Sustenance - Tracked or Handwaved

[wingsandsword]

I know some DMs make sure their players make sustenance purchases in-game and others don't even require players to buy any food at all. Are you at one extreme or the other . . . or somewhere in between?

I generally treat it as tracked strictly in the wilderness at low levels, but the higher the level or more civilized the area the more handwaved as the costs of eating becomes negligible and characters generally have more to worry about than how many Iron Rations are in their backpack.

Higher level characters have much more money (so buying rations is pocket change) and more storage space via bags of holding/handy haversacks/portable holes ect (so they can store a lot more rations), magic that can conjure up food, and usually at least one person in the party with a high Survival skill who can forage/hunt for the party, not to mention usually teleporting over the place so they don't have long voyages where resource accountability is less of an issue.

In civilized areas, food is more plentiful and easy to get. At generally any random inn or tavern a few copper can buy a cheap meal of bread, water, onions and turnips (1 sp for 1 day of poor meals by the SRD), so even poor characters can usually afford to eat at least as long as they are in civilized areas and have any money at all.

I might make an issue of it if something changes these assumptions (the PC's are in a dead-magic area where their food creation magic and magic items that store their food are inoperable) or if they somehow don't have their possessions and money, or something is seriously inflating the costs of food for some reason (like a famine) ect.

 

[Nifft]

Not normally tracked. Exceptional circumstances (created by plot fiat and/or player choice) may necessitate tracking, but only when it's blatantly obvious that the PCs are in a supply-free zone and didn't bring their own.

Cheers, -- N

 

[just__al]

As most people have said..

Only when it's presence or absense would be an issue. Normally adventurers are wealthy, skilled or resourceful enough that it's a non-issue and not worth the time to track.

 

[jdrakeh]

I know some DMs make sure their players make sustenance purchases in-game and others don't even require players to buy any food at all. Are you at one extreme or the other . . . or somewhere in between?

Actually, I take an approach somewhere in the middle, using a "Hunger" score that works somewhat like Modern's "Wealth". I've never made the rules available for free download, but this thread makes me think that it may be a worthwhile endeavor.

 

[howandwhy99]

I like OD&D where pretty much all I track are what I'd need in real life
- groceries
- bills
- possessions
- a diary on what's been happening.
- maybe some thoughts on some mysteries I've encountered, (including clues)
- maps, items, and other odds and ends
- notes on strategy

Yes, sustenance is tracked.

 

[EricNoah]

Only when it's a plot point. It usually isn't. I do like it when the players at least make an effort to purchase and have some rations & water with them for encumbrance purposes. And I do that with my own PCs.

 

[James McMurray]

Like most things that are cheap expendable resources, I like to track them at early levels when it matters and then stop later.

 

[Stormborn]

Handwaved. As most people have said I have them spend money on a few days rations at start up and then forget about it until and unless it is important to the events of the game.

 

[frankthedm]

Tracked. If you don't want your ego bruised by your "Hero" starving to death, bring enough food!

 

[Arnwyn]

I know some DMs make sure their players make sustenance purchases in-game and others don't even require players to buy any food at all. Are you at one extreme or the other . . . or somewhere in between?

I'm at one extreme - we track everyone's sustenance. Eat/drink once a day, please!

Though it's "handwaved" once the cleric reaches 5th level and can cast create food and water - the cleric just leaves one slot with that spell perpetually prepared.