Elven Rejuvenation


Homebrew and House Rules


Adventure Path Charter Subscriber; Pathfinder Adventure, Rulebook, Starfinder Adventure Path Subscriber

I'm not sure if elves are supposed to trance or not in Pathfinder but the rules related to it don't seem to be very well formed, nor integrated very well with the rest of the 'sleep' system, which itself is a little slapdash as well. Unless I've been missing something somewhere? Are there any offical rules or guidelines for the effects of sleep deprivation anywhere? So I decided to put a bit of thought into it and came up with the following, which I call elven rejuvenation. I'd be very grateful for any feedback.

Elven Rejuvenation

Elves do not sleep but must instead meditate for 4 hours per day. This is known as rejuvenation and it is a process that is thought to contribute to elven longevity. Elven rejuvenation requires the same circumstances as human sleep; that is, a quiet and generally darkened area in which the elf can lie down comfortably. During this period, an elf is in a state of restful calm similar to human sleep but an elf rarely dreams. It is for this reason, and the notion that dreams are a vehicle for consolidating new experience and knowledge, that rejuvenation is also thought to contribute to the longer time that younger elves take to learn new skills and abilities relative to those of the races that sleep and dream. Whilst rejuvenating, an elf is less aware of his surroundings but not to the extent of a sleeping creature: an elf receives only the +5 perception DC modifier for being distracted whilst rejuvenating, rather than the +10 modifier as if being asleep.

An elf is both physically and mentally rejuvenated after completing this process. He recovers 1 hit point per character level, 1 point of temporary ability damage for each affected ability score, and can prepare spells if able to do so. However, unlike races that sleep, elves gain no benefit from complete bed rest for an entire day and night, and an elf cannot rejuvenate again until at least 16 hours have passed since a rejuvenation was last completed.

An elf gains no benefit from rejuvenation unless the entire 4 hour process is completed without interruption. An elf that fails to complete his rejuvenation for two consecutive days becomes fatigued. An elf that fails to complete his rejuvenation for three consecutive days becomes exhausted. Rejuvenating uninterrupted for 1 hour reduces exhaustion to fatigue. Rejuvenating uninterrupted for 4 hours removes the fatigue.

--

A bit more explanation on the backgrounds thoughts behind "rejuvenation". I actually mean exactly that - that the process that elves go through in lieu of sleep, which they have lost the ability to do, or perhaps never had the ability to do, actually does rejuvenate them mentally and physically. This not only results in their incredible longevity but also in the very long time that it takes them to acquire their initial skills and abilities (as elves are usually well over 100 years old before they're 1st-level characters). It holds them back until they reach of a sort of "maturity tipping point" when they're suddenly able to start consolidating their knowledge and experience at a faster rate. It's a similar process in other races; it just takes them a lot less time to reach that "maturity tipping point". And the reason for this is that, not only do they not keep rejuvenating their brains, they also sleep and dream, which, as we're becoming more aware of now, enables them to learn and adapt to their environments more quickly.


About that bed rest thingy.

So an Elven Wizard Regains spells by rejuvinating for four hours??

OR

He has the option of sleeping for 8 hours/resting to regain spells.. In which case he'd need to do both rejuvinate AND rest/sleep. >.>

?????????????


Adventure Path Charter Subscriber; Pathfinder Adventure, Rulebook, Starfinder Adventure Path Subscriber
Eyolf The Wild Commoner wrote:

About that bed rest thingy.

So an Elven Wizard Regains spells by rejuvinating for four hours??

OR

He has the option of sleeping for 8 hours/resting to regain spells.. In which case he'd need to do both rejuvinate AND rest/sleep.

An elven wizard is able to prepare spells after rejuvenating.

The comment regarding extra bed rest is to emphasise that they don't gain any benefit from notions of sleep/rest that aren't rejuvenation. They can't do the entire day of bed rest like, say, a human can in order to recover more hit points, etc. Rejuvenation is the process by which they restore their physical and mental strength, a process that leads to their incredible longevity but at the expense of being able to learn quickly.


Therefore elf wizards would have a HUGE hand over wizards of other species.

Where as all others would require 8 hours of rest to get spells, Elf wizards would only require 4 hours.


Eyolf The Wild Commoner wrote:

Therefore elf wizards would have a HUGE hand over wizards of other species.

Where as all others would require 8 hours of rest to get spells, Elf wizards would only require 4 hours.

Not quite - they still have to abide by the Universal Rule of Wizard Spell Preparation - all spells cast within the past 8 hours are considered to still have been cast when you start preparing spells again.

Wizards, unlike all other classes, can effectively prepare a full suite of spells twice per day as I understand the RAW. Being an elf does not give them the ability to work around this specific requirement.


I think that you have your rules wrong, because as I know it.

Wizards may casts spells per day, and then once they rest for 8 hours it counts as a new day.

Then again, if PF made the change, then I'll go confirm if I'm right or your right.


Eyolf The Wild Commoner wrote:

I think that you have your rules wrong, because as I know it.

Wizards may casts spells per day, and then once they rest for 8 hours it counts as a new day.

Then again, if PF made the change, then I'll go confirm if I'm right or your right.

Wizards' flexibility is two-fold as I see it:

1.) They are the only class that RAW can completely use their entire repetoire of spells twice per day (8 hours rest +1 hour study to re-prepare 2/day +6 hours' miscellaneous time spent doing stuff other than sleeping and preparing) or thrice per day if wearing an attuned ring of sustenance (2+1 hours x3, 8 hour 'cycling' x3).

2.) They can partially prepare their spell slots, unlike clerics, druids, paladins, rangers and any other preparative spell casting class in the game (who are all limited to preparing spells at one specific time of the day or are only able to prepare spells once per day). A good example of this is Wizard Wally prepares all but 1/4th of his spells per spell level for the first part of his adventuring day, as an example. Half way through, he goes "oh, we need to overcome obstacle X", takes 15 minutes and prepares his remaining spell slots with that goal in mind.

If these 'prepared later' spell slots were used only an hour before sitting down to rest and prepare - say, because of a ring of sustenance shortening that 8 hour rest period to a 2 hour rest period - then the 'prepared later' spell slots that have been used, as well as any and all other spell slots used within the past 8 hours, are considered unavailable for replenishment.

Community / Forums / Pathfinder / Pathfinder First Edition / Homebrew and House Rules / Elven Rejuvenation All Messageboards

Want to post a reply? Sign in.
Recent threads in Homebrew and House Rules