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Message: <blockquote data-quote="CapnZapp" data-source="post: 4738707" data-attributes="member: 12731">Thanks cadfan and mneme; you got it.Yes, I am dissatisfied with healing surges as the currency for the resource management game (replacing attack spells in previous editions).Why? Because the difference between having these resources and not having them is implemented in a crude and uninteresting way, at least to me.Any joy I had when I realized Wizards had solved the issue for attack spells quickly vanished into disappointment when I saw the implementation of surges, and specifically what happens when you run out (i.e. the air goes out of the entire game).I am honestly intrigued why it seems so few of my fellow players have the same feelings as I do. I would like to know how so many people accept that the "choice" when you run out of resources is equally non-existant as in 3E, especially considering the neat solution for the spells.One thing is for sure; if I am going to retain the resource management game, it needs to be more exciting than staring at a number slowly ticking down from 12 to 0.In 3E, dwindling resources had a profound impact on the game: once you used that Fireball or Meteor Swarm, it was gone. The difference wasn't just a number on the paper - it was a change that was physically present both in-game (your PC losing capabilities) and out of game (your playing piece using up its abilities).I miss that.Perhaps I should try adding some kind of penalty for being downed (reaching zero hp). This as a way to make encounters count for something; more than having your number tick down a step or two.Yes, I have already done away with milestones and having to keep track of action points and daily item uses.If I can prevent a character from using half a dozen surges in a single fight, and can dampen the impact of running out of surges, then there might be hope for 4E still! <img src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/joypixels/assets/8.0/png/unicode/64/1f642.png" class="smilie smilie--emoji" loading="lazy" width="64" height="64" alt=":)" title="Smile    :)"  data-smilie="1"data-shortname=":)" />As I see it, I share the design goals of 4E. I just want to reach them without having to sacrifice encounter excitement, and without reducing the "resource management game" to trivialities.(More later... need to go)</blockquote>

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