A Short Rest is a brief pause of approximately 1 hour. It allows the party to catch their breath and tend to basic needs without committing to a full 🏕 Long Rest.
The party may take one Short Rest between 🏕 Long Rests.
Quick Reference
Short Rest:
- Duration: ~1 hour
- Frequency: Once between Long Rests
- Eat and drink (prevents Exhaustion)
- Minor activities only (GM discretion)
- No Sleep, Repair, Read, Scavenge, or Lookout
- Does NOT reset “Once per Long Rest” abilities
What You Can Do During a Short Rest
Eat and Drink
Each character may consume 1 food item and 1 drink item. This provides the food/drink HP restoration and buffs as normal.
Eating and drinking during a Short Rest does prevent 😫 Exhaustion from hunger and thirst, buying the party time before their next 🏕 Long Rest.
Minor Activities
During a Short Rest, characters may perform brief, simple tasks at the GM’s discretion:
- Quick first aid (use a 💉 Stimpak or other medical item, normal item ⚡ AP costs don’t apply outside of combat)
- Brief conversation or planning
- Check equipment or inventory
- Quick survey of the immediate area
What You Cannot Do
The following activities are only available during a 🏕 Long Rest:
- Sleep (full HP recovery and injury mending)
- Provide Care
- Repair / Craft equipment
- Read a Book
- Scavenge
- Lookout duty (Short Rests are too brief for a full watch rotation)
Ability Resets
“Once per Long Rest” abilities do NOT reset after a Short Rest. Only a full 🏕 Long Rest resets these abilities.