Sleeping in armour

[green slime]

I know this has been discussed before, but the topic came up last night, and I couldn't find a reference in the rules. IS there one? Where is it hiding?

I've tried sleeping in bullet proof vests, and I wouldn't claim that it was restful. Maybe I'm just a wimp.

How do you guys rule on this habit that PCs have of insisting that they can have a good night's sleep in their chain shirt / mithril Breastplate? Does everbody think it reasonable to get a good night's sleep in a studded leather armour? I would have thought those studs would have been rather uncomfortable...

 

[hong]

PHB p.105, top paragraph.

 

[Vaxalon]

IMC being able to sleep in light armor is part of the proficiency.

 

[nsruf]

PHB p.105, top paragraph.

So there IS a rule. I missed this one completely, thanks!

Pretty generous, if you look at it, though (for those who don't want to look it up: you are fatigued, i.e. -2 to Str and Dex, if sleeping in armor with check penalty -5 or worse). But then, the heroes have been chasing and killing bad guys all day and should be reasonably tired to sleep about anywhere...

 

[green slime]

According to that passage in the rule book Any armour with an armour check penalty of -5 or worse, you are automatically fatigued the next day.

So the well equipped adventurer will pack his Mithral Fullplate pyjamas before sauntering off on his camping excursion...

 

[kramis]

cold can be an issue too

I think most DM's are fairly lax about sleeping in armor issues. I make it an issue for heavier armor only, using the official rule, but I also give penalties if it is too cold out and you try sleeping in metal armor.

It would also be reasonable to make a house rule something to the effect of you can sleep in armor for up to a week before the lack of rest starts catching up with you. This would just simplify it. It depends on how important this issue is to you and your campaign.

 

[chilibean]

In real life, it all depends on what you're used to.

When I was in the army, some of the infantry guys would be able to get a good nights sleep in 4 hours while sitting in a fox hole half full of cold muddy water. It's all about conditioning. You can learn to sleep under almost any conditions.

I've seen a documentary about a tribe in africa that sleeps proped up on one elbow with their head dangling at an impossible looking angle (to keep these bugs from crawling in their ears while sleeping).

On a typical jump, we had a parachute on our backs, ALICE gear around us, a helmet, a rifle case strapped under our arm, a heavy ass ruck-sack and reserve chute on our fronts, and the parachute harness strap wrenched so tight you could hardly breath. Then we had to fly for 2 hours of NOE (Nap Of the Earth) flight so the Air Force pilots could get their damn flight hours. This was like a roller coaster. Of course, the air conditioners were ALWAYS broken so it was 110 degrees in the damn plane. And someone always puked, so the entire aircraft REEKED of puke. There were a lot of guys that could happily sleep the 2 hours, no problem at all. I always hated those guys. Well, ok, ... envied them.

Sleeping in plate armor for someone that is used to wearing it would be no big deal at all. For the arm chair quarterback position of people who can only get a good nights sleep on a $600 mattress when the room is JUST SO, I understand if you don't necessarily believe that. I think this falls into the same category of when people think that people can hardly walk in plate armor and can't stand up if they fall over. If there is some game balance issue, sure ... make them fatigued, but please don't claim it's not possible to get a good nights sleep under terrible conditions that are much worse than just being in a suit of armor.

 

[Wolf72]

LOL!!!!

chilibean ... that was way to funny!!!!

makes me think of how different parts of the Army really are worlds apart

ej, who was a computer/desk/instructor jockey for 5 years

 

[Shin Okada]

My late father was a very busy newspaper man and he could sleep while straphanging in comuter train.

 

[Fenes]

Sitting in a camo-colored car always makes me sleepy... remaining condition from my army days (next stretch of 3 week coming up in one or two years).