Blog: Resilient Heroes

[Lanefan]

I was actually going to mention that.

I would really like to see the Vitality Point/Wound Point system used. Renamed, of course, with Vitality Points = Hit Points.

Sorry, but no.

"Hit points" should remain the term for the total.

But I completely agree (and have been on about this for some time now) that a two-tiered hit point system is in order. 'Round here, we call 'em Body Points and Fatigue Points, and your hit point total is the sum of BP+FP.

I wouldn't at all mind seeing the trem Vitality replaced with Fatigue, as it opens up more possibiltiies - if you miss a night's sleep, for example, you're down some FP because you're - wait for it - fatigued.

The only real complication is all cure spells and effects should work differently when curing BP as opposed to FP, so the write-up for each one will perforce be a bit longer.

So you're saying you'd like the core D&DN rules to be built around something that was never core in any version of D&D.

Maybe D&D Next isn't the game for you.

That's a bit harsh, isn't it?

Besides, if 5e doesn't have some actual innovation to it then there's not much point. But we can argue all day over what those innovations should be.

Lan-"we'll know they got it right if the first scene in the first adventure features a Flumph riding a donkeyhorse"-efan

 

[FreeTheSlaves]

I don't know why the healing skill is so neglected edition after edition when it comes to natural healing.

What's wrong with marrying self or assisted healing mechanics with things like splints, bandages, stitches, slings, surgery, ointments, medicines, bed rest etc...

The bloodied and unconscious conditions are useful guides to how serious the remedy needs to be, and you could have healing be exponentially cumulative - if you accept most HPs to be luck and stamina, the less injured you are the faster you recover from mere bruises and fatigue.

 

[GX.Sigma]

That's a bit harsh, isn't it?

Besides, if 5e doesn't have some actual innovation to it then there's not much point. But we can argue all day over what those innovations should be.

I know, it's just the whole point of 5e's "kernel" is that it's distilled from the elements that everyone knows and expects from every edition of D&D. It's unrealistic to think they'd even consider changing the hit point system in the kernel. As a module, sure.

 

[Doug McCrae]

I think everyone should be magic.

Self-healing capability has always been very popular down my way. Players will frequently give their PCs a regeneration-type power, in games where powers can be selected, or in AD&D they would give their high level characters a ring of regeneration or the like. (We often started AD&D games at higher than level 1 and allowed players to choose their PC's starting items.)

In 3e, lots of characters can use a wand of cure light wounds, which is effectively the same as healing surges except limited by gold rather than a set number of surges per day.

 

[jbear]

I like self healing.

I realise some dislike Surges.

As I want everyone to be happy, I don't mind if they change the system to fell 'more organic' but limited self-healing remains in the game.

If we do lose surges as such, I don't think returning to needing a magic wand of healing or two when you go adventuring a satisfying solution. "Give us a few taps cleric ..." Doesn't do it for me either. I think they can come up with something better than both systems and still feel like D&D.

 

[Blackwarder]

I'm not a huge fan of healing surges in 4e, I've been very very pro them when 4e came out but after several years of playing I think they are one of the main reasons why 4e feels like a bunch of combat encounters arranged together.

I would much rather have non magical healing be more limited, things like using the heal system to bandage and treat wounds for 10-20% of total hp (depends on the character heal skill).

I think that having the ability to shrug off wounds too often cheapens the ability to shrug wounds, in the blog example, having 4e HS mechanic will make situation mundane and unimportant, the player will say that he use a HS and then try to dig himself out while in a system without HS the situation becomes much more dire and intense and can lead to very cool moments by a good DM (and the character could still die).

Having a limited ability to shrug off wounds is a good thing, making it common is a bad thing INO.

Warder

 

[Minigiant]

I don't mind Healing Surges but it bugs many.

But Second Wind is fine to me. 25% HP once or twice a day is cool.

Races the ability to do them them in different ways (Orcs can SW and attack, Halflings get +5 to AC and saves during Second wind, Dwarves get an extra Second Wind.).


Oh and Stamina/Wound points won't be core. Perhaps a module.
You know I said this so many times, it might be one of my catchphases.

 

[Doug McCrae]

I think that having the ability to shrug off wounds too often cheapens the ability to shrug wounds

Isn't the problem that D&D has far, far, far too many fights?

On the one hand we want our games to have lots of combat encounters. Four a day, in both 3e and 4e. Hundreds over the lifetime of a character. It's necessary to balance Vancian and non-Vancian characters. It's why D&D has so many more monsters than other rpgs. But on the other hand, we want realistic healing.

You can't have both, they don't go together. Real people don't get into that many potentially deadly melees.

 

[Minigiant]

I'm not a huge fan of healing surges in 4e, I've been very very pro them when 4e came out but after several years of playing I think they are one of the main reasons why 4e feels like a bunch of combat encounters arranged together.

I would much rather have non magical healing be more limited, things like using the heal system to bandage and treat wounds for 10-20% of total hp (depends on the character heal skill).

I think that having the ability to shrug off wounds too often cheapens the ability to shrug wounds, in the blog example, having 4e HS mechanic will make situation mundane and unimportant, the player will say that he use a HS and then try to dig himself out while in a system without HS the situation becomes much more dire and intense and can lead to very cool moments by a good DM (and the character could still die).

Having a limited ability to shrug off wounds is a good thing, making it common is a bad thing INO.

Warder

The problem is the HP Yo-yo, not Healing Surges. That is what cheapens the ability to shrug off wounds.

The "stereotypical dungeon" is Monster, Lock, Monster, Trap, Secret Door, Monster, Boss Monster, Treasure. Sometimes you can dodge the monsters. Sometimes there's a monster on the way to the dungeon. At high levels, there might be more monsters.

So as HPs go down over and over again, healing is needed over and over again. And a method to dish it out will be needed. As well as a method to limit it.

Either everyone gets it and being a healer becomes a be less special.
Or only a few get it and "Who's going to be the cleric? NOT IT."

 

[LostSoul]

[surges] are blatantly an artificial kludge

Combat is artificial.

Are HP and/or Surges a blatant kludge? Maybe.