D&D (2024) Just DMed my 1st session of 5.5. Healer's Kit!?!?!

[dave2008]

I think it's that you can identify what is medically wrong with your comrade, get the kit, rummage through it to get out what you need, and then bind/heal an injury that is life threatening, all in 6 seconds, while also moving and attacking yourself.

You can't attack. It takes an action to use the healer's kit.

 

[FitzTheRuke]

I wonder who was really asking for stuff like the 5.5 healers kit? Who thinks its too easy to die in 5e?

I think you're overanalysing it.

Players want gear that does stuff. 2024 made more of the gear actually do stuff.

Now we just need 10 more years of development for it to do good, interesting, and/or balanced stuff. /s

In the meantime, it works "fine" if you don't squint at it too hard, as we are doing here.

 

[Micah Sweet]

You can't attack yourself. It takes an action to use the healer's kit.

But you can move 30 feet and make viable use of a healer's kit, ostensibly made by a pre-modern culture.

Now that's fantasy!

 

[FitzTheRuke]

You can't attack yourself. It takes an action to use the healer's kit.

Why would you attack yourself!?

Badump-bump.

 

[dave2008]

But you can move 30 feet and make viable use of a healer's kit, ostensibly made by a pre-modern culture.

Now that's fantasy!

Sure, but that is not a 5e24 thing, it is a 5e thing.

For us (my group) it is not such a big deal since HP is clearly not real / serious injuries. But we make that clear in our house rules

 

[FitzTheRuke]

But you can move 30 feet and make viable use of a healer's kit, ostensibly made by a pre-modern culture.

Now that's fantasy!

Move 30ft, lift a 250lb guy (including gear, on average), find where the sword/arrow/spell got through his chain armor, get in there, clear the wound of debris, patch him up, and put him back down. All without getting yourself instantly killed by his assailant, who is still standing over him.

 

[pukunui]

While I agree that non-magical first aid in 5e is utterly nonsensical, I am fortunate that it rarely comes up in my games. There’s always someone with some kind of healing magic, even if it’s just spare the dying.

 

[Micah Sweet]

Sure, but that is not a 5e24 thing, it is a 5e thing.

For us (my group) it is not such a big deal since HP is clearly not real / serious injuries. But we make that clear in our house rules

Right. But to me the question is: if hit points aren't actual injuries, what exactly is the "healer's kit" actually accomplishing, and what are you accomplishing with it?

 

[GMMichael]

I wonder who was really asking for stuff like the 5.5 healers kit? Who thinks its too easy to die in 5e?

Probably the PCs who spring into action right after being healed above zero HP, effectively telling the enemies, "I'm back! Feel free to knock me down again!"

 

[CleverNickName]

The "drink a potion as a bonus action" breaks my brain. In under six seconds, you are supposed to be able to pull a bottle out of your pocket, open it, and swallow its contents...while holding a sword in one hand and a shield in the other, in hand-to-hand combat with someone swinging an axe at your head.

Ugh. I know this is a game and all, but geez.