keeping watch

[geekintheground]

i need you guys's help. im trying to come up with a watch schedule for my party but cant seem to think of anything... we consist of an elf rogue, a human cleric, a human paladin, a human sorcerer and a snow elf swordsage. we're currently level 3. i'm looking for efficiency, but think everyone should have a shift (instead of only having one of the elves on watch the switching to the other elves so all the casters get 8hrs). the problem is... im drawing a blank.

so what does the playground suggest? and while we're on the subject, are there any interesting stories about this kind of thing? i remember in AGC jill had a wizard who cast silence, invisibility and levitate so nobody bothered her all night... luckily my party mates are a bit more cooperative XD

[Fax Celestis]

Have the sorcerer cast alarm and all of you go to sleep. Or maybe lock some doors.

[QuickLyRaiNbow]

i need you guys's help. im trying to come up with a watch schedule for my party but cant seem to think of anything... we consist of an elf rogue, a human cleric, a human paladin, a human sorcerer and a snow elf swordsage. we're currently level 3. i'm looking for efficiency, but think everyone should have a shift (instead of only having one of the elves on watch the switching to the other elves so all the casters get 8hrs). the problem is... im drawing a blank.

so what does the playground suggest? and while we're on the subject, are there any interesting stories about this kind of thing? i remember in AGC jill had a wizard who cast silence, invisibility and levitate so nobody bothered her all night... luckily my party mates are a bit more cooperative XD

Buy string and bells. And frankly if you want efficiency then you should just have the elves on watch.

[geekintheground]

yeah, but i kinda wanted to get everyone in on this... and our rogue wouldnt be the best for keeping watch. nothing about stealing or being untrustworthy, but the way she's being roleplayed just leaves her in that sort of situation.

[QuickLyRaiNbow]

What's the reason for wanting everyone involved in keeping watch?

[geekintheground]

is it that strange? i just thought every ones involved during the day, why not get involved at night?

[Fax Celestis]

Why?

Not everyone makes good watchmen. Most of the time you won't even need one.

[Lightlawbliss]

the best you could hope for with 5 people is 2 hour watches (10 hours total)... but that doesn't work with 3/5 casters. You put 1 caster at one end and then 2 at the other. Since all 3 casters need 8 hours rest, you have one caster at hour 0, one starts hour 8, and one starts some time after that. this results in first 3 shifts having to be 8/3 of an hour for equal sharing, and the first watch needs 8/3 of an hour of rest after everyone else is rested. At best, your looking at 10 2/3 hours of sleep+tear down and set up time. If you instead have two elfs sit there with their eyes open for 4 hours, you have 8 hours of sleep+tear down and set up time: nearly 3 hours more time to make money and exp.

[jiriku]

is it that strange? i just thought every ones involved during the day, why not get involved at night?

People with excellent Spot and Listen modifiers, and people with extra sensory capabilities such as low-light vision or darkvision, are an impressive asset in keeping watch. However, a human with +0 modifiers is pretty much useless for the purpose. Let those with less need for rest, and with the skill to watch well, keep watch. The others can participate by cooking breakfast for the watchmen. :smallbiggrin:

[Divide by Zero]

Have whoever has the highest Spot/Listen modifiers keep watch all night, then have the cleric cast lesser restoration on them every morning to get rid of the fatigue.

[Jeff the Green]

Ideally, you'll have two people on watch at a time—my players learned this the hard way when they found out one of their party had been dominated by Count Strahd Von Zarovich while at watch but had no means of figuring out who.

Personally, I'd say have the two elves keep watch for six hours each. They overlap for two hours. Have the sorcerer join in the first two hours. Then the cleric and paladin can each have their two hours some time during the night. That leaves only two hours with a single person on watch.

And yes, the humans are going to be much worse at keeping watch. It's still better to have two pairs of ears whenever possible.

[Vhaidara]

I'm assuming this is 3.5, but if you can port from Pathfinder, Keep Watch (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/magic/all-spells/k/keep-watch) is one of my favorite spells for this. Get it as an Eternal Wand (Magic Item Compendium), and you get two people who can stay up all night at no penalty.

[jiriku]

Oh, and incidentally, none of your casters need eight hours of rest. That requirement is only for prepared arcane casters. Divine casters and spontaneous arcane casters can get their spells even if tired.

[Sith_Happens]

Oh, and incidentally, none of your casters need eight hours of rest. That requirement is only for prepared arcane casters. Divine casters and spontaneous arcane casters can get their spells even if tired.

All arcane casters need rest.

[Troacctid]

Do the other characters have at least 1 rank in concentration? If so, the elf can teach them to enter a group trance with two weeks of training, as per the teamwork benefit rules (PHB2 p161).

[Bronk]

Well, the sorcerer probably has a familiar of some sort who can be put into the watch rotation. Familiars from the regular list have low light vision, and if they can swing one of the various advanced familiars, an elemental familiar or a construct familiar, they might not need to sleep, which would be beneficial.

[Oko and Qailee]

Since all 3 casters need 8 hours rest

Common misconception. Clerics and anyone who prepares as a cleric do not need 8 hours rest. They only need to pray at the same time of day to regain spells.

[Fouredged Sword]

Also, does the sorcerer a familiar? Many familiars make great watch guards, as many of them have alternate senses or skill ranks/racial bonuses to spot and listen they can use. The familiar can sleep while the group gets moving in the morning, so they can take a watch without increasing the required resting period.

[geekintheground]

thanks for the input everyone! no, the sorcerer traded out his familiar for metamagic specialist (though will probably retrain this later if/when he gets rapid metamagic). and while devine casters dont need 8 hours of rest, they are deducted spell slots for any spells cast in the last 8 hrs. i might look into the group trance thing, that could be useful...
but in the end i think im gonna go with jeff the green's suggestion.

[Fax Celestis]

A custom wondrous item of tiny hut (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/tinyHut.htm), usable once a day, that lasts for ten hours could also solve your problem.

Spell Level x Caster Level x 1800 (command word) x (1/5) (1/day)
3x6x1800x0.2
6480 gp

If that's not up your alley, you could try a custom wondrous item of rope trick (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/ropeTrick.htm), usable once a day, that lasts for nine hours.

Spell Level x Caster Level x 1800 (command word) x (1/5) (1/day)
2x9x1800x0.2
6480 gp

Both cost less than a +2 weapon. Y'all should pool your resources and get one, and then just forget about watch schedules.

If y'all want to get luxurious, you could try a similar item of mage's magnificent mansion (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/magesMagnificentMansion.htm).

Spell Level x Caster Level x 1800 (command word) x (1/5) (1/day)
7x13x1800x0.2
32760 gp

Which is a little high for your level but probably worth the investment.