View source for Attrition-based Campaigns (3.5e Variant Rule)

{{Author
|author_name=Foxwarrior
|date_created=8/9/13
|status=Indeed. Indeed.
|editing=Suggestions would probably be helpful.
}}
{{#set:Summary=Where running out of spells, hitpoints, or water actually matters.}}

== Attrition-Based Campaigns ==

D&D is filled with mechanics that are primarily helpful in an attrition-based campaign, like daily spell slots, consumable items, natural healing, and starvation rules. However, the freedom to rest and the ability to use spells gained by such means to solve the other problems makes them all pointless and irrelevant.

=== Banning things ===

==== Unlimited Healing ====

Any item that gives better healing than a [[SRD:Ring of Regeneration|Ring of Regeneration]] should be promoted to Artifact status. That includes wands (but not potions) of ''[[SRD:Cure Light Wounds|cure light wounds]]'', and the Belt of Healing<sup>MIC</sup>.

Features like Fast Healing and Regeneration are restricted to healing only 2 hit points per hit die per day total.

==== Food and Water ====

All creature types now need to eat. Constructs live on coal or wood and oil or water, undead eat blood, bones, or specific organs, outsiders eat souls, and so on.

Summoned, called, and transformed foodstuffs or creatures are not nutritionally satisfying. ''[[SRD:Create Water|Create water]]'', ''[[SRD:Create Food and Water|create food and water]]'', ''[[SRD:Purify Food and Drink|purify food and drink]]'', and similar spells or abilities are banned.

Items that provide food or water are Artifacts.

==== Easy Safehouse Access ====

Teleportation and extradimensional spaces let people have too-easy access to plentiful supplies when they should be dying of thirst in the desert.

Use [[Waypoint_Style_Teleportation_(3.5e_Variant_Rule)|Waypoint Style Teleportation]], but it takes 100 times as long to create an Anchor Sigil.

Spells that create extradimensional spaces, like ''[[SRD:Rope Trick|rope trick]]'' or ''[[SRD:Mage's Magnificent Mansion|mage's magnificent mansion]]'', are banned. Items like ''[[SRD:Bag of Holding|bags of holding]]'' are Artifacts.

=== Time Limits ===

In any conflict worth playing through in an attrition-based campaign, the task should be designed to end in failure after no more than twice the number of days you'd expect them to take if they were reasonably quick about it.

Possible objectives that meet this criterion include:

* The players are attempting to cross a desert before they die of thirst.

* There's a town-wide famine, and people will keep starving to death until food is found.

* While on vacation in a palace, the palace is captured by terrorists who will surely destroy it before the night is over.


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Author	Foxwarrior +
Identifier	3.5e Variant Rule +
Rating	Unrated +
Summary	Where running out of spells, hitpoints, or water actually matters. +
Title	Attrition-based Campaigns +