D&D 5E Can Elves Watch Over the Party Though the Night?

[Hriston]

I rule that semiconsciousness imposes disadvantage on any Wisdom (Perception) checks to notice creatures trying to be sneaky, so if another party member is available to keep watch while the elf trances, that’s usually a better bet.

 

[Asensur]

I consider elves' trance to be a 4 hour "sleep" so they can stand watch 4 hours each instead of 2.

 

[Paul Farquhar]

I consider elves' trance to be a 4 hour "sleep" so they can stand watch 4 hours each instead of 2.

Making them doubly likely to be the character eaten by the wandering monster.

 

[Seramus]

6 hours for a good sleep?
This is truly fantasy.

 

[Asensur]

Making them doubly likely to be the character eaten by the wandering monster.

And that is why they all have proficiency in Perception checks.

 

[Charlaquin]

6 hours for a good sleep?
This is truly fantasy.

Not necessarily a good sleep. Just enough sleep for adventurers to be capable of setting out the next day. Just like a character at full HP may be sore and bruised but can fight, a character who sleeps 6 hours a night might be tired, but they don’t have exhaustion.

 

[TwoSix]

Yup. A long rest usually consists of 6 hours sleeping and 2 hours watchkeeping. So long as there are at least four people in the party setting a watch has no overall impact.

Yep, that's how we run it. 4 watches, two hours each. The elf usually trances during watches 1-2 and stands watch for 3-4.

 

[Oofta]

I don't use watches all that often, except in areas where I want to enforce that resting is dangerous. Then I'll throw in a chance of random encounter from a list of monsters that make sense.

While an elf is semi-comatose while they trance they can take two watches. Unless the elf is a prima donna like The Flash.

 

[Prakriti]

Do you meditate with your eyes open?

Can you "watch" something with your eyes closed?

I rest my case.

 

[Todd Roybark]

Do you meditate with your eyes open?

Yes. There are many, open eyed meditation styles in our world.
Why wouldn’t there be in a fantasy world?