Competive Eating

Normally, this would be the type of thing that makes it into an "Odds and Ends" post but since I have neither enough "Odds" nor "Ends" to make one, here we go...

For the eating contest my playes participated in, I determined the results of the contest with a series of Constitution checks, adding up the results as I went. Any contestant who failed would either get sick, choke, or pass out and would then be eliminated. The second contest was an event they were meant to observe and judge.

And that's fine because it is relatively safe to say that Competive Eating rarely comes into play in most D&D, or any other game, campaigns.

But what if it did? What if a player wanted his character to make his living by traveling from town to town, engaging in eating contests as a way of life? What if the summer camp they are attending is having a competition against the fancier, more-upscale camp on the other side of the lake and you have to rally an eclectic but spunky group of campers to defend YOUR camp's honor? What if they were determined to become the "Fastest Stomach in the West"? What if you have a player who is a huge fan of "Nathan's Annual Hot Dog Eating Contest" and wants to be like Joey Chestnut or Takeru Kobayashi?

Well, look no further! This is the post for you!

For AD&D 2nd edition: 

Competitive Eating would be taken as a General Nonweapon Proficiency (General, 1 slot; Con) with a weekly check determining how gold is earned in a week of contest participation. For contests, halve the results of a check to determine how much food is eaten (large items reduce this number by half, small or easily swallowed items are counted as the result on the die).

Competive Eater (Con)

Like Craft, Knowledge, and Perform, Competive Eater is actually a number of separate skills. You could have several Competive Eater skills, each with its own ranks, each purchased as a separate skill. Possible categories include but by no means are limited to: 

Hot Dogs/Sausages
Pies
Eggs
Oysters
Shrimp

Check
You can practice your trade and make a decent living, earning about half your Competive Eater check result in gold pieces per week of dedicated work. This is done primarily by challenging people at inns or taverns and making wagers.

Action
When competing in an official contest with DCs set by the Dungeon Master, you consume a number of food items equal to half (rounded down) of your Profession (Competive Eater) check. If a food item is particularly large (pies) or dry (plain baked potatoes), this is reduced to only one-quarter. For small items that could conceivably be swallowed whole or mostly whole (hard-boiled eggs), the number of items is equal to your check.

Try Again
Varies. An attempt to use a Competive Eater skill to earn an income cannot be retried. You are stuck with whatever weekly wage your check result brought you. Another check may be made after a week to determine a new income for the next period of time. An attempt to accomplish some specific task can not be retried until a new contest is entered.
     Failed checks can result in nausea, heartburn, abdominal cramping, and diarrhea (all at the DM's discretion).

Untrained
Untrained competitors make a Constitution check with results as described above.

New Feats:

Big Mouth: You are able to fit a lot of food in your mouth at once.

Prerequisites: 1 or more ranks in Competive Eater
Benefit: You gain a +2 bonus on all Competive Eater checks.

Competive Eater Specialization

Prerequisites: 7 ranks in Competive Eater

Choose one type of food, such as hot dog. You are especially good at quickly consuming this food.
Benefit: You gain a +1 bonus on Competive Eater checks when consuming the food items you have specialized in.
Special: You can gain this feat multiple times. Its effects do not stack. Each time you take the feat, it applies to a new type of food.