Series of Questions

[Barbarian Horde]

Odd thing I just found myself thinking about recently. When is the last time your players actually claimed to have cleaned themselfs? Do you truely have murderhobo cosplayers in your campaign? Like Grimy, stench infested, foul mouthed, blood covered, sweaty adventurers?

If you do, should this appearance have a affect on your NPCs who find themselfs stuck talking to these dirty individuals? Could be as simple as disadvantage on all social skills. Like you do a intimidation while covered in blood okay, I could get behind the cool factor and giving advantage. Anyways I thought this was a really interesting idea when it comes to RP inside the game and wanted to see what others thought in general of players who don't take baths.

[Chronos]

Every time they do anything particularly dirty. Prestidigitation makes this a lot easier.

But even without being able to clean up in six seconds, just because they never say they take a bath doesn't mean they never do. They also usually don't mention when they're eating, and almost never mention when they're peeing or pooping.

[Amnestic]

When is the last time your players actually claimed to have cleaned themselfs?

Recently. Getting back to civilisation after a trek out in the dangerzone means chance for a nice hot bath.



If you do, should this appearance have a affect on your NPCs who find themselfs stuck talking to these dirty individuals? Could be as simple as disadvantage on all social skills. Like you do a intimidation while covered in blood okay, I could get behind the cool factor and giving advantage. Anyways I thought this was a really interesting idea when it comes to RP inside the game and wanted to see what others thought in general of players who don't take baths.

No, for the same reason I don't assume they've pooped themselves just because they don't narrate going to the toilet every [x] hours. It's a given to me that as part of a short/long rest they're doing what they can to stay hygienic. Easier with a water source of course.

If it's a particularly long and arduous journey through an environment where there's little chance, opportunity or facilities to clean themselves (and no magical assistance) then I can see that sort of situation coming up, but for the most part...nah.

[KorvinStarmast]

Every time they do anything particularly dirty. Prestidigitation makes this a lot easier.

But even without being able to clean up in six seconds, just because they never say they take a bath doesn't mean they never do. They also usually don't mention when they're eating, and almost never mention when they're peeing or pooping.

Odd thing I just found myself thinking about recently. When is the last time your players actually claimed to have cleaned themselfs?
Do you truely have murderhobo cosplayers in your campaign?
Like Grimy, stench infested, foul mouthed, blood covered, sweaty adventurers? .
My life cleric made it a point, in character, to explicitly enjoy taking a hot bath at whatever place they stayed when they finally got to a town. It became a bit of a running joke to some of the other players, but that's how she rolled. After a few days of roughing it, and battling all kinds of nasty beasts, she didn't want to get drunk and stuffed with stew: she wanted a nice hot bath.

My celestial warlock uses prestidigitation to clean her clothes, herself, and to keep her leather boots looking clean and brand new.

[Cicciograna]

My current character has Prestidigitation, but generally my characters buy some soap and one spare set of clothes.

[Anonymouswizard]

Every time they do anything particularly dirty. Prestidigitation makes this a lot easier.

But even without being able to clean up in six seconds, just because they never say they take a bath doesn't mean they never do. They also usually don't mention when they're eating, and almost never mention when they're peeing or pooping.

Yeah, most groups I've played assumed characters wash either roughly once a week (for fantasy games) or at least every other day (for modern or sci-fi games).

Unless your informant comes round while you're in the shower it generally doesn't lead to an interesting situation (and arguably not even then). so unless you're specifically making a point of relaxing it probably won't come up. I see roleplaying of mealtimes skipped for the same reason, just check off a unit of rations if we're even bothering to track them*. We might make a point of getting a nice meal, but that's equivalent to using the presence of a bubble bath to point out how your occultist is relaxing after banishing the demon haunting the sports centre.

In many fantasy games the presence of effects like Prestidigitation could mean that adventurers are cleaner than average as well (assuming you're willing to strip down in front of the bard).

* and now I know why my character never poos.

[Amnestic]

Not that I'm really against it, but RAW, Prestidigitation can only clean objects, not creatures.


• You instantaneously clean or soil an object no larger than 1 cubic foot.


It'll still help in keeping clean of course. Clean clothes better than dirty+grimy clothes, but still need to wash yourself normally.

Unless your DM extends it to creatures, of course, which...is not really going to break anything I guess.

[Anonymouswizard]

Not that I'm really against it, but RAW, Prestidigitation can only clean objects, not creatures.



It'll still help in keeping clean of course. Clean clothes better than dirty+grimy clothes, but still need to wash yourself normally.

Unless your DM extends it to creatures, of course, which...is not really going to break anything I guess.

Objects being a category that includes creatures is a fair assumption to make, although I'll admit that I've not checked if the book has a definition of object. At any rate, being clean is unlikely to be a game breaker, at best an advantage when hiding if you've recently moved into an area with different smells.

The bigger problem is actually the volume limitation, unless the party is gnomes/halflings they're probably bigger than a cubic foot. But I think you might be able to argue that you can do it limb by limb, leading to it taking roughly one minute per character (including a basic set of clothes).

[KorvinStarmast]

* and now I know why my character never poos. We have a barbarian in our Wednesday group who tends to pee on potted plants when indoors, since it reminds him of peeing outdoors ... and it has for sure gotten us into a few scrapes that could have been avoided. :smallyuk:

Not that I'm really against it, but RAW, Prestidigitation can only clean objects, not creatures. While strictly true, our DM isn't interested in pressing that point.

But I think you might be able to argue that you can do it limb by limb, leading to it taking roughly one minute per character (including a basic set of clothes). Which is about how long a standard Navy Shower (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Navy_shower) takes.

[Mastikator]

One of my fellow players made a big deal about buying soap before going on the adventure/mission/quest. And my DM gave me the OK that I can use prestidigitation to clean myself, so I do that.

The other players are sweaty, bloody, dirty, crappy, greedy, stinky murderhobos.

[Saelethil]

My bard uses prestidigitation while on the road but whenever given the opportunity he bathes daily (and he just got Magnificent Mansion so that should be much more often). He’s also been working on a spell that should cover this if he doesn’t have his 7th level slot left. It’s a 4th level ritual that functions a lot like tiny hut but summons an actual cottage complete with amenities.

[Barbarian Horde]

Unless predisdigitation is mentioned. Or the player explictly say they go to the inn where we assume they clean themself. I assume ANY time prior to this happening they still havn't cleaned themselfs.

Leaving a Sewer
Covered in monster guts
Covered in blood
Smell like body order
Sprayed by something similar to a skunk

So prior to your players cleaning themselfs no one thinks disadvantage, or advantage based off the state the player character look would be a valid reason to adjust RP/combat with these conditions? I personally havn't done it, but I mean it would seem reasonable for certain checks? Or am I alone in this thinking?

[Saelethil]

Unless predisdigitation is mentioned. Or the player explictly say they go to the inn where we assume they clean themself. I assume ANY time prior to this happening they still havn't cleaned themselfs.

Leaving a Sewer
Covered in monster guts
Covered in blood
Smell like body order
Perhaps got in a fight in the fish market and smells like dead fish

So prior to your players cleaning themselfs no one thinks disadvantage, or advantage based off the state the player character look would be a valid reason to adjust RP with these conditions? I personally havn't done it, but I mean it would seem reasonable for certain checks? Or am I alone in this thinking?

I’m in agreement with you. My problem is that I have a garbage memory and as a GM I usually have more pressing matters than whether or not the PCs say they are cleaning up. I figure the fact that they frequently intentionally overpay for low value items and tip in gold to keep math simpler for them is enough to keep most shop keepers and bar tenders friendly.

[Reach Weapon]

If you do, should this appearance have a affect on your NPCs who find themselfs stuck talking to these dirty individuals? Could be as simple as disadvantage on all social skills.
In fairness, if you wander around uncovered in filth, someone's likely to mistake you for a king (http://www.montypython.50webs.com/scripts/Holy_Grail/Scene2.htm).

[Chronos]

If you've just gotten out of the sewers, haven't been to an inn, haven't had a long rest, and don't have prestidigitation, then yeah, you probably have disadvantage on most social checks. But that's a lot of ifs, and social checks don't usually come up unexpectedly (if you know you have a meeting with the duke, and you have time to clean up, then just assume that you do).

[Wizard_Lizard]

I just.. assume that they do it offscreen unless stated otherwise, when was the last time you saw someone go to the bathroom in an action movie?