In the dungeon, time is a resource you manage, not a background detail. Dungeons — or sections of them — aren't always meant to be cleared in one session. How long you push, and how you leave, is on you.
| SITUATION | CLOCK |
|---|---|
| A fight | 6-second combat rounds (normal 5e) |
| Crawling / exploring | 10-minute Stretches |
A "dungeon" is any dangerous place with several encounters and challenges strung together.
What a Stretch really is. The "10 minutes" is an in-game measure — the same way a combat round is "6 seconds." It is not ten table minutes, and nobody's running a stopwatch. In practice a Stretch is just the time it takes to do one thing in one room — search it, disarm the trap, stand look-out. Usually that's one Stretch per room, unless you deliberately linger (say, to fit in a short rest).
Lock these once on entry so nothing stalls when things go sideways:
Each Stretch, every PC picks one Activity. Go around the table — no strict initiative.
Rule of thumb: NO HALF-STRETCHES — a thing either takes a Stretch or it doesn't.
| ACTIVITY | WHAT IT DOES |
|---|---|
| Cast a Spell | A 10-min or ritual cast; chain Stretches for longer casts. |
| Help Out | Give an ally in reach advantage (you need a relevant proficiency). |
| Interact | Read notes/tablets, clear rubble, work a device (may need a check). |
| Keep Watch | Party can't be surprised by things you see; you get a reaction before your first turn if a fight starts. |
| Loot Everything | Collect already-found gear and valuables. |
| Move Quietly | (Stealth) enemies need Perception vs. DC 8 + your Dex + prof to spot you. |
| Search Area | Search a room ≤50 ft; Perception/Investigation finds anything hidden at ≤ your roll. |
| Take Your Time | Auto-20 on the first d20 of an action (+5 if it had advantage); can replace a failed check. (The dungeon dislikes patience — see wandering monsters.) |
List is open — invent more at the table.
When you're not stopping to work a room (fleeing, being chased, or crossing ground you already know is clear), you can "Rush" as your Activity for the Stretch. Rushing moves you through up to 2 rooms in a single Stretch instead of lingering in one.
The trade-off: you're moving too fast to be careful, so you have disadvantage on any check or save a room throws at you while rushing — traps, hazards, and the like.
Because a Rush covers two rooms per Stretch, you also take fewer wandering-monster rolls crossing the same distance. That's exactly why it's the move when you're running for the exit.
Rolled when due at the end of a Stretch: a 5–6 on a d6 roll triggers an encounter. Frequency of WM checks (i.e. number of Stretches in-between each) will vary by dungeon.
Depending upon your group's activities (and environmental factors), you may have the opportunity to try to give the monster "the slip" and avoid a combat by (for example) combining a change in your route with moving quietly as a group. This is by no means a guarantee, but may be possible sometimes.