Zone Movement and Frontline Charges
How monster movement and frontline charges came to Lourdin RPG combat in March 2026, and how moving on today's hex board works for every class.
In short: In March 2026 monsters began moving between zones and players got a Charge button to cross into the enemy front line. About a week later the hex board replaced that button. Today everyone moves hex by hex on their own turn, players 5 to 7 hexes by class, and crossing the frontline is an ordinary move.
Early in March 2026, the fights in Lourdin RPG stopped standing still. Monsters learned to move between zones on their own, every one of those moves got its own line in the combat log, and a hero holding the front line could charge straight into the enemy's front line with a new Charge button. That button lasted about a week: by March 15 the hex board had replaced it, and crossing the frontline became an ordinary move. Below is the story of that update, followed by how movement works in combat today.
What did zone movement add to Lourdin RPG combat?
Back then, each side of a battle was split into four zones: the Vanguard (the front line), a left and a right Flank, and the Rear (the back line). That made eight zones in all, with the two Vanguards facing each other across the middle of the field.
The March update did three things:
- Monsters moved. They could change zones during a fight, and they learned to cross the frontline to reach a target.
- Every move was announced. Movement got its own entry in the combat log, so you always knew what shifted. Those entries are still there today, in teal italics with a little running figure beside them.
- Reach got physical. Whether you could hit something in melee came down to which zones actually bordered each other, instead of a special rule about the front line. A zone could hold up to four fighters, and both sides shared that space.
What was the Charge Enemy Lines button?
If your hero held your side's Vanguard, a Charge Enemy Lines button showed up with your movement options. Choosing it lined up the move, and a confirm button reading Charge! sent you into the enemy's Vanguard to fight on their doorstep. You could back out any time before you confirmed, and like any move, it came back at the start of your next turn.
It was a bold button for a bold move, and it did not last. On March 14 the first version of the hex board went in, and by March 15 the Charge button was gone. Once every fighter stood on a real hex, a special button for crossing the line made no sense. You just walk there.
How does movement work in Lourdin RPG today?
Combat is fought on a hex board. Each turn you get one move, to any hex you can reach within your class's movement range, and moving does not use up your action. Move first, then act: since October 2026 taking your action no longer ends your turn, so you can still use a bonus action afterward, but the turn holds no more movement once you have acted.
| Class | Hexes per turn |
|---|---|
| Barbarian, Rogue, Ranger, Monk | 7 |
| Warrior, Paladin, Pirate | 6 |
| Wizard, Cleric, Bard | 5 |
A few rules shape every path:
- Living enemies block you. You cannot walk through or stop on a hex held by a monster. Once a monster falls, its hex opens up.
- Allies let you pass. You can move through a friend's hex, but you cannot end your move on it.
- Rough ground costs double. Rubble and ice cost two movement per hex.
- The frontline is just ground. The strip down the middle of the board marks where the two sides meet, but you can walk across it like any other hex, as far as your movement allows.
- Melee means next to. To swing a weapon, you need to stand on a hex that touches your target's hex.
- The front line pays a little. Basic melee attacks made from the Vanguard get +1 damage.
Your range can change mid-fight. Haste adds hexes, Slow and Restrained take some away (never below one), and a Rogue's Cunning Action: Dash, used before they act, doubles their range for the turn. The Rogue class guide covers Dash and the rest of the Cunning Actions, and the Lourdin RPG combat guide walks through ranges, zones and monster types in full.
Single-player fights use a board 24 hexes wide and 10 tall. Party battles use a wider board, 30 by 12, so a full group has room to spread out. Combat runs on desktops and on tablets held sideways; on a phone, or a smaller tablet held upright, the combat screen asks for a bigger screen.
How do monsters move in Lourdin RPG?
Monsters play by the same rules: one move per turn, on their own turn. How far they go depends on what kind of monster they are.
| Monster type | Hexes per turn |
|---|---|
| Skirmisher | 7 |
| Brute | 5 |
| Tank | 4 |
| Caster | 5 |
| Support | 5 |
| No type | 6 |
Bosses move one extra hex.
A monster fighting in melee attacks right away if a hero is already next to it. Otherwise it moves toward the party and attacks if that move brings someone within reach. When it has a choice, it goes after the most wounded hero, judged by the share of health left, and on a tie it prefers healers and spellcasters. Your heroes block monsters just as monsters block you, so a monster has to find a way around your line to reach the Wizard behind it. Casters and Supports usually reach for a spell first; when no spell has a target in range, they step forward to keep one in reach, and the log says so.
Every monster move still lands in the combat log as its own entry, for example "Goblin Skirmisher moves from Rear to Vanguard." Since May 2026, monsters also show which hero they intend to target before they act, so you can see trouble coming and step out of the way.
What happened to the plans from this devlog?
The original post closed with three ideas for what came next. Here is where each one landed:
- Enemies that route around players. Done. On the hex board your heroes block monsters, so a monster has to path around your line to reach anyone behind it.
- Hazards that punish a reckless charge. Part of combat today. Fire, toxic clouds, ice, blessed ground, arcane surges, rubble and darkness can cover a single hex or a whole zone. Stepping onto fire, a toxic cloud or ice can trigger it the moment you land, and standing in a hazard when your turn starts triggers it again, so look before you leap.
- Formation bonuses for coordinated positioning. These grew into class passives that reward standing together. A Warrior or Paladin who shares a zone with another Warrior or Paladin gets +1 AC from Shield Wall. A Bard gives everyone in their zone +1 to saving throws with Battle Anthem. A Paladin of level 6 or higher adds their Charisma bonus, at least +1, to the saving throws of everyone in their zone through Aura of Protection. In party battles, each player also chooses a starting spot on the board before the fight begins.
If you want to build around those passives, the Warrior, Paladin and Bard class guides explain each one. New to the game? Start with how to play Lourdin RPG, then get out there and pick a fight.
Frequently Asked Questions
How does movement work in Lourdin RPG combat?
Combat is fought on a hex board. Once per turn you can move to any hex you can reach within your class's movement range, and moving does not use up your action, but it has to come before your action. Living enemies block the way, allies can be passed through but not stood on, and rubble or ice costs two movement per hex.
How many hexes can each class move in Lourdin RPG?
Barbarians, Rogues, Rangers and Monks move 7 hexes per turn; Warriors, Paladins and Pirates move 6; Wizards, Clerics and Bards move 5. Haste adds hexes, Slow and Restrained take some away, and a Rogue's Cunning Action: Dash doubles the range for that turn.
Is there still a Charge button in Lourdin RPG?
No. The Charge Enemy Lines button arrived in March 2026 and was retired about a week later, when the hex board arrived. Crossing into enemy territory is now an ordinary move: if hexes past the frontline are within your movement range and no living enemy blocks the path, you can walk there.
How fast do monsters move in Lourdin RPG?
It depends on the monster's type. Skirmishers move 7 hexes per turn, Brutes 5, Tanks 4, Casters and Supports 5, and monsters without a type 6. Bosses move one extra hex. Every monster move is written to the combat log as its own entry, so you always know what shifted.
Does where I stand matter in Lourdin RPG?
Yes. Melee attacks need you on a hex next to your target, and basic melee attacks made from the Vanguard get +1 damage. Some class passives only help heroes who share a zone, such as Shield Wall and the Paladin's Aura of Protection. The combat guide covers every zone.
