PC Sleeping Position Woes

[Verdigris]

Yesterday there was a thread about player sleeping positions, and how they influence personality type etc.

I'm not sure how much the conclusions of that study fit in with my own life, but it did raise an issue that has implications for the game I'm running.

What are the predominant sleeping positions of my group's PCs?

The Elven Ranger is the primary fighter in the group, yet he tends to be somewhat "brash and gregarious". By the findings of the study, that would imply that he sleeps in the "freefall" position (on stomach, with arms next to head). The problem is, from this position it is harder for him to get up and respond to danger quickly.

By the same token, the Wizard is quite a good listener, which means she probably sleeps in the Starfish position (on back, arms outstretched) and is thus able to jump up more readily to fend off danger: an action that could get her killed very quickly.

I'm considering giving the wizard a +1 initiative bonus and I might let the fighter train himself (using a couple skill points) to sleep differently. I don't want the game to bog down over this so I was wondering how all of you are going to handle this.

 

[diaglo]

he's an elf. he doesn't sleep.

 

[Arravis]

I think the differences would be so negligable to not warrant any type of modifier.

P.S.: Diaglo is right btw

 

[Tewligan]

Actually, this study inspired me to scrap my current campaign to start a new one. The new campaign focuses primarily on the characters' sleeping habits - as they level up, they gain more sleeping proficiencies, and are able to go longer without waking up. Challenges they'll face include things like noisy kids making a racket in the street at all hours of the day and night, and uncomfy pillows. I'm not sure how much "awake time" I'll have in the game - I think to minimize that, I'll just assume that all of the characters are catheterized and on an IV drip.

 

[Arravis]

You and I need to get our notes together. My "get offa mah lawn" retirement campaign is well underway and I think I could use the sleep rules, especially the "noisy kids" stuff. Does a walker reduce your speed to 1/4 or 1/3? All I know is that I want Pillows +1.

 

[Djeta Thernadier]

Actually, this study inspired me to scrap my current campaign to start a new one. The new campaign focuses primarily on the characters' sleeping habits - as they level up, they gain more sleeping proficiencies, and are able to go longer without waking up. Challenges they'll face include things like noisy kids making a racket in the street at all hours of the day and night, and uncomfy pillows. I'm not sure how much "awake time" I'll have in the game - I think to minimize that, I'll just assume that all of the characters are catheterized and on an IV drip.

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

In all seriousness, I couldn't imagine altering my character's sleeping position in a fantasy game over a real life theory, and one that's questionable at that.

Plus, as Diaglo says, Elves don't sleep.

If you come up with this for all of your PCs are you going to make special exceptions for characters who don't sleep? Or adapt the study to fit their needs? Are you going to base every character you make PC or NPC or otherwise and their personality and abilities around Sleeping habits?

 

[Piratecat]

We actually roleplay out each individual sleep stage. I require my players to specify how quickly they drop down into stage 3 and 4 sleep, and to describe what their REM cycles are like. Then we use dice to determine whether or not their sleepiness index is sufficient to withstand the alertness challenges (like kids, or a vacuum cleaner) that they are faced with.

I probably shouldn't skip over this stuff when I do my story hour, but I had no idea anyone else would be interested!

 

[Yellow Sign]

I make my players roll on a dream table every time their characters go to sleep. The Bad Dream, Nightmare, and the Falling Dream results can cause sanity loss.

 

[dagger]

I am having sanity loss while reading this thread.

 

[dshai527]

My players are usually too paranoid to sleep in game or in reality. Mwahahahaha!