What should be the check to have a good rest

[Solarious]

What could be more hazardous than a wizard's academy?

A murderous assasin's guild?

Back on topic, I agree that a good Survival check with the character with the best modifier making it will suffice. However, I do not agree that a Concentration check will get rid of it. Humans, and most races similar to them, needs their shut eye for multiple reasons. For races who don't actually sleep, like elves, however...

 

[mirivor]

The armor rules are stressed in my game. The fatigue resulting from sleeping in heavier armors is the only thing keeping them in check. Even the idea that a human can wear a suit of full plate for 12 hours is rough, but 12 hours every day for a year is ridiculous.

I confess that I use the making camp rules all of the time. I like grittier games.

July 2005 is the dragon issue, referring to my library looks like issue 333.

Good luck.

 

[Ruslanchik]

Some amount of respect does have to be given to the fact that advernturing is usually a character's profession. I know people who can live on 3 or 4 hours of sleep for weeks on end and never suffer anything more than a little grumpiness. If the characters are experienced and have even a +1 bonus to constitution (placing them well above the average human) no such check should be needed. Besides, the human BODY gets just as much rest sitting still for eight hours as sleeping for that time. If you are going to give any penalty for not sleeping well, then it should be mental, not physical.

 

[Piratecat]

I'm a huge fan of removing rules that don't make the game more fun, because I think it's important to remember that D&D is not a simulation. Playing out every shopping trip, rolling to see if you sleep well on a normal night -- these things aren't fun for me.

If I had to do this, though, I'd require a concentration check at DC 2, adjusted by circumstance modifiers. An average person would fail that one night in ten.

 

[mirivor]

It should be noted that these rules aren't always about simulation. I first used these in order to give the skill-users a little more umph in my game. We were seeing a little too much warrior and spell casting action. Testing for a campsite is a good way to make the ranger feel a little more special.

 

[marune]

I'm a huge fan of removing rules that don't make the game more fun, because I think it's important to remember that D&D is not a simulation. Playing out every shopping trip, rolling to see if you sleep well on a normal night -- these things aren't fun for me.

My OP wasn't saying the opposite, but adventurers will face difficult conditions from time to time, and in those cases, its an hazard like every natural/mechanical one.

 

[Zaruthustran]

I feel the need to point out that Piratecat is an expert on sleep. I'd guess that the 1 night in 10 recommendation is not arbitrary.

To answer the OP, I would just follow the rules. Sleeping in heavier armors is a problem, sleeping outdoors requires a survival check, don't bother with anything else*.

-z

* But don't forget the DM's best friend, the circumstance modifier. If you come upon a situation not covered by rules, and judge that your players characters shouldn't have gotten a good night's sleep (the noisy inn example), then go ahead and give them -1 or -2 on some rolls. Just don't do it too often, or you'll slide from "fun verisimilitude" to "annoying."

 

[Piratecat]

My OP wasn't saying the opposite, but adventurers will face difficult conditions from time to time, and in those cases, its an hazard like every natural/mechanical one.

Okay, I'll buy that. In someplace like the howling caverns of Pandemonium, I'd apply something like a -25 circumstance penalty. In a very noisy forge, I'd apply a -10. Problem is, then you start getting into all sorts of circumstance modifiers - how tired they are, what time of day it is, all sorts of things. This is one of those things that I'm comfortable having my DM decide for me.

 

[Raven Crowking]

We are talking about PROFESSIONAL ADVENTURERS. They can generally rest anywhere, under any conditions, much like modern day soldiers do.

The only exception really should be very harsh condtions, like a outdoors in a raging storm or the like.

Give your PCs a break.

The problem with this answer is that it could be applied to any question requesting a DC: What is the DC to hit an ogre? Come on, these guys are professionals! Of course they can hit an ogre. What is the DC to find this trap? Hey, this is a professional rogue! Of course he finds the trap! What is the DC to resist this spell? We are talking about PROFESSIONAL ADVENTURERS. Give your PCs a break.

D&D may not be a simulation, but that does not mean that some players do not enjoy simulating a simulation, if you take my meaning.

Trying to get a good night's sleep, under some circumstances, may well be treated like a hazard. The consequences of failing when confronted by that hazard are in the rules. Why couldn't this be part of an adventure?

What one would want to do is determine a baseline first, the outmost conditions under which no check was required within a given campaign. For example, is it your decision that PCs should have to roll a check if they are sleeping in a dungeon? If not, why not? What about outdoors without gear in warm weather? Etc., etc.

Once you have an idea where the cutoff is, call it DC 5. I'd say give the player the choice to make a Fort save or a Concentration check (whichever is better). Then consider how much more difficult circumstances are from your baseline, and add modifiers appropriately.

JMHO, of course.


RC

 

[Vegepygmy]

I'm a huge fan of removing rules that don't make the game more fun, because I think it's important to remember that D&D is not a simulation. Playing out every shopping trip, rolling to see if you sleep well on a normal night -- these things aren't fun for me.

(Emphasis mine.) I totally agree.

For an unusual night, however, I think it adds to the challenge (and thus, the fun) of the game to recognize that sleeping while exposed to harsh weather isn't very restful. In most cases, I'd make it a DC 15 or 20 Survival check to avoid being fatigued the next day.