Long Rest

A long rest is a period of extended downtime, at least 8 hours long, during which a character sleeps or performs light activity.

Requirements:

• At least 8 hours total
• At least 6 hours must be sleeping
• Up to 2 hours of light activity (reading, talking, keeping watch)
• No strenuous activity (walking, fighting, casting spells)

What a Long Rest Restores:

• All hit points
• All expended spell slots
• Hit Dice: half your total level (minimum 1)
• Most class features that say "once per long rest"

Frequency Limit:

• Only one long rest per 24-hour period
• Must have at least 1 HP to benefit from long rest
• If you're at 0 HP, you're making death saves, not resting!

What Interrupts a Long Rest:

• 1 hour or more of walking
• Fighting
• Casting spells
• Similar adventuring activity
• Strenuous activity lasting more than 1 hour

The 1-Hour Grace Period:

• Brief interruptions (under 1 hour total) don't reset the rest
• A single combat encounter typically doesn't ruin the rest
• But multiple encounters or extended activity does

What Spellcasters Do:

• You can change your prepared spell list after a long rest
• Requires 1 minute per spell level for each new spell
• This is part of the long rest, not additional time
• You don't have to change spells - keep the same list if you want

Classes That Prepare Spells:

• Wizard: Prepare from spellbook (Int + level spells)
• Cleric: Prepare from full class list (Wis + level spells)
• Druid: Prepare from full class list (Wis + level spells)
• Paladin: Prepare from full class list (Cha + half level spells)

Classes That Don't Prepare (Known Spells):

• Sorcerer, Bard, Ranger, Warlock
• They know a fixed number of spells
• Can only change spells when leveling up

Spells for Safe Rests:

• Tiny Hut (3rd level): 10-foot dome, nothing can enter - ritual cast it!
• Alarm (1st level): 20-foot cube, alerts to intruders - ritual!
• Rope Trick (2nd level): Extradimensional space, but only 1 hour

Watch Rotation:

• Elves only need 4 hours (trance) - they can take longer watches
• 2-hour watches for 4-person parties
• The watcher does light activity, still benefits from rest

Safe Locations:

• Inns and taverns
• Allied camps or settlements
• Fortified positions
• Cleared dungeon rooms (lock the door!)

The Intended Design:

• 6-8 medium/hard encounters per long rest
• 2-3 short rests between long rests
• This challenges resource management

The "5-Minute Adventuring Day":

• Party blows all resources in one fight, then rests
• Makes long-rest classes (wizards, clerics) overpowered
• Makes short-rest classes (fighters, warlocks) feel weak
• Combat narrative tools to prevent this

Time Pressure Solutions:

• Kidnapped victim with a deadline
• Ritual that completes at midnight
• Enemy reinforcements arriving
• Changing environment (rising water, closing walls)