Help keeping my players alive

[Jack99]

Oh that's just wrong. 4e is the best edition yet for that kind of series of encounter. I just finished a 24 themed adventure where the heroes ran through 4 very tough fight in a row (Level +2, +2, +1 (with tactical advantage to the monsters) and +4 (with tactical advantage to the players)). Similar scenarios would have been impossible in 3e.

This. For what it is worth, mine just took 6 encounters with no extended rests. n-1, n, n, n+2, n+2 and n+4. And I have a reputation of a being a bit of a player-killer

But I think the guy you quoted meant is that the number of healing surges is a hardcap that determines the length of the adventuring day. Once you are out of surges, you are really screwed and there is very little you can do about it.

 

[Psikus]

How about just accepting that the PCs are exhausted and they must find some way to rest, facing the consequences of their delay?

Of course, the required 6 hours for an extended rest might be unacceptable, but you could bend those rules a little. Consider turning it into a skill challenge: the adventurers need to find an appropiate place and rest in as little time as possible. Enough successes allow them to recover powers, (some) healing surges and action points in, say, 3-4 hours. Too many failures, and they waste an hour or two, and have less healing surges. Failure in the challenge means they either take the full time to rest, or they have a shorter rest but fail to gain back daily powers and AP (but still get just enough healing surges to keep going).

The skill challenge could involve exploration (for a safe, comfortable place), setting up an appropiate camp in record time, and of course endurance checks and perception for those in charge of the watch.

 

[HarbingerX]

Thanks everyone for your suggestions. I hadn't seen anything that would give players healing without requiring the expenditure of surges and it looks like everyone has confirmed that.

Until now the PCs have been wandering around in the wilderness with fewer than 2 fights a day, so they've become used to blowing dailies and I've been throwing high level fights at them.

I think I'll just stick to the suggestion to scale things back to Level +0, level +1 (which have been cakewalks for them) so they learn a little about resource management.

Thanks again.

 

[Otterscrubber]

Ya, i think that idea is as good as any. If you can't rest and the fights will wear them out then you either tone down the fights, let them rest or come up with a way to refresh them. If you want them to have a chance that is.....which it sounds like you do. Having some way to for them to get some surges back is fine as long as it advances the story, although I'd make them work for it. Perhaps give them a good fight or a hefty skilll challenge to gain access to it.

 

[Jhaelen]

My 6 3rd level PCs have just fought a really tough battle that consumed a lot of their healing surges and are now about to embark on a series of lighter skirmishes before getting to the big fight.

The problem I have is that they are in a hostile keep with no opportunity for an extended rest. The party is made up of a Ranger, 2 Paladins, a Fighter, a Rogue and a Warden - so there is no free healing available. Does anyone have a suggestions as to how I can get some healing back into them? I do have several places I can get some magic items into their hands.

To me this boils down to the question what caused the party to be out of healing?
Did they make wrong choices and applied bad tactics? Or did you misjudge the difficulty of the encounters?

If it's the former I wouldn't fudge anything. They got themselves into a mess, now they have to figure out a way to get out of it - or live with the consequences of failure.

If it's the latter I'd introduce an event that will delay the enemies, allowing them a chance to rest up and heal.

 

[Mistwell]

Healing surges are not a hard limit, because you can still have temporary hit points. I'd go for a pool that grants temp hit points instead of actual healing.

 

[Craith]

Keoghtom's Ointmant (Magic Item) could help them, once they are out of surges. Granted, it is level 12, but it's power doesn't grant any in-combat advantage, just the ability to keep going a little longer. Since there will be a few light skirmishes, they should be able to get another daily item use, even if they already used one, and keep one use for the final fight.
This will also help them in the future, since leaderless healing is less efficient and uses more surges.

 

[Quartz]

If they need a Leader or Cleric, why not have them rescue one?

 

[Mithreinmaethor]

If they need a Leader or Cleric, why not have them rescue one?

Like one of the CHA/Con based Bards

 

[Herschel]

I would agree with those that say make them play through it. My guess is their tactics are lacking if the encounters are scaled properly. I essentially did a TPK TWICE just on the Kobold Ambush during "Keep on the Shadowfell" until the party learned how to work together. 4E is s uch a different mindset for many. It's no more a group of solos who happen to set out together but a true team.