Mechanics of getting drunk - fort or con?

[Hoihe]

Hello!

I wonder, what affects the rate at which one's character gets drunk, and how strong drinks they can down without ill effects?

Is it constitution, meaning it is mostly constant and cannot be improved without hard work.

Or is it fortitude, easily leading to fighter style characters being able to out drink level 1 dwarves without themselves even getting tipsy?

[kellendril]

I've always made it CON check, with increasing penalties per drink taken in.

[Moltrazahn]

Con for how much you can drink.
Fort for how much before you barf.

[LuvHandles]

IMO,

Fortitude save is adjusted for CON already, so use fortitude.

I'd say fortitude save vs poison, with the DC increasing for each failure.

[Mork]

I'd say neither. You can be 8 con 1 fort save heavy drinker char that spend his whole life in a tavern and still outdrink 20 con 30 fort save paladin that never drinked before. I'd roll k 20 and set dc based both on con, fort but mostly on background, race and weight.

[Maecius]

As someone who's never been drunk before, I can say it's mostly a matter of passing the Will save when alcohol's pushed your way.

But if you do imbibe, ultimately I think it's up for you to decide with whoever you're in the "drinking contest" with how it should be played out -- probably at the time of the contest.

As always, players can't force other players to roll dice to determine outcomes, but if both parties agree upon the terms of a "dice off," then it's fine. But everyone's going to have a different thought about it. Some people will have a ridiculously high Fort save, and feel a lower Con roll between both parties makes it more realistic; others will want to lean on their ridiculously high Fort save because they know they're twelve levels higher than the other guy and want the edge in the contest because it supports their roleplay that their character can outdrink most people.

And of course others will have alternate thoughts on the matter, like Mork above.

My advice, then, is to work it out on scene with your "co-writer"/"drinking buddy."

[chad878262]

As someone who's never been drunk before

How did you make it through college?!?

[Maecius]

As someone who's never been drunk before

How did you make it through college?!?

Inherent resistance to peer pressure!

[LuvHandles]

I'd say neither. You can be 8 con 1 fort save heavy drinker char that spend his whole life in a tavern and still outdrink 20 con 30 fort save paladin that never drinked before. I'd roll k 20 and set dc based both on con, fort but mostly on background, race and weight.

I agree, RP should trump mechanics. My character Taron has a high fort save and a decent Con, but I specifically spelled out he is a light-weight when it comes to alcohol in his character bio, so I play him that way.

[Wolfrayne]

Play a druid and outdrink an entire party just for giggles....

[Deathgrowl]

I'd say neither. You can be 8 con 1 fort save heavy drinker char that spend his whole life in a tavern and still outdrink 20 con 30 fort save paladin that never drinked before. I'd roll k 20 and set dc based both on con, fort but mostly on background, race and weight.

Nope. This is simply wrong by rules.

Alcohol is a poison. Poison is fortitude save.

A heavy drinker who outdrinks someone, has high fortitude from having trained that fortitude. That's how it works. Doesn't need high constitution - you're right on that, but he must have high fortitude.

[Selande]

There's a book about this stuff.

Has alcohol and drugs and various tables and charts and *puff*

For you nerds who need to immerse in that sort of thing.

[Lockonnow]

Maecius oversleep it is the feelings like you have been drunk or to much rp in days is the same

[Lockonnow]

[quote="Lockonnow"]Maecius oversleep it is the feelings like you have been drunk or to much rp in days is like brian over clack by the heat

[Mork]

Nope. This is simply wrong by rules.

Alcohol is a poison. Poison is fortitude save.

A heavy drinker who outdrinks someone, has high fortitude from having trained that fortitude. That's how it works. Doesn't need high constitution - you're right on that, but he must have high fortitude.

I can see how it probably can be written in some manual however I'd prefer using actual logic and a little bit of my own experience .
When you're obese heavy 50yrs old human alcoholic who-s body is exhausted from having alcohol for a blood your fortitude save is not better cause you've "trained" but you can drink a lot.

If we'll look at it purely mechanically - would it be common for DM-s to increase someone-s fortitude cause of drinking? Asking of pure curiosity.