D&D 3E/3.5 3.5 DM Considering 4E

[Kerranin]

Given that hit points, as well as the loss and restoration thereof, are abstract, it makes little sense for someone who isn't completely out to be that beaten up anyway. They've just lost willpower, luck, whatever plot protection you care to use. Of course, given that HP are abstract, there's no reason, other than sheer pig-headedness, to insist on narrating an Inspiring Word as flesh wounds knitting themselves up, as opposed to, say, something abstract. I seem to recall an awful lot of fantasy heroes(and other heroes, too) roughing it up for awhile, then making a comeback.

Yes, that exactly, just think how often the heroes of hollywood action movies are 'out of action' only to make an effort of will to change the course of the action.

 

[Hussar]

I gotta admit, I've never seen the real issue with healing surges. As a mechanic, it's pretty solid.

For one, you stop the idea of someone having to fall on the cleric grenade every time so that the party has a healer. That, right there, is worth it's weight in gold.

Secondly, it's not all that different than how a lot of groups actually were playing 3e anyway. If you had a wand of healing (of some sort), out of combat healing becomes trivial. You tap with your healing stick until everyone's full up and keep going. Is it really a huge difference that instead of tapping someone with a stick, we simply add in a "breather" mechanic? Lots of games have the idea of splitting damage between "real bodily harm" and "heroic hp of some fashion". They might call it different things, but, that's what it boils down to.

There's a lot of things you can criticise 4e for, I'm just not really convinced this is a major one.

 

[Fishbone]

Until you can't fudge it anymore and you just go burning through healing surges and other people's surge based abilities, and somehow the Bulette's Improved Critical happened. Are you supposed to pretend to Sylvester Stallone in an action movie, with spit and mouth guard flying out?

 

[Hussar]

Until you can't fudge it anymore and you just go burning through healing surges and other people's surge based abilities, and somehow the Bulette's Improved Critical happened. Are you supposed to pretend to Sylvester Stallone in an action movie, with spit and mouth guard flying out?

Meh, if your narration causes problems, DON'T NARRATE THAT WAY. If you narrate the action in a manner that is inconsistent with the mechanics, don't blame the mechanics. Or, use a different game.

4e mechanics are pretty fluid. One of the biggest differences between 4e and earlier editions, in addition to changing the unit of the turn, is that any given action isn't really resolved until you move on to the next turn.

In earlier editions, if my ogre attacks your PC, I roll the attack, and, if I hit, I roll damage. It's pretty straight forward. I can narrate that as it happens. In 4e though, that's not true. My ogre attacks your PC. Even before I attack, someone could interrupt with an ability that negates my action, thus invalidating my attack. And, even after I roll, someone could interrupt and force a reroll, or impose some sort of penalty which turns a hit into a miss, all sorts of things. Additionally, after I roll damage, someone could bring up a power which changes things - reduces my damage or gives you temp HP for example, thus changing the narration.

I find that 4e works best if you resolve the actions first THEN narrate what makes the most sense. There are simply too many things that can change the narration otherwise.

Just to go back to your specific example, what edition are you talking about? 4e Bulette's don't have improved critical powers.

 

[Scribble]

Here are 40 Warlord type inspiring Words.

40 Inspirational Speeches in 2 Minutes - YouTube

 

[RangerWickett]

I'll admit, I'd like some sort of "Okay, seriously, you're really hurt" mechanic. But even that would need a way to be recovered from, which would be either magic or time, so we kind of end up back at the same place.

Maybe just something like, "You were bit by a snake last combat. Your maximum hit points are reduced because, hello, snake bites actually dissolve your flesh."

But this is house rules territory.

 

[Scribble]

I'll admit, I'd like some sort of "Okay, seriously, you're really hurt" mechanic. But even that would need a way to be recovered from, which would be either magic or time, so we kind of end up back at the same place.

Maybe just something like, "You were bit by a snake last combat. Your maximum hit points are reduced because, hello, snake bites actually dissolve your flesh."

But this is house rules territory.

I generally model this type of thing by limiting the number of total healing surges a PC has per day.

I've been looking into a way to use the disease track to model long term injuries though. Like broken legs and stuff.

 

[nikadeemus327]

I'll admit, I'd like some sort of "Okay, seriously, you're really hurt" mechanic. But even that would need a way to be recovered from, which would be either magic or time, so we kind of end up back at the same place.

Maybe just something like, "You were bit by a snake last combat. Your maximum hit points are reduced because, hello, snake bites actually dissolve your flesh."

But this is house rules territory.

Not necessarily. You can make the player lose a healing surge instead. It's actually kinda common. Such effects are used to represent more grievous wounds and overexertion.

 

[Pentius]

Until you can't fudge it anymore and you just go burning through healing surges and other people's surge based abilities, and somehow the Bulette's Improved Critical happened. Are you supposed to pretend to Sylvester Stallone in an action movie, with spit and mouth guard flying out?

Would it be any less realistic than taking 7 swords in the gut and half a dozen arrows in the chest and still being on your feet and at full fighting effectiveness, able to wait calmly until the battle is over and the cleric can healstick you?

 

[Scribble]

Would it be any less realistic than taking 7 swords in the gut and half a dozen arrows in the chest and still being on your feet and at full fighting effectiveness, able to wait calmly until the battle is over and the cleric can healstick you?

Pshh... Dude that totally happened to me on the way to work this morning... twice (and I work from home.)