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I'm wondering about how other DMs handle sleep loss. The characters were in a hurry and decided to push on through the night to reach their destination...which was a trap. Now they face combat with no sleep in 24 hours.
I was thinking about making them all fatigued but what if they decide to forgo another night's rest?
Thanks...
I'm wondering about how other DMs handle sleep loss. The characters were in a hurry and decided to push on through the night to reach their destination...which was a trap. Now they face combat with no sleep in 24 hours.
I was thinking about making them all fatigued but what if they decide to forgo another night's rest?
Thanks...
Well, I'd have them make Constitution checks (DC 15, +2 per day without sleep) or move them to Exhausted. Past that, each successful check would net them a -2 penalty on all d20 rolls. Failed checks knock them out for 8 hours plus 1 hour per day of sleep loss.
Sleep loss is an unusual condition. Sleep deprivation experiments pretty much show that if were provided enough motivation we can function very close to our best even with no sleep in days. But the reward required has to start getting really really big because all we want to do is sleep - were desperate to sleep - and we absolutely don't want to do anything else.
Basically as an example if I offered someone a million dollars to do a pretty tough task and required that they do nothing but work on that task for 4 days you almost certainly could do it and even do fairly complex math or strenuous work on the 4th day but you'd be constantly muttering million dollars to yourself to keep your motivation up because by that 4th day you would literally start questioning if 8 hours sleep might be worth more - in this case you'd be able to decide that the million was better - but if it was only 5 times a good days work you'd probably stop here and catch some Z's.
As it stands sleep is a fascinating topic - we don't know why we sleep. By and large there does not really seem to be any huge point to it. Some theories contend that the major reason we sleep is because its safer for cave men and women to stay in the cave at night and this kept us out of mischief that might do us more harm then good during the hours of darkness.
That said consider that fish apparently also sleep but often with only half their brain at a time - thus allowing them to keep an eye out for predators with the other half of their brain. If fish do it when it seems like such a detriment to their safety there must be some point to it.
I'm wondering about how other DMs handle sleep loss. The characters were in a hurry and decided to push on through the night to reach their destination...which was a trap. Now they face combat with no sleep in 24 hours.
I treat failure to get a good night's sleep the same as sleeping in medium or heavy armor: you are fatigued until you get 8 hours of complete rest.
I was thinking about making them all fatigued but what if they decide to forgo another night's rest?
Doing anything that would normally cause fatigue when you're already fatigued causes exhaustion. (See the PHB glossary.)
Also, don't forget if you've been physically active for more than 8 hours between rests (travel, combat, dungeon exploration), you've got to make forced march checks or start taking lethal damage. (PH only specifically assesses these for travelling more miles than you can travel in an eight hour day, but I'd rule it applies to any kind of moderately taxing physical activity--digging, working on a building, rowing, etc. And if you walked 7 hours and made it to the dungeon entrance late in the afternoon and decided to immediately enter, I'd keep close track of time and start having the party do saves against forced march nonlethal damage after an hour in the dungeon.
Also, don't forget if you've been physically active for more than 8 hours between rests (travel, combat, dungeon exploration), you've got to make forced march checks or start taking lethal damage. (PH only specifically assesses these for travelling more miles than you can travel in an eight hour day, but I'd rule it applies to any kind of moderately taxing physical activity--digging, working on a building, rowing, etc. And if you walked 7 hours and made it to the dungeon entrance late in the afternoon and decided to immediately enter, I'd keep close track of time and start having the party do saves against forced march nonlethal damage after an hour in the dungeon.
Bingo, forced march checks are the most to-the-rules way to go. I'd forgotten about that. I also agree with the vulnerability to spells that manipulate sleepiness.
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I say have your players stay up for a 24 hour marathon dungeon crawl session without Mountain Dew. If any of them fall asleep, kill their characters ;)
Actually, having them be fatigued may seem overly harsh, but it also would be fairly realistic considering the fact that their bodies have been pushed and have not had the opportunity to rest and rebuild. However, you could also have them make a Constitution check at the beginning of any given encounter to avoid the negative effects of the fatigue. This could simulate adrenaline in their system making it possible for them to function despite the lack of sleep.
Also, don't forget if you've been physically active for more than 8 hours between rests (travel, combat, dungeon exploration), you've got to make forced march checks or start taking lethal damage.
Nonlethal! He means nonlethal!
(shudders in horror at the thought of commoners dropping dead from working an hour of overtime at the mill)
Also, don't forget if you've been physically active for more than 8 hours between rests (travel, combat, dungeon exploration), you've got to make forced march checks or start taking lethal damage.Nonlethal! He means nonlethal!
(shudders in horror at the thought of commoners dropping dead from working an hour of overtime at the mill)
Have to admit, that would make a heck of a first session: the PCs manage to get into the castle for a big Coronation ceremony thingy, and in the middle of the ceremony, half the staff that keeps the castle running spontaneously falls over and dies. In unison.
Have to admit, that would make a heck of a first session: the PCs manage to get into the castle for a big Coronation ceremony thingy, and in the middle of the ceremony, half the staff that keeps the castle running spontaneously falls over and dies. In unison.
Must... run... this... *falls over laughing... and dies*
*giggles like a schoolgirl*
That *would* make a really cool intro to an adventure...
Have to admit, that would make a heck of a first session: the PCs manage to get into the castle for a big Coronation ceremony thingy, and in the middle of the ceremony, half the staff that keeps the castle running spontaneously falls over and dies. In unison.Must... run... this... *falls over laughing... and dies*
My elven "dream-haunted" character in the shackled city path tries to avoid sleep whenever possible. The dm has me roll fortitude checks sometimes when I don't get my 4-hour reverie in, but I've always made them so I don't exactly know the reprucussions of failure. I was going off the PHB glossary: fatigued gets penalties to STR and DEX (but "dream-haunted" characters are immune to fatigue effects), and if you do get exhausted you just need an hour of sleep to become unexhausted.
Apparently, based on what is said above, I should research this more closely, or my lvl 2 wizard is going to start losing hps!
Alot of what I'm about to say was probably already said, just to forewarn any who read.
I, as a DM, would have them make fortitude checks to stay awake against a DC10+1 for each additional hour they've gone without sleep. If they have had alot of strenuous activety up the check DC to 10+2 for each additional hour. Temporary Str and Dex damage is given on a succes that lasts until they've slept atleast up to what they currently need. On a failure they pass out for 8 hours +1 for each additional hour gone without sleep, or +2 if they had been undertaking strenuous activety for atleast half of the time they were trying to stay awake. For the temp ability damage, I go 1d4 for each hour they've tried to stay awake. These checks should start being rolled at the start of the fifth hour they've gone without sleep. That is, five hours into the eight that they would normally be sleeping start rolling, then start adding the modifier at the ninth hour. Another thing to include is the damage that is described in the PHB somewhere in the Adventure chapter, I believe. Also, give a -2 penalty to saves against sleep effects and spell per hour theyv'e been trying to stay awake and concentration checks to cast spells at a DC equal to the one I have stated above for staying awake. I don't believe I forgot anything.