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Old 03-23-2018, 09:15 PM   #1
Colarmel
 
Join Date: Aug 2012
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Default Mitigating Chi Rations

Over in DoA we're discussing travel to more distant dungeons, and it's causing some sticker shock on those chi rations for the martial Artist.

As I understand it, he can't benefit from the wizard's created food or the Scout's hunted food.

If he wants to save weight with some elven rations, he can, but it costs him 30/day.

Am I right on all this? Is there a good way of mitigating the cost of those chi rations?
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Old 03-23-2018, 10:12 PM   #2
Imbicatus
 
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Default Re: Mitigating Chi Rations

The martial artist can do some pretty amazing things for a lot longer than the equivalent spell. They can walk on the ceiling all day long like Spider-Man and alway benefit from attacking from above. They can have always on striking st at a discount. They can have regeneration. They can have chi skills that rival spells. They are under powered at 250 points, but they grow into one of the most powerful professions as they gain more points. One of the ways that potential is balanced is with the more expensive rations.
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Old 03-23-2018, 10:27 PM   #3
Colarmel
 
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Default Re: Mitigating Chi Rations

I get that. On the other hand, if the group is considering a 120 day journey, I'm going to need 180 lbs of the wagon devoted to my tofu bars and incense.

At the same time, my 300 point martial Artist can, after uninterrupted flurry, put out 7 2d+7 strikes at reach 2 or 3 with his long staff. He doesn't need help.

But travel is a pain. Especially since, for everyone else, buying rations can become unnecessary pretty quick. That said, I should've been cleared in the OP, paying for rations doesn't bother me much unless I'm paying for Elven to mitigate weight. Carrying a frame backpack full of soybean paste and incense does bother me though.
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Old 03-24-2018, 03:27 AM   #4
malloyd
 
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Default Re: Mitigating Chi Rations

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Originally Posted by Colarmel View Post
I get that. On the other hand, if the group is considering a 120 day journey, I'm going to need 180 lbs of the wagon devoted to my tofu bars and incense.
Four month overland journeys without touching civilization for resupply should require substantial logistical planning. This is a fairly major expedition, of the sort even real explorers expect to be a bit of a challenge, not a backpacking trip! Everybody else's rations won't be a lot lighter. Only idiots *plan* to feed themselves by hunting along the way, though some expeditions have been successful with a plan to periodically set up base camps while they hunt for and prepare supplies for the next leg of the journey
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Old 03-24-2018, 06:35 AM   #5
ArchonShiva
 
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Default Re: Mitigating Chi Rations

The extra $2 for normal rations covers «*special diet, ointments and incense*». I can’t help but feel that you don’t need elven incense and elven ointments, and elven/dwarven rations certainly seem like they could count as a special diet.

The lack of increase in weight (for incense and ointments) implies that the weight of food is actually *less* than for a normal person.

I think the best way to represent this is each day consumes two meals of “normal” rations (which can be dwarven, elven or foraging), and one “meal” of incense, ointments, and protein shakes and gluten-free granola bars at $8 and normal ration weight — all of this spread out over three daily meals.

For something simple and playable, I’d add a flat $2 per day, no other change, and be done with it.
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Old 03-24-2018, 07:13 AM   #6
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Default Re: Mitigating Chi Rations

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Originally Posted by malloyd View Post
Four month overland journeys without touching civilization for resupply should require substantial logistical planning. This is a fairly major expedition, of the sort even real explorers expect to be a bit of a challenge, not a backpacking trip! Everybody else's rations won't be a lot lighter. Only idiots *plan* to feed themselves by hunting along the way, though some expeditions have been successful with a plan to periodically set up base camps while they hunt for and prepare supplies for the next leg of the journey
Some of the discussion is revolving around using magically created food. I'm pretty sure everyone will bring food as a backup as well.
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Old 03-25-2018, 10:47 AM   #7
Kromm
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Default Re: Mitigating Chi Rations

The real control is "pay double for rations." There's no weight increase and there's no availability limitation – apparently, every tavern, farmstead, and merchant caravan sells tempeh burgers, moxa sticks, and Tiger Balm. You just need to consume twice the expendable resources, in this case cash.

If you're getting your supplies via means other than spending cash, it would be fair for the GM to rule it costs twice those resources instead. For a spell like Create Food or Monk's Banquet (seems very fitting!), that would mean double base FP cost. Were I the GM, I'd also allow Essential Food to suffice; it counts triple, but I'd say close enough is good enough.

I wouldn't allow foraging. Even in the land where every farmer ferments tempeh, grows mugwort, and makes pungent ointment, you won't be able to forage ready-to-use ointments and incense. However, if a druid can treat any weird ailment by taking a day to make a Pharmacy roll (Exploits, p. 67), I'd have no problem saying the druid can treat "chi imbalance" this way, if the party pitches camp for a day and the druid has nothing better to do.
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Old 03-25-2018, 12:44 PM   #8
evileeyore
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Default Re: Mitigating Chi Rations

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Originally Posted by Kromm View Post
However, if a druid can treat any weird ailment by taking a day to make a Pharmacy roll (Exploits, p. 67), I'd have no problem saying the druid can treat "chi imbalance" this way, if the party pitches camp for a day and the druid has nothing better to do.
Or, you know, the Martial Artist just taking that day to meditate and rebalance his own chi...
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Old 03-25-2018, 02:43 PM   #9
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Default Re: Mitigating Chi Rations

I keep saying, do the trip with normal rations, then switch back to Chi and meditate just before you enter the dungeon, it's a lot cheaper.

People keep telling me that's against the spirit of the Disadvantage, though.
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Old 03-25-2018, 03:41 PM   #10
Imbicatus
 
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Originally Posted by ArchonShiva View Post
I keep saying, do the trip with normal rations, then switch back to Chi and meditate just before you enter the dungeon, it's a lot cheaper.

People keep telling me that's against the spirit of the Disadvantage, though.
it's a perfectly valid way to handle it, but you would lose most of your abilities for the inevitable encounters and dangers on the way.
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