D&D 4E Standing Guard in 4e...no rest for you?

[Lord Zardoz]

This kind of thing is really like tracking arrows. It will only really matter if the players and DM decides that it needs to matter.

In the instances where I need something like this to matter in 3rd edition, I just apply fatigue or exhaustion penalties to fighters, and declare someone as being unable to memorize spells if they were affected. Assuming that there are Rituals to accomplish things like Rope Trick or Secure Shelter, it will likely be a non issue after level 5 or so.

For 4th edition, I would probably go with allowing an endurance check to avoid those penalties.

END COMMUNICATION

 

[Zaruthustran]

This kind of thing is really like tracking arrows. It will only really matter if the players and DM decides that it needs to matter.

Our group has a similar rule. It's essentially "Don't bother tracking arrows. Just assume you glean or stock enough to keep your quiver full. You won't run out--until the plot requires that you do."


So for normal adventuring, yeah, your archer can do his thing just like the fighter (and now, the wizard and cleric) can do their things. Swords don't dull or break, components don't run out, wands don't snap, and quivers don't run dry.

...

Until, that is, the party finds itself behind the wall during a siege, or on a long trek across desert or water, or otherwise in dire straits. In those scenarios, part of the *fun*, part of the drama, is running low on resources.

 

[Spinachcat]

I posted this question much less to learn an "official rule", but much more to see what options and ideas that other GMs use.

I don't send night attacks unless (a) you are camping in the dungeon and its pretty obvious to the denizens or (b) it makes sense for the story.

As for daily power recharge, I might use Dave Arneson's idea that all magic recharges at the stroke of midnight. Maybe clerics would recharge at dawn if its their god's way. It's a Blackmoor thing, but wow, Dave kicked the arse of the 15 min day way back before KISS put on makeup. Certainly makes those "the sacrifice happens on the stroke of midnight!" adventures very cool. I do this with OD&D and it works great.

Shadewest's defined rules would be terribly simple to throw into the game. That clean elegance does make the game easier. I generally don't measure time, but decide when something happens based on the watch as time measurement.

First Watch = regain 1 healing surge
Second Watch = regain healing surges
Third Watch = regain HP
Rest Ends = regain dailies

I personally only have players track non-magic ammo in tournaments. Otherwise, you run out of ammo when you roll a natural 1 and I give you the option "friendly fire or last arrow"? That's why quivers carry 12 arrows in my games and most rangers travel with 2 quivers.

As for our banned comrade, I would like to say, that yes, playing D&D fast and loose is tremendous fun and that's why I play my hybrid OD&D house ruled monstrosity. I run Borg D&D as it has assimiliated stuff from every edition and many other games. However, my enjoyment of ENworld is bouncing odd thoughts off other GMs and reading about other perspectives and their ideas....so I can assimilate them as well!

 

[Dausuul]

It's a Blackmoor thing, but wow, Dave kicked the arse of the 15 min day way back before KISS put on makeup. Certainly makes those "the sacrifice happens on the stroke of midnight!" adventures very cool. I do this with OD&D and it works great.

Nitpicking, but this doesn't actually help with the 15-minute workday. The 15-minute workday is "adventure for 15 minutes, rest for 23 hours and 45 minutes, repeat."

I personally only have players track non-magic ammo in tournaments. Otherwise, you run out of ammo when you roll a natural 1 and I give you the option "friendly fire or last arrow"? That's why quivers carry 12 arrows in my games and most rangers travel with 2 quivers.

That's effing brilliant. Natural 1 = out of arrows. I might have to steal that. (Probably make it that when you roll a nat 1 with a bow, you lose one quiver of arrows, but only once per encounter.)