An additional use for Healing Potions

[Rune]

I'm in a heroic tier game currently that has two healers (a warlord and my bard (multiclassed to pick up every heal power available) in which we've found that the lack of surges of a single striker has become our major impediment to progress in between extended rests.

Even with a few dailies spent amongst us, we'd like to press on, but can't because the striker has no means of getting healed during the next encounter.

What I'm going to suggest to the DM is that we house-rule Healing Potions to replace a surge, instead of healing, if the recipient has no surges left.

The way I see it, this would provide two benefits to a DM.

1. If the DM were inclined to run a less magic-item-laden game (although this particular DM is not, I would be), it should help lighten the party's treasure-load somewhat.

2. This should extend the number of encounters in between extended rests, thus easing the burden on the DM of accounting for the likelyhood that we will unload all of our dailies in each encounter (because, as things stand now, we rarely can get two in without really risking the striker's life).

Pulling the potion off the belt would still take a minor action. Drinking would still be another minor action. Still a standard action to administer it to an unconscious ally, who would then need a heal check, heal power, or another potion to make use of it.

Drinking them outside of combat would be a way to heal all the way up (drink for surge, spend surge, drink again...), but I don't think this would unbalance anything. In fact, I think it would further point 2, above.

Thought I'd share.

 

[the Jester]

As a player, this would make healing potions less useful.

As a dm, this would make them pretty well broken.

Surges are really the resource that determine when it's time for an extended rest- and it's supposed to be that way. There are surgeless healing methods but they are generally more expensive, action-wise, than equivalent surge-based healing powers.

YMMV.

 

[Dalamar]

Since you're a Bard, you should really look at the Comrades' Succor (not sure on the spelling there, and not with my books at the moment) ritual. At the cost of one Healing Surge, you can then redistribute Surges between party members. I'm just waiting for the party I DM for to start using it so the party doesn't have to stop their day when the Fighter and Barbarian are out of surges while the Wizard and Warlock have barely touched theirs.

 

[Rune]

As a player, this would make healing potions less useful.

Why? As it is now, they are entirely useless (and, consequently, never used.)

As a dm, this would make them pretty well broken.

Again, why?

Surges are really the resource that determine when it's time for an extended rest- and it's supposed to be that way. There are surgeless healing methods but they are generally more expensive, action-wise, than equivalent surge-based healing powers.

YMMV.

Except that what the surges of the striker (who, is, admittedly reckless and easily bored staying out of trouble) are determining is that its time for an extended rest after each encounter (in the Pyramid of Shadows, if anyone remembers it).

But it's not just this player/striker. Same thing happened to another player/striker, before (except that striker got isolated and killed in an encounter started without surges).

In each case, they have half the surges as anyone else and, in both cases, needed most of the healing.

One encounter is not the ideal time to take an extended rest. It makes it very difficult for the DM to account for dailies getting unloaded in each encounter (this, I know well, for I usually DM).

 

[Rune]

Since you're a Bard, you should really look at the Comrades' Succor (not sure on the spelling there, and not with my books at the moment) ritual. At the cost of one Healing Surge, you can then redistribute Surges between party members. I'm just waiting for the party I DM for to start using it so the party doesn't have to stop their day when the Fighter and Barbarian are out of surges while the Wizard and Warlock have barely touched theirs.

That would be awesome! Where can I find it?

 

[Saeviomagy]

Except that what the surges of the striker (who, is, admittedly reckless and easily bored staying out of trouble) are determining is that its time for an extended rest after each encounter (in the Pyramid of Shadows, if anyone remembers it).

But it's not just this player/striker. Same thing happened to another player/striker, before.

In each case, they have half the surges as anyone else and, in both cases, needed most of the healing.

First up, determine whether this is an issue with the strikers, or your defender(s).

Next up, point out to the striker that there are plenty of defensive feats and items in the game, and he doesn't have to purely stick to the ones that boost his damage dealing.

Third, point out to him that having an 8 in con is a silly thing to do.

I can't really work out why your striker has half the surges of everyone else without him doing that (or everyone else playing a con-based class...)

 

[Rune]

First up, determine whether this is an issue with the strikers, or your defender(s).

The first time it was a combination of striker/DM. First 4e character, limited understanding of 4e rules and the DM focus-firing on him (because he had the artifact in that adventure in his possession).

The second time it was/is definitely the striker. He wins initiative, and charges into the midst of three shambling mounds. This is also his first 4e character and he also has limited understanding of the 4e rules, but, frankly, he's the type of short-attention-span personality who will always do reckless things, especially if it takes too long to get back to his turn.

Next up, point out to the striker that there are plenty of defensive feats and items in the game, and he doesn't have to purely stick to the ones that boost his damage dealing.

I have no idea what feats he has taken, as I wasn't present when he made his character. I doubt he has much of an idea, himself, other than, they are kewl.

Third, point out to him that having an 8 in con is a silly thing to do.

I can't really work out why your striker has half the surges of everyone else without him doing that (or everyone else playing a con-based class...)

Pretty much. We have a paladin (who is the most selfish-anti-paladin type I've ever seen. Will not lay on hands for anyone but himself!). We have a druid (who likes his shape-shiftin'). We have the warlord. Some sort of fighter-type (haven't seen much of his abilities, yet--he wasn't in the last encounter). And my character. The min-maxed healer-bard. 'Cause it's funny. And, in many ways, better at healing than a straight cleric.

These are the circumstances that led to my belief that something like my tweak would be necessary for this party dynamic (especially since that rogue with six surges purchased 27! healing potions during char gen).

Even so, I do not see how my suggested tweak would not be a good change for any party dynamic, and I continue to see no disadvantages.

 

[Arlough]

That would be awesome! Where can I find it?

Just looked it up.

Dragon Magazine 380