D&D (2024) Exhaustion

[UngainlyTitan]

But... it is simpler than the extant 5e exhaustion rules.

Simpler and more usable. it is more granular, the death spiral is linear instead of exponential. The PCs have time to act before the issue become irreversible.

 

[UngainlyTitan]

It would be interesting if Wizards introduces another mechanic that causes exhaustion or uses the impacts of exhaustion. The odd thing about the existing exhaustions rules is that they kind of on its own. OK barbarians had to interact with the exhaustion rules but otherwise interaction with the exhaustion rules was more or less optional.

 

[Corinnguard]

I don't have access to the playtest material regarding how One D&D is going to be handling Exhaustion, but does it provide everyone a table that describes what each level of Exhaustion will do to a given character? curious Level Up does with Fatigue, which it refers to as a Tracked Condition. Fatigue covers levels of Physical Stress while Strife covers levels of Mental Stress.

Fatigue
Level 1-Cannot Sprint
Level 2- Disadvantage on Strength, Dexterity and Constitution checks
Level 3-Speed halved and unable to maintain a fast traveled pace
Level 4- Disadvantage on attack rolls and saving throws using Strength, Dexterity, or Constitution, and unable to maintain a normal travel pace
Level 5-Hit Dice Halved
Level 6- Speed reduced to 5 ft. and unable to maintain a slow travel pace
Level 7- DOOMED!

Strife
Level 1- Disadvantage on Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma checks
Level 2- Disadvantage on concentration checks
Level 3- Can only take a bonus action or action each turn (not both)
Level 4- Disadvantage on attack rolls and saving throws using Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma
Level 5- Suffer the effects of a randomly determined short-term mental stress effect.
Level 6- Cannot cast spells (but can cast cantrips)
Level 7-Suffer the effects of a randomly determined long-term mental stress effect.

The Short-Term mental stress effects are- Bewildered, Cowed, Distraught, Enraged, Flippant, Musical, Obsessed, On Edge, Sleepless and Terrorized.
The Long-Term mental stress effects are- Covetous, Distorted Perceptions (hallucinations, I am guessing), Hopeless, Inimical, Memory Wipe, Murderous, Peacekeeping, Phobia, Superstitious, Suspicious

The mental stress effects to me sound like something like the players have to role-play with until their characters find a way to relax and unwind.

Is One D&D going to cover mental exhaustion as well as physical exhaustion?

 

[Horwath]

@Corinnguard

mental vs physical stress can also be split with -1 modifier:

Fatigue:
-1 to all str, dex and con attacks, checks and saves per fatigue level
-1 to str, dex and con based DCs per fatigue level
-1 AC per fatigue level
-5 ft speed per fatigue level(min of 5ft speed)

Strife:
-1 to all int, wis and cha attacks, checks and saves per strife level
-1 to all int, wis and cha DCs per strife level

 

[Corinnguard]

@Corinnguard

mental vs physical stress can also be split with -1 modifier:

Fatigue:
-1 to all str, dex and con attacks, checks and saves per fatigue level
-1 to str, dex and con based DCs per fatigue level
-1 AC per fatigue level
-5 ft speed per fatigue level(min of 5ft speed)

Strife:
-1 to all int, wis and cha attacks, checks and saves per strife level
-1 to all int, wis and cha DCs per strife level

So if I had a character who picked up 6 levels of Fatigue, the character would have a -6 to all attacks, -6 to all STR, DEX, and CON checks and saves, -6 to STR, DEX and CON based DC's, -6 to AC and -30 ft. speed. However, their HD would remain unaffected. No loss of HD to represent internal injuries from pushing themselves beyond what they are capable of.

As for Strife, no loss in spellcasting ability or lack of concentration?

 

[tetrasodium]

I don't have access to the playtest material regarding how One D&D is going to be handling Exhaustion, but does it provide everyone a table that describes what each level of Exhaustion will do to a given character? curious Level Up does with Fatigue, which it refers to as a Tracked Condition. Fatigue covers levels of Physical Stress while Strife covers levels of Mental Stress.

Fatigue
Level 1-Cannot Sprint
Level 2- Disadvantage on Strength, Dexterity and Constitution checks
Level 3-Speed halved and unable to maintain a fast traveled pace
Level 4- Disadvantage on attack rolls and saving throws using Strength, Dexterity, or Constitution, and unable to maintain a normal travel pace
Level 5-Hit Dice Halved
Level 6- Speed reduced to 5 ft. and unable to maintain a slow travel pace
Level 7- DOOMED!

Strife
Level 1- Disadvantage on Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma checks
Level 2- Disadvantage on concentration checks
Level 3- Can only take a bonus action or action each turn (not both)
Level 4- Disadvantage on attack rolls and saving throws using Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma
Level 5- Suffer the effects of a randomly determined short-term mental stress effect.
Level 6- Cannot cast spells (but can cast cantrips)
Level 7-Suffer the effects of a randomly determined long-term mental stress effect.

The Short-Term mental stress effects are- Bewildered, Cowed, Distraught, Enraged, Flippant, Musical, Obsessed, On Edge, Sleepless and Terrorized.
The Long-Term mental stress effects are- Covetous, Distorted Perceptions (hallucinations, I am guessing), Hopeless, Inimical, Memory Wipe, Murderous, Peacekeeping, Phobia, Superstitious, Suspicious

The mental stress effects to me sound like something like the players have to role-play with until their characters find a way to relax and unwind.

Is One D&D going to cover mental exhaustion as well as physical exhaustion?

It's minus one to d20 rolls & spell DC per point up to minus ten where the character dies.

I've been running levelup since it came out & fatigue is useful but also a bit too hard to get in any amount that matters IME.

 

[Corinnguard]

It's minus one to d20 rolls & spell DC per point up to minus ten where the character dies.

I've been running levelup since it came out & fatigue is useful but also a bit too hard to get in any amount that matters IME.

What would push a character to the point where they would acquire 10 levels of exhaustion and then die?

Good point. It kind of depends on how often the party stops for a short or long rest. If the party decides not to rest between encounters, then I could see physical and mental exhaustion setting in. As for tracking fatigue and strife, it might require another deck of cards for the narrator to hand out to the players.

 

[tetrasodium]

What would push a character to the point where they would acquire 10 levels of exhaustion and then die?

Good point. It kind of depends on how often the party stops for a short or long rest. If the party decides not to rest between encounters, then I could see physical and mental exhaustion setting in. As for tracking fatigue and strife, it might require another deck of cards for the narrator to hand out to the players.

Past editions had a ten point buffer of negative hp before a character died but it needed to be healed like hp too. If it works like that (by default or optional rule) then just taking ten points more damage than remaining up would do it. With players aware of the extreme risk of being atlw hp they act accordingly rather than expecting to rely on death saves. As a shield.

 

[Horwath]

So if I had a character who picked up 6 levels of Fatigue, the character would have a -6 to all attacks, -6 to all STR, DEX, and CON checks and saves, -6 to STR, DEX and CON based DC's, -6 to AC and -30 ft. speed. However, their HD would remain unaffected. No loss of HD to represent internal injuries from pushing themselves beyond what they are capable of.

No need to fiddle with HD mechanics, penalty to AC and saves describes easier HP loss

As for Strife, no loss in spellcasting ability or lack of concentration?

Again no need to be so binary with loss of spellcasting.
penalty to spell attacks and DCs describes weaker and weaker spellcasting.
Also concentration is affected by fatigue.

 

[FitzTheRuke]

I'd like exhaustion to happen regularly and certain healing spells to reduce it (either restoration or a new spell called Invigoration). As written, it should come from both mental and physical sources.