D&D 5E Does anyone actually track rations?

[The Grassy Gnoll]

Only if it's plot relevant - desert adventure, famine strikes the land or similar. Esp if a ranger inthe party, it's hand-waved.

 

[The Human Target]

I think most people have "encumbrance" in their games, whether they track it granularly or not.

 

[Snoring Rock]

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.

I would disagree. Let me back up. I wear actual chainmail and it is heavy and cumbersome. I also do some backpacking and even packed light, it is still a chore to carry. Back in the day any fighting man had a squire or two and a several porters. Carrying anything but a weapon and armor is too much in reality. For the non-fighter, carrying components, food, water, lantern, gets wearisome. But then again, it is a fantasy game.

I find that generally, younger players like to skip over encumbrance and mundane things like that and just want to adventure and not worry about that stuff. That is cool. Not in my game however. My players do not mind choosing to carry the gold instead of the silver, or choosing to pick up food rather than a rolled up tapestry that is worth hundreds of gold. It is more gritty and realistic.

It depends on play style and the goal. If it is to be uber powerful and weightless, then great. If it is geared toward realism in a fantasy world where choices are made for survival and there is no right or wrong answer, then you may like the way I do it.

As for impossible to keep track of? I don't. That is up to my players. That could open a can of worms I suppose. My players can handle simple math. It is simple math. If not, they would not be invited to my table. My players are honest about these things. It adds realism to the game and who wants a guilty conscience of being a liar? My friends do not do that. So I have a table full of good honest friends and some PCs who carry only what makes sense and they all have hired porters.

We use encumbrance and we expect to eat in the game. We expect rations to be carried and magical components must be in hand or the magic will not work. I cannot imagine a game where the PCs carry thousands of pounds of gold and silver in their pocket, never get hungry, and cast magic at will with no components. I added that because most of the players I know who have done away with space/time/weight/mass, have also cast off component use for spells as well. I speak generally of course.

But, play anyway you like. Seems fun for whoever your audience is, right?

 

[TheCosmicKid]

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.

My players drop their backpacks before combat. Which is probably the realistic thing for adventurers anyway -- I certainly wouldn't want to get into a swordfight with a 50-pound bag on my back. Also, it raises the stakes of fleeing, which suits the hardscrabble atmosphere of this particular campaign. As others have said in this thread already, in a more high-heroism campaign I wouldn't use the encumbrance rules.

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.

We are playing on Roll20.net, which can keep a running total of your inventory weight. If we were playing pen-and-paper we would probably opt for the simpler rule.

 

[Gillywonka]

Yes, i do it for my players, along with encumbrance and other things already mentioned. I do the work so the PCs dont have to worry about the bookkeeping, ie, i make it easy for them. I let them know when they're running low if it will make a difference in the scenario. If not, then after the scenario, i tell them how much they need to spend to restock on provisions.

 

[aramis erak]

I love campaigns where exploration is important. Expedition kind of stuff where the players have a chance prepare for the adventure, pack supplies, choose which spellbook to bring, etc.. Onet hing I've noticed, at least with my group, is how so much is trivialized with racials, cantrips, or low-level abilities.

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)
Even if you didn't have a light spell, nearly every race has darkvision baked in anyway.

So out of curiosity, do people even bother with rations and other supplies? I know encumbrance has basically gone away entirely, so maybe this is just the first step to not worrying about basic needs.

On a side note, the party laughably came across a candle of invocation. I'm not really concerned about the gate spell issues of past editions, but I do think it's funny that a single item will basically mean free rested healing forever. Druid lights it, gets 10 free 1st level heals in, then snuffs it out. 239 more uses...

Goodberry dates to 1E.
Continual light is missing - a continual light on a stick was a perpetual light source so common that once the wizard hit 3rd level, the party never again needed to buy torches, except to raze villages.
Darkvision was quite common in AD&D 1E/2E. I miss the distinction of the three kinds: Low-light, infravision, ultravision... Current darkvision is better than any of them were.

 

[Nebulous]

no, we don't track rations, missiles (rarely used now anyway), XP, torches/flint steel. etc. That's cool for level 1 and 2, if you wanted to extend it for longer, but the game has mechanics to make it redundant. It also equates it to a realism where finding food and water means something where healing instantly after sleeping 8 hours also exists. It just doesn't make sense, so i don't bother.

I WOULD like that in the right game system, but it's not D&D.

If I'm doing nitty gritty XP, rations, water and missiles, I want a computer program crunching the math instantly

 

[iserith]

I WOULD like that in the right game system, but it's not D&D.

Easily fixed:

An Army Marches On Its Stomach
The consumption of food and water is required in order to gain the benefits of a long rest.

 

[Olgar Shiverstone]

We track rations by the ounce, arrows by the arrow, torches, and spell components.

Encumberance, of course, in coins.

 

[MonsterEnvy]

When it matters I track it. For example in out of the abyss this is fairly important.