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Flickerdart
2008-12-23, 07:54 PM
A totally strange and tangential train of thought had got me wondering. A usual Adventurer's diet consists of little more than potions and Heroes' Feasts. The Feasts, obviously, don't come in until later, but the potions go 1-20. Could it be possible for a person to subsist on potions alone?
Sure, you might say, it's just like medicine. But it really isn't, since there's still the liquid, and after all, look at the material components for some of those spells! The heart of a bull (Bull's Strength) should be worth something all in itself.

So, without further ado, discuss. A diet of potions: y/n?

Copacetic
2008-12-23, 08:00 PM
It would slow down starvation, but I think it would eventually get you.

Fax Celestis
2008-12-23, 08:01 PM
Drink potions of create food and water?

Glyphic
2008-12-23, 08:01 PM
In some old-school dungeon crawls, Like "Eye of the Beholder" There are potions of Sustenance that keep your food meter from dropping- but they never replenish it.

Flickerdart
2008-12-23, 08:03 PM
Drink potions of create food and water?
Can you make that into a potion? I don't think it qualifies.

Dogmantra
2008-12-23, 08:03 PM
Potions are made of pretty much water and distilled magic.
The magic's got to do something, if I had to, I'd rule that potions can stop you from losing more nutrients (I don't know, the magic makes your metabolism go funny) but can't replace any lost nutrients i.e. Potions can't fill you up, but stop you getting hungrier.

tahu88810
2008-12-23, 08:05 PM
Well it depends on the ingredients needed.

Also, I'm pretty sure bull heart ground up till it turns to liquid would taste absolutely horrid.

Fax Celestis
2008-12-23, 08:08 PM
Can you make that into a potion? I don't think it qualifies.

It doesn't, but who cares? The idea of Willy-Wonka-ing an entire meal into a 1oz vial is hilarious. "Mmm! Blueberry pie!"

Deth Muncher
2008-12-23, 08:11 PM
It doesn't, but who cares? The idea of Willy-Wonka-ing an entire meal into a 1oz vial is hilarious. "Mmm! Blueberry pie!"

Oh lord. You'd have to roll the d% every time, and on a 5 or lower, you'd start swelling with juice...and it's so hard to find Oompa Loompas to juice you when you need it...

Inyssius Tor
2008-12-23, 08:12 PM
I think that if you tried to subsist entirely on massive amounts of bull's strength potion, no matter how nutritious they are, you would end up some sort of hulking, ravenous minotaur-thing. A gekido no oni, perhaps. Or a kind of unstable and very hungry deathless, if you started chugging healing potions.

Fax Celestis
2008-12-23, 08:13 PM
Oh lord. You'd have to roll the d% every time, and on a 5 or lower, you'd start swelling with juice...and it's so hard to find Oompa Loompas to juice you when you need it...

Pshaw. Oompa Loompas are just halflings that look like Deep Roy. Also, bigby's crushing hand does juicing quite nicely, I hear.

Asheram
2008-12-23, 08:13 PM
Well... No.
According to the DM manual on potions and oils: "A typical potion or oil consists of 1 ounce of liquid"

It's just too little for the human body to survive on. Especially since the ones drinking potions are often the melee characters, which are dependant on high-energy foodstuffs.

An ordinary human requires about 200-300g of nutrients per meal, note that an ordinary human is roughly the equivalent of an adventuring spellcaster, not too much heavy lifting and mostly travel, but still.
(Note, this is the amount required for a healthy person, not sure about the absolute minimum, but still, that'd take a Lot of potions. Buy a Everlasting rations instead. 350gp and a Lot cheaper than all those potions)

ericgrau
2008-12-23, 08:15 PM
No. The weight of silver in holy water, for example, weighs much more than a flask of holy water. And no silver is salvageable after the flask shatters. The material components are consumed when the potion is made. Besides that, potions come in tiny vials of negligible weight. There's not enough to support anyone even if it was nutritional. Lastly, nutritional things rot, potions don't. I'd put the nutritional value of a potion somewhere in the neighborhood of a shot glass of water or mildly flavored water.

Inyssius Tor
2008-12-23, 08:17 PM
I think that if you tried to subsist entirely on massive amounts of bull's strength potion, no matter how nutritious they are, you would end up some sort of hulking, ravenous minotaur-thing. A gekido no oni, perhaps. Or a kind of unstable and very hungry deathless, if you started chugging healing potions.

... and for this reason alone, I would totally let a player try it.

Deth Muncher
2008-12-23, 08:18 PM
Pshaw. Oompa Loompas are just halflings that look like Deep Roy. Also, bigby's crushing hand does juicing quite nicely, I hear.

But how will you learn your lesson about not being a glutton if orange halflings don't sing to you about it?

Oh. Oh dear lord. Now I have the urge to make a bunch of orange-skinned green-haired halfling bards to show up when players make mistakes and then sing about their faults...

Fax Celestis
2008-12-23, 08:20 PM
But how will you learn your lesson about not being a glutton if orange halflings don't sing to you about it?

Oh. Oh dear lord. Now I have the urge to make a bunch of orange-skinned green-haired halfling bards to show up when players make mistakes and then sing about their faults...

YES!

"Oompa. Loompa. Doopity doo.
Trolls have regeneration, that's crappy for you.
Oompa. Loompa. Doopity dee.
Try some fire or acid. They'll burn, you'll see."

Deth Muncher
2008-12-23, 08:22 PM
200-300g of nutrients per meal

Sorry, I call BS on this. The 3.5 PHB lists that the price of a banquet (per person) is 10g. I mean, I realize that's at a banquet and all, but I seriously doubt that you'd be able to turn 10g into 300g's worth of feasting upon foodstuffs.


YES!

"Oompa. Loompa. Doopity doo.
Trolls have regeneration, that's crappy for you.
Oompa. Loompa. Doopity dee.
Try some fire or acid. They'll burn, you'll see."

Deep Voiced Halfling: They'll burn you see!

Wow.

We're terrible people.

Copacetic
2008-12-23, 08:25 PM
YES!

"Oompa. Loompa. Doopity doo.
Trolls have regeneration, that's crappy for you.
Oompa. Loompa. Doopity dee.
Try some fire or acid. They'll burn, you'll see."

Have an Internet, My good Sir. You certainly deserve it. THat is ten kinds of win.

Inyssius Tor
2008-12-23, 08:25 PM
Sorry, I call BS on this. The 3.5 PHB lists that the price of a banquet (per person) is 10g. I mean, I realize that's at a banquet and all, but I seriously doubt that you'd be able to turn 10g into 300g's worth of feasting upon foodstuffs.

Grams. Not goldpice.

Inhuman Bot
2008-12-23, 08:28 PM
YES!

"Oompa. Loompa. Doopity doo.
Trolls have regeneration, that's crappy for you.
Oompa. Loompa. Doopity dee.
Try some fire or acid. They'll burn, you'll see."

That is epicly hillarious to me.:smallbiggrin:

Mind if I quote it?

Fax Celestis
2008-12-23, 08:28 PM
That is epicly hillarious to me.:smallbiggrin:

Mind if I quote it?

Go right ahead.

Malacode
2008-12-23, 08:29 PM
:derail: What would be some other adventure appropriate songs the halflings Ooompa-Loomaps could sing?

Asheram
2008-12-23, 08:33 PM
Sorry, I call BS on this. The 3.5 PHB lists that the price of a banquet (per person) is 10g. I mean, I realize that's at a banquet and all, but I seriously doubt that you'd be able to turn 10g into 300g's worth of feasting upon foodstuffs.


As Inyssius Tor said, I meant grams.

Thurbane
2008-12-23, 08:36 PM
Halflings with dyed green hair and bad fake tans?

Which reminds me, as soon as the player in my group with the Deep Dwarf realized they usually have red hair, he decided his character was Yosemite Sam. :smalltongue:

golentan
2008-12-23, 08:37 PM
Oompa loompa doopity doo.
Check the door for traps before you go through.
Oompa loompa doopity dee.
Or there will be CON damage for thee.

Edit: Of course, I think we're entirely overlooking the comedic possibilities of Grunka-Lunkas. After all, when they show up a slug demon in a purple suit can shout at them that they used up their bathroom break for the day. And they're allowed to be a lot more ridiculous with their rhymes (Grunka lunka dunkadingredient, you should not ask bout the secret ingredient)

Fax Celestis
2008-12-23, 08:42 PM
:derail: What would be some other adventure appropriate songs the halflings Ooompa-Loomaps could sing?

"Oompa. Loompa. Doopity dee.
The wizard's crazy and on a killing spree.
Oompa. Loompa. Doopity die.
The fighter's screwed cuz he cannot fly.
Oompa. Loompa. Doopity dide.
We recommend that you run and hide.
Just like the oompa loompa doompa doopity do!"

Assassin89
2008-12-23, 08:48 PM
*stabs Oompa-Loompas*

That song was beginning to bother me. Potions probably do not contain any nutrients because most humanoids could not subsist on magic alone unless it is provided by a ring of sustenance.

Fax Celestis
2008-12-23, 08:52 PM
Oompa...loompa...*cough* doopity dell...
Assassin 89...*wheeze* is going to hell.
Oompa...loompa...doopity dread...
*cough* Now the Oompa Loompa are doopity...dead. *collapse*

Artanis
2008-12-23, 09:11 PM
How long can Red Bull keep people going IRL? Because I figure that a Potion of Haste would have a similar effect :smalltongue:

monty
2008-12-23, 09:24 PM
How long can Red Bull keep people going IRL? Because I figure that a Potion of Haste would have a similar effect :smalltongue:

Not a potion of Fly?

Rei_Jin
2008-12-23, 09:34 PM
I second the vote for the Grunka Lunkas. Far more amusing.

Grey Watcher
2008-12-23, 09:35 PM
Oompa loompa doopity doo.
Check the door for traps before you go through.
Oompa loompa doopity dee.
Or there will be CON damage for thee.

Edit: Of course, I think we're entirely overlooking the comedic possibilities of Grunka-Lunkas. After all, when they show up a slug demon in a purple suit can shout at them that they used up their bathroom break for the day. And they're allowed to be a lot more ridiculous with their rhymes (Grunka lunka dunkadingredient, you should not ask bout the secret ingredient)

So... does that mean that when the Paladin falls or your aligntment shifts, you get Chumba Wumbas? Y'know, same thing, only less helpful and more arbitrary?

Collin152
2008-12-23, 09:56 PM
Not a potion of Fly?
Nah.
Gotta be more of a Polymorph effect.
Because Redbull™ gives you Wiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiings!

Also, people, we need to make a Wonka setting now. Some kind of insane Wizard with his enslaved horde of Hafling Bards... with a Hive-Mind...

Deth Muncher
2008-12-23, 09:58 PM
Grams. Not goldpice.

Ah, good catch sir. ::facepalm:: I'll just go now...

Starscream
2008-12-23, 09:58 PM
Oompa Loompa Doompity Doo
I'd stay in character if I were you
Oompa Loompa Doompity Day
Else rocks will fall for a TPK

What do you get when you break the fourth wall?
Your DM starts plotting revenge on you all.
Your character's an orc with an int score of six.
He shouldn't know such advanced physics.

Shut up and make a reflex save!

Ooompa Loompa Doompity Dame
Playing your role is the name of the game
Oompa Loompa Doompity Dotes
And quit with the frigging Holy Grail quotes

Deth Muncher
2008-12-23, 10:00 PM
So... does that mean that when the Paladin falls or your aligntment shifts, you get Chumba Wumbas? Y'know, same thing, only less helpful and more arbitrary?

As in, they get knocked down, but they get up again, you're never gonna keep them down?

Thurbane
2008-12-23, 10:03 PM
How long can Red Bull keep people going IRL? Because I figure that a Potion of Haste would have a similar effect :smalltongue:
There was a guy at my friend's gym who drank something ridiculous like 20 Red Bulls a day. While he was doing weights, his collarbone snapped. He went to the hospital, where tests found all of his bones were extremely deteriorated (almost like osteoperosis) from the massive intake of caffeine and other chemicals he was getting every day. :smalleek:

Deth Muncher
2008-12-23, 10:05 PM
There was a guy at my friend's gym who drank something ridiculous like 20 Red Bulls a day. While he was doing weights, his collarbone snapped. He went to the hospital, where tests found all of his bones were extremely deteriorated (almost like osteoperosis) from the massive intake of caffeine and other chemicals he was getting every day. :smalleek:

Sigh. Effin' Jagerbombs. Good to know Red Bull will kill you though. You learn something every day here in the playground. And knowing's half the battle! Thanks G.I. Joe Thurbane!

Assassin89
2008-12-23, 10:09 PM
Oh great, more off-topic discussion.
*Summons Odin from Final Fantasy*
Zantetsuken!

I doubt any potion can provide the necessary vitamins and minerals necessary from survival. Potions also do not provide fats, sugars, or proteins.

Collin152
2008-12-23, 10:11 PM
I doubt any potion can provide the necessary vitamins and minerals necessary from survival. Potions also do not provide fats, sugars, or proteins.

Really? Let's run it through the... gaschromaticgraph... spectroscope... analiticizer... run it through the labs, boys, run it through the labs!

RTGoodman
2008-12-23, 10:15 PM
Edit: Of course, I think we're entirely overlooking the comedic possibilities of Grunka-Lunkas.

No, we're not. Tell your grunka-lunkas that I hate them.


In other news, there are some SIMILAR rules out there you might look at if you wanted to figure out how a person surviving on potions and spells would turn out. Heroes of Horror, I think, has some stuff about what happens when you get resurrected or are exposed to healing magic too much. I think there's some setting where the later (too much healing magic) effects characters, but I can't think of what it is.

Also, there's a chart somewhere on potion miscibility, which was originally supposed to be an April Fools joke, but we actually used it seriously in one campaign. It's basically various effects that happen if you drink two potions at the same time, based on a d% roll. Sometimes the potions cancel each other out, sometimes they INCREASE each others' effectiveness, and occasionally (on a 100 on the d%), you just explode. :smalleek::smallbiggrin:

Yukitsu
2008-12-23, 10:16 PM
So would a potion of Tenser's transformation be a can of brawndo? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tbxq0IDqD04

I can imagine a hyperadvanced magical society replacing all the water with brawndo, thus dooming the populace to complete and utter, well, idiocracy.

Starscream
2008-12-23, 10:17 PM
Also, there's a chart somewhere on potion miscibility, which was originally supposed to be an April Fools joke, but we actually used it seriously in one campaign. It's basically various effects that happen if you drink two potions at the same time, based on a d% roll. Sometimes the potions cancel each other out, sometimes they INCREASE each others' effectiveness, and occasionally (on a 100 on the d%), you just explode. :smalleek::smallbiggrin:

That sounds fun on an epic level. Where can a guy like me witness such a miracle?

Deth Muncher
2008-12-23, 10:20 PM
No, we're not. Tell your grunka-lunkas that I hate them.


In other news, there are some SIMILAR rules out there you might look at if you wanted to figure out how a person surviving on potions and spells would turn out. Heroes of Horror, I think, has some stuff about what happens when you get resurrected or are exposed to healing magic too much. I think there's some setting where the later (too much healing magic) effects characters, but I can't think of what it is.

Also, there's a chart somewhere on potion miscibility, which was originally supposed to be an April Fools joke, but we actually used it seriously in one campaign. It's basically various effects that happen if you drink two potions at the same time, based on a d% roll. Sometimes the potions cancel each other out, sometimes they INCREASE each others' effectiveness, and occasionally (on a 100 on the d%), you just explode. :smalleek::smallbiggrin:

Was there just one April Fool's edition of Dragon Magazine with all these silly things like Potion Miscibility and Chicken Infested Commoners? [/derail]

Back on topic though, I could see there being specific potions made. Instead of, say, Potion of Sustenence, it could be dehydrated rations. For example, sprinkle some powder inside this vial, then chug quickly. Insta-dinner!

The Glyphstone
2008-12-23, 10:34 PM
So would a potion of Tenser's transformation be a can of brawndo? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tbxq0IDqD04

I can imagine a hyperadvanced magical society replacing all the water with brawndo, thus dooming the populace to complete and utter, well, idiocracy.

No, Tenser's Transformation would contain POWERTHIRST!" (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qRuNxHqwazs)

RTGoodman
2008-12-23, 10:44 PM
That sounds fun on an epic level. Where can a guy like me witness such a miracle?


Was there just one April Fool's edition of Dragon Magazine with all these silly things like Potion Miscibility and Chicken Infested Commoners? [/derail]

Actually, it was on the WotC website. You can still check it out HERE (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/dnd/20060401b), though it has the big April Fools title at the top. :smallfrown: Also, I was wrong - you explode on a 01 on the d% - a 100 yields a "discovery" wherein one of the potions' effects becomes permanent, which is pretty cool. It's a shame though, in the campaign we used it in, that the only character that took the chance (me, when my Half-Red Dragon Kobold Warrior//Paladin of Tyranny was the only PC still up during a fight vs. a Gnome fire-based Evoker) rolled the most boring result (that both just work normally).

RS14
2008-12-24, 12:16 AM
In NetHack, a potion of fruit juice has nutrition equal to 1/40th of a food ration. This seems a reasonable base.

amanamana
2008-12-24, 12:24 AM
Lastly, nutritional things rot, potions don't.

Not necessarily, as far as we know, honey do not rot. Archeologists found pots filled with honey inside some pyramids and tombs, that were closed for some thousands of years, and it was still consumable. A bit dry, but still consumable.

And now you know...:smallwink:

Deth Muncher
2008-12-24, 12:38 AM
Not necessarily, as far as we know, honey do not rot. Archeologists found pots filled with honey inside some pyramids and tombs, that were closed for some thousands of years, and it was still consumable. A bit dry, but still consumable.

And now you know...:smallwink:

And knowings...oh screw it, it's only funny once.

Starscream
2008-12-24, 12:39 AM
Not necessarily, as far as we know, honey do not rot. Archeologists found pots filled with honey inside some pyramids and tombs, that were closed for some thousands of years, and it was still consumable. A bit dry, but still consumable.

I actually learned that from a cartoon. Sherlock Holmes' body had been kept in a casket filled with honey. Because it doesn't rot he was perfectly preserved and they could resurrect him in the 22nd century.

Hmmm ... maybe some variant on Gentle Repose that uses honey and lasts indefinitely. Like a metamagic component that increases the duration to "permanent".

Hal
2008-12-24, 12:42 AM
Also, people, we need to make a Wonka setting now. Some kind of insane Wizard with his enslaved horde of Hafling Bards... with a Hive-Mind...

Well, there was the guy making the Elemental Plane of Candy. Check the homebrew forum.

Deth Muncher
2008-12-24, 12:43 AM
Well, there was the guy making the Elemental Plane of Candy. Check the homebrew forum.

Oh, no no. It was actually published in the Portable Hole Full of Beer series.

vicente408
2008-12-24, 12:45 AM
In other news, there are some SIMILAR rules out there you might look at if you wanted to figure out how a person surviving on potions and spells would turn out. Heroes of Horror, I think, has some stuff about what happens when you get resurrected or are exposed to healing magic too much. I think there's some setting where the later (too much healing magic) effects characters, but I can't think of what it is.

Could you be thinking of the Whitelight Shakes? From Silverclawshift's homebrew setting?

RTGoodman
2008-12-24, 01:03 AM
Could you be thinking of the Whitelight Shakes? From Silverclawshift's homebrew setting?

Oh, hey, yeah, you're right! HERE (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showpost.php?p=3098490&postcount=77)'s the link (from Silverclawshift's group's Dustlands setting) for anyone interested. I still think Heroes of Horror has rules/info on too much resurrection or general ways in which resurrection could go wrong. I think you could rig something similar for potion-addicted adventurers.

Starscream
2008-12-24, 01:45 AM
I have in the past played a (low magic) campaign in which magic potions were contraband and sold as drugs. Haste was the equivalent of speed, Bulls Strength was like a steroid, etc. Even healing potions were highly illegal because only one religion was permitted in the town, and the clerics felt that using magic to heal was blasphemy (while nevertheless curing the rich for a high fee).

All this meant that in order to go adventuring we basically had to engage in a drug deal.

Most of them were addictive and had side effects too. You had to make a fort save every time you drank a potion, or risk addiction. Cat's Grace had the coolest side effect; you'd basically risk melting into an ooze if you took too much.

Waspinator
2008-12-24, 02:49 AM
Oompa loompa doopity dobold
What do you expect from a Kobold?
Oompa loompa doopity ducker.
Maybe you should talk to Tucker.
Oompa loompa doopity dun
Now, if you'll excuse me I have to run!

Ascension
2008-12-24, 03:02 AM
Also, there's a chart somewhere on potion miscibility, which was originally supposed to be an April Fools joke, but we actually used it seriously in one campaign. It's basically various effects that happen if you drink two potions at the same time, based on a d% roll. Sometimes the potions cancel each other out, sometimes they INCREASE each others' effectiveness, and occasionally (on a 100 on the d%), you just explode. :smalleek::smallbiggrin:

Err, wasn't that CORE in 2E? Of course 2E also had potentially disastrous side effects for a lot of magic, so I guess it's par for the course...

Devils_Advocate
2008-12-24, 03:25 AM
Cleric General's Warning: Excessive ingestion of magic potions may be hazardous to your health.


I think that if you tried to subsist entirely on massive amounts of bull's strength potion, no matter how nutritious they are, you would end up some sort of hulking, ravenous minotaur-thing. A gekido no oni, perhaps. Or a kind of unstable and very hungry deathless, if you started chugging healing potions.
"I’m… well, I’m actually fully human. I’m majoring in martial combat. An interesting fact about me? You know how oil of stoneskin has a warning label that says it’s not a contraceptive? My parents are the reason."
- "Rocky", Tales of MU


What do you get when you break the fourth wall?
Your DM starts plotting revenge on you all.
Your character's an orc with an int score of six.
He shouldn't know such advanced physics.
Hahahahaha! :smallbiggrin: Oh, wow, I loved this one.


I have in the past played a (low magic) campaign in which magic potions were contraband and sold as drugs.

“Thanks,” she said, stepping inside. “I couldn’t stay in my room any longer… Celia’s really creeping me out today.”

“What’s she doing?”

“I don’t know what the hell she’s been taking, but she is completely stoned right now,” Feejee said.

“Really?”

“Yeah, really. If she hasn’t turned back by tomorrow, I might need your help carrying her to the healing center,” Feejee said. “I tried shifting her a little and she weighs a ton. It’s some kind of granite, I think.”
- Tales of MU again

Simanos
2008-12-24, 09:35 AM
Here's the AD&D rules for Potion Compatibility:
http://www.coryj.net/CoreRule/corerule.php?page=DD00702.htm

and the 3rd edition semi-joke for April's fool:
http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/dnd/20060401b

Hal
2008-12-24, 10:48 AM
Oh, no no. It was actually published in the Portable Hole Full of Beer series.

I'm sure it was, but he was wanting to flesh it out (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=97038&highlight=candy) for his game.

Deth Muncher
2008-12-24, 12:28 PM
I'm sure it was, but he was wanting to flesh it out (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=97038&highlight=candy) for his game.

Ah, good catch!

Kroy
2008-12-24, 12:37 PM
"Oompa. Loompa. Doopity doo.
Trolls have regeneration, that's crappy for you.
Oompa. Loompa. Doopity dee.
Try some fire or acid. They'll burn, you'll see."

Sig'd:smalltongue:

Dervag
2008-12-24, 02:03 PM
I agree with some of the people here that potions have very little nutritional value. If they do have nutritional value, then trying to live on them should turn you into a warped freak of nature because of all the magic in your diet.

my_evil_twin
2008-12-24, 03:33 PM
I imagine that living on potions would be comparable to living on airline-sized bottles of liquor. Booze is made from stuff you might eat, and has calories, but I'm not sure anything besides beer has enough to take the place of a light snack. Likewise, the eye of newt and toe of frog in that potion probably have marginal nutritional value.

In either case the side effects would probably outweigh the handful of calories you would get. I'm just making stuff up here, but it probably takes a little extra energy to deal with spell effects. If bull's strength actually increases your muscle mass, it would definitely increase your metabolism.

I can't actually find the rules for dying of hunger. If it does damage, I imagine you could "heal" hunger with potions of cure wounds.

RTGoodman
2008-12-24, 03:43 PM
I imagine that living on potions would be comparable to living on airline-sized bottles of liquor. Booze is made from stuff you might eat, and has calories, but I'm not sure anything besides beer has enough to take the place of a light snack. Likewise, the eye of newt and toe of frog in that potion probably have marginal nutritional value.

Yeah, but the OP also included stuff like create food & drink and heroes' feast and other magically-created food. Potions just fill the void until 5th level (when create food & drink is available).


I can't actually find the rules for dying of hunger. If it does damage, I imagine you could "heal" hunger with potions of cure wounds.

Ta-da (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/environment.htm#starvationAndThirst)! (Bolded sections are in response to your questions.)


Starvation And Thirst

Characters might find themselves without food or water and with no means to obtain them. In normal climates, Medium characters need at least a gallon of fluids and about a pound of decent food per day to avoid starvation. (Small characters need half as much.) In very hot climates, characters need two or three times as much water to avoid dehydration.

A character can go without water for 1 day plus a number of hours equal to his Constitution score. After this time, the character must make a Constitution check each hour (DC 10, +1 for each previous check) or take 1d6 points of nonlethal damage.

A character can go without food for 3 days, in growing discomfort. After this time, the character must make a Constitution check each day (DC 10, +1 for each previous check) or take 1d6 points of nonlethal damage.

Characters who have taken nonlethal damage from lack of food or water are fatigued. Nonlethal damage from thirst or starvation cannot be recovered until the character gets food or water, as needed—not even magic that restores hit points heals this damage.

monty
2008-12-24, 03:59 PM
Ta-da (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/environment.htm#starvationAndThirst)! (Bolded sections are in response to your questions.)

So does that mean you can never actually die of hunger or thirst? It's all nonlethal, and makes no mention of death at any point.

BobVosh
2008-12-24, 04:09 PM
So does that mean you can never actually die of hunger or thirst? It's all nonlethal, and makes no mention of death at any point.


Dead (-10 Hit Points or Lower)

When your character’s current hit points drop to -10 or lower, or if he takes massive damage (see above), he’s dead. A character can also die from taking ability damage or suffering an ability drain that reduces his Constitution to 0.
Not that being dead means anything, anyway.

Oh, and stole your words Assassin and fax. FOREVER!

RTGoodman
2008-12-24, 04:12 PM
So does that mean you can never actually die of hunger or thirst? It's all nonlethal, and makes no mention of death at any point.

Well, eventually all those nonlethal HP are going to build up, and once they equal your current HP you just fall unconscious. You can't be brought back from that except through food (as per the starvation rules), but you can't take actions while unconscious, so you're pretty much stuck in an eternal stupor until (1) some kinda boogin comes and eats you; or (2) someone force-feeds you. :smalltongue:


But no, apparently you can't "die" from it... :smallsigh:

Fax Celestis
2008-12-24, 04:19 PM
But no, apparently you can't "die" from it... :smallsigh:

Well, when you're unconscious, you turn helpless. I suppose hunger can then try to CdG you.

monty
2008-12-24, 04:31 PM
Not that being dead means anything, anyway.

Oh, and stole your words Assassin and fax. FOREVER!

Except that your hit points never drop below -10, because you never take lethal damage.

Shpadoinkle
2008-12-24, 04:39 PM
Eh... I wouldn't allow a character to avoid eating by drinking a lot of potions, unless it was a potion of a spell that provides sustenance.

Maybe if the character were in danger of dying of thirst and drank a LOT of potions, then I could see it helping them survive for a while longer, but unless the potions were all identical, I'd have to throw in a harmless side effect too after the third or fourth one (growing blue hair on one's palms, growing small horns that fall off after a week, nose doubling in size for a few hours, being able to see sound or hear colors for a day or two, something like that). Mix up magic like that without knowing what you're doing, and odd things begin to happen.

Flickerdart
2008-12-24, 04:39 PM
Well, when you're unconscious, you turn helpless. I suppose hunger can then try to CdG you.
Famine isn't statted out, D&D has no Horsemen of the Apocalypse.

Yet.

Assassin89
2008-12-24, 11:44 PM
Oh, and stole your words Assassin and fax. FOREVER!

I approve your signature of the actions of my stabbing.

Anyway, potions could provide a substitute for water, but the lack of other nutrients would cause starvation.

Kris Strife
2008-12-25, 02:47 AM
Famine isn't statted out, D&D has no Horsemen of the Apocalypse.

Yet.

Famine only has a set of scales anyways.

Quietus
2008-12-25, 04:45 AM
Regarding nonlethal from starvation : When your nonlethal hit your full HP, it would start becoming lethal damage and adding back down until you were dead, would it not?

Deth Muncher
2008-12-25, 11:16 AM
Famine isn't statted out, D&D has no Horsemen of the Apocalypse.

Yet.

Well, I mean, someone statted the CR 500 Death. He doesn't have any Mounted Combat feats, but I'm sure that wouldn't stop him from riding a horse.

Simanos
2008-12-25, 07:35 PM
Regarding nonlethal from starvation : When your nonlethal hit your full HP, it would start becoming lethal damage and adding back down until you were dead, would it not?
Where did you see that rule?
BTW, I have an email friend from Finland that uses the name Quietus :smallconfused:


Eh... I wouldn't allow a character to avoid eating by drinking a lot of potions, unless it was a potion of a spell that provides sustenance.

Maybe if the character were in danger of dying of thirst and drank a LOT of potions, then I could see it helping them survive for a while longer, but unless the potions were all identical, I'd have to throw in a harmless side effect too after the third or fourth one (growing blue hair on one's palms, growing small horns that fall off after a week, nose doubling in size for a few hours, being able to see sound or hear colors for a day or two, something like that). Mix up magic like that without knowing what you're doing, and odd things begin to happen.
You're a "mean" DM :smalltongue:
Only mildly inconveniencing effects? Why not use the full list of potion mixing from AD&D or the April fool joke in D&D 3rd edition?

Raz_Fox
2009-01-04, 10:10 AM
Oompa...loompa...*cough* doopity dell...
Assassin 89...*wheeze* is going to hell.
Oompa...loompa...doopity dread...
*cough* Now the Oompa Loompa are doopity...dead. *collapse*

Fax, may I sig this? Please? :smallbiggrin:

Haven
2009-01-04, 03:48 PM
It's like in Chrono Trigger.
"HP/MP restored! But you still feel hungry."