"Per Day", refresh timing?

[Goolpsy]

The best way would probably be the 24 hour period...

But i would still allow things to work, after the party has slept 8 hours... and count that as a "end of the day, and the new begins" even though the actual day didn't finish.. So much easier to keep track off.

 

[LeapingShark]

I think I got it now.

I think the first method works best, certainly much easier, but one tiny peculiarity is worse than the second.

Using the Dwarf as an example, the character's magic eye lenses can shoot lasers 5x per day. Let's say, during the early part of the day, he activated them 4 times, but saved the last charge for emergencies. Then just before midnight, combat breaks out.

He will get refreshed back up to 5 charges in a few minutes. But if he activates that 1 last charge right now to defend himself, all 5 of his refreshed charges will be delayed for 8 extra hours.

Here is where the character would have to decide if it's worth it the risk to use it now and hope that he won't need it again throughout the rest of the night. Or if he should hide for a few minutes, so that he can use it again a full 5x right after the toll of midnight. Strange.

 

[Primitive Screwhead]

Dwarf shooting lightning bolts from his eyes...

You are reading the peculiarity wrong..

the dwarf spends his last charge in the minutes before 'reset time'. That charge cannot be used as it falls into the 'within 8 hours clause' and his lenses rest to full with 4 charges.


Depending on whether you follow Thanee's interpretation or mine will change whether that used charge becomes available later in the day.
IMO, it doesn't. Partialy a rules based on the item/creature recharging only at a set time, and partially on not wanting to track the exact time of any spell/charge use.


Thanee.. in my example above I was not looking at hours of rest, I was looking at used spells. If the encounter in the hour before 'reset time' required spell casting, the divine caster loses use of those spell slots for the next 'day'. An Arcane caster can hold off a couple of hours and study later.

 

[Ranes]

LS, the dwarf's magic lens lasers do not need eight hours rest. You have a choice. Either each charge is usable 24 hours after it was last used or the item is completely refreshed at midnight.

The thing is, whatever way you rule it, anyone with charge-per-day options, whether they're spell slots, items or special abilities will at some point be faced with the conundrum of deciding whether it's better to use now or wait until later.

 

[Primitive Screwhead]

Reset time vs 24 hour

Ranes..

If you are ruling that the eye glasses reset at a particular time, then you should follow the rules for spell slots, including the 8 hour caveat.

If you are ruling the eye glasses use the 24 hour limit, then you dont have a reset time at all, each charge becomes available 24 hours after it was used.

The above poster used an example of resetting at midnight, but bringing charges back after 24 hours.

Yes, both methods require some thought, altho the first method is relatively easy to track if the items recharge at dawn.

 

[Ranes]

You're right. I should never attempt to post while eating lunch. Food is just too distracting.

 

[LeapingShark]

the dwarf spends his last charge in the minutes before 'reset time'. That charge cannot be used as it falls into the 'within 8 hours clause' and his lenses rest to full with 4 charges.

Only 4 for the whole day? Or just an 8 hour delay until he gets the 5th too? If the latter, then even when using the simple midnight refresh with an 8 hour clause, if he activates his eyes at 17:00, 18:30, 19:45, 21:15, 22:30, and 23:45, and each gets delayed 8 hrs seperately, you would basically still end up with a complex chart of staggered recovery times; 1:00, 2:30, 3:45, 5:15, 6:30, and 7:45. And similar for each daily-use item/ability possessed by each party member.

I realize that's overly picky and unneccessary, most DMs will just refresh when convenient, and a convenient break usually pops up anyway. But I'm just trying to figure out how it all should work "in principle", so I know what needs to be smoothed-over during gameplay.

A simple overnight ruling works good for a standard party, but when faced with non-sleepers running around in places with no day or night, like Underdark or some Outer Planes, it gets trickier. Especially when the party is waiting for things to refresh, and wants to figure out when they can expect to use things again. I guess that's the real reason I brought this up.

 

[Coredump]

I enjoy a good rules-geek-out as much as the other guy. But I gotta ask...

Is this really an issue for anyone? As DM i just don't track it nearly that closely. If my players tried to tweak it (start at 11:30 for the 'midnight recharge') I would nerf it bigtime. And be pretty disappointed in them.

Do you all actually have players trying to take advantage of this?

 

[LeapingShark]

The players have the same concerns as I do, we're trying to figure out how it would work fairly. For any stereotypical "go in the dungeon then sleep 8hrs in the campsite" campaign with regular sleep and regular day/night cycles, this would be a total non-issue, like your campaign. But in a campaign where those factors don't exist, the refresh time suddenly becomes very noticeable. I've played every week for many years and this is the first time it's ever come up.

 

[Thanee]

Thanee.. in my example above I was not looking at hours of rest, I was looking at used spells. If the encounter in the hour before 'reset time' required spell casting, the divine caster loses use of those spell slots for the next 'day'. An Arcane caster can hold off a couple of hours and study later.

I was refering to this part here...

The Cleric also has an advantage in that an encounter right before the reset time wont completely blow away the new days spells.

Bye
Thanee