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Where Do They Go For Food?
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<blockquote data-quote="Deset Gled" data-source="post: 7723267" data-attributes="member: 7808"><p>Counterpoint: Food is boring. The easiest way to get an eyeroll from players is by asking them to decrement their ration counters. Ask that enough times and the party simply pools enough money to buy a Murlynds Magical Spoon, and never deals with it again. After all, they have a storage bag that opens into another dimension and can travel thousands of miles in a matter of minutes; it's a given that they won't run out of food unless the DM forces them to.</p><p></p><p>Asking details about the food they eat (or the amount they have) is generally the equivalent of asking a player "were you wearing gloves when you touched that"? It telegraphs the fact that a "gotcha" moment is coming, which ruins any chance at surprise/suspense and makes the players feel like their DM is going to play "gotcha" games with them.</p><p></p><p>Occasionally, food can be an interesting diversion. Adventurers can be stripped of their gear for a mission and need the druid to forage, or a player can use eating habits to flush out a character. But generally, food is just another macguffin, and often one that breaks the setting. Oh no, the town's XXXX is stolen! When XXXX is a magic rock, it makes sense for the players to hunt the big bad and get it back. When XXXX is a barn full of wheat, it's more logical for a party of true heroes to use their abilities/tools/gold to actually help the town farm and become economically and ecologically stable than to go on a wild adventure (while carrying a pack full of rations and/or a magic spoon to feed them on their trip).</p><p></p><p>RPGs settings require a balance of realism and fantasy. Generally, food is on the same side of realism as worrying about where the players go to the bathroom. You can build an occasional plotline around hunting in the city sewers, but if sanitation becomes the focus of the game something has gone wrong.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Deset Gled, post: 7723267, member: 7808"] Counterpoint: Food is boring. The easiest way to get an eyeroll from players is by asking them to decrement their ration counters. Ask that enough times and the party simply pools enough money to buy a Murlynds Magical Spoon, and never deals with it again. After all, they have a storage bag that opens into another dimension and can travel thousands of miles in a matter of minutes; it's a given that they won't run out of food unless the DM forces them to. Asking details about the food they eat (or the amount they have) is generally the equivalent of asking a player "were you wearing gloves when you touched that"? It telegraphs the fact that a "gotcha" moment is coming, which ruins any chance at surprise/suspense and makes the players feel like their DM is going to play "gotcha" games with them. Occasionally, food can be an interesting diversion. Adventurers can be stripped of their gear for a mission and need the druid to forage, or a player can use eating habits to flush out a character. But generally, food is just another macguffin, and often one that breaks the setting. Oh no, the town's XXXX is stolen! When XXXX is a magic rock, it makes sense for the players to hunt the big bad and get it back. When XXXX is a barn full of wheat, it's more logical for a party of true heroes to use their abilities/tools/gold to actually help the town farm and become economically and ecologically stable than to go on a wild adventure (while carrying a pack full of rations and/or a magic spoon to feed them on their trip). RPGs settings require a balance of realism and fantasy. Generally, food is on the same side of realism as worrying about where the players go to the bathroom. You can build an occasional plotline around hunting in the city sewers, but if sanitation becomes the focus of the game something has gone wrong. [/QUOTE]
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