100% of the time. Once upon a time I used the 1E Wilderness Survival Guide's charts to map out the weather pattern for an area over a month. Anymore I roll d% in the morning of a given day and wing the weather pattern. The lower the d% roll the worse the weather is for the environmental zone the game is taking place in. As most games happen in a temperate zone, it's mostly a factor of clouds and precipitation.
Now, the Skulls & Shackles game I ran I did revisit the Wilderness Survival Guide chart rolls since weather patterns affect sailing conditions dramatically, but that was mostly to determine wind speed and direction since the semi-tropical zone of the Shackles ensured PM thunderstorms most of the year.
I had one game in the early Aughts (just as the internet was fully blossoming with information) that I picked a real-world location and had the weather based the previous year's weather pattern, some Ukrainian city that was mimicking Verbobonc on Oerth.
Ack, two-part question, second part of answer.
With the Exhaustion rule of 5E, extreme weather comes into play with that being heat/deep snow/humidity. Heavy rains and strong winds put Wisdom (Perception) checks at Disadvantage. A wet, slippery surface becomes difficult terrain. Strong winds (and rain) affect spellcasting results (House Rule, cookie-cutter spellcasting is a slightly less gripe of mine after auto-Crits). There's all kinds of ways to take the weather and terrain and really add a new tactical level to an encounter. Besides, adding weather makes the whole situation seem much more realistic and makes the players' suspension of disbelief so much easier.
I use them all the time. With Storm King's Thunder, the DM screen has this dope little weather chart that i use every day in game. And Frostburn was amazing, wasn't it? So was Stormwrack. I LOVED those books, indispensable in a 3.5 game. I actually just got both again because I plan on doing a throwback 3.5 game. I would post the weather chart, but it's on a Wizards product that you have to buy and I don't know if that would get my comment blocked or me banned from the forums. I am going to ask a Mod. If I can post it, I will. :)
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"...Debts must always be paid, sometimes in more than blood and gold. But this is Ordo Ursa," Ren places his hand on Erakas's chest, right where the Dragonborn's heart is. "Right here. And it always has been and always will be. Don't ever forget that. Because I won't."
Serandis Mendaen (Aereni Elven Rogue/maybe one day Wizard)- Project Point Playtest
I would estimate I have weather about 50% integrated into my campaign. :-D
I stumbled upon this: http://www.realmshelps.net/faerun/weather.shtml to help me with weather conditions for an area. It seems geared to 3.x with its references to Fortitude saves. But I also use the exhaustion levels. In fact my PCs are in the Arctic right now. And during the 'Arctic Winter' where there is no sunrise or sunset. Most of my party has Darkvision.
Additionally I'm not really keeping track of time as the hours- or minutes-level, so I will describe the weather in general terms unless there's a weather-related event I want to call-out.
Whenever I am running a campaign by winging it at the table (which is a lot), or when I am writing out the campaign plan for myself, I use weather (specifically this online random weather tool).
If I am running from a published adventure book, I don't add in weather if it isn't already present.
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Just wondering, how and how often do you use the weather conditions as factor in encounters?
100% of the time. Once upon a time I used the 1E Wilderness Survival Guide's charts to map out the weather pattern for an area over a month. Anymore I roll d% in the morning of a given day and wing the weather pattern. The lower the d% roll the worse the weather is for the environmental zone the game is taking place in. As most games happen in a temperate zone, it's mostly a factor of clouds and precipitation.
Now, the Skulls & Shackles game I ran I did revisit the Wilderness Survival Guide chart rolls since weather patterns affect sailing conditions dramatically, but that was mostly to determine wind speed and direction since the semi-tropical zone of the Shackles ensured PM thunderstorms most of the year.
I had one game in the early Aughts (just as the internet was fully blossoming with information) that I picked a real-world location and had the weather based the previous year's weather pattern, some Ukrainian city that was mimicking Verbobonc on Oerth.
Ack, two-part question, second part of answer.
With the Exhaustion rule of 5E, extreme weather comes into play with that being heat/deep snow/humidity. Heavy rains and strong winds put Wisdom (Perception) checks at Disadvantage. A wet, slippery surface becomes difficult terrain. Strong winds (and rain) affect spellcasting results (House Rule, cookie-cutter spellcasting is a slightly less gripe of mine after auto-Crits). There's all kinds of ways to take the weather and terrain and really add a new tactical level to an encounter. Besides, adding weather makes the whole situation seem much more realistic and makes the players' suspension of disbelief so much easier.
We all leave footprints in the sands of time.
Mostly whenever it makes sense and helps make the encounter a challenge. I would love to see a 5e book deal with this, like frostburn.
I use them all the time. With Storm King's Thunder, the DM screen has this dope little weather chart that i use every day in game. And Frostburn was amazing, wasn't it? So was Stormwrack. I LOVED those books, indispensable in a 3.5 game. I actually just got both again because I plan on doing a throwback 3.5 game. I would post the weather chart, but it's on a Wizards product that you have to buy and I don't know if that would get my comment blocked or me banned from the forums. I am going to ask a Mod. If I can post it, I will. :)
"...Debts must always be paid, sometimes in more than blood and gold. But this is Ordo Ursa," Ren places his hand on Erakas's chest, right where the Dragonborn's heart is. "Right here. And it always has been and always will be. Don't ever forget that. Because I won't."
Serandis Mendaen (Aereni Elven Rogue/maybe one day Wizard)- Project Point Playtest
Yeah, I hope Unearthed Arcana will improve this aspect of the game.
I use what it is in the DMG, but seems to little.
I would estimate I have weather about 50% integrated into my campaign. :-D
I stumbled upon this: http://www.realmshelps.net/faerun/weather.shtml to help me with weather conditions for an area. It seems geared to 3.x with its references to Fortitude saves. But I also use the exhaustion levels. In fact my PCs are in the Arctic right now. And during the 'Arctic Winter' where there is no sunrise or sunset. Most of my party has Darkvision.
Additionally I'm not really keeping track of time as the hours- or minutes-level, so I will describe the weather in general terms unless there's a weather-related event I want to call-out.
I wear pants, short pants.
I also ask a lot of questions; insatiably curious
Whenever I am running a campaign by winging it at the table (which is a lot), or when I am writing out the campaign plan for myself, I use weather (specifically this online random weather tool).
If I am running from a published adventure book, I don't add in weather if it isn't already present.