Food and Drink - Downloaded from the Wizards Community, all coding removed by Solauren

Food and Drink

Post/Author/DateTime Post
#1
ahzriael
Feb 28, 2011 12:43:37 I've been noticing that character seem to ignore the Water and Rations part of the game. This bothers me as I'm all about things being realistic. I had considered adding in the homerule that a minor rest requires trail rations or a drink of water (a waterskin holding 10), a extended rest requires both in addition to sleep, and being "well fed", such as with a full meal either cooked or bought, gives you a minor bonus of somekind.
Any ideas or tips? Anyone have a system they use?
#2
dracomax1981
Mar 01, 2011 10:57:01 Have them make an endurance check that goes up for every day they don't eat something. if they fail, make them lose a healing surge, or not get some benefit from extended rests.

Keep in mind, though, that some people hate the book-keeping aspects, so make sure your players are OK with it. it may not seem logical to you to ignore it, but one of the quickest ways to end a campaign is to implement a change your players hate.
#3
theplaneswalker
Mar 01, 2011 12:55:02 You could also keep track of it yourself and let the players know that you will be doing so, everytime they take an extended rest without having something to eat, substrack rations appropriately, when they run out of it, let them know that they are hungry and they no longer have anything else to eat with them. I am pretty sure they will restock and thus no need for them to keep track individually.
#4
alitain
Mar 01, 2011 17:45:56 We use to keep track of food and drink when we played 3.5 but when we started 4th, we kinda just didn't bother. It was too annoying. Not saying that I don't understand your point, but as our DM said, he basically assumes we would buy a couple day's worth of trail rations and all that before heading out. Aside from that we would be in towns where obviously food is simple to come by.

There have been a couple times where we ended up traveling longer, or through a desert once and food was important, but aside from that it wasn't really an issue. Not to mention in our game our characters have endless canteens and food baskets or whatever it's called. So food/drink is never an issue.

I honestly would not make a short rest hinge on them eating. It's only a five minute break to catch you're breath. Now an extended rest, sure most likely you're going to eat during that time. But again, unless they're away from civilization for days and days, a person can suffice a day without food. Water...not so much.

But then again it comes down to how much the players are abusing this. And if you're the DM, then you're the one who's allowed it to happen, so you need to simply call your players on the food issue. Ask them if they have rations and water, and the players will pick up on it and start buying supplies and all.

I wouldn't house rule anything dealing with food/water. Not to mention giving players a benefit of any sort for being "well fed" just isn't a good idea. Not to mention how do you figure "well fed" you say a full meal, does that mean trail rations? Because they suffice for a meal, so they should. Then you'd just have players porking out on food to get benefits all the time. Which is kinda lame.

Or just give the PCs each an endless canteen and then one...whatever magic picnic basket which can feed a group of people up to 6 I think which should suffice the party. They're wonderous items, low level I think. And that way the players are happy because they don't have to bother keeping track of rations all the time, but you're content because you know they're eating. Everyone wins.
#5
Rustmonster
Mar 01, 2011 21:24:59 To reduce bookkeeping, I'd suggest simply making rations counted in "days supply" format. Just require they use one up every day, or else force them to, say, make increasingly difficult Endurance checks or lose Healing Surges until they eat. Either that or starvation could use a "Disease Track" that improves one step automaticlly when the character eats, stays the same with an Endurance check, and will eventually lead to death.
#6
pluisjen
Mar 02, 2011 4:23:45 All I can say is,

#7
thespaceinvader
Mar 02, 2011 6:04:13 If you really want to worry about food and drink...

Give your players endless canteens and everlasting provisions. Endless quivers, too.

Bookkeeping stuff like this is no fun at all.
#8
trebor_rjf
Mar 02, 2011 6:26:24 an average human can go three weeks without food before dying, unless they're trapped at sea or crossing a huge desert i wouldnt make them keep track of every ration. after a few sessions just say they should restock on supplies. no need to give them bonuses or penalties for having a snack.
#9
Krusk
Mar 02, 2011 12:46:20 Make sure to trAck how often they go to the bathroom. If you are tracking what goes in, you have to track what comes out or it just isn't realistic.

For added fun you keep track not the players. Just remind them periodically "hey you have to dump right now. You probably ought to pull the caravan over".
#10
thespaceinvader
Mar 02, 2011 13:21:52 You really want to be careful if you want to start thinking about tracking bathroom usage. Your players might start pooping on everything...

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 ahzriael Feb 28, 2011 12:43:37	I've been noticing that character seem to ignore the Water and Rations part of the game. This bothers me as I'm all about things being realistic. I had considered adding in the homerule that a minor rest requires trail rations or a drink of water (a waterskin holding 10), a extended rest requires both in addition to sleep, and being "well fed", such as with a full meal either cooked or bought, gives you a minor bonus of somekind. Any ideas or tips? Anyone have a system they use?
#2 dracomax1981 Mar 01, 2011 10:57:01	Have them make an endurance check that goes up for every day they don't eat something. if they fail, make them lose a healing surge, or not get some benefit from extended rests. Keep in mind, though, that some people hate the book-keeping aspects, so make sure your players are OK with it. it may not seem logical to you to ignore it, but one of the quickest ways to end a campaign is to implement a change your players hate.
#3 theplaneswalker Mar 01, 2011 12:55:02	You could also keep track of it yourself and let the players know that you will be doing so, everytime they take an extended rest without having something to eat, substrack rations appropriately, when they run out of it, let them know that they are hungry and they no longer have anything else to eat with them. I am pretty sure they will restock and thus no need for them to keep track individually.
#4 alitain Mar 01, 2011 17:45:56	We use to keep track of food and drink when we played 3.5 but when we started 4th, we kinda just didn't bother. It was too annoying. Not saying that I don't understand your point, but as our DM said, he basically assumes we would buy a couple day's worth of trail rations and all that before heading out. Aside from that we would be in towns where obviously food is simple to come by. There have been a couple times where we ended up traveling longer, or through a desert once and food was important, but aside from that it wasn't really an issue. Not to mention in our game our characters have endless canteens and food baskets or whatever it's called. So food/drink is never an issue. I honestly would not make a short rest hinge on them eating. It's only a five minute break to catch you're breath. Now an extended rest, sure most likely you're going to eat during that time. But again, unless they're away from civilization for days and days, a person can suffice a day without food. Water...not so much. But then again it comes down to how much the players are abusing this. And if you're the DM, then you're the one who's allowed it to happen, so you need to simply call your players on the food issue. Ask them if they have rations and water, and the players will pick up on it and start buying supplies and all. I wouldn't house rule anything dealing with food/water. Not to mention giving players a benefit of any sort for being "well fed" just isn't a good idea. Not to mention how do you figure "well fed" you say a full meal, does that mean trail rations? Because they suffice for a meal, so they should. Then you'd just have players porking out on food to get benefits all the time. Which is kinda lame. Or just give the PCs each an endless canteen and then one...whatever magic picnic basket which can feed a group of people up to 6 I think which should suffice the party. They're wonderous items, low level I think. And that way the players are happy because they don't have to bother keeping track of rations all the time, but you're content because you know they're eating. Everyone wins.
#5 Rustmonster Mar 01, 2011 21:24:59	To reduce bookkeeping, I'd suggest simply making rations counted in "days supply" format. Just require they use one up every day, or else force them to, say, make increasingly difficult Endurance checks or lose Healing Surges until they eat. Either that or starvation could use a "Disease Track" that improves one step automaticlly when the character eats, stays the same with an Endurance check, and will eventually lead to death.
#6 pluisjen Mar 02, 2011 4:23:45	All I can say is,
#7 thespaceinvader Mar 02, 2011 6:04:13	If you really want to worry about food and drink... Give your players endless canteens and everlasting provisions. Endless quivers, too. Bookkeeping stuff like this is no fun at all.
#8 trebor_rjf Mar 02, 2011 6:26:24	an average human can go three weeks without food before dying, unless they're trapped at sea or crossing a huge desert i wouldnt make them keep track of every ration. after a few sessions just say they should restock on supplies. no need to give them bonuses or penalties for having a snack.
#9 Krusk Mar 02, 2011 12:46:20	Make sure to trAck how often they go to the bathroom. If you are tracking what goes in, you have to track what comes out or it just isn't realistic. For added fun you keep track not the players. Just remind them periodically "hey you have to dump right now. You probably ought to pull the caravan over".
#10 thespaceinvader Mar 02, 2011 13:21:52	You really want to be careful if you want to start thinking about tracking bathroom usage. Your players might start pooping on everything...