Question for the DM's

[sithramir]

Do you guys worry about things like how PC's carry potions and such? I was just reading over a story hour thread for a higher level campaign and the characters had a lot of potions. One guy had 8 cure light and about 12 others. He also had like 8 wands.

I mean you can put a lot of stuff in your hewards handy haversack and all, but do you guys deal with the idea of them breaking or how he has them in there? I mean they are magical but the vials aren't and having like 20 vials in with tons of wands just seems a bad idea even if its a magical sack.

 

[Crothian]

I'm not overly critical on it, but I ask that it make sense. Most of the people I play with won't allow themselves to carry too much because they feel it gets silly.

 

[Gothmog]

Yep, next to every piece of equipment, I ask that PCs give its location. Its not that much extra work, and it helps the game make more sense. I'm not a big stickler for weight encumbrance, but if a character tries to haul some ridiculous load, I'll slap him with an encumberance penalty.

 

[haiiro]

I like to know where things are in general terms, and I apply common sense rules for breakage, etc. In the same way that you can't use a greatsword effectively in a 3' high crawlspace, you won't be able to find potions quickly if they're all jumbled together in your non-<i>Heward's</i> pack, and so forth.

 

[Tabarnak Smokeblower]

I made my own character sheets with locations on it. I've also assumed that every player wears a potion belt and a scroll sash (from FRCS), so they have (IIRC) 10 places to put potions and 12 to put scrolls / wands / tiny weapons (3.0).

TS

 

[Krinkle]

We're loose with encumberance, but on the character sheets everyone notes the location of each item in shorthand (bp=belt pouch, pb= potion belt etc.)

 

[Kid Charlemagne]

I pretty much assume that if the player doesn't note anything in particular about how he stores something, the character isn't taking particular care with it either.

In other words, if a player says he's taking precautions to make sure his potions don't break, like putting them in padded boxes or steel flasks, he's just carrying them around in the regular potion flask they found them in, with the corresponding high chance of breakage.

Likewise, unless the player tells me his money is in a hidden pouch or something, I'll assume his character is keeping his gold in a readily accessible belt pouch - available to both him, and any pick-pockets that happen along.

Not that I do things like have people pickocketed much, if at all.

I'll ask from time to time how things are being stored, or where they're keeping their extra 5,000 gold, etc just to make sure that the dangers and consequences of their choices are in the forefront of their minds.

 

[Henry]

Forgotten Realms Masterwork Potion belt; next best thing to sliced flumph.

 

[KnowTheToe]

Forgotten Realms Masterwork Potion belt; next best thing to sliced flumph.

How does it keep your potions from being smashed as your body is pummeled by enemy attack, or falls from a horse etcetera etcetera?

 

[Henry]

From the image in the FRCS, I would guess two things:

1) boiled leather for the pouches

2) potion bottles are only 1 ounce, and I would guess already made of somewhat thicker glass than a goblet would be.