Life expectancy of clothing? (In game)

[Remathilis]

Depends on the kinda campaign your running...

If you ran a game with Book of Erotic Fantasy rules, I'd assume the life expectancy would be rather short.

 

[Arnwyn]

At what point do you as a DM say; "It no longer functions and time to send it to the Savage Orken Army?

Never. Ever. IMC, if it's magic, it holds up for centuries.

 

[Sejs]

If it's magical, it lasts pretty much forever. Oh sure, that cloak gives you a +5 resistance bonus to all your saves, but oops, it got caught on a loose nail, torn and ruined. Er, no. Lame.


If it's mundane clothing, it'd probably last one or two lethal fights, assuming you're taking damage. Unless you like wearing bloodsoaked rags, that is. Prestidigitation and Mending would go a long way to extending the life of your clothes.

 

[Vaxalon]

I look forward to saying the following during my next campaign:

You emerge from the darkness, blinking, into the sunlight. You have done it! You have ventured into the demesne of the beast, bearded it in its lair, and emerged victorious!

You look at your companions, and your heart surges with the knowledge that it was their support and loyalty that brought you this far... and you realize that they look like something that cat dragged in. Their clothes are rent and stained with three different kinds of body fluids, not to mention charred by fire and vitriol.

You check yourself, and find that, indeed, your clothes have not endured any better.

Scratch one set of clothes off your character sheet... it's ruined.

 

[Umbran]

Generally, I make references to clothing that's gone shabby, getting repairs on their cloaks, tunics, or buying new, etc. when in town. However, mostly it's for color, and we don't spend much time on it.

Yes. It ocurrs to me that this is part of what the upkeep rules are all about. Make 'em pay a little extra cash each month, and it is assumed that they keep their normal clothing in repair equivalent to thier lifestyle.

 

[jester47]

Thing is most clothes would last your whole life. Rarely did they ever wear out. (granted adventureing is fairly rare). But clothes back then were very well made.

Aaron.

 

[painandgreed]

Hell, I don't think I've ever seen normal clothing wear out. the only time PCs tend to buy any new clothes is when trying to role play.

The one exception to this was during a 1E campaign that was nothing but dual classed something/magic-users. I got sick of the barrage of fireballs killing anybody that they got into a fight with. So, I simply said that everything in an area effect spell needed to make its own separate save unless in a container that made its save. Then we started seeing items such as clothing, armor and even weapons getting distroyed by such spells. HtH combat and non-area effect spells became much more popular once they figured they were destroying all the treasure with their spells.

 

[Laurel]

To sound like a broken record....

Magic adds that special somthing to the fibers of the cloth itself, so it lasts through normal wear and tear just as magic armor or weapons do.

Normal clothing is an RP thing, extra flare to add character- no copper piece haggling for the eye patch, you just get it once in town. So if a fireball hits them normal stuff singed, burnt but next time in town (or if thier smart they travel with extra clothing) they get some new threads.

As for having the same clothes on all the time, I just always thought once things started to get raggidy and the character wanted new things again when near town or somesuch they got replacements.

 

[deltadave]

as long as my players spend their 'maintenance fee' every month there is no problem with clothing. The problem comes up when they spend a significant amount of time in the wilderness. Anything more than a couple of weeks and stuff starts to break down or get holes and needs to be repaired or replaced. Of course this only applies to mundane items, magic gear is made of sterner stuff and generally only gives out when it fails a save...

 

[Gez]

I have ruined clothings and even hair and beards during battles, or simple grotto crawling.

The Prestidigitation and Mending cantrips, however, are frequently kept unused all day for the daily reparations and cleaning around the campfire.