1. Wandering monsters: The referee makes checks as applicable.
2. Actions: The party decides what actions to take (e.g. moving, searching, listening, entering rooms).
3. Description: The referee describes what happens. If monsters are encountered, follow the procedure described in Encounters.
4. End of turn: The referee updates time records, with special attention to light sources, spell durations, and the party’s need to rest.

Dungeons consist of a series of deeper and deeper floors called levels. PCs enter the first level of a dungeon initially and may discover stairways, trap doors, or pits leading to deeper levels. Dungeon levels usually present balanced challenges and rewards for PCs of equal level (e.g. the first level of a dungeon is suited to 1st level adventurers). Monsters usually inhabit the dungeon level equal to their Hit Dice.

Doors are common in many dungeons, some hidden, some obvious, some locked, and some stuck.

Some doors are hidden or concealed. Adventurers can choose to search a 10′ × 10′ area for secret doors. See Searching.
Chance of finding: A character has a 1-in-6 chance of finding any secret doors in the area being searched. Some types of adventurers have an increased chance.

Forcing: The chance of forcing open a stuck door depends on the character’s Strength (see Ability Scores).
Surprise: A failed attempt to force open a door eliminates any possibility of surprise (see Surprise) that the party has against any monsters on the other side of the door.

Locks can be picked by a character proficient with lock picks or opened by magic.

Doors opened by adventurers (by whatever means) are likely to swing shut after they pass. To prevent this, doors can be held open using iron spikes or other wedges.

Monsters that live in the dungeon can usually open doors (even stuck doors), unless they are blocked, magically closed, or wedged shut with spikes.

Chance of success: PCs have a 1-in-6 chance of detecting subtle sounds beyond a door. (Some types of adventurers have an increased chance of success.)
Referee rolls: The referee should always roll for the character listening so that the player never knows if the roll failed or if there is no sound to be heard.
One chance: Each character can only make one attempt to listen at each door.
Silent monsters: Some monsters (e.g. undead) cannot be detected by listening.

Exploring the unknown: When exploring unknown areas of a dungeon, characters can move their base movement rate in feet per turn. This very slow rate of movement accounts for PCs exploring in a dark, unknown environment, moving carefully and stealthily, and mapping their progress.
In familiar areas: When PCs are moving through dungeon areas with which they are familiar, the referee may allow them to move at a faster rate. For example, the referee might allow PCs to move at three times their base movement rate per turn, when moving through familiar areas.

Frequency of rest: After 5 turns of exploration, characters must rest for 1 turn.
Penalty for not resting: A –1 penalty to attack and damage rolls is incurred until the characters rest for one turn.

There are two kinds of traps:
Treasure traps: Small traps placed on an item, to prevent it being tampered with or stolen (e.g. a poison needle on a chest or lock).
Room traps: Large traps that are designed to affect anyone who enters a certain area (e.g. a pit that opens in the floor when walked over).

Each trap has a trigger—an action which causes it to spring (e.g. turning a door handle, walking into a specific area).
Chance of triggering: When a character performs the action that triggers a trap, there is a 2-in-6 chance of the trap being sprung.
Trap damage: Damage inflicted by a triggered trap is usually automatic, without an attack roll.
Monsters: Monsters may be able to bypass traps without risk, if the referee wishes.

Adventurers can choose to search a 10′ × 10′ area for room traps. See Searching.
Chance of finding: A character has a 1-in-6 chance of finding any room traps in the area being searched. Some types of adventurers have an increased chance.

Characters with the ability to find treasure traps (as noted in their class description) can choose to search items (e.g. chests, locks) for traps. See Searching.
Chance of finding: The chance of finding any treasure traps on the item being searched is noted in the character’s class description.

Frequency: A check is typically rolled once every two turns in the dungeon.
Chance: The typical chance of encountering a wandering monster is 1-in-6.
Distance: Wandering monsters are encountered 2d6 × 10 feet away, in a direction the referee chooses, moving towards the party.

The following stipulations apply to searching for secret doors, room traps, and treasure traps.
Time: Searching takes one turn.
Referee rolls: The referee should always roll for the character searching, so that the player never knows if the roll failed or if there are no hidden features present.
One chance: Each character can only make one attempt to search a specific area or item.
Narrative interaction: Hidden features can also be discovered by performing the correct action (e.g. pulling a lever the referee knows opens a secret door).