Basic Fantasy RPG - Paladin Question

[juboke]

As per The Olde Dungeoneer’s Almanack for Basic Fantasy Roleplaying Game.

“Once per day, per level, the paladin can “Lay on Hands” to any wounded character and heal 2 hit points +1 HP per point of CHA bonus.”

So if my 5th Paladin has a CHA bonus of +2 would he:

i. Heal 4 hit points 5 times per day.
ii. Heal 20 hit points once per day.
iii. Other.

Thanks in advance.

 

[Treebore]

Its cumulative, so it should be 20 HP once per day. However there is nothing wrong with a DM allowing it to be divided up.

 

[Plaguedguy]

Its cumulative, so it should be 20 HP once per day. However there is nothing wrong with a DM allowing it to be divided up.

Agreed. As I read it, it really goes either way. There's no prescribed limit or delay indicated so I'd allow a single instance 20 hp at once or five instances of 4 hp per day.

 

[The Ghost]

Its cumulative, so it should be 20 HP once per day. However there is nothing wrong with a DM allowing it to be divided up.

Huh! I've always read it as being for each paladin level you gain a once per day ability to heal 2 plus charisma modifier damage. Thus, in juboke's situation it would be heal 4 points 5 times per day.

 

[Voadam]

“Once per day, per level, the paladin can “Lay on Hands”

It is written as once per day per level he can lay on hands for X, not once per day he can lay on hands for X per level.

Once per day per level means 5 times a day at 5th level.

The consequences of once a day is that some might be wasted, it can only go to one person, and it can be a big healing in one round.

The consequences of five times a day is that fewer might be wasted, it can be split among up to five people, and less can be healed in a round.

 

[Treebore]

It is written as once per day per level he can lay on hands for X, not once per day he can lay on hands for X per level.

Once per day per level means 5 times a day at 5th level.

The consequences of once a day is that some might be wasted, it can only go to one person, and it can be a big healing in one round.

The consequences of five times a day is that fewer might be wasted, it can be split among up to five people, and less can be healed in a round.

Or it could be poorly written. Since I was confused I looked at how Paladins Lay on Hands were done in similar old school sources and mimicked them. However, like I said above, allowing it to be broken up sure doesn't hurt either. The sentence can certainly be interpreted that way too. Its just the the ability is most frequently used when a lot of HP's are missing. So being able to do 20 HP at one time is of far more use far more often than being broken up. In fact, being able to only do 5 HP at a time will likely be crippling to the Paladin and whomever needs the healing. So since I like my players PC's living I allow them to get 20 HP in one fell swoop, and decided to interpret it that way.

That's been my experiences at least.

 

[Voadam]

Or it could be poorly written.

The rule in that sentence seems clear to me. It sounds like you think it was mistakenly written this way and should be errata'd.

Since I was confused I looked at how Paladins Lay on Hands were done in similar old school sources and mimicked them.

It very well might be different from how lay on hands worked before in older editions, I haven't checked.

However, like I said above, allowing it to be broken up sure doesn't hurt either. The sentence can certainly be interpreted that way too. Its just the the ability is most frequently used when a lot of HP's are missing. So being able to do 20 HP at one time is of far more use far more often than being broken up. In fact, being able to only do 5 HP at a time will likely be crippling to the Paladin and whomever needs the healing. So since I like my players PC's living I allow them to get 20 HP in one fell swoop, and decided to interpret it that way.

That's been my experiences at least.

Choosing to go with the old paladin power rule is fine, a useful concentration of healing that will have a beneficial immediate use in a combat. Its just house ruling to change this new rule to the old one though, not interpreting this new one.

 

[Raven Crowking]

i. Heal 4 hit points 5 times per day.

This.

As I read it, once per day, per level a character can do X means that he can do X a number of times per day equal to his level.

If healing 4 hp is an action, then it is 5 actions to heal 20 hp, even if used on the same character sequentially.


RC

 

[Janx]

Once per day, per level, the paladin can “Lay on Hands” to any wounded character and heal 2 hit points +1 HP per point of CHA bonus.

I'm a programmer, a game rule is software. The break-down is literal.

"once per day per level" refers to the frequency. Your 5th level paladin can touch somebody and heal them 5 times in one day.

"2+CHA bonus" refers to the quantity of hit points. Each time he lays on hands, he can heal 4 HP.

This is effectively, answer #1.


If somebody were hurt bad, he could heal 20HP in total, though it would take 5 rounds, at 4HP per round.


That is the literal interpretation. As a game group, you don't have to play it that way. Healing 20HP over the course of a day, limited to 5 touches doesn't really break the game at 5th level (drink a good healing potion, same work, same effect).

 

[Treebore]

The rule in that sentence seems clear to me. It sounds like you think it was mistakenly written this way and should be errata'd.



Choosing to go with the old paladin power rule is fine, a useful concentration of healing that will have a beneficial immediate use in a combat. Its just house ruling to change this new rule to the old one though, not interpreting this new one.

House rule, errata, whatever... using it either way, or allowing it both ways, won't hurt anything.