Fatigue and Exhaustion

Kaji · Oct 15, 2002

I could use a little nudge in the right direction. I've been able to locate the rules that describe what the effect is when you are fatigued or exhausted, but I've had trouble finding guidelines on what sort of stresses should push my PC's over the edge into fatigue. I assume I'm just not looking in the right spot. I'd like to see the official rules as well as get any feedback from DM's on how they've used fatigue.

dcollins · Oct 15, 2002

Those penalties are frankly not applied by the rules very often at all. Fatigue is a penalty for certain environmental exposures (DMG p. 86) and sleeping in armor (PH p. 105). Offhand, I can't think of anything else from the core rules (possibly some specific spells). For example, long-distance running uses a different mechanic (p. 127).

Kaji · Oct 16, 2002

Thanks, dcollins.

So let me see if I've got this right as to how I get fatigued:

1. I sleep in armor with an armor check penalty of -5 or worse, and I'm fatigued all next day.

2. I get heat exhaustion, starvation damage, or essentially start to freeze to death, and I'm fatigued.

3. Is that it? What if I don't sleep for 2 or 3 days, or even 1 day and I perform heavy work i.e. I fight, I ride hard all day, I spend 24 hours in some arcane studying...

hong · Oct 16, 2002

A barbarian whose rage wears off is fatigued for the remainder of that encounter.

dcollins · Oct 16, 2002

Kaji said:
3. Is that it? What if I don't sleep for 2 or 3 days, or even 1 day and I perform heavy work i.e. I fight, I ride hard all day, I spend 24 hours in some arcane studying...

There's nothing in the official rules that handles a situation like that. Even the official "Forced March" (march all day) rules deal out subdual damage, not fatigue or exhaustion.

Stalker0 · Oct 16, 2002

dcollins said:
There's nothing in the official rules that handles a situation like that. Even the official "Forced March" (march all day) rules deal out subdual damage, not fatigue or exhaustion.

I believe, that under the section of the DMG which deals with fatique, anytime you take subdual damage from exhausting things like the environment or running, you are instantly fatigued. Can't remember where exactly I saw that though.

dcollins · Oct 16, 2002

Stalker0 said:
I believe, that under the section of the DMG which deals with fatique, anytime you take subdual damage from exhausting things like the environment or running, you are instantly fatigued. Can't remember where exactly I saw that though.

True for environmental exposure, as I mentioned above.
Not true for running or subdual damage in general.

Kaji · Oct 16, 2002

Hmmm...Just seems to me that there should be more for when the party tries some sort of feat of endurance, like fighting all day and then not sleeping, should kick something in. Anyone use any house rules on this, and if so, how did they work out?