Craft (Meal)
Craft (Meal) represents preparing food as a practiced trade rather than merely making it safe to eat. The character must have enough edible ingredients for everyone being served, either carried as supplies or gathered with Bushcraft from the surrounding area. A kitchen or Cooking Kit and an appropriate source of heat are also required when the meal could not reasonably be prepared without them.
The particular meat, grain, vegetables, fruit, or other ingredients used do not determine the meal's mechanical benefit. Craft (Meal) is intentionally resolved by the result of the skill check rather than by tracking ingredient quality or individual recipes.
Preparing a Meal
One Craft (Meal) check resolves an ordinary batch prepared and served together. The cook must expend one serving of ingredients for each creature receiving the meal; very large groups may require multiple batches or larger facilities at the Definition Master's discretion.
Fresh ingredients may be carried or obtained with an appropriate Bushcraft check. One day of Trail Rations may also count as one serving of meal ingredients if it is prepared with one use of Spices. Rations without spices remain edible but cannot be used to produce the benefits of Craft (Meal).
Chef Definition
Craft (Meal) provides mechanical bonuses only to a character with the Chef definition. Use the Craft (Meal) result, duration, and morale-bonus progression described by that definition for every creature that eats the prepared meal.
A character without the Chef definition may still use Craft (Meal) to determine how well food is prepared, impress guests, reproduce a dish, disguise unpleasant ingredients, or resolve other story situations. Regardless of the check result, their meal grants no numerical bonus unless another rule specifically states otherwise.
| Craft (Meal) Result | Morale Bonus to Saving Throws | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| 19 or lower | +1 | 8 hours |
| 20–29 | +2 | 8 hours |
| 30–39 | +3 | 8 hours |
| 40–49 | +4 | 8 hours |
| 50–59 | +5 | 8 hours |
| Each additional 10 | Additional +1 | 8 hours |
Meal Ingredients and Supplies
The following table can also be added to the General Equipment page. Meal Ingredients represent one serving of ordinary fresh or preserved food suitable for cooking; their specific contents may be selected when purchased without changing their cost or effect.
| Item | Cost | Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Meal Ingredients, 1 Serving | 0.1 gp | 1 lb. |
| Spices, 10 Uses | 0.5 gp | 0.1 lbs. |
| Rations, Trail, 1 Day | 0.5 gp | 1.5 lbs. |
Meal Ingredients, 1 Serving: Ordinary meat, grain, vegetables, fruit, cooking fat, or similar food sufficient to prepare one substantial meal for a Medium creature. A Small creature consumes half a serving.
Spices, 10 Uses: Salt, dried herbs, ground seeds, preserved aromatics, and other seasonings packed for travel. One use seasons one serving of Meal Ingredients or allows one day of Trail Rations to be used with Craft (Meal).
Rations, Trail, 1 Day: One day of preserved food for a Medium creature. Trail Rations can serve as Craft (Meal) ingredients only when prepared with Spices; a Small creature consumes half as much.