D&D 5E Waterskins (apparently every adventuring party in history died of thirst)

[Prakriti]

A waterskin holds 4 pints of water, which is equal to 1/2 gallon. According to the food and water rules (PHB, p. 170), a character needs to drink 1 gallon of water a day to stave off exhaustion and death.

So, assuming each character is traveling with a waterskin (which not every background provides), the average party can survive outside of town for about... half a day.

This means that the average level-1 party will die of thirst long before they even reach a dungeon.

So... Does anyone actually use waterskins in their game? If so, how?

 

[Lucas Blackstone]

You can carry multiples. Though honestly I think most DMs only ask if you have one, and don't worry about the math behind it. And for non arid climates I think the game assumes you refill waterskins at water sources during your travels.

 

[iserith]

I assume they're able to find water along the way to refill their skins. Unless the scenario specifically is about scarcity of such a resource such as when crossing a desert or a plane where the water is poison or something.

If you want to make it a thing in every game, just require that the PCs either bring more water skins and track it or ask that one of the PCs engage in Foraging as a general task while traveling (Basic Rules, page 65). The latter comes with the trade-off that, unless that PC is a ranger in his or her favored terrain, they do not get to also Keep Watch for Danger. So such a character will be automatically surprised (barring any feats or class features or the like to the contrary) if a monster tries to get the jump on the party.

 

[Redbadge]

Yes. Each character carries 2 waterskins (~10 lbs), which they refill every time they come across a source of water (river, waterfall, well, rain). As long as they find at least 1 source of water every other day (and have time to rest next to it), they'll be good (drink their fill from the water source and fill their skins to use the following day if they can't find more water). This is quite easy with an Outlander or someone with Survival. I also allow those drinks you find so often in WotC Adventures, including wine, to count for the day if the character's wish.

 

[Sword of Spirit]

I give my players a free extra waterskin for exactly that reason.

That being said, I think the assumption is that if you are traveling in a region with fresh water this shouldn't be a problem. At a minimum, you'd just need to set up camp near some water--so I assume the party does when possible.

However, two waterskins would allow a character to survive in a region where you are only likely to run into a water source once per day, so it's more important in semi-arid climates. If you only had one waterskin in such a climate, I'd require foraging actions to keep enough water on hand.

In an arid climate where you won't even run into water every day, you'll need to make some rolls unless you are carrying several waterskins.

This sort of thing is what makes things more immersive for me.

 

[Gardens & Goblins]

This is why they brought:

• 2 camels
• A cleric with Create Water
• A cart for said camel (well, technically a sled. For sand..sledding..)

Granted, the cleric would have sufficed, but he didn't want to ride a camel.

 

[Prakriti]

Another oddity: characters can survive without food for 3 days + Con modifier (minimum of 1).

What's to stop them from only eating 1 ration every 4 days?

 

[Slit518]

Another oddity: characters can survive without food for 3 days + Con modifier (minimum of 1).

What's to stop them from only eating 1 ration every 4 days?

I'd still count those other 3 days against you. You're malnourished, on the 4th day you eat, but you're still malnourished. You'd need to eat up to those missing days to recover fully, else you suffer those levels of exhaustion that can only be recovered by eating.

 

[corwyn77]

Another oddity: characters can survive without food for 3 days + Con modifier (minimum of 1).

What's to stop them from only eating 1 ration every 4 days?

Nothing.

Anyway, that is incredibly short a time. People have survived for weeks during hunger strikes, some for as long as 70 days. In D&D, with 20 con, your max is 14 days.

 

[FormerlyHemlock]

Another oddity: characters can survive without food for 3 days + Con modifier (minimum of 1).

What's to stop them from only eating 1 ration every 4 days?

The same thing that stops me from eating rations only once every 4 days. ;-)