D&D 5E What interupts a long rest?

[Charlaquin]

So in those early drafts any amount of attacking, taking damage or casting a spell were strenuous activity, and would interrupt the rest. While reading, talking, eating, or standing watch were light activity and could be done for 2 hours without interrupting.

Did you read both versions? Yes, in the original version attacking, taking damage, and casting a spell were all sufficient to interrupt a rest, regardless of how long it took. In the second version though, all three of these things are noted as strenuous action, any of which interrupts a rest unless the interruption takes less than an hour. If it wasn’t already abundantly clear that fighting and casting spells are meant to be included in the list of strenuous activities, one hour of which interrupts a long rest, this clinches it. It also reveals that at one point in the testing process, any amount of strenuous activity interrupted the rest, and for whatever reason, they deemed it necessary to change it so that the interruption only forces you to start the rest over if it lasts an hour or longer.

This makes the intent crystal clear. 599 rounds of combat is not intended to interrupt a long rest, unless you’ve also done 6 seconds of some other strenuous activity. You can certainly rule otherwise if you want to, but there should be no question about the intent of the rule at this point.

 

[Maxperson]

Did you read both versions? Yes, in the original version attacking, taking damage, and casting a spell were all sufficient to interrupt a rest, regardless of how long it took. In the second version though, all three of these things are noted as strenuous action, any of which interrupts a rest unless the interruption takes less than an hour. If it wasn’t already abundantly clear that fighting and casting spells are meant to be included in the list of strenuous activities, one hour of which interrupts a long rest, this clinches it. It also reveals that at one point in the testing process, any amount of strenuous activity interrupted the rest, and for whatever reason, they deemed it necessary to change it so that the interruption only forces you to start the rest over if it lasts an hour or longer.

That clinches that their intent was the absurd, yes. It does not change the language from ambiguous to clear in the PHB, though.

This makes the intent crystal clear. 599 rounds of combat is not intended to interrupt a long rest, unless you’ve also done 6 seconds of some other strenuous activity. You can certainly rule otherwise if you want to, but there should be no question about the intent of the rule at this point.

I for one do not take part in stupid rules. It's one thing to stretch it and say that one combat of 1 minute or less is not enough to break it, but requiring an hour of combat is just dumb.

 

[Charlaquin]

That clinches that their intent was the absurd, yes. It does not change the language from ambiguous to clear in the PHB, though.

But it makes the intent clear. You may think the wording in the PHB is unclear, but the fact of the matter is that the reading I've been arguing is what the rules literally say is also inarguably the writers' intent. You may think it leads to an absurd outcome, and if you do, I would recommend ruling differently. Again, my goal here is to interpret what the rules actually say, not to weigh in on if they "make sense."

I for one do not take part in stupid rules. It's one thing to stretch it and say that one combat of 1 minute or less is not enough to break it, but requiring an hour of combat is just dumb.

That's a valid opinion to have. Feel free to change the rule if you don't like it.

 

[clearstream]

Did you read both versions? Yes, in the original version attacking, taking damage, and casting a spell were all sufficient to interrupt a rest, regardless of how long it took. In the second version though, all three of these things are noted as strenuous action, any of which interrupts a rest unless the interruption takes less than an hour. If it wasn’t already abundantly clear that fighting and casting spells are meant to be included in the list of strenuous activities, one hour of which interrupts a long rest, this clinches it. It also reveals that at one point in the testing process, any amount of strenuous activity interrupted the rest, and for whatever reason, they deemed it necessary to change it so that the interruption only forces you to start the rest over if it lasts an hour or longer.

This makes the intent crystal clear. 599 rounds of combat is not intended to interrupt a long rest, unless you’ve also done 6 seconds of some other strenuous activity. You can certainly rule otherwise if you want to, but there should be no question about the intent of the rule at this point.

I see that you are correct. It is a reasonable assumption* that they intended to preserve the later (March) wording in the final text (even though they missed on that.)

I find it impossible to reconcile with half-an-hour of fighting not interrupting a rest. If played to RAW that can be exploited to yield absurd results. A party can just say to the DM they are resting, and then continue adventuring as normal. For me, continuing adventuring as normal is not resting.

[EDIT *It is not inarguable as you put it, but I agree that it is a fair assumption. I also agree with @Maxperson that it clarifies RAI, but does not impinge on the RAW, which remains ambiguous. We know how to interpret the ambiguity, but we cannot say it is not ambiguous.]

 

[clearstream]

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. If the rest is interrupted by a period of strenuous activity—at least 1 hour of walking, Fighting, casting Spells, or similar Adventuring activity—the characters must begin the rest again to gain any benefit from it.

So taking the RAI to be that up to an hour of fighting doesn't interrupt the rest, what does that mean?

1. When I rest, I must sleep or perform up to and no more than 2 hours of light activity. The implication is that I must sleep for 6 hours.
2. I can perform up to an hour of fighting, marching, casting spells. Seeing as I must sleep for 6 hours, the implication is that this will take the place of an hour of light activity.
3. The RAI allows a party to start a long rest, and then continue adventuring for up to an hour.
4. The 6 hours sleep can come anywhere in that 8 hours.

Because of that, where the RAI lands is that a long rest is 6 hours sleep.

@Ancalagon @Maxperson @Charlaquin to whom that may be of interest.

 

[clearstream]

@Charlaquin I believe my post above reconciles the positions. Once we ignore an hour of adventuring activity, and take out an hour of light activity, a long rest is simply 6 hours sleep.

Can any fighting interrupt that sleep? Nope. Spell casting? Can't cast while you have the unconscious condition. Marching? Not unless your DM buys that you sleep walk.

 

[MarkB]

So taking the RAI to be that up to an hour of fighting doesn't interrupt the rest, what does that mean?

1. When I rest, I must sleep or perform up to and no more than 2 hours of light activity. The implication is that I must sleep for 6 hours.
2. I can perform up to an hour of fighting, marching, casting spells. Seeing as I must sleep for 6 hours, the implication is that this will take the place of an hour of light activity.
3. The RAI allows a party to start a long rest, and then continue adventuring for up to an hour.
4. The 6 hours sleep can come anywhere in that 8 hours.

Because of that, where the RAI lands is that a long rest is 6 hours sleep.

@Ancalagon @Maxperson @Charlaquin to whom that may be of interest.

The rules (if interpreted that way) don't say that the "up to an hour of walking, fighting etc." don't interrupt the long rest. They simply say that this interruption doesn't reset the clock. It's still an interruption, and would not be counted as part of the rest. You would still need to get your full 8 hours of resting, in addition to however long this interruption took.

 

[clearstream]

The rules (if interpreted that way) don't say that the "up to an hour of walking, fighting etc." don't interrupt the long rest. They simply say that this interruption doesn't reset the clock. It's still an interruption, and would not be counted as part of the rest. You would still need to get your full 8 hours of resting, in addition to however long this interruption took.

To clarify, the important part of what I have said is that you must have 6 hours sleeping. What is sleeping? Per XGE we know that the intent is that to be asleep is to have the unconscious condition. Per PHB we know that to be unconscious is to be incapacitated, to be unable to move or speak, and to unaware of your surroundings. Also to be more vulnerable as specified.

So ignoring what might happen in those other two hours*, for at least 6 hours a character cannot do any fighting, casting, or marching. To rest is to refrain from doing any amount of any of those things, and to be in a vulnerable state, for at least 6 hours.


[EDIT *Regarding those two hours, ask yourself what a character could be doing for up to one of them? They could be doing everything that is involved in adventuring. So we might as well just ignore that hour. If you like, you could say that a rest is 6 hours sleep and an hour of no more than light activity. It lands in much the same place. Yes, we can have an hour of continued adventuring, but within the 8 hours must be 6 (or 7) hours that cannot be any amount of fighting, casting or marching.]

 

[MarkB]

To clarify, the important part of what I have said is that you must have 6 hours sleeping. What is sleeping? Per XGE we know that the intent is that to be asleep is to have the unconscious condition. Per PHB we know that to be unconscious is to be incapacitated, to be unable to move or speak, and to unaware of your surroundings. Also to be more vulnerable as specified.

So ignoring what might happen in those other two hours, for at least 6 hours a character cannot do any fighting, casting, or marching. To rest is to refrain from doing any amount of any of those things, and to be in a vulnerable state, for at least 6 hours.

Yes, but not necessarily six uninterrupted hours. A sleeping person can be awakened (either deliberately, or by enough kerfuffle) if there is fighting to be done. If an attack happens and the characters on watch deal with it quickly but take a hit in the process, the cleric can be awakened to provide whatever healing spells are needed and can then go back to sleep.

I'm not sure what significance you're seeing in this "six hours of sleeping" that you think others may have missed or glossed over.

 

[clearstream]

Yes, but not necessarily six uninterrupted hours. A sleeping person can be awakened (either deliberately, or by enough kerfuffle) if there is fighting to be done. If an attack happens and the characters on watch deal with it quickly but take a hit in the process, the cleric can be awakened to provide whatever healing spells are needed and can then go back to sleep.

Focus on what the rules require. A character must have 6 hours during which they don't do any of those things. I could

1. Start a long rest
2. Clear a few chambers in the dungeon
3. Catch 3 hours sleep
4. Clear another few chambers
5. Stand watch for 1 hour
6. Catch another 3 hours sleep
7. Refresh my abilities

That being the case, I am saying - why even care what happens in that 1 hour of continued adventuring? Spelling it out in detail - the character has to be unconscious for at least 6 hours and then has to either sleep 1 more hour or perform light activity for that hour. They have to perform exactly those activities for 7 hours, and they can't take more than 8 hours to do so.