# Hexcrawl

- Term: Tabletop term
- Canonical: https://www.lanternhall.org/lexicon/hexcrawl/

> A wilderness adventure played on a map divided into hexagons, each holding terrain and perhaps a lair, ruin, village or dungeon. Players choose where to travel and the referee reveals what they find, making exploration itself the adventure.

A wilderness adventure played on a map divided into hexagons, each holding terrain and perhaps a lair, ruin, village or dungeon. Players choose where to travel and the referee reveals what they find, making exploration itself the adventure.

**Origin:** Original D&D's wilderness rules (1974) suggested Avalon Hill's Outdoor Survival board for overland travel; the term hexcrawl is a later coinage popular in the Old-School Renaissance.

## Quick answers

**What does "Hexcrawl" mean?**
A wilderness adventure played on a map divided into hexagons, each holding terrain and perhaps a lair, ruin, village or dungeon. Players choose where to travel and the referee reveals what they find, making exploration itself the adventure.

**Where does the term "Hexcrawl" come from?**
Original D&D's wilderness rules (1974) suggested Avalon Hill's Outdoor Survival board for overland travel; the term hexcrawl is a later coinage popular in the Old-School Renaissance.

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From The Lantern Hall (https://www.lanternhall.org/), a museum of fantasy literature and roleplaying games.