My group used to track arrow, but don't anymore. After for decades, we've just found it doesn't help immersion, balance the class, or do anything other then create an unnecessary tedium for us. We also do the same for rations.
That said, our GM assumes that we bring enough rations for the expected trick, and we use survival when things go off track. For example:
scenario 1: We're off on a 2-week track and reach our destination, no need to track rations
scenario 2: We're off on a 2-week track, when something goes horribly wrong. Our rations last the 2 weeks, but after that we'll roll survival checks to hunt to sustain ourselves or prepare create food spells.
In other words, we assume that we have the materials we need until it's dramatically appropriate.
As far as normal arrows go, I could see a scenario where we're away from civilization for a long enough time with no way to get back to it. Our archer would realistically need to find or make arrows, and at that point, we'd probably track, but it'd be the exception not the rule.
anyway, that's just my view on it.
scenario 2: We're off on a 2-week track, when something goes horribly wrong. Our rations last the 2 weeks, but after that we'll roll survival checks to hunt to sustain ourselves or prepare create food spells.
Typically this is where all my overland stuff goes since the PCs never have a clear goal aside from some cryptic ideas of where to go at the beginning. It is in these unknown times that tracking resources is important.
That said every ranged character I've ever played has showed up with 100+ arrows at level 1 and multiple quivers to hold everything.It honestly comes down to thematics. If the character could reasonably return to a vendor and buy more arrows then we can assume that he just auto resupplies after each fight if he has normal arrows (5 cp a pop) or durable arrows that never break from being fired.
Still any ranged character worth his salt is going to buy a custom quiver with Abundant Ammunition on it with it being a single standard at the beginning of combat to never run out of ammo.
If the story is supposed to be heroic and epic then no one ever runs out of arrows or food--assume people just give you food and ammo,--but if the story is cynical or VS Environment is a justified story element then track everything.
Characters who are using Standard of Living can refill for free because individual arrows cost practically nothing.
In the end the reward of of tracking arrows/food/water is in instilling the idea that the PCs are alone in a larger world, while not tracking these things focuses on the story as a whole.
Legolas never tracked his arrows or worried about food. The point of the story was different--it was about fighting Sauron! Frodo and Sam DID track food and arrows (it was always at 0) because it was thematically important for their story.
Empowerment = Don't track.
Disempowerment = Track EVERYTHING!
Assuming that “a mound of arrows” counts as a single object, a fine way to carry a backup supply of arrows is to pick up jars of marvelous pigments. Each jar is a zero encumbrance item that can make up to 40,000 arrows, given ten minutes painting time at camp. One jar costs 4,000 gold, which means you’re paying double the cost of the arrows, but that’s chicken feed.
Not worth it if your GM rules it takes ten minutes to paint each individual arrow.
If we assume that the quiver of borrowing is loot taken from a defeated enemy, your archer PC could have one very bad battle where he runs out of arrows all too quickly as this item is used against him.
I am running a sci fi game. The only "ammo" I am concerned with keeping track of are grenades and similar. I want the players to focus on why did we wake up in cloning chambers? Who are we? How did we die? How cloned us and why.
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Assuming that “a mound of arrows” counts as a single object, a fine way to carry a backup supply of arrows is to pick up jars of marvelous pigments. Each jar is a zero encumbrance item that can make up to 40,000 arrows, given ten minutes painting time at camp. One jar costs 4,000 gold, which means you’re paying double the cost of the arrows, but that’s chicken feed.
Not worth it if your GM rules it takes ten minutes to paint each individual arrow.
Wow. Paint 40K arrows in ten minutes... I'm imagining some Bob Ross like scene where you "paint some happy little arrows" and with just a few brushstrokes it actually looks like 40K arrows.