Dehydration

As PCs adventure, one overriding consideration will almost certainly be the suppIy, of water. Of course, how much water a character needs depends upon his level of activity and his race. An active character (walking, riding, or performing some other hard exertion) needs 1 gallon of water per day. An inactive character (sitting, resting, or sleeping), needs ½ gallon of water per day. Further, if the character is in the shade during the entire day, he only, needs half the amount of water dictated by his activity. By the same token, a character wearing a full suit of metal armor requires twice as much water each day to avoid dehydration, regardless of his lack of exertion.

Certain races have different requirements for fluids. For example, thri-kreen and half-giants suffer from dehydration differently than humans and other demihumans. Thri-kreen can go for one week on the amount of water it takes to sustain a human for one day. Thus, thri-kreen characters only roll for dehydration once per every week that they go without water.

Half-giants, however, must consume twice the quantities of water (that is, four gallons of water per day when active or two gallons when inactive) of humans to avoid dehydration. Aarakocra need water as per humans, and pterrans need only half that amount.

Player characters of any race can supplement their water intake with the many common beverages available, including wine, beer, ale, and fruit juices. The fluid quantities per day remain the same. In times of desperation, players may suggest more outlandish liquids to stave off dehydration: honey, tree sap, even the blood of fallen monsters. Generally, none of these are suitable substitutes.

A character who doesn’t drink enough water suffers the effects of dehydration. The following rules are intended for extreme situations and should only be enforced when a lack of water could be life-threatening to a player character or his party.

A lack of water is reflected in the game by a reduction in Constitution. Beginning with the first day a character doesn’t receive his required allotment of water, consult TABLE XLV at midnight and immediately apply the result.

TABLE XLV: DEHYDRATION EFFECTS


Amount of Water Consumed Constitution Loss
Full requirement None
Half or more of requirement 1d4
Less than half of requirement 1d6

Constitution losses are cumulative over consecutive days of dehydration; a character’s hit point adjustment, system shock, resurrection survival, poison save, and regeneration rate all drop accordingly. Every point drop in the character’s hit point adjustment (from +1 down to 0, or from -1 down to -2, etc.) will reduce the character’s hit points by a number equal to the character’s level (highest level for dual-class or multiclass characters). A character whose Constitution reaches 0 dies, though he has a resurrection survival number of 25%.

However, a character can rehydrate by drinking his full allotment of water over the course of one day. At the end of that day, his Constitution score goes back up 1d8 points. Each consecutive day that the character’s water needs are met restores another 1d8 points until the character is fully recovered. Lost hit points are regained at a character’s normal recovery rate.

Animals and Dehydration

Animals also suffer dehydration. Each day, animals require the following quantities of water: tiny animals need 1/8 gallon; small animals need ½ gallon; man-size animals need 1 gallon; larger than man-size animals need 4 gallons; huge animals need 8 gallons; and gargantuan animals need 16 gallons. Animal water intake can be cut in half for shade or inactivity, or quartered if both.

At the end of a day that an animal doesn’t get its full allotment of water, there is a 10% chance it will die; the chance increases by 10% for each additional day without water. Animals are fully rehydrated after only one day in which they receive their full allotment of water.

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