Fasting Benefits?

[Castellan]

One of my players and I were talking today about the potential benefits of fasting for a cleric or paladin. It was an interesting discussion and has gotten me wondering if anyone else has done any thinking or prepared any rules to handle fasting in their game world.

Obvious drawbacks include the starvation rules from the DMG, but I'm wondering what kinds of benefits other DMs out there might be willing to provide. Brainstorming ideas include the following:

• Bonus to turning undead
• Bonus spell levels
• +1 to Smite Evil
• Affected by Bless or Prayer while fasting
• Attract temporary cohort per Leadership skill

I've considered a graduated list of benefits based on the amount of subdual damage taken from fasting (i.e. 5 points, gain +1 to Turn Checks, etc) but is this really a good way to go about it?

Does anyone have any thoughts about what kind of benefits you might allow to a divine character class for fasting? Post away!

 

[Khorod]

These are the various ways I have treated fasting, meditation, and so on. I am working on more elaborate rules even now... too vague to post.

1) Increased caster level for divination spells.

2) Roleplaying-wise, fasting is a purification rite that will please the gods. Any 'atonement' quest should start with some of that...

3) Gods are more likely to send you dream messages.

4) Seeing as how I play strict with the why's and wherefore's of divine magic's use (in my games I will come down heavy on people that aren't in character with divine magic) fasting sort of earns you extra cred with the gods, so you can get away with using divine blessings under situations questionable to deserving such.

5) Fudge factor of chance might slip toward you- like, a lucky twist of fate favors you.

6) Delirious with hunger, you hear the voices of the players, and can address a being of awesome power... you can basically acquire information with OOC discussion.

I've only used the first four any great amount, and they work fine. I don't usually tell the players what happened though- don't want them to do something like count the number of days they have to fast before they hit X.

 

[bebo]

but if u chacter fasted wouldnet there need to be pentiles or more of and if u played that way then u would have to make sure ever pc eat enough food for their chacter and size so see this would not go over well

 

[Saepiroth]

but if u chacter fasted wouldnet there need to be pentiles or more of and if u played that way then u would have to make sure ever pc eat enough food for their chacter and size so see this would not go over well

though it's rather hard to tell what you said through the bad spelling and composition, i'll try to answer your questions.

under normal conditions, a character is assumed to feed himself. all this involves, if unroleplayed, is a small monetary drain for a given duration of time. Fasting is an intentional act, so you don't need to constantly track how much food a character has unless you really, really want to.

also, there are already penalties to starvation. you become "fatigued" (-2 to STR and DEX and you cannot run or charge) and you take subdual damage as time goes on. look at page 86 of the DMG.

 

[Mark Chance]

Fasting as a spiritual discipline usually does not involve starvation. It typically involves reduction of food to one modest meal per day, usually after sundown, and limits liquids to water. More extreme forms of ascetism are not the norm, nor are the cases in which persons are miraculously sustained for extended periods of time on bare minimums of nourishment, such as Saint Catherine of Siena and Blessed Nicholas of Flüe (who lived for 20 years without food or drink except daily Communion).

The purpose of fasting is to subject the body to hardship and thereby make God's will the master of the body itself. Time that would normally be spent eating and drinking is instead to be spent in prayer, study, and works of mercy. In a game context, I would probably require the fast be performed for spiritual strength in some specific matter of importance to the cleric's deity.

In game terms, I would avoid using the starvation rules. They're too extreme to represent a normal fast. To keep things simple, after a certain period of time fasting, I could see how a -2 circumstance penalty to Str, Dex, and Con skills and checks (including attack and damage rolls), and a +2 sacred bonus to Int, Wis, and Cha skills and checks (including turning checks and maybe even bumping up Wis for bonus spells) would be appropriate.

 

[fba827]

Does anyone have any thoughts about what kind of benefits you might allow to a divine character class for fasting? Post away!

Well if you want to base it on real world religion thoughts on fasting, some common results attributed to fasting are:

* increased wisdom (a person is said to have a clearer mind to understand themselves and their surroundings even if they seem slightly "off" from prolonged lack of nutrition). though this would end up being a really big boone and may not be a good idea if people keep fasting every day for this ...
* makes them better recepticles for messages for the divine (an increased caster level for divination spells or they get a waking-dream message/prophecy from a divine being -- like an oracle would)
* it is a tangible display of the faster's commitment to his/her spirituality (this could be:
. basically role-playing benefits with other order members
. equate to a morale bonus on something (self or to those in area)
. it could mean a boone in something your game ties _directly_ to spiritual faith -- maybe an extra 1st level spell or something or increased turning/rebuking)


I'd stay away from the smite evil thing since that is a faith-dependant effect. (i.e. evil clerics wouldn't have the same option) -- stick with something that would stay fairly consitant across the board with other faiths since that is the presedant set forth by the 3e standard cleric class

 

[Hashmalum]

Along similar lines, I was thinking of creating a couple of feats called Vow of Chastity and Vow of Poverty. Not limited to paladins and their ilk, but clearly suited for them. The problem is that I have no clue what they should do.

 

[trentonjoe]

You might want to give them a bonus on divination spells. Maybe a +1 caster level per day of fasting?

 

[drdevoid]

Another possibility would be a bonus to ki strike.

A monk meditates and fasts as he prepares to channel his ki against a great enemy. His body is not the source of the power which destroys his enemy rather it is his spirit.

A str, dex, con trade off for wisdom (or all mental stats) would be a nice option for the monk. Other options would include an increased DC for stunning strike and possibly a little more wholeness of body.

This is a neat thread. Kudos.

 

[Nifft]

Per Day:
-1penalty to Fort and Reflex saves
+1 bonus to Will saves
+1 Caster Level with respect to Divinations

-- Nifft