Eh, I stick to “video game rules” for the most part in my campaigns. This lets the party focus on the more game-y aspects of DnD instead of the simulation-like elements. Otherwise, it devolves into a game of “simon says”.
You didn’t mention anything about putting your armor back on before breakfast. You’ve been ambushed, you’re in your pajamas, and you’re not getting to those eggs before they get cold. Roll initiative.
I usually assume PCs did their mundane tasks that they should be used to, without needing the players to explicitly say so.
Unless the player says otherwise, they take the armor off to sleep (because the game poses a penalty if they sleep in armor) and they put it back again in the morning, in the same manner I’m assuming they drink water, stop to eat when they are traveling, and take care of their needs, without the players saying so.
DM: “So you’ve all been traveling for several weeks, anything you want to add about what you’ve been doing on the way?”
Player: “Uh, I spot check?”
DM, sighs, “Okay, roll for it.”
Player rolls an 18.
DM: “Along the way you notice the hidden chest and find a latrine shovel. Anything else you’re doing?”
Insert 5 minute argument that it should just be a normal shovel and therefore it shouldn’t be limited to just digging latrines.
DM: “Now that that’s settled, you can add your normal shovel that isn’t a latrine shovel but can still be used to dig latrines to your inventory and answer the question if there’s anything else you did, or maybe dug and then filled with something other than the dirt you just dug from it before filling it with the dirt you dug from it?”
Player: “Oh, I know! I listen! Uh I rolled a 6 :(”
DM: “You don’t hear anything and you all die from burst bladders and ruptured colons!”
Insert 5 minute argument about which one, since it was unlikely that each of their bladders and colons burst simultaneously.
This. Role-playing shouldn’t include the boring necessary activities unless they’re no longer boring.
If I wanted to run an ambush like that I’d have the players roll a generous save DC to see if they put their armor on already. Basically a DC 5, just to make it possible and maybe catch one party member for laughs. But not enough to be a serious barrier.
Exactly. I was asked by my players at campaign start what the rules were for food, encumbrance, etc. I basically said that as long as nothing was going on that was out of whack with reality, we’re not bothering with any of that. The only exception would be to avoid being game-breaking. Like traversing a desert on foot, I’d shift gears to track food and water. Or if they find a dragon’s treasure horde, we’re absolutely tracking encumbrance.
Eh, I stick to “video game rules” for the most part in my campaigns. This lets the party focus on the more game-y aspects of DnD instead of the simulation-like elements. Otherwise, it devolves into a game of “simon says”.
I usually assume PCs did their mundane tasks that they should be used to, without needing the players to explicitly say so.
Unless the player says otherwise, they take the armor off to sleep (because the game poses a penalty if they sleep in armor) and they put it back again in the morning, in the same manner I’m assuming they drink water, stop to eat when they are traveling, and take care of their needs, without the players saying so.
That’s just not the focus of the game
DM: “So you’ve all been traveling for several weeks, anything you want to add about what you’ve been doing on the way?”
Player: “Uh, I spot check?”
DM, sighs, “Okay, roll for it.”
Player rolls an 18.
DM: “Along the way you notice the hidden chest and find a latrine shovel. Anything else you’re doing?”
Insert 5 minute argument that it should just be a normal shovel and therefore it shouldn’t be limited to just digging latrines.
DM: “Now that that’s settled, you can add your normal shovel that isn’t a latrine shovel but can still be used to dig latrines to your inventory and answer the question if there’s anything else you did, or maybe dug and then filled with something other than the dirt you just dug from it before filling it with the dirt you dug from it?”
Player: “Oh, I know! I listen! Uh I rolled a 6 :(”
DM: “You don’t hear anything and you all die from burst bladders and ruptured colons!”
Insert 5 minute argument about which one, since it was unlikely that each of their bladders and colons burst simultaneously.
This. Role-playing shouldn’t include the boring necessary activities unless they’re no longer boring.
If I wanted to run an ambush like that I’d have the players roll a generous save DC to see if they put their armor on already. Basically a DC 5, just to make it possible and maybe catch one party member for laughs. But not enough to be a serious barrier.
Exactly. I was asked by my players at campaign start what the rules were for food, encumbrance, etc. I basically said that as long as nothing was going on that was out of whack with reality, we’re not bothering with any of that. The only exception would be to avoid being game-breaking. Like traversing a desert on foot, I’d shift gears to track food and water. Or if they find a dragon’s treasure horde, we’re absolutely tracking encumbrance.
MFW one of my players starts taking boards and wheel parts out of their bag of holding…
That’s a smart player. You wouldn’t believe what a parking space costs in Waterdeep.
It’s me, I’m that player
Honestly, if you can pull it off, I’d be happy to let you have it.
That’s why I always take prestidigitation, to reheat the eggs afterwards
I fully thought you were about to reveal some oldhead dnd hack where you can somehow don armor as a free action with prestidigitation