Question for the DM's

[BSF]

This is a perfect example. Would it have been fun (that's the goal right?) for the player to take the action that he described? Was worrying about where the flask was and whether or not he could get to it more important than having fun? Ask your players whether they would like to play an 'inventory tracking' simulation or D&D. I think most players would pick D&D.

Not if another player thought about using oil and decided against it because he knew he would have to spend a round digging it out of his pack. After all, it is in the book.

So long as all the players understand that they can grab anything from any location as a free action, sure. Make sure you state that from the get-go. Otherwise, some of the players may assume that you are "playing by the book" and will base their decisions on that.

 

[Dakkareth]

When people have 8 potions and 5 scrolls, its no problem.

When they've got 16 suits of Studded Leather, 32 Javelins, 16 Morning Stars, 20,000 silver, 1 dead companion, and 1 donkey that we start having issues. Ah... Goblins. =)

Baldur's Gate

 

[Nighthawk]

For potions and scrolls, yes, I want to know where the players keep them, simply because using them are detailed actions in the rules and they can have an immmediate impact upon the gameplay. Otherwise, I wouldn't really care.

I also am a fan of the FRCS equipment with regards to potions and scrolls.

PS I am hoping this post gets through, as I am losing the others because I need to continually log in over and over (yes, I am signed up for the messageboards, so I must have missed something else, feebleminded as I am )

 

[Benben]

Frankly my players can't even remember if they have a potion, even if they were handed one in the same session. I really don't care where they store them. I assume most are kept in hip flasks or the equivalent so breakage isn't really an issue for me either.

 

[Chaldfont]

All my players buy masterwork potion belts for their characters. You can imagine the looks on their faces when I had a cleric cast shatter on the party's main fighter. Poof! No CLW potions!

One thing we do to keep track of consumable magic items is to print the name and relevant info on business cards. When the players buy several CLW , barkskin, blur, and cat's grace potions (which they do ALL the time), I just hand out more cards. They make a stack of cards to represent their potion belt. When they use a potion, they just give me the card back.

 

[haiiro]

One thing we do to keep track of consumable magic items is to print the name and relevant info on business cards. When the players buy several CLW , barkskin, blur, and cat's grace potions (which they do ALL the time), I just hand out more cards. They make a stack of cards to represent their potion belt. When they use a potion, they just give me the card back.

This is what I'll be doing in the campaign I'm working on. I've done it in the past with permanent magic items, and it makes a lot of sense to also do it with the expendables -- and other non-magical items, just so getting a card doesn't always mean you got a magic item.

I'll also be doing this for bardic knowledge and other bits of lore. 3x5 cards are a great thing.

 

[Gnarlo]

This is a perfect example. Would it have been fun (that's the goal right?) for the player to take the action that he described? Was worrying about where the flask was and whether or not he could get to it more important than having fun? Ask your players whether they would like to play an 'inventory tracking' simulation or D&D. I think most players would pick D&D.

Yes, fun is the point, and we have lots of it. This was the player who drew a wonderful sketch of how his backpack-quiver-familiar carrier-in-one was designed and laid out, decorations for it, etc; so it's not like he doesn't appreciate detail. We had an entertaining 2 or 3 minute "argument" about how he was supposed to accomplish this, with everyone (himself included) laughing at his contortions demonstrating how he was to get out the oil. Far more entertaining for us than allowing him to magically grab the oil out of his pack, hurl it, and say "ok, it ignites and you kill the rats."

And as others have said, it makes them think about what they are doing a bit more (I believe I said they all discussed after the fight how they should carry stuff). Reading haiiro's comment, I'm looking forward to the shake and bake bandoleers in the future

Detail is fun for us. It may not be for you and yours. That's fine, too