D&D 5E (2014) Should 5E have Healing Surges?

[BASHMAN]

I originally said "no" but put me in the "special" category. I like the way Barbarians of Lemuria handles it. After combat, if you aren't unconcsious, and have a few minutes to rest, you regain half your lost HP.

 

[Glade Riven]

I think it'll be an optional rule. They did say that more than the cleric was going to be healing, though.

 

[Tallifer]

Healing surges, like powers, seems to be one of the more contentious issues regarding D&D from what I have been reading over the last four or five years. There are probably a few hot button issues like this that either need removal or severe changing to pull in as many lapsed players as WotC seems to want to draw to consider 5E a success.

<nod> I think realistically (despite my love of healing surges and impatience with people who misunderstand them) that the unification of D&D needs to see Healing Surges relegated to a coloured sidebar option in the first books. Or an appendix buried at the back. Otherwise the [censored] rage will be unavoidable.

 

[Oni]

I think it'll be an optional rule. They did say that more than the cleric was going to be healing, though.

Well with or without, most or all the iterations of the following have had access to healing. Clerics/Priests, Druids, Bards, Paladins, Rangers, and Warlords (Am I forgetting any?).

 

[Thorgrim Sekkrhrafn]

Healing surges, like powers, seems to be one of the more contentious issues regarding D&D from what I have been reading over the last four or five years. There are probably a few hot button issues like this that either need removal or severe changing to pull in as many lapsed players as WotC seems to want to draw to consider 5E a success.

I can't put a finger on why I never liked them but I'll take a stab at a hypothesis: it's all par for the course. I've found that those players I know who don't like the 'WoW' aspects of 4E--powers, over emphasis on balance, Dragonkin, etc.--loathe healing surges. To the man. They seem to lump it all in together, irrespective of whether or not it--separate and apart from other 4E innovations--it may have its benefits.

Perhaps if they truncated it a bit. I felt it took some of the sting out of combat and pulled my suspension of disbelief to the breaking point.

Then again, that's just me. I can't reconcile not blinking an eye when a wizard blows a tribe of orcs up with a Megatonne Fireball of Doom...but super-power-like healing surges? Eh... It's a stylistic thing, I suppose.

 

[Stalker0]

I don't need healing surges, exactly, but I certainly want something like them.

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.

 

[JamesonCourage]

I like the idea, but not the implementation. Maybe make it more like the second wind use. I definitely don't want them putting a hard cap on healing most of the time (can't use a healing potion or get most healing spells once you run out, for example).

Then again, I'd prefer them separate HP from THP (temporary hit points). Make HP physical wounds (and a much smaller pool), and make THP everything else players like (stamina, luck, skill, divine protection, morale, and the like). Also, make all THP be consumed before HP is taken away in most situations (things like falling might bypass THP). THP returns extremely quickly, but HP takes a while to get back. Let things like the 4e Warlord class heal THP, while the cleric heals HP. Both have their niche in combat, that way. That is, THP will need to be healed more often (go Warlord!) since it's consumed first, but wounds are long lasting and you need a Cleric (or the like) to stop someone from bleeding out (go Cleric!).

Just my preference, but I know people don't like the divide. I really, really doubt we'll see HP split like that, but it's worked very well in my RPG. For my group, that is. And we're definitely not representative of anything other than ourselves... As always, play what you like

 

[Fanaelialae]

I voted that I'd like to see them. I think they're a good mechanic.

However, knowing that plenty of people don't care for them, I'd have voted for "Yes, but make them optional", had that been an option.

In the end, so long as the game is great, I don't think I'll care. They're not a deal-breaker.

 

[Wormwood]

I have no problem removing Healing Surges if there was a whole lot of healing after each encounter.

 

[Traken]

Things I like about healing surges:

• Reduce dependence on heal-bot spellcasters or ubiquitous CLW wands.
• Allow the party to forge on through the adventure.

Things I don't like about healing surges:

• Not very believable in many cases.
• Greatly reduces lasting effects of combat.

If the PCs get in an extremely hard fight and get licked, I want them to feel it. If you have been knocked to the brink of death several times by a dragon 10 times your size, you're not going to take a 5 minute breather and sprint off to fight the dragon's brother.

Of course, any sort of lasting effect can also be nullified by clerics and others. So there's not really too much difference between having healers and healing surges except the healers are much more believable to me.

There's still room for the bad ass warrior who can spring back to his feet after getting crushed by a boulder, however that should be a specific option for specific characters.