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So these food items are described as . . .
A field ration is prepackaged food that can easily sustain you but lacks flavor and visual appeal. Field rations generally consist of chewy, brownish blocks of processed nutrients, which contain enough moisture to provide a day’s worth of water intake. While it is possible to survive for weeks on nothing but field rations, it’s not a pleasant experience.
1/week bulk, 1/week price.
and
These self-contained “Ready-to-Eat” pouches contain a day’s worth of nourishing entrees and side dishes, plus a portable snack or dessert. Each R2E also includes disposable utensils, a single-use flameless ration heater, and an accessory pack containing breath freshener, a disposable cup, a napkin, seasonings, and drink powder. Each R2E has a shelf life of one century, and the pouch is made of a durable, easy-seal material.
1 price, L
So am I correct in understanding this means . . .
Field rations cost 1 bulk per week of rations, are terrible to eat and each block supplies a day's worth of calories, nutrients and water for average use i.e not treking through a jungle or the like.
R2E's have no light bulk so 10 of them is 1 bulk, are theoretcially nice to eat and flavoured drinks but NO water so you need to find that elsewhere and are more expensive at 1 per R2E? or do they actually come with a day's water as well?
So these food items are described as . . .
A field ration is prepackaged food that can easily sustain you but lacks flavor and visual appeal. Field rations generally consist of chewy, brownish blocks of processed nutrients, which contain enough moisture to provide a day’s worth of water intake. While it is possible to survive for weeks on nothing but field rations, it’s not a pleasant experience.
1/week bulk, 1/week price.
and
These self-contained “Ready-to-Eat” pouches contain a day’s worth of nourishing entrees and side dishes, plus a portable snack or dessert. Each R2E also includes disposable utensils, a single-use flameless ration heater, and an accessory pack containing breath freshener, a disposable cup, a napkin, seasonings, and drink powder. Each R2E has a shelf life of one century, and the pouch is made of a durable, easy-seal material.
1 price, L
So am I correct in understanding this means . . .
Field rations cost 1 bulk per week of rations, are terrible to eat and each block supplies a day's worth of calories, nutrients and water for average use i.e not treking through a jungle or the like.
R2E's have no light bulk so 10 of them is 1 bulk, are theoretcially nice to eat and flavoured drinks but NO water so you need to find that elsewhere and are more expensive at 1 per R2E? or do they actually come with a day's water as well?
A couple of points.
R2E's have light bulk.
There are no activity restrictions listed with eating field rations, So yes you could eat field rations and trek through the jungle or the like, although it certainly would be somewhat miserable.
Other than that you are spot on. A better name for field rations would be emergency food bars as R2E's actually are field rations.
Looking at today's emergency food bars they don't appear to provide hydration, but are non-thirst provoking.
Looking at todays R2E's they definitely do not come with water.
R2Es are MREs.
The field rations are closer to the emergency nutrition blocks you might find on Amazon or such places.
The field rations do seem to include enough water, are cheaper, and slightly heavier (10L makes 1 bulk).
From a mechanical perspective it's probably better to just by the field rations. If you want to be a gourmand while in the field then the R2Es might be the way to go.
I mean, if you're high enough level you just have a bag of holding I mean Null Space Chamber.
It would be pretty easy for a party to buy one collectively if they knew they were going to need it by level 3. Assuming you were on Absalom station you could buy it at level 3 and would cost 4 people 763 credits. Well worth it for a trek into a barren area without food or water.
Well as an oops in the equipment tables you can't actually buy water.
And since water is not in the equipment table there is no bulk rating.
So a gallon of water weighs al little over 8 pounds so .8 bulk.
The thirst rules state you need a gallon of water (liquids)per day to prevent dehydration.
Without a null space chamber it is pretty difficult to haul enough water for a trek of longer than 1 day due to bulk.
I realize as a GM I need to do a better job of tacking this both in terms of weight and compliance.
Also would you consider adding higher tech liquids that provide more hydration for the bulk?
Something like: Enhanced Hydration Fluid Tech Level 4 (??) 150CR (??) gain all the benefits of a gallon of water in a handy half gallon (or less) package.
Something to think about.
Well as an oops in the equipment tables you can't actually buy water.
And since water is not in the equipment table there is no bulk rating.
So a gallon of water weighs al little over 8 pounds so .8 bulk.
The thirst rules state you need a gallon of water (liquids)per day to prevent dehydration.
Without a null space chamber it is pretty difficult to haul enough water for a trek of longer than 1 day due to bulk.
I realize as a GM I need to do a better job of tacking this both in terms of weight and compliance.
Also would you consider adding higher tech liquids that provide more hydration for the bulk?
Something like: Enhanced Hydration Fluid Tech Level 4 (??) 150CR (??) gain all the benefits of a gallon of water in a handy half gallon (or less) package.
Something to think about.
Meh, I'd just homebrew up a L bulk water purifier pump for a few dozen credits. Then say survival rations include some iodine tablet type things, so if you can find water, you can purify it.
I think that scenario is more rare than you might think, and more likely, the PCs have an opportunity to prepare. There should be no reason for players to carry extra null space chambers full of water out of paranoia.
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I think that scenario is more rare than you might think, and more likely, the PCs have an opportunity to prepare. There should be no reason for players to carry extra null space chambers full of water out of paranoia.
Which is why a weeks ration bars makes sense in the emergency supplies. Food, water, ligthweight and long shelf life.
I think that scenario is more rare than you might think, and more likely, the PCs have an opportunity to prepare. There should be no reason for players to carry extra null space chambers full of water out of paranoia.Which is why a weeks ration bars makes sense in the emergency supplies. Food, water, ligthweight and long shelf life.
Agreed. You buy a week, maybe two weeks worth of rations. You might not enjoy it, but you have food and water in a 1 bulk package.
There's really no mechanical drawback to the rations, just that they're less pleasant to consume.
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It makes it sound like they include dehydrated water though...
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It makes it sound like they include dehydrated water though...
I think it's just that the nutrition block is very...moist.
Most people actually get a large amount of their water intake from eating food and not drinking.
Or maybe it's not a block but like a nutrient paste slurry.
Maybe it's soylent green.
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It makes it sound like they include dehydrated water though...I think it's just that the nutrition block is very...moist.
Most people actually get a large amount of their water intake from eating food and not drinking.
Or maybe it's not a block but like a nutrient paste slurry.
Maybe it's soylent green.
Maybe. The issue with dehydrated water is two fold first whats left when you do that and second how do you rehydrate it without more water? I too see the block as moist or with a liquid core.
That’s why I buy my characters clear spindle Ioun Stones or Rings of Sustenance. No more worries about food or water. Unless the GM is really evil and puts the party in an anti magic field.
So the problem there is that you're limited to two magic items...and spending one of them on food and water...is kind of lame.
So the problem there is that you're limited to two magic items...and spending one of them on food and water...is kind of lame.
The Ioun stone is not worn so it is does not count against the two magic items worn limit.
That's a good point that I forgot.
It's a undead plot to fill the whole galaxy with ioun stones that negate the need for food and water. And once everyone has one, and the galaxy decides that food is only for enjoyment and production is scaled down to a point where food is only consumed as a luxury....that's when the undead undo their magic and cause all of the ioun stones to stop working. There's not enough time to create food for everyone. Trillions will die, or give themselves over to the undead to be turned.
The ultimate undead goal, to turn everyone in the universe undead.
Why would you have the machines to do it en masse when the galaxy hasn't needed food (except for pleasure) for 1000 years? This is a long term secret plan of the Undead, they have time and patience on their side.
Sure, there will be some food available, but not enough for the whole galaxy.
Edit: Also, if it's unclear I'm just being silly with a hypothetical that has no real basis in any lore known to me in the Starfinder universe, except that the Corpsefleet exists and wants to either kill or convert everyone to Undead and iou stones exist and unless destroyed could sustain a person for life.