D&D 5E Does anyone actually track rations?

[Wereox]

Like others have said, for me it completely depends on the adventure. I generally don't worry too much about it if its only a days journey or so to wherever they are going. But if they are trekking across a frozen wasteland for days and days, they would have to keep track, not just because they are taking more time, but because it might be more difficult to find enough food to sustain the party.

Water I tend to count as part of their daily rations if/when i keep track of rations, although, like Hemlock said, would open up easy adventure hooks, and it would make them have to explore and leave their comfort zone to try finding water, which leaves space open for potential encounters.

 

[Ranthalan]

As a DM I generally don't. To my surprise the players of my group do. One of the PCs can forage, but not enough for the whole party, so they rotate who has to use rations.

 

[Daern]

In Out of the Abyss I've discovered it is important to track rations and keep track of foraging. The heroes are naked and afraid, running fairly blindly through the Underdark. In this case, decisions about slowing down to search for food is a decision point because it makes it more likely to be caught by pursuers. Without it you lose a little something.
In my game so far I've ran in a bit abstractly, but hunger and fear are definitely playing a part in the story.

 

[Phototoxin]

I think it depends how 'heroic' or gritty you run. EG in Darksun rations and fiid are very important, they are a part of the setting. In say FR, you could run a 'cinematic' grade game where unless plot specific, PCs dont run out of mundane ammo ir food/water.

This is what i default to as PCs are generally supposed to be heroes wandering around the wilderness etc and tracking arrows and food is boring, slows down the game and doesnt really add to it.

Obviously the gsme dynamic changes if you are doing an urban adventure, darksun, exploring the planes or are playing a warforged!

 

[Hand of Evil]

Don't need torches (light spell).
Don't need rations (a single goodberry is all you need for the entire day, not to mention the healing is useful throughout)
Don't need flint/steel (so many free flame spells).

I as a DM track a number of things, as things get destroyed, go lost and bad during a campaign, plus a lot of items have purposes that are not thought of; such as trade goods, signaling use, providing warmth, even providing as zone of protection, drying of items.

Rations are important and while Gooseberry provides nourishment it is not the same as food. Hunger will have to be satisfied, fiber is required. Plus, that is a lot of mistletoe to be carrying around, that will also have to be tracked the same as the rations were. Rations can be seen as trade goods too.

Torches and open flames are a sore spot with me and I have house rules about them as I feel open flame provides protection and can cause fear with animals and some monsters that a light spell does not provide. I have house rules on them.

Flint and steel are just a backup.

 

[mflayermonk]

There is a game called Torchbearer (a DnD-ish clone) where you track rations and light as part of the game's core mechanic.

 

[Bupp]

It is a factor of the type of adventure I'm running.

My current game is heroic adventure with easy contact with civilization. My party is 5th level, and I've told my players "during an adventure if there is any reasonable mundane equipment you say you pull out, you have it." I do charge higher monthly upkeep to account for this.

 

[Rya.Reisender]

I was unaware that 5e did away with encumbrance, as the OP suggests. Actually, there are weights and encumbrance rules in the PHB. There are rations listed in the price list in the PHB. I track rations. I track encumbrance as well. In fact, I even list weight on the my treasure chests. That way when the party makes decisions, they do it based on what they can carry.

I cannot imagine plating D&D with little coins jumping up and making a "ding" sound and then just being added to an account in an electronic bank like Mario (video game). Unrealistic. Part of the challenge is figuring what to take and what to drop, or hiring pack handlers.

Encumbrance rule is a variant, so it's technically not a rule by default. And using it makes the game almost unplayable, because alone your starting equip already weights more than STR*5.

Also while I'd like to do it like you, tracking every single item alongside its weight is almost impossible, unless all your players are very thorough and honest about it, it's just too much work for a single DM.

 

[Prism]

We track encumbrance (using the variant rule), food, water and loot.

My current campaign is a pure exploration campaign. I detail an ancient dungeon somewhere in Faerun and the party plans the rest. Travel requirements (foot, horse, wagon, ship), food and drink, henchmen (local scouts, guards for travel), inns and stopover locations. The treasure I provide is usually pretty heavy too so they need to work out how to get it out and back home. Then they haggle and get the best prices for said goods.

Mainly because of the bedding and food requirements the party is encumbered. They may or may not take that sort of stuff into the dungeon. When travelling its usually on pack animals. Its pretty easy to go into the dungeon unencumbered as long as you don't carry too much food, bedroll etc. We don't usually sleep down there

 

[Flexor the Mighty!]

It depends on the situation. I think using that stuff leads to henchmen and hirelings, you need a pack bearer! I'm using it in the current Out of the Abyss game.