environments. Luckily, much of the rules provided are also found in Tasha’s Cauldron of Everything (TaCoE). These, along with other rules in the DMG, provide good options to cover dangers that can come into play when adventuring in the cold, such as the danger of avalanches.

Avalanches

In the real world, avalanches are a real danger in areas with heavy snowfall. Snow patrol at ski resorts will create controlled avalanches to keep visitors safe. But for a party of adventurers moving through the frigid north, these are a real danger.

The rules in TaCoE start by giving the average dimensions of this natural hazard, with an avalanche typically being 300 feet wide, 150 feet long, and 30 feet thick. Avoiding an avalanche can be possible, but outrunning one is almost entirely impossible.

When an avalanche begins, all affected creatures nearby must roll initiative. During this challenge, the avalanche “travels” 300 feet on both initiative count 10 and 0, for a total progression of 600 feet per round of “combat.” Any creature in the avalanche’s path must make a DC 15 Strength (Athletics) check or take 1d10 bludgeoning damage, half on a successful save.

When an avalanche stops, it becomes a new hazard. The snow and debris will settle, burying any creature in the terrain of the avalanche. As written, there is no save to avoid this; it automatically happens. A buried creature is blinded and restrained and has total cover. For every 5 minutes a creature is buried, they take 1 level of exhaustion. In combat terms, this means that every 50 rounds a creature remains trapped, they are affected.

Creatures can attempt to free themselves. As a free action, a creature can make a DC 15 Strength (Athletics) check. On a success, they free themselves. A creature that fails this check three times can’t attempt to dig themselves out again.

Unrestrained or non-incapacitated creatures can attempt to free others by spending 1 minute digging, which succeeds as long as the time is spent.

These are great rules, though they obviously require avalanche conditions. But this uses the combat-centric ruleset of 5E to its advantage, using the structure of combat and the initiative mechanic. The fact that an avalanche will almost always outrun a creature with its 600 feet of movement and no ability to attempt to save means that without magical flight, the party will probably fall victim to this natural disaster.

I’m split on how I feel about the action economy for a character to free themselves from being buried. My instinct is that this should be akin to a spell effect or other combat condition and require an action done at either the beginning or end of a character’s turn. But since a character has three chances to succeed before failing, this almost functions like a set of Death Saving Throws with a single success ending the situation. This means a character has access to their actions and bonus actions to improve their odds of breaking free. A character with a low strength score might, for example, try a fire spell to give themselves a better chance of breaking free.

Slippery Ice Thin Ice and Frigid Water

With cold temperatures and snow, there is often ice. Ice can present a hazard in multiple ways, creating difficult terrain or potential pitfalls. The DMG provides rules for these hazards.

Slippery Ice is difficult terrain, requiring double movement to cross. Additionally, when a creature first moves on slippery ice during their turn, they must succeed on a DC 10 Dexterity (Acrobatics) check or fall prone.

Thin Ice will break if its weight limit is exceeded, with a maximum of 3d10 x 10 (165) pounds per 10-foot square area. If the weight is exceeded, the ice breaks and all creatures fall through.

Frigid Water functions similarly to Extreme Cold. When immersed in Frigid Water, a creature has a number of minutes equal to its Constitution Score before suffering ill effects. Each additional minute spent in frigid water requires a DC 10 Constitution saving throw or gain one level of exhaustion. Creatures with resistance or immunity to cold damage automatically succeed on the saving throw. Creatures adapted to living in ice-cold water also succeed automatically.

Overall, I like these rules for what they are in the 5E system RAW. They follow the pattern of being lightweight, simple-to-check options that don’t slow down the game. However, I think Thin Ice should have a different triggering method. A weight limit, while straightforward, feels out of place. Perhaps it would be better to indicate a number of creatures based on size.

While I like Frigid Water in theory, I think it needs adjustments. I find the time limit too long by D&D standards. Real-life hypothermia from cold water takes between 15-45 minutes [source], but the game tracks time much quicker. In many situations, it would make more sense for the rules for holding your breath to function, with the time related to the Constitution Modifier instead of the score (with a minimum of 1).

Additionally, I dislike that a creature with resistance to cold damage is entirely immune to frigid water. Being resilient towards the cold is different from being resilient towards being wet and cold. In many cases, getting wet in the wilderness can be a death sentence, and the rules should reflect that. Note that the Cold Weather Clothing provided by Icewind Dale stops functioning if it becomes wet, tempering this a bit.

Serviceable, but limited

For the rules as written, the official Dungeons & Dragons material provides decent options for handling cold weather exploration, though they are somewhat limited. Between the DMG and TaCoE, we see a variety of rules to simulate the trying conditions of an arctic region. Extreme Cold, Heavy Precipitation, and Strong Winds set the stage for dangerous conditions that could make a quest difficult for a well-prepared party and deadly for an unprepared one. However, these rules have their limits.

The biggest complaint is that many of these rules are easily negated. Extreme Cold and Frigid Water both cease to affect a player if they have resistance to cold damage. Often in 5E exploration, a creature skilled at exploration can avoid interacting with it at all. In this case, creatures suited to cold weather never have to interact with it. While this simplifies the interaction, it reduces the gameplay itself. Luckily, there are some good third-party options.

Deft Explorer by Runic Press

While there are many 3rd party options to supplement existing rules, I present Runic Press’s Patreon option: Deft Explorer: The Frozen Wastes. The Deft Explorer series presents adventuring locations in general terms, providing a set of rules that can be used individually or in their entirety to make exploration and regional differences more interesting. In The Frozen Wastes, DMs have various options.

Regional Effects

Similar to powerful magic creatures like Ancient Dragons, the Frozen Wastes provide Regional Effects that can affect player characters, including:

Deep Snow: Makes unmaintained areas hard to travel through, costing extra time.
Frigid Temperatures: Similar to Extreme Cold, these temperatures can make adventuring days more dangerous, possibly adding exhaustion.
Snow Blindness: Expanses of white snow make a sunny day almost blinding to the unprepared.

Environmental Hazards

Both the weather and the landscape can be dangerous to traverse, and these new Environmental Hazards represent that:

Snow Squall: A short but intense snowfall that can blind and disorient. Those caught in it should seek safety as quickly as possible.
White Out: While not as dangerous as a Snow Squall, this kind of snowstorm will almost completely remove visibility. Traveling in this weather can spell disaster if not prepared.
Hidden Crevasses: Drifting snow often hides dips in the land that only become visible when it’s too late, plunging victims deep into the snow.

Frozen Lake and River Crossing Rules

Expanding on the original 5E concept, these rules seek to provide a more involved option when traversing ice. Ice can now have different thicknesses, which can be determined by an ability check. Depending on the thickness, this ice can potentially be traversed even by the party's wagon. However, if you judge the ice incorrectly, it could lead to a dangerous fight for your life as you try to escape the cold water below.

Equipment and Magic Items

No adventuring location is complete without proper gear, and The Frozen Wastes provide a variety of items that can assist with cold temperatures. Player characters can choose between two types of cold weather clothing: Insulated and Arctic.

Insulated Clothes: Provide advantage on checks against cold weather with no other effects.

Arctic Clothes: Allow creatures to be immune to the cold weather but at a cost of maneuverability, causing them to move slower.

You can get Deft Explorer: The Frozen Wastes and many other supplements over on the Runic Press Patreon

Quick Summary

Extreme Cold Terrain Rules Summary

Rules as Written (RAW) Options:

Extreme Cold Rules (DMG):

DC 10 Constitution saving throw every hour in temperatures at or below 0°F.
Failure results in one level of exhaustion.
Automatic success for:

Creatures with resistance or immunity to cold damage.
Creatures wearing cold weather gear.
Creatures naturally adapted to cold climates.

Ways to Overcome Extreme Cold:

Ring of Warmth
Cold Weather Clothing (Icewind Dale: Rime of the Frostmaiden)
Spells like Tiny Hut

Environmental Hazards (DMG):

Heavy Precipitation:

Lightly obscured terrain.
Disadvantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks relying on sight.

Strong Wind:

Disadvantage on ranged weapon attacks and Wisdom (Perception) checks relying on hearing.
Extinguishes open flames, disperses fog, hinders nonmagical flight.

Frigid Water:

Constitution saving throws required after a certain time.
Failure results in one level of exhaustion.

Thin Ice:

Breaks if weight limit is exceeded.

Slippery Ice:

Difficult terrain, requires Dexterity (Acrobatics) check or fall prone.

Third-Party Options: Deft Explorer: The Frozen Wastes (Runic Press):

New Regional Effects:

Deep Snow
Frigid Temperatures
Snow Blindness

Expanded Environmental Hazards:

Snow Squall
White Out
Hidden Crevasses

Detailed Frozen Lake and River Crossing Rules:

Ice thickness varies, requiring checks to traverse safely.
Incorrect judgments can lead to falling into frigid water.

Additional Equipment and Magic Items:

Insulated Clothes
Arctic Clothes

Conclusion

With this RAW Review coming to an end, you should have a better understanding of the Rules As Written for representing cold weather exploration, an idea of their benefits and limits, and some other options for increasing the complexity and simulation aspects of the game. Rules as written, Dungeons & Dragons 5E provides some passable options for representing the conditions in an arctic or winter region. Extreme Cold and frigid water do a decent job of representing what can happen to those unprepared or unlucky when they end up in a cold area. These rules can be enhanced with the Heavy Precipitation and Strong Wind rules from the DMG, adding ways for parties to deal with sudden snowstorms. But for those who find these rules lacking, there are some great third-party options like the Runic Press series. These rules, though more complex and punishing, can satisfy DMs looking to better simulate the trying conditions of the Frigid Wastes.

Have you run your game in cold environments and used rules to represent the dangers? What rules did you use? How did they work, and what would you change? I would love to hear in the comments below.

Navigating Extreme Cold Terrain in D&D 5E