D&D 5E Warlocks seem pointless

[Rune]

Well, since we're quoting scripture, what the rule actually says is:

A long rest is a period of extended downtime, at least 8 hours long, during which a character sleeps or performs light activity: reading, talking, eating, or standing watch for no more than 2 hours.

Note that it does not say that a character sleeps or performs light activity for no more than 2 hours. Rather, it says a character sleeps or performs light activity, then a colon indicates that what follows is a description of what forms that might take, those being reading, talking, eating, or no more than 2 hours of standing watch.

That said, we seem to be going around in circles and I really don't know why it seems to be so important for you to prove my equally valid viewpoint wrong. I feel, however, that I have nothing more substantial to add to my position and, frankly, don't care that much, anyway.

Since, unlike 5e characters, I actually must sleep, will you be appeased if I tell you that you win the internet and take my leave of this circular conversation?

 

[TrippyHippy]

Well, strop if you like, but you actually go on to misquote your own quote in your explanation!

You engage in ‘light activity’ for no more than two hours as stated. You’ve just rearranged the sentence to suit your argument, rather than the other way round.

Moreover, why would anybody bother making a rule for Elven trance if it was either insignificant or counterproductive as you seem to be arguing? It’s not an equally valid viewpoint if it’s wrong!

 

[Staffan]

Now that I look at it, you could easily read the limitations on activity during a long rest in two ways: "(reading, talking, eating, and standing watch) for no more than 2 hours", or "reading, talking, eating, and (standing watch for no more than 2 hours)."

That said, I think the latter interpretation fits best, because otherwise they would have written it as "during which a character sleeps or performs no more than 2 hours of light activity: reading, talking, eating, and standing watch."

 

[Eric V]

The designers of the game have said elves need 8 hours for a long rest.

 

[Authweight]

My reading here is that sleep and long rest are actually unrelated. With the placement of the colon, it makes me think that you can get a long rest by spending eight hours doing light activity, no more than two of which can be standing watch. That light activity can be lounging around, eating, chatting, or sleeping.

Sleep is important because if you go too long without it, you gain levels of exhaustion (although in a quick search of the basic rules I couldn't find the rules for this). It doesn't seem to me like it matters for resting though.

 

[TrippyHippy]

The designers of the game have said elves need 8 hours for a long rest.

Citation?

Moreover, why didn’t they just scribble out the notion of Elvish trances too? It seems such a confusion to people. Seriously, somebody is now looking for separate rules for sleeping because they can’t equate it with resting?! Seriously?! Again, I ask, how can somebody be sleeping and not be resting?

What I say is this: play the game any way you want, but common sense to me indicates that if a 4-hour Elvish trance is stated as the equivalent of 8 hours sleep and they get the benefits of it, then that equates to 8 hours rest. Heck, even the ‘4 hour/8 hour’ statement given is a clear implication of that in the numbers they use. If you want the rest of the party to engage in 8 hour ‘reading, talking, eating and standing watch’ as the equivalent to a good night’s sleep then that’s up to you too. I know how I’m going to run my games!

 

[Eric V]

Citation?

Look it up yourself; whatever, I'm not lying. Why would I? For what it's worth, probably on their Twitter account.

Or don't, since you are going to do whatever you want anyway; but the designers for some reason, don't want elves off the hook for the full 8 hours.

 

[BigVanVader]

Seriously, somebody is now looking for separate rules for sleeping because they can’t equate it with resting?! Seriously?! Again, I ask, how can somebody be sleeping and not be resting?

You can't sleep without resting, but you can rest without sleeping. The two are separate, even if dividing them is extremely difficult.

 

[Schmoe]

I'll check when I can, but I could swear that I read in one of the books that a trance explicitly does not take the place of a long rest.

 

[Paraxis]

The Sage Advice site has a search function, here.
http://www.sageadvice.eu/?s=trance

In summary yes it seems long rests are 8 hours long for everyone including elves, but they get 4 hours of trance and 4 of light activity, while everyone else is 6 and 2.