D&D General A more story-based mechanic for "somewhat grittier" healing - has this been done in D&D before, and would you use it?

[Krachek]

DMG chapter 9, already have a small section on injuries.

 

[GMMichael]

3. Wounds do not take effect until after the encounter they are obtained in (you're pumped up on adrenaline)
5. Wounds have a healing threshold and a DC to cure. You can make a CON save to try to recover from one wound every time you finish a long rest. Any time a single source heals you for the healing threshold value or more, you can make a CON save against one wound. Let's say something like threshold 10 and DC 10 as an initial thought. . .

It's not exactly simulationist; it's presenting a storytelling trope of the heroes who finish the fight, then fall over.

I'd be one of the people who "hate" it, because the falling-over-after-combat thing chafes me every time.

It seems a little one-sided: PCs have to live with their wounds after a fight, while NPCs either get a TPK or die - why would NPCs forfeit a fight and carry wounds if those wounds don't take effect until after the fight?

You might ditch the saving-throw for recovering wounds. Why should PCs expend effort or resources healing themselves when they can just wait around for a lucky save?

Saying "just RP it" doesn't help, as IME most players wouldn't RP it to nearly enough detriment to their PCs without some enforced rules backing it up.

Seconded. So I bribe my PCs to role-play wounds. 5e already has a rule for it: "Flaws."

What does the game gain from this extra level of complexity?

All it does is force the players into the 5 minute Adventuring day. They'll be more inclined to fall back and heal, leading to more nova strikes, and class imbalance.

Valid question. I'd say the game gains a level of virtual sweat on the brow. Otherwise, PCs just come out of battle missing some HP, which has all of zero effect in-game.

Nova strikes become less likely if PCs think that getting to a safe place to heal might be just as hard as getting to the boss encounter. Same with defending that safe place.

 

[jayoungr]

"People who like this sort of thing will find this is the sort of thing they like."

I'm not a big fan of "wounds" systems personally (not even sure I can articulate why--it just turns me off to see it on a character sheet). But if it works for you, have at it.