Per Encounter Powers Outside of Encounters

[Xfer83]

So the D&D Experience was definitely interesting. My gaming group and I participated in several different 4E sessions of the Living Forgotten Realms preview adventures 1 & 2.
Interestingly the use of per encounter powers outside of combat was handled differently from table to table, and I was unable to fully discern which method was correct.

Specifically, the cleric power healing word can be used 2 times per encounter. In one session, our GM encouraged the use of healing word outside of combat, suggesting that no one use their healing surges on their own, but rather allow the cleric to activate them with healing word, granting additional healing.

When we attempted to use this tactic in a second session, a different GM told us that there was "no free lunch" with encounter powers, and if the cleric used healing word outside of combat, he would not have those uses available in the NEXT combat that day.

At least one other group was instructed to freely use healing word outside of combat, while a fourth group was told that using healing word that way would "use up" the ability for the following encounter.

For those who attended D&DXP or those who have read reports, does anyone know the actual rule? Any links or supporting accounts one way or the other would be appreciated, I'd like to run a 4E preview adventure of my own and I would like to know how it "should" be done.

 

[Mustrum_Ridcully]

So the D&D Experience was definitely interesting. My gaming group and I participated in several different 4E sessions of the Living Forgotten Realms preview adventures 1 & 2.
Interestingly the use of per encounter powers outside of combat was handled differently from table to table, and I was unable to fully discern which method was correct.

Specifically, the cleric power healing word can be used 2 times per encounter. In one session, our GM encouraged the use of healing word outside of combat, suggesting that no one use their healing surges on their own, but rather allow the cleric to activate them with healing word, granting additional healing.

When we attempted to use this tactic in a second session, a different GM told us that there was "no free lunch" with encounter powers, and if the cleric used healing word outside of combat, he would not have those uses available in the NEXT combat that day.

At least one other group was instructed to freely use healing word outside of combat, while a fourth group was told that using healing word that way would "use up" the ability for the following encounter.

For those who attended D&DXP or those who have read reports, does anyone know the actual rule? Any links or supporting accounts one way or the other would be appreciated, I'd like to run a 4E preview adventure of my own and I would like to know how it "should" be done.

Well, I wasn't there, but so far, everything I saw pointed out this:
Outside of combats, you need 5 minutes of rest to recover an encounter power. Some encounter powers might make only sense within a combat (anything requiring an enemy to activate). Whether the game breaks if you abuse bag of rats or kobold babies (or just your comrades) for this remains to be seen as well as whether the abuse is actually allowed by RAW/DMG.

So, per encounter in D&D 4 usually means "recharges after 5 minutes".

 

[Dragonblade]

Based on the primer, you can reset all per encounter powers with a "Short Rest" of 5 minutes. So as long as you have a 5 minute break between the cleric's use of the power and the next encounter the power should have been back.

Any DM that told you otherwise was wrong.

 

[D_E]

Note that this tactic does increase the amount of time you need to rest to recover HP from 5 minutes to 5minutes*the number of healing surges you want to use. This could get quite long.

 

[Skyscraper]

I would agree with the replies. On an per encounter power, the question is: what defines an encounter? Do you need to be battling enemies? I would think it is logic to assume that per encounter powers are those that require you to rest for some time afterwards (5 minutes), and consequently outside of actual encounter, you may use those powers if you have a 5-minute rest afterwards.

Sky

 

[malraux]

Absent rulebook guidelines on this, my gut feeling is that if its a situation in which a character could take 10/20 to do something, he can also use /encounter powers. In combat, with all the distractions, he can't get the focus to reliably use the power every round, and the /encounter method just makes it easier on the player to determine when it happens. However, outside of it, with no stress and a chance to focus, he can should be able to fire them off. I might impose a longer resting period than 5 minutes, but whatever.

 

[JesterOC]

When we attempted to use this tactic in a second session, a different GM told us that there was "no free lunch" with encounter powers, and if the cleric used healing word outside of combat, he would not have those uses available in the NEXT combat that day.

Ok well I can only give an opinion, but that was a lame DM ruling. What is that DM going to say next, that the fighter can't use his power attack (the 3d8 one) on a door. Unless one of his friends is attacking a kobold? Perhaps the party should cage a kobold and let him loose every time a player wishes to use an encounter power.

I read SOMEWHERE about 5 minutes being needed after each encounter. So I can imagine the cleric using the spell about 24 times an hour (2 spells per 5 minutes).

JMHO.

JesterOC

 

[TerraDave]

Its 5 minutes per use outside of combat....

 

[themilkman]

In one of my games, the DM just said "Use as many healing surges as you want. Yeah, they'll be more effective if the priest does them." In the other game, the DM said, "Use one healing surge for each five minutes you rest. The priest can use two healing words for each five minutes."

Unless time is really important to whatever you're doing, those two options seem to be about the same. The second may be more accurate to the rules, but the first is a little easier.

 

[Plane Sailing]

In one session, our GM encouraged the use of healing word outside of combat, suggesting that no one use their healing surges on their own, but rather allow the cleric to activate them with healing word, granting additional healing.

When we attempted to use this tactic in a second session, a different GM told us that there was "no free lunch" with encounter powers, and if the cleric used healing word outside of combat, he would not have those uses available in the NEXT combat that day.

At least one other group was instructed to freely use healing word outside of combat, while a fourth group was told that using healing word that way would "use up" the ability for the following encounter.

From looking at the quickstart guide, ALL of those appear to be wrong!

It says, under the "Healing gets an overhaul" section

If you are outside of combat, you can take a short rest and tick off the healing surves you need to heal up damage

Furthermore, it has pointed out that (my emphasis)

"Some powers (like some cleric prayers) will also heal you your healing surve value, and you'll tick off your healing surges for them also

In other words, taking a short rest the clerics healing words are irrelevant - you can tick off as many healing surges as you need to in order to get healed, limited by the total amount you have available for you. Once your healing surges are used up you can't get any more healing from the cleric either.

Cheers