Help tracking time, food & water

[MarauderX]

In a dungeon, take 20 usually means I roll for random monster encounter. I like to run things fast, and when players start getting waaaay too thorough I gotta have the inhabitants of the place move around a bit. I mean, really, how long are you just in one room during any given day? Someone taking 20 to raid your refrigerator will probably be stumbled upon by you. Same goes in my game.

 

[Lord Pendragon]

Any suggestions? How do you do it?

I suggest you not bother with it. Rations and such are boring and pointless. Unless you actually plan on starving PCs to death, at which point they become boring, pointless, and irritating.

Every time the party gets to a town, charge them some gold for rations (however much you think is appropriate, depending on time in the field,) and make sure they mark off the gold. Leave it at that.

Edit: Above comments are in regards to rations and water. Regarding taking 20, several posters have already given good advice. Punish them with that time! Run some dungeons with intelligent occupants--like kobolds--and show them what the critters can do, if you give them an extra hour or two mid-adventure to prepare.

 

[Legildur]

Encumbrance seems to be the main leverage here.

Sure, they buy 7 weeks worth of rations. You ever had to carry anything like that? You'd need a cart.

Encumbrance impacts on base speed, reflex saves and AC. If you start checking on that, then the players would certainly start to think twice.

However, if they have a portable hole, bag of holding, glove of storing even, heward's handy haversack, or maybe murlynd's spoon, then it isn't so important anymore and you could just strip off x gold whenever they reach town as "living expenses".