This is an attempt to improve the original state of resting rules that didn’t had any extra bonus or effects given the locale, items or qualities of the rest. Also gives opportunities for all characters to make a few die rolls to grab some buff for the next day.
Improved Rest Rules
Why this rule?
Even the bravest adventurers can’t be constantly on the go, battling monsters, negotiating with NPCs, and uncovering hidden treasures. They need regular breaks to rest, recover, and recharge - time to sleep, eat, treat injuries, prepare for magic use, and mentally prepare themselves for what’s next.
Short Rest
A short rest allows a character to take a break of at least half an hour and up to one hour, engaging in low-key activities such as eating, drinking, relaxation, or treating injuries, without exerting themselves. During the short action a character may also do a rest action.
Alongside this action, a character can spend one or more Hit Dice at the end of a short rest, up to the character’s maximum number of Hit Dice, which is equal to the character’s level. For each Hit Die spent in this way, the player rolls the die and adds the character’s Constitution modifier to it. The character regains hit points equal to the total (minimum of 1). The player can decide to spend an additional Hit Die after each roll. A character regains some spent Hit Dice upon finishing a long rest.
Long Rest
A long rest is a period of extended downtime, at least 8 hours long, during which a character sleeps for at least 6 hours and performs no more than 2 hours of light activity, such as reading, talking, eating, or standing watch or one of the rest actions. If the rest is interrupted by a period of strenuous activity—at least 1 hour of walking, fighting, casting spells, or similar adventuring activity—the characters must begin the rest again to gain any benefit from it.
At the end of a long rest, a character regains all lost hit points. The character also regains spent Hit Dice, up to a number of dice equal to half of the character’s total number of them. You regain at least 1 Hit Die when you finish a long rest. For example, if a character has eight Hit Dice, he or she can regain four spent Hit Dice upon finishing a long rest.
A character can’t benefit from more than one long rest in a 24-hour period, and a character must have at least 1 hit point at the start of the rest to gain its benefits.
Rest Actions
During a rest, a character can choose to participate in activities that help the group as a whole. They can take specific actions to assist their companions during this time, with one important caveat: an action cannot be repeated within the same rest. If multiple characters attempt the same action, they gain advantage on the roll. If the action results in an effect, consider the duration to be 8 hours or until the next short rest.
Tip on DCs
As a rule of thumb, always state the DC for these checks to the players; this helps them decide what should be done during the rest. Use the following table as a guide to help you decide the DC.
| DC | Circumstance |
|---|---|
| ~8 | Camping outside city walls |
| ~10 | Quiet forest or city slums |
| ~14 | Lair of an evil creature that is looking for the players |
| ~18 | Lair of a magical dragon that has access to spying spells |
| ~20 | Astral dungeon where players need to remain vigilant non-stop |
The difficulty (DC) for each task is generally 10, but different environments may require higher or lower DCs depending on the circumstances.
Possible actions that can be taken during a short rest include:
| Action | Check | Requirement | Effect |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cook a Meal | Tool | Cooking Utensils | Choose an ability; characters have +1 on saving throws for that ability.1 |
| Craft Ammunition | Tool | Appropriate artisan’s tools | For each character, you craft 20 arrows, 20 crossbow bolts, 50 blowgun needles, or 20 sling bullets. |
| Forage | Nature | – | You collect ingredients for rituals or potions equivalent to a value of 1d6 gold pieces.2 |
| Identify Item | Arcana or Religion | – | You can identify one magical item. |
| Keep Watch | Perception | 1 torch or 1 lantern | All characters can’t be surprised during this rest. |
| Magical Recovery | Arcana, Nature, or Religion | – | All characters with the Spellcasting feature recover their lowest-level expended spell slot. |
| Meditate | Insight | – | Regain the use of limited class resources.3 |
| Mix Potion | Tool | Alchemist’s Supplies | Produce a quick alchemical potion.4 |
| Play Song | Performance | Musical Instrument | All characters receive 5 temporary hit points. |
| Prepare Concoction | Nature | Herbalism Kit | Produce a quick concoction with special effects.5 |
| Prepare a Plan | History | Ink and parchment for notes | All characters have +2 on initiative checks.1 |
| Reinforce Equipment | Tool | Appropriate artisan’s tools | Choose a weapon to have +1 on damage, or armor to have +1 to AC.1 |
| Treat Wounds | Medicine | 1 use of Healer’s Kit per character | For each hit die used in the rest, add proficiency bonus to the result. |
- 1: This effect lasts for the next 8 hours or until the next rest.
- 2: Can only be used once per long rest.
- 3: Barbarian (1× Rage), Bard (1× Bardic Inspiration), Monk (2× ki points), Paladin (5× Lay on Hands), Sorcerer (2× Sorcery Points).
- 4: This potion has the same effects as Acid, Alchemist’s Fire, or Oil.
- 5: This concoction has the same effects as Antitoxin, Basic Poison, or Potion of Healing.