When do YOUR items recharge themselves?

[MerakSpielman]

You've got an item that can be used 3 times/day.

There are, as I see it, two ways to do this.

Method A:
You use a charge at 5:00am
You use a charge at noon
You use a charge at 7:00pm
The next day:
A charge is recharged at 5:00am
A charge is recharged at noon
A charge is recharged at 7:00pm

So charges are restored individually exactly 24 hours after they're used.

Method B:
You use your charges at any time during the day.
You go to sleep.
You wake up and the charges are all back again, recharged at midnight or dawn or whenever.



Method A seems the most realistic to me, but too difficult to track. I don't know about you, but I don't know how many hours the PCs have been in the dungeon.

Method B is easier, but open to exploitation. The character with the item could concievably go on missions an hour before "recharge time" and effectively use the item 6 times in one small dungeon within the space of 2 hours.


Which method do you use?

 

[Ferox4]

We use B with the caveat that at least 8 hours have passed with the item not being used, If it is used during that time only 3 minus the # of times used slots are available for the next recharge. Just like spell allocation for clerics. Still perhaps a bit unwieldy to keep track of, but it curbs any abuse. I have fairly honest players that don't tend to push the envelope with those types of items.

Another option is to just make it completely unavailable for at least 8 hours after its last use, regardless of the magical recharging hour.

 

[Kid Charlemagne]

I've always had "per day" powers or charges recharge at a relevant portion of the day for that item or individual. For example an item that cast Daylight once per day might recharge automatically at dawn each day, while an item that casts Darkness might recharge at nightfall.

Sunrise, noon, nightfall, moon rise, midnight, the witching hour all make good options.

The drawback to this is you could arrange things so that you get two days worth of usage if you carefully plan your actions - which is why its a good idea to mix it up so that you don't have a preponderance of items that all recharge at daybreak, for example.

 

[AuraSeer]

I usually treat it like divine spellcasting. It resets at a specific time each day, but any abilities used in the last 8 hours count against the limit for the coming day.

 

[jgsugden]

I don't see a firm answer in the rules, so each DM can decide for themself.

Personally, I use A. I think of it as an item that can be used 6/day has 6 separate 'shots' that can be fired, like an old west six shooter. Once a chamber empties, the next one moves into place and the old one begins to recharge.

 

[Jeff Wilder]

We use method B, and not just for items. (E.g., a paladin's Lay on Hands ability is also covered.)

The default in our games is midnight as the recharge time, but that can vary according to what the player declares. (E.g., a paladin of Pelor probably recharges at dawn.)

For the record, we've never had a problem with people exploting the "time-clock" system we use.


Jeff

 

[dcollins]

I use B.

I'd step in as DM with reasonable limitations if a player tried to cheese it by, say, finding the exact hour of recharge and launching attack 3 rounds before that moment, expecting another 3 shots from the item right after that moment.

 

[jgsugden]

For the record, we've never had a problem with people exploting the "time-clock" system we use.

If people don't try to exploite it, it doesn't matter which system you use.

If people do want to exploite it, system A is more of a hassle, but it is easier to control without exploitation.

 

[Thanee]

We carelessly use method B usually, unless it really is of any importance when exactly the charges are available again, then we revert to method A.

So basically this means, that we are actually using method A, but normally play it as if we used method B as long as no problems arise.

Bye
Thanee

 

[shilsen]

I do the same as Thanee. It's never been a problem, but if one of my players tried to use such items at 7:59 am figuring that they'll recharge at 8 am, then I'd have to lay the DM smackdown on it.