D&D 5E (2024) 5e 2024: How does sleep deprivation work?

[Stalker0]

Does 2024 ever specify what happens to a character that doesn't sleep (aka long rest) for an extended period?

 

[mellored]

Think they gain Exhaustion.

Or that's how I would rule it anyways. Maybe with an escalating Con save.

 

[Distracted DM]

The 2024 PHB doesn't give any penalties for not sleeping, except that you're not going to gain the benefits of a long rest.

edit: I see other folk giving house rule answers, and from Xanathars, etc. There are a number of ways to handle not sleeping in 5e! I think Xanathar's is a good one and Level Up A5E has its own, but it seems OP was asking strictly about the 2024 rules. So that answer is "no, it is not specified."

 

[Mort]

I did a search on D&DBeyond and the only rule that comes up is from Xanathar's - so not 2024 or 2014, but seems decent:

Going without a Long Rest​

A long rest is never mandatory, but going without sleep does have its consequences. If you want to account for the effects of sleep deprivation on characters and creatures, use these rules.

Whenever you end a 24-hour period without finishing a long rest, you must succeed on a DC 10 Constitution saving throw or suffer one level of exhaustion.

It becomes harder to fight off exhaustion if you stay awake for multiple days. After the first 24 hours, the DC increases by 5 for each consecutive 24-hour period without a long rest. The DC resets to 10 when you finish a long rest.

 

[Clint_L]

I've used the Xanathar's rule, which is still current with the 2024 update. It works well enough - going without sleep*** is debilitating and eventually fatal.

***or a few hours of meditation for elves.

 

[TheHand]

My eyes scanned over the thread title and read: 2024: How does sleep deprivation work? And my reply would have been, “Better than most years!”