Rest is only discussed in 3.5E and PFRPG in the context of recovering spells or recuperating from injuries. By the rules, characters have no intrinsic need for sleep, though, of course, no DM worth his salt would actually play it that way when it becomes relevant.
It's not that this is relevant all the time or even very often, but it does come up with similar frequency as hunger or thirst or other such phenomena that do have official rules. I would prefer that official rules be made for skipping sleep, rather than me coming up with ad hoc rules every time the situation arises - PCs guarding something all night long, PCs deciding to continue travelling day and night and so on.
Sample sleep rules:
Staying awake all night requires a saving throw* to overcome DC 20 + number of nights already awake. Failure indicates that the character is tired and gets a cumulative -1 penalty** to all checks until he catches up on his sleep. Failure by 10 or more indicates that the character falls asleep despite trying to stay awake.
If we wanted, we could also introduce situational modifiers that would be up to the DM to impose.
*I am undecided among three options:
1) Fortitude save
2) Willpower save
3) Either Fort or Will save (whichever is higher)
**An alternative would be to use the fatiguesd and exhausted conditions, but that would be less extendable
I thought this was already covered. Maybe it didn't make the jump from 3.5. I don't know. But after one day missed sleep you're supposed to be fatigued, after two days, exhausted, and I think you take nonlethal damage after three days. Unless that was just a house rule...It's hard to keep everything straight at this point.
I thought this was already covered. Maybe it didn't make the jump from 3.5. I don't know. But after one day missed sleep you're supposed to be fatigued, after two days, exhausted, and I think you take nonlethal damage after three days. Unless that was just a house rule...It's hard to keep everything straight at this point.
That was just a houserule. I have used it too on occassion (without the non-lethal damage), though I usually allowed saving throws to avoid fatigue and exhaustion. Every group uses some sort of houserule, because the situation where it becomes relevant comes up fairly often (similar frequency to hunger, thirst, holding breath and so on), yet there is no official rule.
Even Paizo uses those rules - a certain adventure* forces the characters to be up and about two whole days without sleeping, and it states that you're fatigued after the first day.
If that's not official, it should be.
I'm for using the fatigued and exhausted conditions (fatigued after 24 hours, exhausted after 48), as well as fort saves after a while (I think after 24 hours, maybe one every 6 hours or so, and after 48 hours, you make one every hour, which will be harder). If you fail at those saves, you fall asleep.
And it's definetly a fort save thing. If the body needs sleep, it will take that sleep. Stay awake long enough and the body forces you into sleep mode. It's not a matter of willpower. You can't willpower yourself to stay alife from loss of blood, after all, and this is probably up the same alley.
In fact, if you want an either/or solution, let them use the lower of fort or will
*