Herbie Murray
In the world of Dungeons and Dragons, keeping track of sleep is essential for players to function normally. A long rest of 8 hours is required for players to reset their daily abilities and resources. A short rest of an hour is also necessary for players to regain some of their hit points. Players can go on for many hours, but after a certain point, they get tired, and exhaustion kicks in. It is up to the Dungeon Master (DM) to determine how many hours the players can go without rest and how often they need to roll for exhaustion. The DM can guide the players by mentioning the global time or telling them how many hours they have traveled. Additionally, the DM can use the levels of exhaustion mechanic, where players make Constitution (CON) saving throws after a period of not sleeping. If the players go a day without a long rest, they make a CON save, starting at DC10, increasing by one for each day without sleep, and each failure results in a point of exhaustion.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Spell type | 1st-level enchantment spell |
| Spell casters | Wizards, bards |
| Spell effect | Sends creatures into a magical slumber |
| Spell duration | Up to 1 minute (10 rounds of combat) |
| Spell range | 90 feet |
| Spell target | Creatures within 20 feet of a chosen point |
| Spell casting | Roll 5d8, the total represents how many hit points of creatures the spell can affect |
| Spell immunity | Undead, creatures immune to being charmed |
| Spell level up | Roll an additional 2d8 for each slot level above 1st |
| Time tracking | In-game days, weeks, months |
| Exhaustion | Players can go for many hours without sleep, then exhaustion rolls kick in |
| Rations | PCs need 1 ration and 2 water skins per day to operate normally |
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What You'll Learn
Track time with distance movement
Tracking time with distance movement is an effective way to keep an account of time in D&D 5e. It is a great way to keep track of the time taken to travel from one place to another. This method is especially useful for long journeys or campaigns.
Firstly, it is important to note that every character and monster has a speed, which is the distance in feet that the character or monster can walk in 1 round. This number assumes short bursts of energetic movement in the midst of a life-threatening situation. The Travel Pace table is a great resource that determines how far a character or monster can move in a minute, an hour, or a day. It also takes into account the different paces at which the party can move and whether the pace has any effect. For example, a fast pace makes characters less perceptive, while a slow pace makes it possible to sneak around and search an area more carefully.
Additionally, it is important to consider the terrain being traversed. The travel speeds given in the Travel Pace table assume simple terrain like roads, open plains, or clear dungeon corridors. However, adventurers often encounter difficult terrain like dense forests, swamps, or mountains, which can slow them down. In such cases, the party would move at half speed, covering only half the normal distance in a minute, an hour, or a day.
Another aspect to consider is the use of mounts and vehicles, which can significantly impact travel time. For short spans of time, up to an hour, many animals can move much faster than humanoids. A mounted character can ride at a gallop for about an hour, covering twice the usual distance for a fast pace. Fresh mounts available at regular intervals can further increase travel distances, although this is more common in densely populated areas.
Finally, it is worth noting that the Dungeon Master (DM) can play a crucial role in summarizing the adventurers' movement without getting into the minutiae of exact distances or travel times. For example, the DM can describe the journey as "You travel through the forest and find the dungeon entrance late in the evening of the third day." This provides a sense of time passing without getting too bogged down in the specifics.
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Keep note of the time every 4-6 hours
Keeping track of time in D&D 5e is an important aspect of the game, especially when it comes to managing your players' hunger, thirst, and sleep cycles. While there may be no "one-size-fits-all" answer due to the vast possibilities in D&D, here are some tips to help you keep track of time, specifically noting the time every 4-6 hours:
Firstly, it is essential to determine the scale of time you want to track. Are you interested in keeping a tight schedule, down to the minute, or are you more concerned with a general sense of time passing? This decision will influence the methods you use to track time. For example, if you want to track time precisely, you might consider using a timer or stopwatch, whereas a general sense of time can be achieved through narrative cues and in-game events.
Noting the time every 4-6 hours is a practical and manageable approach. This method allows for a natural progression of time, mirroring the pace of the real world. Within this timeframe, a lot can happen in the game, and it provides a sense of continuity. For example, you can describe the passage of time by saying, "That took all morning; since I last told you," or "You're getting hungry; that all took 4 to 6 hours or something, and it's getting to be around noon now." This approach helps players immerse themselves in the game and adds a layer of realism to their decision-making.
Additionally, this 4-6 hour time-tracking method easily translates into longer periods. These blocks of time can quickly become days, and those days can accumulate into weeks, months, and even years if you are running a long-term campaign. This approach allows for the inclusion of ageing and the passage of time as factors in your game, adding depth to your players' experiences and the world they inhabit.
To further enhance your time-tracking, consider incorporating in-game events and milestones. For example, horses travelling 20 miles per day might leave town early, around 5 or 6 am, and cover 10 miles by noon. This provides a sense of time passing and helps players understand the pace of their journey. Similarly, you can estimate the time spent in different rooms of a dungeon based on whether they encounter fights or simply ransack the room. By combining these narrative cues with your 4-6 hour time blocks, you create a comprehensive sense of time passing in your game.
In conclusion, noting the time every 4-6 hours is a straightforward and effective method for keeping track of time in D&D 5e. It provides a framework that can be easily expanded upon to create a dynamic and immersive experience for your players, where their decisions and actions exist within a believable and evolving world.
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Understand how exhaustion works
Exhaustion is a condition in D&D 5e that has multiple levels of severity, ranging from level 1 to level 6. Each time a character is subjected to the Exhausted Condition, they gain one level of exhaustion. Here are the effects of each level of exhaustion:
- Level 1: The character has a disadvantage on all ability checks. This means they must roll 2d20s instead of 1 and take the lower result, making them less likely to succeed.
- Level 2: The character's speed is halved.
- Level 3: The character has a disadvantage on attack rolls and saving throws.
- Level 4: The character's hit point maximum is halved.
- Level 5: The character's speed is reduced to zero.
- Level 6: Death.
It's important to note that exhaustion can be removed by taking a long rest. A long rest typically lasts for 8 hours, and it will reduce one level of exhaustion. Additionally, the Greater Restoration spell can be used to remove one level of exhaustion. This spell is available to clerics, bards, druids, artificers, and warlocks with a Celestial patron.
Some DMs may also implement homebrew rules for exhaustion, such as adding a level of exhaustion after a character wakes up from being unconscious. It's important to discuss any house rules with your group before implementing them.
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Know how much food/water the group has
Keeping track of food and water in D&D 5e is important, especially in environments where survival is a key part of the gameplay. In such scenarios, it is essential to know how much food and water the group has to prevent them from running out and facing the consequences of exhaustion or starvation.
Typically, a character needs one pound of food and one gallon of water per day. This can be simplified by assuming that each day's worth of rations weighs five pounds, with food accounting for one pound and water for four pounds. It is also worth noting that water can be particularly heavy, with one gallon weighing eight pounds.
Some groups may choose to combine food and water into a single unit called a "ration" to simplify tracking. Alternatively, players can manage their food and water on their character sheets, while the Dungeon Master (DM) keeps track of time and informs them of the number of days passed. This approach can help players focus on the adventure without becoming overwhelmed by micromanaging every detail.
In certain situations, the availability of food and water may become scarce, and tracking consumption becomes crucial. For example, during a trek across a desert or when the characters are locked up in a prison with limited supplies, the group must carefully consider when and how much to eat and drink. In such cases, the DM can introduce alternatives for the group to gather food and water, such as hunting or foraging.
Additionally, the presence of magic or specific character backgrounds, such as the Outlander or a Druid with Goodberry, can eliminate the need for strict ration tracking. These abilities can provide an unlimited supply of food and water, reducing the survival aspect of the game. However, it is up to the DM to decide whether these abilities affect the availability of food and water in their campaign.
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Make a chart of when players eat/drink
Keeping track of when your players eat and drink can be an important aspect of immersion in D&D 5e. It is up to the Dungeon Master (DM) to decide whether to include this level of detail, as it may slow down gameplay.
If you decide to include eating and drinking in your campaign, you can make a chart to keep track of when players eat and drink. This chart can include columns for the following:
- Time of Day: You can use this column to note the time of day that players eat and drink, which can help you keep track of time in your campaign. For example, you can note that players ate lunch at noon.
- Meal: In this column, you can note what meal the players are eating, such as breakfast, lunch, dinner, or a snack.
- Food Consumed: Here, you can describe the food that the players are consuming. This can be as simple or detailed as you like. For example, "porridge with fruit and nuts" or hard rations.
- Water Consumed: In this column, you can note how much water the players have consumed. In D&D 5e, a character needs to drink at least one litre of water per day to stave off dehydration, but this requirement doubles if the character engages in strenuous activity.
- Hunting/Foraging: You can use this column to note any hunting or foraging activities that the players engage in to supplement their food and water supplies.
By using a chart like this, you can keep track of your players' eating and drinking habits in a structured and organised way. This can help with immersion and world-building, as well as providing opportunities for role-playing and character development. For example, players might choose to splurge on an expensive meal at a fancy restaurant after a successful adventure, or they might need to hunt and forage for food if they are stranded in the wilderness.
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Frequently asked questions
Keeping track of time in D&D 5e can be done by noting the time every 4 to 6 hours. This can be done by stating something like "That took all morning" or "You're getting hungry; it's been about 4 to 6 hours and it's getting to be around noon now".
Your players can go on for many hours, but after a certain point, they will get tired and exhaustion will kick in. It is up to you to determine how many hours your players can go without sleep and how often you want to roll for exhaustion. You can guide your players by mentioning the global time, such as "it's now late afternoon", or by telling them how many hours they have travelled.
Determine how much food and water your group is travelling with and manage this supply communally. PCs need to consume 1 ration and 2 water skins per day to operate normally. If your party is unable to take an 8-hour rest, make a tally mark somewhere. All PCs with a CON modifier less than your number of tally marks take a point of exhaustion.
If your players go a day without taking a long rest, have them make a CON save, starting at DC10 and increasing by one for each consecutive day without sleep. Each failed save results in a point of exhaustion.
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