Alternate use of Second Wind

[Bayonet_Chris]

This is something I was thinking about putting into my game.

If a character still has his Second Wind ability remaining at the end of an encounter, he may choose to spend a healing surge. Instead of healing, he regains the use of his encounter powers immediately.

This way if time is of the essence, the player can "catch his breath" quickly and keep moving at the cost of a healing surge.

 

[Is_907]

I guess that would be useful if there's another encounter within five minutes of you... otherwise you can take a Short Rest for 5mins and spend healing surges for HP and automatically regain your encounter powers.
Unless I'm misunderstanding your meaning...?

 

[Bayonet_Chris]

Context

The context is actually where the PCs are on a battlefield and the next encounter would be less than 5 minutes away.

 

[Draz]

I like it. I can't think of any way it could be abusive.

 

[Is_907]

Then yes, I like it... I think.
I'm pretty sure you still regain your encounter powers without a short rest between two encounters. Or am I still misunderstanding this HR or am I misunderstanding the encounter power recharge? (Just seems to me that if you say "end of the encounter" the fact that you've used your encounter powers won't matter-- if it's the end then the next fight is a new encounter.)

 

[Eldritch_Lord]

I'm pretty sure you still regain your encounter powers without a short rest between two encounters.

Nope. You need a short rest to recover encounter powers and an extended rest to recover daily powers--if you go to a new encounter without a short rest, or a new day without an extended rest, you don't recover them. The names are a bit misleading.

 

[Bayonet_Chris]

Right

Right, you need a short rest (normally) to recover encounter powers, etc. I'm thinking about taking out the second wind requirement and basically letting people spend a healing surge to recharge their powers without resting and keep moving.

I like things to keep moving and to push my players, so the idea of a five minute rest in the middle of the action goes against the feel I want for this series of encounters.

 

[Dreary_Angel]

Hi everyone, first post...

I just have one question: does this "second wind - enconter power recharge" allow you to take advantage of miles stones or it is like a short rest for that side?

i ask because i think it is a great idea but i do not know how to deal with the miles stone thing...

 

[Bayonet_Chris]

Milestones

Yeah, I would treat it like a short rest - just the players trading off time for a healing surge. The milestones would still apply every two encounters.

 

[Dreary_Angel]

great, thank you for the answer