Listen to wake from non-magical sleep?

[Arcadio]

What would the penalty to Listen checks be while asleep? If you're sleeping and some orcs wander into your camp and start doing battle with whoever's on watch, how hard is it to wake up?

 

[Gunslinger]

The way we do is that you make a d20 roll, trying to beat your con. So if you have a 15 con, you need a 16 or higher to wake up. This being because the bigger and tougher you are, the heavier you are likely to sleep. Of course it depends on the battle. If it's stealthy combat, it would be much harder to wake, but everyone should instanly wake if something crazy with bloodlust runs screaming out of the woods.

 

[kreynolds]

This being because the bigger and tougher you are, the heavier you are likely to sleep.

I'm suddenly picturing the crack smokin' bean-pole sleeping 18 hours a day and the cut-as-hell marine sleeping 18 hours in a week. Seems we have conflicting viewpoints here.

 

[Gunslinger]

I would tend to think that a 200 pound Barbarian would need more, heavier sleep than a 110 pound rogue would.

 

[bret]

All sorts of options have been suggested.

I think the best suggestion is "Take 0", which is just a Take 10 listen check at a -10 penalty for being asleep.

[ Edit ]

Forgot to mention, combat is a DC 0 listen check.

 

[dcollins]

At some point the Sage recommended a -10 or -20 penalty to Listen checks while sleeping. I believe that's too steep, and assess a -10 (deep sleep) or -5 (dozing) penalty.

To "hear the sounds of a pitched battle" is actually DC -10, per DMG p. 93 (Table 3-21).

 

[Jolly Giant]

In my games I've always used a normal listen check with a -10 penalty, the DC of course depending on what kind of noise was being made.
I was a bit worried if -10 was the right number at first, but it's worked out fine so far and all my players seem to find it fair. Still, it's comforting to know The Sage also recommends it.