Why aren't there good alcohol rules for D&D?

[Chaldfont]

I once wrote a short adventure for two thieves who intended to break into a wizard's tower. The wizard had a spell on his tower that automatically teleported out anyone with an Int higher than 8 (other than himself). The thieves had to get good and drunk before entering and had to maintain their buzz or be booted out of the tower.

I think I had each jug of wine do 1 point of dex, int, and wis damage that went away after one hour (instead of the normal 24). IIRC, I based this off the Drunken Master PrC and removed the benefits.

 

[Thanee]

CLICK

Not for D&D3, however.

Bye
Thanee

 

[Zappo]

The best way to simulate alcohol is to drink lots of it whilst playing. And you guys call yourselves roleplayers?

Word.

 

[Dav]

What a staggeringly strange place to shoehorn it in. Heck, it'd make more sense in "Races of Stone" than in a collection of weapons and vehicles.

Well, if it makes more sense to you, AEG has 6 chapters, one of which is on "Adventuring Gear." And in that chapter is a section on "Food and Drink," which is where the alcohol intoxication rules are under (p. 32 to be exact). The rules aren't too complicated, and many characters could pass it. If you fail the Fort save DC associated with the drink, you take temporary Dex & Wis damage.

 

[RangerWickett]

Honestly, Russ, as much as I adore the book, TFT is dated. When you wrote the alcohol rules (and rewrote my original vindictive row against the sin that is intoxication), I had never gotten drunk.

Now I have.

Plus the drinking rules are a little clunky, and have no drama for things like drinking competitions. You don't make any checks. So I think we're going to need to revise the rules. Sound like a good idea, everyone?

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

Well, if it makes more sense to you, AEG has 6 chapters, one of which is on "Adventuring Gear." And in that chapter is a section on "Food and Drink," which is where the alcohol intoxication rules are under (p. 32 to be exact). The rules aren't too complicated, and many characters could pass it. If you fail the Fort save DC associated with the drink, you take temporary Dex & Wis damage.

I like the notion of ability damage -- it certainly matches with how drinking feels, and getting to INT 0 or WIS 0 and passing out is built into the mechanic perfectly. But shouldn't there be something in the system that gives players a risk of getting ill? I ask because of a bad experience with Mexico City tequila bars ...

 

[Darkness]

Alcohol affects different people in different ways. I'd like to see some hard rules on drinking about as much I'd like to see rules on sex. Which is to say, I wouldn't. I can't imagine a situation in which I would actually need such rules.

Bar brawls with drunk patrons.
Taking out guards without (much) violence.
Proving your drinking prowess in order to be accepted into a pirate crew (supposedly, this is a real-world example).

Etc.

 

[wingsandsword]

With rules for alcohol in D&D, all I can think of is that old bit of net humor: "Am I drunk yet?" (the same skit which gave us casting Magic Missile at the darkness).

Somethings are probably best left to roleplaying and if neccesary some simple rules from a good GM using the basic principles of the system.

 

[johnsemlak]

Doesn't the 1e DMG cover this?

 

[BSF]

The Taverners Trusty Tome builds on the drinking rules in Tournaments, Fairs and Taverns. They are complimentary products. TFT has more general utility because it covers a wider range of topics. TTTT is much more focused on Taverns and alcohol.

I have both of them, but you only need one of them. If you are familiar with a variety of alcohol yourself, you can easily make do with TFT.