Hi
I do not post very much not really into it. Just started running Reign of Winter and am enjoying it greatly, looking forward to the rest. Here is the minor problem I had. I live in Wisconsin, it is currently spring and I read the cold temp information to the group (30 degrees F down to 10 degrees at night and you need to make the saving throw but Cold weather gear gives you bonuses) to my players. Well they were all wearing sweat shirts or long sleeved shirt, some people were out in short sleeve shirt and the temp out side that day was, are you ready 30 degrees F. Sooo, I would suggest dropping those temp numbers down or putting a negative in there. You would not want to be physical active in Cold weather gear at 30 degrees or you would sweat and then be in real trouble when the temp did drop. Just saying. Sorry if this is picky but I had a previous encounter with a module that had alligators in a lake with ice storms sorry it don't happen.
How long where they outside for? Especially the man with the t-shirt?
There is a HUGE difference between 30 degrees F and 10 degrees F, not accounting for the effects of "felt temperature" as opposed to air temperature. Acclimitization to the climate is reflected in the campaign traits.
Game terms are done so that there isn't fifty pages of nonsense to deal with what is normally a comparative non-issue after 1st or 2nd level.
I have to agree. 30F or 0C isn't too bad be out in for bit. It will still be a problem after 8 hours in a t-shirt.
10F or -12C is seriously problematic, even in sweater.
Both of these also assume relatively low humidity (common where I am in Alberta) and little wind. When I was in a more humid environment (Southern Ontario), even a few degrees below 0C can be just awful.
Of course, I also agree that traits for acclimatization would account for a lot. Watch someone from Ecuador suffer when the temperature drops....
Eric is right. 0C (30F) with low humidity and no wind, isn't bad if you are acclimated to harsh winter. In fact, I can walk outside for 1h in a shirt during spring with that temperature. But don't ask me for more.
But in Quebec, -12C isn't really felt as -12 (10F). With wind and humidity, it can become hell. And I'm not talking about -30C (-22F), high wind, high humidity...
See though, that's for two hours. I feel that'd be you passing your saves for those two hours no problem. But what about after that? Would you be able to be comfortable staying out 4 hours or a full 8 hours through that exposure to weather with nothing but a t-shirt?
Still, would be cool to see a trait for Cold-weather acclimation. I wonder if People of the North has that?
Those are just the standard numbers from the core rules. Don't forget that they include a range of temperature larger than "just 30 degrees Fahrenheit".
My real point was that you do not go to Cold Weather gear at that temp a light jacket a best especially if you are being physically active or you break a sweat and are really in trouble. We normally dress in layers and adjust through out the day. Maybe a survival check but start at 0 F for the Cold weather gear. By the way I do love the adventure path and we just decided that the temp was really bugger freezing cold, yes in Wisconsin it gets there. Also it is not uncommon for people to go all day in a light jacket and some even tee shirts in 30 degree weather all day. Yes we are weird, some not me even go swimming in sub zero temps. They call themselves Polar Bears I believe so a region temp trait I think would be a great idea.
Considering this area is going through an area of abnormal cooling and outside there is warmer moister weather? You have an area of constant winds and occasional snowfall. And you have even colder snowier weather near the Winter Portal. So the cold weather gear is handy.
Though once my group heard "cold weather one town up!" (they're one day out from Helgren and I figure rumors have spread about the weather), I promptly saw every spellcasting PC with the spell memorize "Endure Elements" and had both NPC casters learn it as well (for different reasons - one NPC is a Paladin from southern climes, while the second is a young woman whose clothing isn't that warm and who was poor for quite a while... and thus tends to be frugal - she only recently bought armor!) - in short, only two PCs don't have the spell memorized and I'd not be surprised to see them buying winter gear (and the wizard/priest intends on doing so as well).
Okay. There is also the fact they're not 1st level characters either (I'm shifting campaigns from a homebrew to Reign of Winter) so they DO have the extra spells... but still. I found it most amusing. ^^;;
They can't really add rules for sweating screwing you over in the cold since the player characters will be doing a lot of activity such as running from bad guys, fighting in combat, and traversing obstacles. It'd slow down exploration to a boring crawl for the average group that's too worried now about getting frostbite, all for the sake of realism.
Verisimilitude that detracts from gameplay or adds complexity but no fun isn't worth it in my opinion.
Also the cold weather gear in DnD is probably a lot lighter than cold weather gear of modern day. With advances in clothing technology (did I just actually type that?), we have better ways of keeping warm than animal hides and furs.
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When I was "adventuring age" at 18-19 I spent a great deal of time outdoors in cold weather in the US Army 20 years ago. I endured a lot of cold nights in South Korea during the winter with nothing but my cold weather gear, which presumably is a bit more sophisticated than what is available in Pathfinder (although I admit they are probably hardier stock than me).
I agree with the poster that 10 degrees is a lot different than 30, and over time, it will wear on you tremendously. I spent multiple nights with properly layered clothing, doing patrols to stay warm, and I have even been in situations where standing still felt better. There are times where you just ache, fatigue sets in, and you cannot feel anything below your knees. The wind becomes your enemy, even with layered gear. Sometimes standing at a particular angle is all you can do to bear it.
I have weathered outdoors conditions in sub zero weather without heat, without being indoors for days, and trust me, sweating is not generally a problem at those low temperatures. In fact, the heat generated feels pretty good. You will sweat, but honestly after significant exertion you are going to wipe off your face, rest and get reacclimated, and you then go back to an icy state which hurts a little more than it did previously.
So to say that you should start suffering more penalties because of sweating--I disagree--for more than just the reason that it doesn't add anything to the game but complexity.