In yesterday's game session the question came up how realistic the Nutritional Value of the animals and monsters in the Desolation core rulebook is. And after looking through the tables I really have to say that these values are far from reality. A boar or a deer shall only feed four people? This is far too little. And when I eat half a duck I'm completely sate but a small bird of pray shall only have a value of 1? That doesn't fit!

How do you handle NVs?

I'm no wildlife expert, but I assume the NVs take into consideration that the animals depicted are not plump, well-fed specimens, but scrawny survivors scrabbling for their own sustenance in the post-apocalyptic landscape.

There was much discussion on whether to try to make the nutritional system more realistic or more streamlined. We decided, with all of the variables (some animals are better fed, some plants and animals are naturally more nutritious, wild vs. farm-raised, some animals of the same species vary widely in size, the post-apocalyptic starvation factor, the spoilage rates, larger people may need more food before feeling full, etc.), that it would be more fun to play if the NV system were streamlined. The GM could then determine whether to increase or decrease the NV based on factors in his/her campaign.

So the NVs deal with those averages. Also remember that spoilage is an issue. The NVs only account for fresh meat. If the players have the means to preserve the meat in some way, then they should be able to get more meals out of it than the NV indicates.

Thanks for you answer. Now it's making more sense.

Resurecting an old topic... I don't remember seeing wether this is NV for one meal, or for an entire day. My presumption is it is a single meal, though I can see my players argueing the other way. Am I wrong?

You're right, this is nowhere specified. I'd assume that it's the food needed per day and that's how I ruled it in my games.

Hullo, Gilgamesh,

I apologise for looking at this thread so late and all into the conversation, but better late than never.



I think that you have to bear in mind that the Nutrition Value (NV) represents the number of people that can be fed with a fresh carcass (as noted on page 248 of the DESOLATION rulebook in the upper left paragraph). That always meant to me that it had to be fresh. When one takes into account that the animals and creatures that one is likely to encounter are not in the best state of heath, and may be quite...scrawny, that the NV reflects this and the spoilage rates as well as the possible lack of facilities and ability in the After to preserve food and the like.

The way I have run the game and handled the NV values is to base things on whether the characters have a means of preserving the food stuffs taken from the animal and the like. I've given players an NV of 10 to 16 at times when dealing with deer when they've smoked the meat of a relatively plump specimen. Of course, they may have to defend themselves and the smoking meat at the time.

I think it's really a matter of how you, as GM, choose to handle the Nutrition Values, and the atmosphere and the post-apocalyptic feel that you want your game to have.

Hullo, Nestor,



That is just so perfect a description of the animals one would tend to find in such a post-apocalyptic world, mate. I've even had a player or two try to eat an animal that was clearly Weave-touched. Lots of fun!

Hullo, Jamie,



Nice to know that I handled it within the unspoken guidelines of the game design intent.

Hullo, Scrumptrilescent,



The book states that it is the number of people that is fed. I have always gone on the basis that this means you take the edible parts, and cook it, and then that number of people can eat from it. If one chooses to interpret it the other way, that it feeds you for a whole day, I would argue that a Carrion Reaper with an NV of 2 doesn't seem likely to feed 2 starving people for an entire set of 2 or 3 meals. People on Scondera After tend to eat food when it comes their way, and I assume the NV rules simulate this somewhat as well.

Thanks for the quick response. I would have ruled the same way, but I wanted to see what everyone else thought on the matter. 1 NV per day is way too easy on the players.

Hullo, Scrumprilescent,



And it's not like we should be way too easy on the players in DESOLATION, is it?

I think the spirit of NV was that a duck, with NV 1 (to steal Gilg's example) would feed one person for one day. "Feed" meaning provide enough nutrition to prevent starvation.

Two ducks would provide that person with nutrition for two days. Or provide about half the nutrition that four people need daily.

A gigantic Brotula that washes ashore might well have an NV of100, which would feed four people for nearly a month. Assuming they can keep the meat fresh and stop other survivors from taking it. Once word gets out of the Brotula corpse, those 100 points worth of food are going to cause a lot of problems for the owners.

Letting the players find a plump cow to eat might seem soft, but having a hungry troll gate-crash their bar-b-que will sort that all out.

Hullo, Stephen,



"Look out! The troll is going for the whole left flank!! We can't let him get it...ATTACK!!!"

hehe