How to deal with water without a divine caster?

[sorcererlover]

We're starting a low level campaign and we don't have a divine caster so no create water cantrip.

Do you just buy the same number of waterskins and trail rations? Or is there a way to refill a waterskin in a dungeon?

[DeTess]

We're starting a low level campaign and we don't have a divine caster so no create water cantrip.

Do you just buy the same number of waterskins and trail rations? Or is there a way to refill a waterskin in a dungeon?

First, check if your DM cares for these nitty-gritty details. If he does, I suppose you need a bout a water-skin per day, so plan from there.

[retaliation08]

I have just been wondering about this myself.

There is an Everfull Mug (MIC) 200gp, and an Everlasting Ration (MIC) 350gp that each give you limited uses per day of conjuring water or ration.

There is also a Ring of Sustenance (PHB) 2,500gp that automatically nourishes you and speeds up your nightly rest.

There are also rules for making custom magic items. Create Water is a cantrip, so would cost about 900gp for an at-will item compared to the at-will mage hand cantrip item that is 900gp.

EDIT: Also remembered the Goodberry Bracelet (source unsure) for 2000gp that conjures 5 goodberries (per the spell) every morning.

[Nifft]

We're starting a low level campaign and we don't have a divine caster so no create water cantrip.

Do you just buy the same number of waterskins and trail rations? Or is there a way to refill a waterskin in a dungeon?

Survival checks can provide food & water for your party.

The details of exactly how are a mystery.

[sorcererlover]

Everfull Mug is not available 1st level but it and everlasting rations are usually my first magic items.

Survival check is amazing! And I can take 10 too! and it's untrained as well! Just need a one point investment to offset my 8 wis.

[heavyfuel]

Survival check is amazing! And I can take 10 too! and it's untrained as well! Just need a one point investment to offset my 8 wis.

Surely there's someone else in your group that has a bonus to Wis or maybe someone with actual ranks in Survival.

Survival checks are "amazing" until your DM decides you're in a place with little food/water and decided to apply a -2 penalty to your check. Now you can't Take 10 anymore. (a -4 or even a -8 penalty is well within normal if you're an inhospitable place).

Or maybe your DM the kind of guy who loves to say "No" to anything that isn't magical and simply says you can't find food/water in any region that isn't a tropical forest.

While "amazing" might be a tad too strong of a word, Survival checks are pretty good, but they are DM dependent.

[Crake]

Everfull Mug is not available 1st level but it and everlasting rations are usually my first magic items.

Survival check is amazing! And I can take 10 too! and it's untrained as well! Just need a one point investment to offset my 8 wis.

The main downside to using survival to find food and water each day is that you lower your overland movement speed to half. Taking twice the time to get somewhere isn't always practical.

[Vizzerdrix]

Could always just go warforged.

[Psyren]

How low level is low? I believe there are some summons that can create water.

[sorcererlover]

Surely there's someone else in your group that has a bonus to Wis or maybe someone with actual ranks in Survival.

No idea, but it's good to be self sufficient because they need an additional 2DC to get food for someone else.


The main downside to using survival to find food and water each day is that you lower your overland movement speed to half. Taking twice the time to get somewhere isn't always practical.

This is for early dungeon crawling. Go in, kill, come outside, survival and rest, repeat.


How low level is low? I believe there are some summons that can create water.

Level 1-2, because with a tiny bit of wealth everfull mug and everlasting rations solves all food related problems.

[Seharvepernfan]

Do you just buy the same number of waterskins and trail rations? Or is there a way to refill a waterskin in a dungeon?

No, a waterskin weighs 4lbs. I believe the books say you need about a gallon a day, which would be 8lbs. I don't know how much the waterskin itself weighs, but you'd be better off getting a clay jug. Some dungeons have water sources, but you'd need to make sure they were clean, so you might have to carry firewood and a pot to boil it. It's best to get a donkey or mule and have them carry a bunch of stuff for you. Donkeys are medium sized and can fit in places mules (large) can't.

[Psyren]

Level 1-2, because with a tiny bit of wealth everfull mug and everlasting rations solves all food related problems.

At those levels rations and waterskins are assumed even with a divine caster I'd say, unless you're playing PF where orisons are infinite.

[BowStreetRunner]

Items from Sandstorm:

Portable Fountain 1800 gp (Magical)
Replenishing Skin 1000 gp (Magical)
Distillation Kit 50 gp (Mundane)
Hydration Suit 1000 gp (Mundane)
Deep Draught 10 gp (Alchemical)

[Deophaun]

Weeping flask. Complete Mage. 50 gp, weighs nothing on its own, produces 1.5 gallons of water a day.

[TalonOfAnathrax]

Survival. Seriously, Survival checks are stupidly easy when you're not in the Lower Planes or something. Take a PC with high Wisdom and have them take 4 tanks in it, and voila! Great odds of feeding several people every day. And if you can have the other PCs help on the check, it's even better!
Otherwise just buy a few hundred waterskins and put them in a bag of holding.

[Psyren]

Bag of Holding is probably out of budget for a 2nd-level character, but I don't think bringing enough rations to make it through a dungeon and get back to town is a tall order either unless you're adventuring in a wasteland or desert right off the bat.