2 Unrelated questions: druid living expense and readying

[clu2415]

A druid in my campaign has taken the vow (never sleep indoors), one of the default options on the druid template. What can I point to to justify her living expenses still being $150/week?

Can you sell me on why you can only make a step with the Ready action? Items that can’t be fast drawn require you to be nearly immobile. Items that are fast draw-able usually don’t impact your actions at all. I guess it makes sense for unwieldy items like polearms. Maybe light items could be readied while also getting half movement.

[clu2415]

The answer to living expenses is in Adventurers: make a survival roll if you don’t want to pay $150/week.

[malloyd]

Originally Posted by clu2415

The answer to living expenses is in Adventurers: make a survival roll if you don’t want to pay $150/week.

Also, just because you aren't using a room in the inn doesn't mean they don't charge you. Most towns don't let you sleep in the street, and if you are somewhere else actually in town, well, somebody probably owns the space, you're going to need to pay them to let you set up your tarp or whatever.

Pay up or go camp in the wilderness with a survival roll. Or risk sleeping in the gutter and hope the GM doesn't turn it into an adventure hook that starts with the local homeless being rounded up and sold into slavery.

[corwyn]

Originally Posted by malloyd

Also, just because you aren't using a room in the inn doesn't mean they don't charge you. Most towns don't let you sleep in the street, and if you are somewhere else actually in town, well, somebody probably owns the space, you're going to need to pay them to let you set up your tarp or whatever.

Pay up or go camp in the wilderness with a survival roll. Or risk sleeping in the gutter and hope the GM doesn't turn it into an adventure hook that starts with the local homeless being rounded up and sold into slavery.

My Wizard/Scout usually sleeps on the highest rooftop in my area if it's impractical to sleep outside of town altogether.

[Balor Patch]

Originally Posted by corwyn

My Wizard/Scout usually sleeps on the highest rooftop in my area if it's impractical to sleep outside of town altogether.

That sounds like a Survival role to avoid the $150/wk, specifically Urban Survival.

[Polkageist]

Originally Posted by Balor Patch

That sounds like a Survival role to avoid the $150/wk, specifically Urban Survival.

That $150/wk is also all the little incidental expenses that stack up that aren't just a room cost. Full meals, snacks, social beverages (not just beers, coffee & tea too), mending clothes, a coin in the beggar's bowl, paying a guide, tipping the bard in the tavern, a ride across town, laundry, bathing, restocking on toiletries and other minor consumables, getting a haircut, gate fees, guild dues, the occasional petty bribe, and on, and on, and on. All the little exchanges of goods and services that would be a pain to account for in detail but cover enough stuff that all but the most antisocial mud-crusted druid is going to engage with.

So even though Mr. Campsite is saving on a room because they don't sleep indoors or whatever, it comes out as a wash and they'll need to pony up the same weekly upkeep.

[corwyn]

Originally Posted by Balor Patch

That sounds like a Survival role to avoid the $150/wk, specifically Urban Survival.

Yeah, I know; I was just reinforcing the earlier post. Although I don't have Urban Survival, so I guess it's outside of town for me.

[tbone]

Originally Posted by clu2415

Can you sell me on why you can only make a step with the Ready action? Items that can’t be fast drawn require you to be nearly immobile. Items that are fast draw-able usually don’t impact your actions at all. I guess it makes sense for unwieldy items like polearms. Maybe light items could be readied while also getting half movement.

"Ready" covers a lot of actions, so it's hard to give a blanket response. But I would say that, wherever it seems possible, you should be able to Move and Ready. But just as with Move and Attack, there should normally be some drawback: roll vs DX when trying to uncork a potion, roll vs weapon skill when trying to unsheathe a weapon; on a failure, face something bad (fumble the item so the Ready doesn't count, or drop the item, etc.).

In short, I'd think of Step and Ready as the maneuver for an automatic, safe Ready; allow Move and Ready for a difficult, risky Ready.

Assuming you're willing to house-rule this in, of course. (Then again, I wouldn't be at all surprised if Move and Ready were already an option offered in GURPS Martial Arts or somewhere. Anyone know of such a thing?)

[clu2415]

Just checked Martial Arts, no mention of this issue. It may be too corner case to justify house ruling.

[Dammann]

Originally Posted by clu2415

Can you sell me on why you can only make a step with the Ready action? Items that can’t be fast drawn require you to be nearly immobile. Items that are fast draw-able usually don’t impact your actions at all. I guess it makes sense for unwieldy items like polearms. Maybe light items could be readied while also getting half movement.

1. Once, while trying to get through a busy walkway to a dinner reservation, I tried to ready my cell phone. I readied it up out of my pocket, in a huge arc, to crash down on the concrete and shatter. I’d guess I was fast walking about move 2 or 3 at the time.

2. Try to open a 20oz anything while jogging. Opening a potion is a ready maneuver. I would expect to spill anything I open at a jog, unless there is a purpose made nozzle.

3. Lifting a BL object with one hand in one second, ie a 20lb thing, is a ready action. So lifting a 20lb thing might not bring a person to a stop, but I can see how it would interfere with running.