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Kris Strife
2010-02-08, 08:09 AM
Do the books specify if wearing a ring of sustenance also removes your ability to eat, drink and breathe, or just the need to do so?

Cause if not, I think I have an evil idea for a cursed one...

http://www.superstupor.com/sust12292008.shtml

Narazil
2010-02-08, 08:12 AM
It "provides" the wearer with life-sustaining nourishment. I guess one could read it as feeding you your daily calories, water and air in raw energy through your finger.

Up to the DM, I guess.

Starbuck_II
2010-02-08, 08:15 AM
Do the books specify if wearing a ring of sustenance also removes your ability to eat, drink and breathe, or just the need to do so?

Cause if not, I think I have an evil idea for a cursed one...

http://www.superstupor.com/sust12292008.shtml

Removes the need as you already eat with the ring. If you ate more you'd likely get fat.

The ring provides life sustaining ones: that means the minimum to be healthy.

Optimystik
2010-02-08, 08:16 AM
Most creatures that don't have to eat or drink, can still do so if they want to - so I would imagine the ring functions similarly.

As for sleep, you still have to with the Ring - you can just get by with less.

BobVosh
2010-02-08, 08:16 AM
I always considered it as replacing the need. But you may eat if you wish.

Farlion
2010-02-08, 08:17 AM
...and air...

I don't believe the ring supplies the wearer with air. Nourishment is well defined as eating and drinking. Breathing is not part of nourishment.

I always imagine it similar to intravenous drip supplying you with fluid and calories (i.e. sugar).

Cheers,
Farlion

Lysander
2010-02-08, 09:02 AM
Removes the need as you already eat with the ring. If you ate more you'd likely get fat.

The ring provides life sustaining ones: that means the minimum to be healthy.

You could probably eat a little without getting fat. Most people in the developed world today eat more calories than they need, and most people aren't obese. It all depends on how much more you eat, and how much you exercise.

Optimystik
2010-02-08, 09:05 AM
Unless he teleports/flies everywhere, the average D&D character probably burns more calories than the average office worker in our time.

Blackfang108
2010-02-08, 09:50 AM
Unless he teleports/flies everywhere, the average D&D character probably burns more calories than the average office worker in our time.

Being an average Office worker I have to say, that's not hard.

Optimystik
2010-02-08, 10:12 AM
Being an average Office worker I have to say, that's not hard.

Especially when Everything(is)TryingToKillYou (http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/EverythingTryingToKillYou)

Nothing like 4-5 encounters/day to keep fit :smallwink:

BenTheJester
2010-02-08, 04:29 PM
But then, the Ring of Sustenance would adjust to your increased needs.


I'm guessing the ring acts as if you ate the perfect proportion of everything.

LurkerInPlayground
2010-02-08, 09:12 PM
A better cursed item is a ring that makes you think you're being sustained, when in reality, you're quietly dying of thirst.

Splendor
2010-02-08, 10:41 PM
When a vampire wears a ring of sustenance does he need to still suck blood?

Crow
2010-02-08, 10:46 PM
Ring of Dysentery FTW!

Yuki Akuma
2010-02-08, 11:44 PM
When a vampire wears a ring of sustenance does he need to still suck blood?

Vampires don't need to suck blood. They're undead, and undead don't eat, sleep or breathe.

Any needs for blood are purely psychological, one assumes.

Mastikator
2010-02-08, 11:50 PM
Unless he teleports/flies everywhere, the average D&D character probably burns more calories than the average office worker in our time.

Each character will require different amounts of different minerals, vitamins, proteins, fats, calories etc. Either the ring provides an "average" amount of everyone not taking into consideration of special needs, which may end up with a character wearing the ring still feeling an urge for something that contains what they need, or it just adjusts to whoever is wearing it. My money is on the latter, since if you have a fast metabolism and move quite a lot then in order for the ring to sustain you it might have to make others fat.

Edit- a vampire drinking blood is not psychological. They gain 5 temporary hit points when they drink blood.

Yuki Akuma
2010-02-08, 11:55 PM
Edit- a vampire drinking blood is not psychological. They gain 5 temporary hit points when they drink blood.

In that case, it would be an addiction.

Psychological. :smallwink:

Kaerou
2010-02-08, 11:59 PM
I used to make rings of sustenance in different varieties for spice in my old games I DMed.

Lesser versions removed food OR water requirement.

Greater sing of sustenance removed the need to breathe and cost more.

'True' rings of sustenance had everything plus didn't need to sleep or rest.

Splendor
2010-02-09, 12:27 AM
Reading the Libris Mortis Pg 9 about undead diet dependency and Inescapable cravings. I would think that any undead's diet dependency (except lifeforce and ability drain) would be satiated but their Inescapable craving wouldn't be. So a vampire wouldn't need to drink blood, but they would still need to use their lifedrain on creatures (their slam attack).

NEO|Phyte
2010-02-09, 12:36 AM
Each character will require different amounts of different minerals, vitamins, proteins, fats, calories etc. Either the ring provides an "average" amount of everyone not taking into consideration of special needs, which may end up with a character wearing the ring still feeling an urge for something that contains what they need, or it just adjusts to whoever is wearing it. My money is on the latter, since if you have a fast metabolism and move quite a lot then in order for the ring to sustain you it might have to make others fat.
The ring DOES need to be worn for a week before it starts working, presumably it uses that time to work out your body's needs or something.

Randel
2010-02-09, 12:45 AM
Cursed ring of sustenance: It works instantly but provides about ten times your recommended daily intake of sugar, caffeine, and calories. It provides bonuses to reflex for a while but makes it near impossible to sleep and then you start growing overweight.

Personally, I'd rather go with one of the items that just creates food for you to eat (there are a few in Magic Item Compendium)

Starbuck_II
2010-02-09, 07:01 AM
Reading the Libris Mortis Pg 9 about undead diet dependency and Inescapable cravings. I would think that any undead's diet dependency (except lifeforce and ability drain) would be satiated but their Inescapable craving wouldn't be. So a vampire wouldn't need to drink blood, but they would still need to use their lifedrain on creatures (their slam attack).

So they can just buy chickens. Or other animals.

Lysander
2010-02-09, 09:24 AM
Reading the Libris Mortis Pg 9 about undead diet dependency and Inescapable cravings. I would think that any undead's diet dependency (except lifeforce and ability drain) would be satiated but their Inescapable craving wouldn't be. So a vampire wouldn't need to drink blood, but they would still need to use their lifedrain on creatures (their slam attack).

Except the ring says that it provides "life-sustaining nourishment." And undead aren't alive. It would have to be "undeath-sustaining nourishment" to benefit a vampire.

Cieyrin
2010-02-09, 04:33 PM
Cursed ring of sustenance: It works instantly but provides about ten times your recommended daily intake of sugar, caffeine, and calories. It provides bonuses to reflex for a while but makes it near impossible to sleep and then you start growing overweight.

Personally, I'd rather go with one of the items that just creates food for you to eat (there are a few in Magic Item Compendium)

I don't know, I don't find the taste of soaked cardboard that appealing, really. I think a lack of a need to eat and drink would be better than eating just sustaining stuff, especially when the ring won't make you fat if you decide to eat or drink that day.


So they can just buy chickens. Or other animals.

Or hire a Chicken-Infested Commoner...

Draz74
2010-02-09, 04:58 PM
I don't know, I don't find the taste of soaked cardboard that appealing, really.

MIC items don't have that clause like Murlynd's Spoon does. Besides, cardboard flavor is nothing Prestidigitation can't cure.

Ring of Sustenance still wins, but only cuz of the sleeping thing.

Cieyrin
2010-02-09, 05:08 PM
MIC items don't have that clause like Murlynd's Spoon does. Besides, cardboard flavor is nothing Prestidigitation can't cure.

Can you presti the cardboard flavor out of magic gruel? I'm not sure, actually...

Starbuck_II
2010-02-09, 05:09 PM
Can you presti the cardboard flavor out of magic gruel? I'm not sure, actually...

No non-magical only.

Ashram
2010-02-09, 05:24 PM
You could always keep some mundane spices/flavorings with you for just such an emergency.

faceroll
2010-02-09, 06:20 PM
You could probably eat a little without getting fat. Most people in the developed world today eat more calories than they need, and most people aren't obese. It all depends on how much more you eat, and how much you exercise.

64% of adult americans are considered overweight or obese.


The ring DOES need to be worn for a week before it starts working, presumably it uses that time to work out your body's needs or something.

Nah, it's to prevent the whole party from using one. :smallwink: