My food system

[SCO]

I'd advise you to go read the last update of the RoA 1 lp. It has a situation there where the party was just trapped on a dungeon almost without enemies. The enemy was the dungeon itself slowing the party down.

3 party members died of thirst. That is the kind of nasty thing you can do with a food system.

Other nasty things: set up a trap on open ground where the party can choose to rest in between battles or keep going because their food reserves are dangerously low leading to a tense set of battles (say a army encircles them and they are fighting scouts while trying to escape - though this is not a perfect example since the time limit is in the hands of the enemies not the party so the choice part is moot.).

Basically, a food system is a way to make time and preparation precious. If you put the party in any situation that wastes time or forces them to waste it, the DRAMA increases, especially if your narrative underlines this.

 

[non]

I think a mod like this would be cool, as a food system adds a lot atmospherically. For example I always imagined the guys stocking up on food in Baldur's Gate when they came back from the Gnoll Fortress campaign . Though the only thing they really could do in-game was to drink beer, restock ammunition and replace broken weapons (which I think is neat as well, equipment maintenance)

 

[zenbitz]

The only reason to introduce food into your RPG is to give the player some tough choices.

Using food to patch the fact that combat is too easy (HPs are regained too fast) seems wrong headed.

 

[Freelance Henchman]

It's supposed to do both of those, I guess. Ideally it becomes a limited resource which hopefully makes the player think a bit before he uses it (i.e. presses the Rest button).

 

[Destroid]

You could make the choices even tougher by giving the food utility. Dwarven bread doubles as a throwing weapon. Elven waybread can be used as a parachute to prevent falling damage. Human bread can be worn on the feet to give a bonus to sneaking. Halfing bread can be used as a makeshift helmet.

 

[Freelance Henchman]