Traveling through hot or cold environments involves a lot of Fort saves. A lot of Fort saves. While I like the flavour of getting fatigued and damaged while walking through the desert, it seems like the fun will be sucked out of it by getting the players to roll two dozen Fort saves a day.
On the other hand, saving it all up and giving them one Fort save per day vs 24 hours exposure could see them rolling 24d4, then suddenly passing out at the end of the day.
Does anyone have any homebrew rules or suggestions for fun environmental travelling rules that might suit?
A character in very hot conditions (above 90° F) must make a Fortitude saving throw each hour (DC 15, +1 for each previous check) or take 1d4 points of nonlethal damage. Characters wearing heavy clothing or armor of any sort take a –4 penalty on their saves. A character with the Survival skill may receive a bonus on this saving throw and might be able to apply this bonus to other characters as well (see the skill description). Characters reduced to unconsciousness begin taking lethal damage (1d4 points per hour).
In severe heat (above 110° F), a character must make a Fortitude save once every 10 minutes (DC 15, +1 for each previous check) or take 1d4 points of nonlethal damage. Characters wearing heavy clothing or armor of any sort take a –4 penalty on their saves. A character with the Survival skill may receive a bonus on this saving throw and might be able to apply this bonus to other characters as well (see the Survival skill in Using Skills). Characters reduced to unconsciousness begin taking lethal damage (1d4 points per each 10-minute period).
A character who takes any nonlethal damage from heat exposure now suffers from heatstroke and is fatigued. These penalties end when the character recovers from the nonlethal damage she took from the heat.
Any reason the party doesn't make use of:
Endure Elements
School abjuration; Level cleric 1, druid 1, paladin 1, ranger 1, sorcerer/wizard 1
Casting Time 1 standard action
Components V, S
Range touch
Target creature touched
Duration 24 hours
Saving Throw Will negates (harmless); Spell Resistance yes (harmless)
A creature protected by endure elements suffers no harm from being in a hot or cold environment. It can exist comfortably in conditions between –50 and 140 degrees Fahrenheit without having to make Fortitude saves. The creature's equipment is likewise protected.
Endure elements doesn't provide any protection from fire or cold damage, nor does it protect against other environmental hazards such as smoke, lack of air, and so forth.
Any reason the party doesn't make use of:
Endure Elements
Well, it does use 5 1st level spell slots, a not-inconsiderable resource drain, and requires casters that know the spell.
In any event, I'm less looking for answers to avoid the heat entirely, and more for more interesting systems to display it than "roll 24 Fort saves".
Well, it does use 5 1st level spell slots, a not-inconsiderable resource drain, and requires casters that know the spell.Any reason the party doesn't make use of:
Endure Elements
That's true, but having it as a 1st level spell for every class should defray that cost a little.
In any event, I'm less looking for answers to avoid the heat entirely, and more for more interesting systems to display it than "roll 24 Fort saves".
What LazarX touched on, I think, would/should work out. Give either save bonuses or the ability to put saves off for levels of preparation. Appropriate dress, properly cured and rationed food, picking best travel times, etc. The thing is, if you want the environment to play a factor somewhat then you probably don't want to take ALL of the teeth out of it.
Traveling through hot or cold environments involves a lot of Fort saves. A lot of Fort saves. While I like the flavour of getting fatigued and damaged while walking through the desert, it seems like the fun will be sucked out of it by getting the players to roll two dozen Fort saves a day.
Does anyone have any homebrew rules or suggestions for fun environmental travelling rules that might suit?
How about...
- Bitter cold / severe heat deal automatic damage, as per RaW.
- Fort save, rolled once at the beginning of day, provide a certain amount of damage reduction / energy resistance vs those attacks. You could event scale it, such as DC 15 Fort save = resist 1, DC 20 Fort = resist 2, DC 25 = resist 3 etc.
- Proper winter/desert gear, and survival skill either provide bonus on Fort save above, or provide an extra DR on their own in such ways that someone equipped for the environment, succeeding on Survival check and Fort save is virtually immune to environmental damage.
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Any reason the party doesn't make use of:
Endure Elements
Well, it does use 5 1st level spell slots, a not-inconsiderable resource drain, and requires casters that know the spell.
Well it's on these spell lists...
School abjuration; Level alchemist 1, cleric/oracle 1, druid 1, paladin 1, ranger 1, sorcerer/wizard 1, summoner 1; Domain sun 1
There isn't a spellcaster who doesn't have access to it, one way or another, save possibly the witch.