D&D 5E Just how long is a long rest anyway?

[Hriston]

Just shift to each of your three party members sleeping six and watching for three. Nine hours and done.

That doesn't solve the problem. The member taking second watch will sleep for three hours, stand watch for three hours, and then sleep another three hours. He gets enough sleep but stands watch for too long to gain the benefits of a long rest. I realize it is in my power to change the rules, which is what I've done and have shared with the community by starting this thread.

 

[Charlaquin]

Not if you haven't slept for at least six hours of that!

Ah, I think I see where the problem comes from. This passage was the subject of an erratum. Here's the original text:

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.​

The "for no more than 2 hours" here seems to refer only to standing watch, which doesn't solve my problem, but it does remind me of how I felt about this erratum and makes me want to revise my response to you:

Not if you've spent more than 2 hours of that standing watch!

The point of the errata was to clarify that 6 hours need to be spent sleeping, and that keeping watch was meant to be an example of light activity that could be performed during the other 2. But my point was, once you’ve spent 6 hours sleeping and 2 hours not doing anything too strenuous without an hour of strenuous activity between, you’ve met the requirements for a long rest and should get your HP and spell slots back. That might end up taking up to 8 hours and 59 minutes, depending on how much strenuous activity you do.

 

[Hriston]

The point of the errata was to clarify that 6 hours need to be spent sleeping, and that keeping watch was meant to be an example of light activity that could be performed during the other 4. But my point was, if there’s a problem with the wording, it’s in saying that a long rest is “at least 8 hours.” Once you’ve spent 6 hours sleeping and 2 hours not doing anything too strenuous without an hour of strenuous activity between, you’ve met the requirements for a long rest and should get your HP and spell slots back.

Two hour watches don't work for a three man party. Also, in a four man party they don't allow for eight hours of sleep, which I think should be an option.

 

[Hriston]

LOL, none taken.

I was sort of taking that route if someone insisted than anything longer than the two-hour limit would negate the long rest. Like you said, I am sure their intent was based on 8 hours.

I think we agree the key points are really:

• six hours of sleep or more
• no more than one hour total of strenuous activity
• a total of eight hours or more

I'm actually a bit surprised, now that I've been reminded of the errata, that this wasn't addressed in some way at the time if it didn't match their intent.

I suppose I'm "insisting" that exceeding the two-hour limit makes it not a long rest by the definition given of what a long rest is. I can't honestly say that isn't the case. I've changed the definition in my game, though, to get rid of that arbitrary limit and tie it to the actual length of the rest, which is variable.

 

[Charlaquin]

Two hour watches don't work for a three man party.

Character A takes first watch while characters B and C sleep. 4 hours later, character B wakes up and takes over watch while characters A and C sleep. 2 hours later, character C wakes up and takes over watch while characters A and B sleep. 2 hours later, character C will have completed a long rest and can continue to keep watch for the remaining 2 hours until characters A and B finish their long rests.

 

[DND_Reborn]

I suppose I'm "insisting" that exceeding the two-hour limit makes it not a long rest by the definition given of what a long rest is. I can't honestly say that isn't the case. I've changed the definition in my game, though, to get rid of that arbitrary limit and tie it to the actual length of the rest, which is variable.

Well, that "insisting" is why I rules-lawyered it.

The "no more than 2 hours light activity" is based on the minimum 8-hour long rest. Consider the minimum 8 hours. If you get 6 hours of sleep, you can have 2 hours of light activity. If you get 6.5 hours of sleep, your light activity is kept to 1.5 hours. Now, if during that 8-hour period, you have 3 hours of light activity, then that means you only were able to get 5 hours of sleep. Result: No long rest.

But, let's say you have 10 hours to get your rest in. Since you have more than 8 hours, if you keep the 2 hour max on light activity, the extra two hours must be sleep and really don't benefit you at all.

Example:

10 pm - 4 am: sleep 6 hours
4 am - 6 am: on watch 2 hours (maximum!)
6 am - 8 am: sleep 2 more hours

What is the point of the last 2 hours of sleep? The time from 10 pm to 6 am already makes it a long rest, so you might as well have stayed up.

Anyway, for your typical party of 4, it works out to plan "sleeping" from 10 pm to 6 am and have 4 2-hour watches (10-12, 12-2, 2-4, and 4-6). Everyone gets 6 hours of sleep and 2 hours of light activity on watch.

 

[Hriston]

Character A takes first watch while characters B and C sleep. 4 hours later, character B wakes up and takes over watch while characters A and C sleep. 2 hours later, character C wakes up and takes over watch while characters A and B sleep. 2 hours later, character C will have completed a long rest and can continue to keep watch for the remaining 2 hours until characters A and B finish their long rests.

Thank you for that. I was trying to split things up evenly, but I see that works out just fine. It does seem a little unfair that B gets eight hours of sleep while the others only get six, but I suppose they could take turns.

 

[DND_Reborn]

Thank you for that. I was trying to split things up evenly, but I see that works out just fine. It does seem a little unfair that B gets eight hours of sleep while the others only get six, but I suppose they could take turns.

Actually, with @Charlaquin's idea, B would finish his long rest half-way through C's 4-hour watch.

If you want a more even set-up, you could also do it like this:

White and Gray spaces are watches, Blue are sleep. For "long rest" your 8-hours are gray and blue, not white.

This way at dusk and dawn, the most active times IME, you have two people on watch for an hour at least. Also, C finishes his long rest first, so it is best to have a stronger character on that watch. Characters with the most resources remaining are good for A since they finish their rest last.

 

[Charlaquin]

Thank you for that. I was trying to split things up evenly, but I see that works out just fine. It does seem a little unfair that B gets eight hours of sleep while the others only get six, but I suppose they could take turns.

B also only has to take a 2 hour watch while A and C have to take 4-hour watches, so B definitely gets the best deal. But it could be kinda fun having the characters draw straws for who gets the B shift, or you could set up a rotating shift situation.

Or, you know, just rule that 6 hours of sleep and 2 hours 20 minutes of watch is close enough for government work. Whatever works best for your group.

 

[Harzel]

I just wanted to zero in on this:
No offense, but this seems to be a very rules-lawyery interpretation of the long rest rules. Any interpretation I would use would have to treat the period as continuous because I assume that is the intent of the authors in calling it "a period". I also think it was their intent for the 2-hour limit on light activity to apply only to an 8-hour long rest, but they failed to convey that.

So why make/accept an assumption based on what you think their intent was in one case, but reject what you think their intent was in the other?