D&D 5E Should 5E have Healing Surges?

[Hassassin]

I answered no, because as they are in 4e, including their name, I definitely don't want to see them.

I would accept something else that reduced reliance on clerics and their like, of course. At least as long as 1) it isn't a given that all hp return after each fight (i.e. I want more long term consequences), 2) nothing short of magic can drag a dying (hp < 0) character back into the fight in the context of an encounter, and 3) the system doesn't feel too metagamey in my subjective sense.

Somewhat tangentially, I'd really like healing magic to work independent of the level of the target: a Cure Light Wounds that returns an equal percentage of HP to a first level wizard and a tenth level barbarian, for example.

Those concerned about a "quiver of CLW wands", as someone put it, can probably rest easy, since magic items are not supposed to be an assumed part of progression.

 

[Kaodi]

I think I sort of agree with Connor: I do not particularly care for healing surges, but I would like to see some sort of mechanic for gaining a second wind.

Not sure how I would do it. Maybe something that requires expending an action point. Maybe, if you had the aforementioned system of just automatically healing a bit after each battle, the second wind would be a mechanic for getting that during the battle at the expense of getting it afterwards (maybe again using action points).

 

[mcintma]

That is fine as long as it's not a simulationist mechanic for dealing with this whereby you can only use your healing skill/kit once per battle and you recover a whopping 1-4 hit points.

I'm against HS but agree that CLW quivers and Cleric over-reliance are bad.

I agree that the Heal skill is a starting point to a solution. I also think that herblore can play a larger role in the game, such that even a Fighter can gain skill levels in herblore and have some limited, yet 'believable' ability to heal. "Aye Kingsfoil, it's a weed ..." etc.

We also have a houserule that Heal can be used after every combat, given 5 mins to bandage wounds and a DC 15 Heal check, to gain lvl x 1 HP. Similar in some ways to HS, but feels more 'natural' to us.

 

[Glade Riven]

I can see healing surges returning as an option under the (optional) Action Point mechanic from 3.5/Modern, maybe relabled as "second wind." Instead of recovering with a decent rest after every encounter, I could also see a healing ritual, since rituals are making a comeback. Rituals are suppose to be more plot-orientated, so it would be up to a DM to police it ("Sorry, but there is not enough room to properly perform this ritual for everyone in this broom closet, and the time it takes to cast makes it risky to use the space in a room you've already cleared - someone may stumble upon you and interupt it").

 

[KarinsDad]

I very much agree with this. It is nice to allow regular classes to have a least at least some self healing without the aid of a cleric.

Potions, Scrolls, Chicken Soup.


PS. I just don't like that automatic entitlement to immediate healing that 4E hands out. I have no problem with PCs not having a healer and having to acquire immediate healing other ways, or to rest up.

 

[KarinsDad]

D&D really needs differentiate the "heroic luck" part of the HPs from the "wounds", it would make this kind of discussion easier.

The heroic luck used to be AC and saving throws. Those peasants didn't have defenses nearly as good as the heroes.

 

[avin]

NO.

I've DMed 4E. I've enjoyed 4E.

But I was never a fan of Healing Surges and how, no matter how good people explains it, sounds alien and unreal.

 

[Wormwood]

Definitely no healing surges. Damage should be significant and Healing should not be an entitlement. HP don't need to go up and down like a yo-yo.

Healing surges work because they *don't* let your HP go up and down like a yo-yo. Before the surge system, people had (1e/2e) haversacks full of healing potions and (3e) CLW wands. Surges impose a hard limit on daily healing, minimizing the reliance on consumable magic.

 

[Minigiant]

As much as I like Healing surges, they are not uniting. This is against 5e's goal.

I do like ¼ HP as the baseline for healing and limits on healing.

I think the solution would be to have each source of healing have their own strengths and usages. Cleric spells would have strengths based on the spell's level. Second winds could use action points. The Heal skill could be once per target per day for ¼ outside of combat and stressful situations. The warlord could give ¼-¾ temporary HP once an encounter. Paladins can Lay on Hand x/day. Etc.

This would then remove the need of clerics if the players want to but give each method of healing flavor and closeness to reality.

 

[Elton Robb]

no.