D&D 5E Players forgetting about potions and scrolls

[MoonSong]

Personally, I don't like consumables. They add too much bookkeeping for little reward. Either they bring nothing to the table, or are too good to use. I rather avoid taking any consumables as part of my share. The only exception is healing potions. If I take all of them, then I don't have to compete with them n_n.

 

[Satyrn]

I have an idea that solves 2 problems:

Using xanathar's guide's potion creation rules, you need to open and examine the liquid, possibly even observing the effect.
And then after the potion was opened, it is only usabke for maybe a few weeks give or take.

I like it.

 

[Lanefan]

I have an idea that solves 2 problems:

Using xanathar's guide's potion creation rules, you need to open and examine the liquid, possibly even observing the effect.
And then after the potion was opened, it is only usabke for maybe a few weeks give or take.

Solves two problems* but adds or enhances a third: now not only do you have to track your consumables, you also have to track the best-before date for each one.

* - but only for potions; this doesn't do anything with scrolls, wands, etc.

 

[Rhenny]

Before each game, it is good for all players to check PC inventory. Sometimes I even remind them to do that.

As a player, I always do that.

In one of the last games I played in, one of the PCs in my group was wielding a cursed blade. The player rolled a "1" so the blade took over and forced him to move towards an ally with intent to attack. My wizard pulled out a scroll of charm person and used it on the cursed PC. The player failed the save so my wizard convinced him to resist the blade's calling. The DM let it work. We were overjoyed. Knowing what disposable items a PC has can be a real lifesaver.

 

[hastur_nz]

Too many DM's try and compensate for lazy players, which just leads to lazy players forever. Don't be that DM, let you players manage their own characters, including the items you give them. Make them understand all their PC's abilities, don't look stuff up for them, and so on. Remind them of their responsibilities as a player, to know their capabilities, manage their inventory, etc. You've got enough on your plate as DM, running your end of the table, don't let lazy players make the job harder, and less fun, for you. Make them own their responsibilities towards their own character sheet. And if they don't?, as noted above, it's not your problem, don't stress, it's their game too so let them play it how they like (if they can't be bothered tracking inventory, using potions, learning spells, etc, that's their call, don't make it your problem to fix).

 

[Volund]

As a player I list my consumable potions and scrolls separately and review them before each session. Scrolls get used up quickly, potions not so much. For a caster, scrolls are like free spell slots. Given a choice to cast the same spell from a scroll or a spell slot, I always use the scroll first. I find that I don't use potions very much because of the action economy and bounded accuracy. Once I am in combat, using my action to activate a magic item by drinking a potion isn't as effective as just trying to attack and drop an enemy, especially if I have extra attacks. 5e's bounded accuracy means it's not terribly hard to hit or be hit. If I use my action to drink a potion of healing chances are I'm going to get hit again and immediately lose those hit points, whereas if I attack I might hit and drop my enemy and not need to use my potion of healing at all. Out of combat, there are other ways besides potions to breath water, climb or take on a gaseous form, for example, so those just get stashed away indefinitely.

 

[UngeheuerLich]

Before each game, it is good for all players to check PC inventory. Sometimes I even remind them to do that.

As a player, I always do that.

In one of the last games I played in, one of the PCs in my group was wielding a cursed blade. The player rolled a "1" so the blade took over and forced him to move towards an ally with intent to attack. My wizard pulled out a scroll of charm person and used it on the cursed PC. The player failed the save so my wizard convinced him to resist the blade's calling. The DM let it work. We were overjoyed. Knowing what disposable items a PC has can be a real lifesaver.

Fun story.
Our ranger with the intelligent sword was once controlled by a storoper. The sword became terribly angry and cried out: my pet and took control over the dominated ranger.

 

[iserith]

Too many DM's try and compensate for lazy players, which just leads to lazy players forever. Don't be that DM, let you players manage their own characters, including the items you give them. Make them understand all their PC's abilities, don't look stuff up for them, and so on. Remind them of their responsibilities as a player, to know their capabilities, manage their inventory, etc. You've got enough on your plate as DM, running your end of the table, don't let lazy players make the job harder, and less fun, for you. Make them own their responsibilities towards their own character sheet. And if they don't?, as noted above, it's not your problem, don't stress, it's their game too so let them play it how they like (if they can't be bothered tracking inventory, using potions, learning spells, etc, that's their call, don't make it your problem to fix).

Agreed!

(With some allowance for new players.)

 

[Umbran]

Not an edition specific problem - folks have been forgetting potions and scrolls since they were first put in a book.

I find it leads to decent results - when they are up against a real problem, they'll start digging through their lists to find any way out, and find, "Hey, I have..."

Like, Tomb of Horrors. Go through, beat all the traps and stuff, and get to the end and... demi-lich. Crap.

"Oh, wait! You guys realize that over the years, I've built up a backlog of a dozen scrolls of Shatter that we've never needed before?"

 

[SirGrotius]

Except for the first few levels, I haven't noticed players getting too involved in consumables. Potions seem a bit clanky and very 1980s-90s, scrolls are too one-off. It is a good point that they can become lost in the shuffle, although I've noticed some trends as a DM that certain players' insecurities are borne out in the potions they horde.