JacktheRabbit
Explorer
I have to start by saying that I HATE actions that are limited use per day, especially the ones that do not make much sense in their limitation.
Seriously, who can a fighter one do a single Action Surge (or 2 when 17th level) and then he needs a Short Rest. It makes no sense, in game it gives a cookie but with a balance so it is not overpowered. But immersion wise it is just silly. You are a trained fighter, your body honed to a physical level that none of us as real people can ever match. You can go into combat and as long as you have hitpoints left you can literally fight for hours (no rules for applying exhaustion if a combat continues into insane numbers of rounds), but once and only once you can push yourself and act double in a turn.
The same can be said for lots of other abilities among other classes.
This got me thinking. Hitpoints are not health really. They are energy, stamina, endurance, only the bottom 20% or less represent your bodies actual ability to take damage.
So what if limited use powers cost hitpoints to use and that cost increased each time you used them. I will use Action Surge again as the example.
Action Surge is physically taxing, using it to take basically an extra turn costs you 5 hitpoints as you excessively push yourself. Every time you use it after the first the cost doubles, second time 10 hitpoints, third time 20 hitpoints, etc etc. This increased cost resets AFTER you take a short rest, regain your strength and let your body recover. To allow for "Rule of Cool" situations the cost of an Action Surge is paid at the end of your turn, thus allowing you to chose to make that final effort to finish your foe before accepting the consequences.
Your 8th level fighter is in the epic battle of his life. The rest of the party is beaten down and if the Fire Giant gets the chance to strike again one or more of your companions may die. Gritting your teeth you action surge for the fourth time this battle hoping to take down your opponent. The giant goes down under your rain of blows and as you stand their exultantly you take 40 points of damage and collapse dead or unconscious right after saving your friends and companions.
This is epic, this is Beowulf and any other number of legendary heroes striking the final blow before succumbing to wounds and strain.
More powerful abilities can be balanced by starting with a higher initial cost and/or the cost might only reset after a Long Rest instead of a Short Rest.
Opinions?
Seriously, who can a fighter one do a single Action Surge (or 2 when 17th level) and then he needs a Short Rest. It makes no sense, in game it gives a cookie but with a balance so it is not overpowered. But immersion wise it is just silly. You are a trained fighter, your body honed to a physical level that none of us as real people can ever match. You can go into combat and as long as you have hitpoints left you can literally fight for hours (no rules for applying exhaustion if a combat continues into insane numbers of rounds), but once and only once you can push yourself and act double in a turn.
The same can be said for lots of other abilities among other classes.
This got me thinking. Hitpoints are not health really. They are energy, stamina, endurance, only the bottom 20% or less represent your bodies actual ability to take damage.
So what if limited use powers cost hitpoints to use and that cost increased each time you used them. I will use Action Surge again as the example.
Action Surge is physically taxing, using it to take basically an extra turn costs you 5 hitpoints as you excessively push yourself. Every time you use it after the first the cost doubles, second time 10 hitpoints, third time 20 hitpoints, etc etc. This increased cost resets AFTER you take a short rest, regain your strength and let your body recover. To allow for "Rule of Cool" situations the cost of an Action Surge is paid at the end of your turn, thus allowing you to chose to make that final effort to finish your foe before accepting the consequences.
Your 8th level fighter is in the epic battle of his life. The rest of the party is beaten down and if the Fire Giant gets the chance to strike again one or more of your companions may die. Gritting your teeth you action surge for the fourth time this battle hoping to take down your opponent. The giant goes down under your rain of blows and as you stand their exultantly you take 40 points of damage and collapse dead or unconscious right after saving your friends and companions.
This is epic, this is Beowulf and any other number of legendary heroes striking the final blow before succumbing to wounds and strain.
More powerful abilities can be balanced by starting with a higher initial cost and/or the cost might only reset after a Long Rest instead of a Short Rest.
Opinions?
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