If you decide to rest for a prolonged period of time—or need to perform some complicated tasks—it's time to set up camp. Find a secure site, start a campfire, pitch your tents, and secure any animals, vehicles, or cargo.
- Make Camp: Make Camping checks to see how well you set up camp—the more successes you have, the nicer your campsite is.
- Nominate the Lookout: The lookout is in charge of camp defense, keeping watch for any threats.
- Perform Camp Activities: Each party member (who is not on lookout duty) can perform one primary camp-related activity in addition to any other basic short rest activities.
- Sleep: Try to get some rest for a few hours.
- Pack Up: Pack up camp and prepare to move on.
Making Camp
To make camp, each party member must roll a Camping check—a Strength/Intelligence/Wisdom (Survival) ability check—against a target DC (see the Camping DC table) as they each try to help set up the campsite.
The more successes the party has, the more thoroughly they prepare the final campsite—making it easier to defend, rest, and perform other camp activities.
Camping Check DC
DC 10: Safe, dry land is easy to find, weather is clear.
DC 15: A campsite requires effort to find / there's bad weather, like rain, light snow or heavy fog etc.
DC 20: It's hard to find a safe campsite / the weather is terrible (heavy rain, fierce storm, howling wind).
Camping Results
0 Failures: A perfect campsite. Activity checks are DC 5.
1 Failure: A decent campsite with one glaring flaw. Activity checks are DC 10.
2 or more Failures: A shoddy campsite just barely fit for purpose. Activity checks are DC 15.
Camping Equipment
It's hard to set up camp if you're relying on nature alone to provide you with shelter and comfort. If you don't have any appropriate camping equipment—such as a bedroll or tent—roll your Camping check with disadvantage.
Some equipment, such as a two-person tent, may count as camping gear for multiple people—if they're willing to share.
The Lookout
It's a big risk to set up camp without appointing someone to watch out for any would-be intruders. A lookout is in charge of camp security and keeps an eye out for potential threats.
If you are the lookout, roll an Intelligence (Survival) check to see how well you secure the camp against potential dangers. If you have any tools, equipment, or magic that might help—traps, bells, the Alarm spell—you may roll your check with advantage.
Success: You noted some weak spots in the camp's defense and secured them.
Failure: You made a bad job of securing the camp. You have disadvantage on perception checks against any would-be intruders while camping.
Camp Activities
While camping, you can perform one primary activity (in addition to the normal basic activities) before you sleep. Below are listed some example activities. Keep in mind that this all uses the Activity DC.
Regaining Hit Dice
Some campsite activities can allow you to regain expended hit dice. These activities stack with each other—if you eat a hot meal, drink a restorative, and get a good nights sleep, you can regain 3 expended hit dice in total.
Cook food
Brew drinks
Play music
Tell a story
Craft an item
Play a game
Relax in solitude
Cook Food
If you know how to cook and have the right supplies, you can prepare a meal for the group. This requires use of a campfire and cooking tools. Expend one use of your cooking supplies to attempt one of the following actions:
Create rations: You slow-cook and preserve some fresh ingredients—usually meat or grains—to create 1d4 + 1 new, basic food rations that can be preserved.
Stretch rations: You thin out some basic rations into a simple meal, feeding two people for each ration you cook. If cooked successfully, everyone who eats gains 1d4 + 1 hit points (max. once per day).
Cook a hot meal: You cook a hot meal for everyone, using one ration—or ration substitute—per person. If cooked successfully, everyone who eats the hot meal regains 1 spent hit die (max. once per day).
Before you serve the meal, roll a Wisdom (Survival) check to see how well you prepared everything. Meals spoil after an hour, losing any restorative properties.
Brew Drinks
If you know how to brew drinks and have the right supplies, you can prepare some for the group. This requires a campfire and brewer's kit. Expend one use of your brewing supplies to try one of the following actions:
Create rations: You distill some impure water overnight to create 1d4 + 1 new, drinkable rations.
Brew a balm: With a few herbs you turn some basic water rations into a delicious, soothing drink—one ration per two drinks. Everyone who drinks a fresh balm gains 1d4 + 1 hit points (max. once per day).
Brew a restorative: You turn some basic water rations into a tasty, hot drink using one ration per drink. Everyone who drinks a fresh restorative regains 1 spent hit die (max. once per day).
Before you serve the drinks, roll a Wisdom (Survival) check to see how well you prepared everything. Your brews lose their restorative properties after an hour.
Play Music
If you know how to play an instrument, you can attempt to play some music for the group. Roll a Dexterity (Performance) check to see how well you play.
Success: You perform well and inspire one of your allies. Choose a party member other than yourself or the lookout—that character gains a point of inspiration.
Failure: You made an embarrassing mistake.
Tell a Story
People like to hear a good story. If you are proficient in Arcana, History, or Religion—or are carrying an interesting book—you can attempt to tell a captivating story to the group. Roll a Charisma (Performance) check.
Craft an Item
You can spend time crafting simple items—bandages, salves, arrows—if you have the right materials and appropriate crafting tools. Roll the appropriate check for your specific craft.
Play a Game
If you have a gaming set and know the rules, you can play a game to unwind. Anyone can join in—so long as they're not occupied with another activity—but at least one person playing must be proficient in the rules.
Everyone who plays can roll an Intelligence (Game) ability check—the highest roll wins.
Relax in Solitude
If you prefer to spend some time alone—reading a book, meditating, painting—you can do so. Roll a Wisdom ability check to see if you are able to unwind.
Getting Some Sleep
Sometimes the best way to clear your mind is to shut it down for a while—rest is often the best medicine.
When you attempt to sleep, make a sleeping check (Constitution saving throw) against the Camping Activity DC—if you are sleeping in a bedroll or tent, you can make the roll with advantage.
Success: Your sleep was undisturbed. Regain 1 spent hit die (max. once per day).
Failure: You couldn't sleep well, waking up tired.
Trance
Some races don't sleep as others do—instead, they fall into a meditative state known as a Trance. In this state, your character is semi-conscious and only partially aware of their surroundings.
While you are in a trance, you have disadvantage on all Perception rolls. You may, however, roll your sleeping checks as normal.
Wearing Armor
Armor—while great for defense—does not make for comfortable sleeping attire. If you choose to keep your armor on while you sleep, you must roll your sleeping check with disadvantage.
The Lookout
While the lookout is on active guard duty, they can still make a sleeping check—simply assume that they find some time to have a quick nap whilst the other party members are still awake.
The lookout rolls their sleeping check with disadvantage, however—it's hard to feel completely refreshed after a night on watch.
Ambushed!
If an intruder approaches, the lookout rolls a Wisdom (Perception) check against the intruder's Stealth:
Success: The lookout is able to detect the intruders and, if they choose to, rouse the party with enough time for people to don light armor.
Failure: The lookout—and the rest of the party—are caught off-guard and surprised.