D&D 5E Burning Hit Dice

[ezo]

In some games of ol' that I used to play, I recall players had options to "burn" resources for a greater in-game impact or influence. ShadowRun is an example. You would use karma for minor things, but had to burn karma for major ones, and could burn your entire karma pool for a "Hand of God" IIRC.

So, what about in D&D? (2024 included... but we don't have a tag for "both" 2014 and 2024...).

The discussions about players getting to decide if their character actually died or not, as well as the threat on harsh house rules, got me thinking about this.

The primary use IMO would be for auto-success on a d20 roll. This would include any ability check, attack, or save (including death saves). Now, I don't just mean an auto-20 for that roll, I mean auto-success for that roll, since sometimes a 20 might not do it.

For things like critical hits and death saves, perhaps even 2 HD?

EDIT: (added) It could also be used to simulate "level drain" from AD&D... make it HD drain instead.

Once "burned", the HD are lost forever. This includes how many you have to spend on a short rest to recover HP.

This makes it a very hefty cost, but perhaps such a sacrifice is better than the alternative?

Frankly, I really like this idea and will propose it to my group Friday night. But, I would enjoy hearing other peoples' thought. Not a (+) thread, so if you don't like it feel free to rant why not.

 

[payn]

I like the idea of it because its a resource for the player to manage unlike inspiration which is a resource the GM hands out arbitrarily. Having HD allow healing, advantage, auto-success, life save, etc.. gives interesting choices in how to use them in that sense. Im all for it!

 

[ezo]

Cool, I'm glad you like the idea. We're adding it to our game we're designing as well.

 

[Tales and Chronicles]

I tend to target HD a lot for failed rolls on a skill challenge. Like, if you can still make progress while climbing that crumbling wall, but you spend 1 HD to get that success.

I also use HD drain to simulate the old "level drain" of yore and getting back from 0hp cost 1HD (which you can roll and add to the recovered hp from the spell or item). No HD? Dead!

I think being lost forever is a little too much, but you can reduce their recovery rate to something like 1+CON mod per day.

Edited: oh, forgot to mention that I use the natural healing rules from the DMG, so regaining HP on a long rest cost HDs just like a short rest.

 

[Vaalingrade]

In some games of ol' that I used to play, I recall players had options to "burn" resources for a greater in-game impact or influence. ShadowRun is an example. You would use karma for minor things, but had to burn karma for major ones, and could burn your entire karma pool for a "Hand of God" IIRC.

Is this something from an older edition or are you talking about Edge?

AFAIK, Karma is the points you spend to increase your stats and perks.

One thing about burned edge is, you still have the option to get more by spending Karam--are least in later editions.

 

[ezo]

I'll add the initial idea was just for death saves in 5E. It would become the "will to live" mechanic mentioned in the other thread, but is not infinite or anything. I like the idea that healing becomea bit harder when used in this (initial) fashion because of the damage you sustained that otherwise would have killed you.

 

[ezo]

I also use HD drain to simulate the old "level drain" of yore and getting back from 0hp cost 1HD (which you can roll and add to the recovered hp from the spell or item). No HD? Dead!

This was another aspect I thought of and will probably also incorporate. It really gets to the whole "life draining" aspect!

I think being lost forever is a little too much, but you can reduce their recovery rate to something like 1+CON mod per day.

For auto success and allowing you "not" to die, I think burning is fine and will keep with it.

At BEST, I might allow one burned HD recovered when you gain a new HD. In this fashion, you would have one "freebie" each level.

Is this something from an older edition or are you talking about Edge?

From SR2. I'm old.

 

[Quickleaf]

I saw this idea pop up during 4e.

It works until it doesn't. By that I mean that if you have a group of PCs without a magical healer, they are heavily reliant on Hit Dice for healing within the day. When you whittle down those healing resources (even if it's cool options like you describe), that impacts that party composition unevenly compared to the party with the cleric/druid/bard healer.

 

[Vaalingrade]

I saw this idea pop up during 4e.

It works until it doesn't. By that I mean that if you have a group of PCs without a magical healer, they are heavily reliant on Hit Dice for healing within the day. When you whittle down those healing resources (even if it's cool options like you describe), that impacts that party composition unevenly compared to the party with the cleric/druid/bard healer.

Speaking of 4e, you could probably do this with a more strictly rationed version of action points without affecting the existing HD.

 

[ezo]

I saw this idea pop up during 4e.

It works until it doesn't. By that I mean that if you have a group of PCs without a magical healer, they are heavily reliant on Hit Dice for healing within the day. When you whittle down those healing resources (even if it's cool options like you describe), that impacts that party composition unevenly compared to the party with the cleric/druid/bard healer.

Huh...

Well, in 5E you don't even need a dedicated healer anymore. So I don't know if it would have the same impact overall.

Besides, this is obviously meant to hurt. You have REAL power over the game in this as a player. You want to take down the BBEG with a crit for a super exciting impactful moment? Spend a HD to hit, another to crit.

I'm sure we'll play test it. If people seem to be using it too often and for not the "right moments" then I'll probably drop it.