1/day abilities

[Thanee]

And what was the conclusion there?

Bye
Thanee

 

[TDRandall]

From http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/rg/20041123a

Uses Per Day: Other items work only a certain number of times each day; for example, most rods fall into this category. The rules don't bother defining a "day" for you, and most of us can figure that out on our own. If it ever becomes important, treat a "day" as any contiguous period of 24 hours. There is no set "recharge" time for a magic item. Instead, the item functions a set number of times in any given period of 24 hours. For example, a rod of enemy detection works three times a day. You cannot activate the rod three times starting at 11 PM one day, then activate it three more times starting 2 hours later (at 1 AM the next day). Instead, you can activate the rod up to three times during any period of 24 consecutive hours. If you activate the rod at 11 PM on a given day, you can activate it only twice more during the following 24 hours. Let's say you activate the rod again at 1 AM the next day and again at 7 AM that same day. You have exhausted your daily limit of activating the rod ability at 7 AM. The earliest you can activate the rod again is 11 PM on the second day, when you can activate the rod only once (because you already have activated the rod twice during the preceding 24 hours). If you don't use the rod at all after 7 AM the second day, the earliest that you will have three activations available again will be 7 AM on the third day.

 

[Thanee]

So, like the thread starter does it. Nah, I like my rule better, tho that is a close second.

Bye
Thanee

 

[Li Shenron]

We usually go easy and say that daily abilities "reset" with rest.

 

[cmanos]

My GM sets a specific time of day for each character that the items reset. The time is chosen individually for the character in question, and remains inflexible thereafter.

For example, a follower of the sun goddess might have their 1/day powers reset at dawn.

I've never actually dealt with this issue, but I'd be inclined to do it this way, as this is how Clerics need to pray....or did they take that out in 3.5?

 

[Thanee]

Nope, clerics still do that... however, spell-like abilities and magic items rarely have a connection to a deity.

That's why I like to use the "spells per day" analogy there, which is fairly neutral.

Bye
Thanee

 

[kjenks]

When I DM, these abilities "reset" at midnight, so a creature could use it just before midnight and then again just after midnight. I've never seen this cause any balance problems and I've never had a player abuse it.

 

[Lord Pendragon]

@Lord Pendragon: There's no bookkeeping involved... any use within the last 8 hours should still be fresh in memory. And really, it doesn't need to be "precise on the minute". It's just a rough guideline with a similar restriction spellcasters have with their recent casting limit.

There absolutely is bookkeeping involved. I have to start keeping track of the time of day that I use each ability. For instance, I currently play an 8th-level paladin. He can Smite twice a day. Last session, he Smote something.

Doing it your way, I'd have to note the time of day he did it, because his ability to Smite cannot be recharged until at least 8 hours have passed. Now let's say next session goes by without much conflict, until he's ambushed in the middle of the night, and he needs to Smite something again. I'll need to log that Smite as well, so I can calculate, when morning comes and he performs his daily prayer, which of his Smites has had at least 8 hours to recharge, and which still won't be available.

Then, every combat that day, I'll have to start by asking my DM how many hours it's been since dawn, so I can see if I have one or the other use of Smite back again.

Ugh.

Every day at dawn, when my paladin prays to Pelor, his Smite attempts recharge along with his spell slots. Short and sweet. Yes, if he's ambushed at 3am and hasn't used them the following day, he can Smite twice, then four hours later (after he's prayed at dawn), Smite twice again. I see no problem with this. It rarely, rarely ever happens. And even when it does, there's no imbalance. And I, as a player, never need to worry about what time of day it is.

I understand that some people have more tolerence for bookkeeping than I do. But for myself, I can't imagine doing it any other way.