Making nightmares scarier and the Apocalypse hit home a bit harder

[WeAllGonnaDie]

I am not sure I have ever actually seen someone role play the consequences of having had a horrible nightmare when they slept, are nightmares not pretty much the status quo now?  It seems like the flavorful dream text, which I like, is skipped over.

How about a large chance for a minor stat penalty every time we rest?  It does not need to be catastrophic, something small as a gentle nudge.  Something like -1 to will or endurance saves?  -2 to fear saves?  -1 to dexterity or constitution to represent the poor sleep?  -2 to concentration or other skills which make sense?  The duration could be say, a few in game hours?

I can see a variety of small penalties which might help drive the point home and encourage people to express them, perhaps waking up with a message like "As you awaken from your nightmare, you still feel shaken, you have slept fitfully and are still exhausted."

What do you think?  Any other ideas on how to encourage people to express the fact they sleep poorly?

[HalflingPower]

When I have nightmares in the real world I don't talk about them/do anything about them.

I don't know if that makes me unusual?

[Jayde Moon]

If we're doing real world comparisons, I would have to say that people who have chronic nightmares generally exhibit symptoms throughout their daily lives.  Different from random nightmares that may strike once in a while, jolting you awake in the moment, but generally having no further impact.

So I guess I wouldn't say you are unusual, but neither are you analogous to our PCs in Sanctuary.

The idea of having slept so poorly that you are mechanically affected over the next period of activity has merit as a flavorful addition, but I think the issue of people not 'RPing' nightmares and the like isn't going to change because they suffer small negative modifier to a specific save or what have you.

[Deepdrake]

The nightmares already affect your character - EFU gives PCs 32 starting ability points - but because of the nightmares, you only receive 30. PCs are expected to place these points and RP their stats accordingly.