So lets say I'm starving to death...

[Ashrem Bayle]

As some of you know from my varient rules for the Midnight setting (See here) I've been looking over the d20 system's starvation and weather exposure rules.

My question is:

How long can the average adult live without food?

How long can the average adult live without water?

Does anyone know if the rules for starvation have changed in 3.5? In 3.0 a character suffered subduel damage when deprived of food and water. This is ridiculously unrealistic. While a 1st level fight can make it for about a week, a 20th level fighter can easily go about 2 months without food.

 

[Piratecat]

Only one real solution: take the leadership feat, and eat your followers.

 

[Voadam]

Real life?

Food about a month.

Water a matter of days, no more than a week. Depends upon conditions (hot desert takes less time).

 

[Nifft]

3 days without water.

As for food, that's a different question. I've personally fasted for a week -- no food, only water -- and it didn't adversely affect me.

So, let's base the food requirements off of activity instead of time. For every hour of moderate activity, you need a snack. Heavy activity requires double snacks. Eight snacks can be combined into a meal, which you deal with however you deal with normal D&D meals.

If you miss a meal (8 snacks), you take one point of Str damage.

Light activity requires only one snack per 8 hours -- or one meal per 2.666 days. If you miss the meal, you take one point of Str damage.

Str damage due to starvation does not recover until you have been fed every snack that you owe your body.

Now we need rules for making yourself ill by overeating when starved...

-- Nifft

 

[kengar]

CON damage would be more realistic than subdual. This is how I would run it:

Two Fortitude saves every day; one for food (lower initial DC, possibly 10-15), one for water (higher initial DC, about 20). Have each DC climb daily (+1 per day for food, +2 or 3 for water). Exertion and hostile climate increases the initial DC & rate of increase.

By 3-4 days, the Save v. dehydration should be nigh-impossible to make without magical assistance (DC30-40). Each failed Save = 1d3 pts. Temporary CON damage and a -1 (cumulative) to all rolls. At 0 CON, you die.

1 pound of food negate the hunger roll for the day, 1 pint of water negates the dehydration for the day. Additional water restores 1 CON of dehydration damage per pint, additional food gives 1 point CON per pound (up to 3 lbs. per day). More water may be necessary in hot/desert conditions as well as more food if person is exerting themselves (combat, forced march, manual labor, etc.). The DC for the Saves are reduced for each point of CON regained once food and/or water is obtained.


My 2cp, at least.

 

[Hand of Evil]

Water is more important - 3 days maybe a week.

Food depends on your body make up and what you have in reserve but a month is a good base mark.

As for weather exposure, you can go quick if it is extreme.

 

[Ashrem Bayle]

This is what I've come up with....

Starvation and Thirst

In normal climates, Medium-size characters need at least a gallon of fluids and about a pound of decent food per day to avoid starvation. (Small characters need half as much.) In very hot climates, characters need two or three times as much water to avoid dehydration.

A character can go without water for 1 day plus a number of hours equal to his Constitution score. After this time, the character must make a Constitution check each hour (DC 12) or sustain 1 point of temporary Constitution damage.

A character can go without food for 3 days, in growing discomfort. After this time, the character must make a Constitution check each day (DC 12) or sustain 1d2 points of temporary Constitution damage.

Characters who have taken temporary Constitution damage from lack of food or water are fatigued. Temporary Constitution damage from thirst or starvation cannot be recovered until the character gets food or water, as needed—not even magic that restores ability score damage heals this damage.


Cold Weather

Cold and exposure deal temporary Constitution damage to the victim. This temporary Constitution damage cannot be recovered until the character gets out of the cold and warms up again. Once a character’s Constitution score becomes three, he is rendered unconscious and continues to suffer damage until dead or no longer suffers from cold weather exposure.

An unprotected character in cold weather (below 40° F) must make a Fortitude saving throw each hour (DC 15) or sustain 1d2 points of temporary Constitution damage. A character who has the Survival skill may receive a bonus to this saving throw and may be able to apply this bonus to other characters as well.
In conditions of extreme cold or exposure (below 0° F), an unprotected character must make a Fortitude save once every 10 minutes (DC 15), taking 1d2 points of temporary Constitution damage on each failed save. A character who has the Survival skill may receive a bonus to this saving throw and may be able to apply this bonus to other characters as well. Characters wearing winter clothing only need check once per hour for cold and exposure damage.

A character who sustains any temporary Constitution damage from cold or exposure suffers from frostbite or hypothermia and is fatigued. These penalties end when the character recovers the temporary Constitution damage he or she took from the cold and exposure.


Thoughts?
Can somebody check 3.5 and see if this has changed?

 

[Zogg]

My question is:

How long can the average adult live without food?

How long can the average adult live without water?

For simplicity, I would say the equation could be something like this:

days w/out food = d12 + Con modifier
days w/out water = d6 + Con modifier

I suppose people with low Con could die in a day (or less) depending on the roll, but hey, you could just call that a critical failure and the PC becomes so freaked out they pass out from shock.

 

[SpiderMonkey]

OMIGAWD: wizards, sorcerers, and druids are like -so- broken! They have familiars and animal companions as class features, totally throwing off the balance of potential starvation rules! They probably didn't even bother addressing this completely urgent and necessary mechanic in 3.5. This is the LAST STRAW! I'm quitting and playing something balanced, like Palladium!

*pant, pant*



Sorry, couldn't resist!

Game on!

 

[Voadam]

Only one real solution: take the leadership feat, and eat your followers.

"A cat like that you don't eat all at once."