D&D 5E (2014) Halving the natural healing rate?

[Ancalagon]

Hello

I'm a bit... surprised... by how much natural healing there is in 5e (vs 3e). However, more natural healing seems to be a thing, so I don't want to completely kybosh that, and I don't want to make long rest less frequent either. So what if I halved it?

Example. Unless I missunderstood the rules,a level 4 character can spend up to 4 hit dice of healing per short rest. However, only 2 hit dice are refreshed per long rest. A pool of 4 hit dice can be built up.

In the "halved" version, a level 4 character could spend up to 2 hit dice of healing per short rest. however, only 1 hit dice is refreshed per long rest, and a pool of 2 hit dice can be built up.

Would this be reasonable?

 

[MechaPilot]

Almost any modification to the natural healing rate is reasonable, you just have to know the ramifications. Slower healing often means a slower paced game, though that can change if magical healing is plentiful. If your PCs face fewer combats and traps per day, this is not so much of an issue. Where there are more combats and/or traps clustered together, the PCs will likely retreat and rest more often, this can be a serious issue if the PCs are on an adventure with a ticking clock that requires them to keep pushing forward when they'd rather rest up.

 

[Sunseeker]

Reasonable by what standard? What sort of game do you run? Do you just want players to be more cautious? Do you want a more "realistic" experience? Are you running a "gritty" game?

As a finite resource, the best thing you can do with it is burn it up. I would suggest hitting your players harder, before you make it more difficult to recover.

Personally, I thought all hit dice refreshed after a long rest, if I'm mistaken anyone is welcome to correct me.

 

[MechaPilot]

Personally, I thought all hit dice refreshed after a long rest, if I'm mistaken anyone is welcome to correct me.

I was under the impression that it was half, rounded up. Which would be all your HDs if you're first level.

 

[NotActuallyTim]

All HP are returned by a long rest, and PCs get half HD back. Pg 186, under Long Rest in the PHB

Not getting any HP and only getting HD is a DMG variant from Pg. 267, Slow Natural Healing. However, HD can be spent during a Long Rest, so players can spend them as they get'em.

Honestly, if you're surprised by HD healing in 5E, I really wonder what you think of Second Wind and the Open Hand Monk Wholeness of Body features.

 

[Sunseeker]

I was under the impression that it was half, rounded up. Which would be all your HDs if you're first level.

As [MENTION=6804638]NotActuallyTim[/MENTION] points out and as I just read on that page, they get up to 1/2 their maximum HD added back to their pool, from what they have spent, so at first level you always get your HD back. That's probably what I got confused on. Learn something new every day.

 

[MechaPilot]

As [MENTION=6804638]NotActuallyTim[/MENTION] points out and as I just read on that page, they get up to 1/2 their maximum HD added back to their pool, from what they have spent, so at first level you always get your HD back. That's probably what I got confused on. Learn something new every day.

Probably. But, as the reverse of what I mentioned above, getting all your HDs back every night won't really break anything either. It just means that each day will require more encounters to wear the PCs down, and that the PCs will be more apt to push ahead than stop and rest up. If one enjoys a faster-paced game or larger combats, the very minor error that you made could even be a feature that works in your group's favor.

 

[LapBandit]

I have played with players getting one full Hit Dice + con mod for a long rest outside of a comfortable environment and it worked really well. Made them more cautious but it did not slow down the game overmuch. I felt like that was just the right balance if you change nothing else about the game.

Someone also mentioned no long rest healing except through HD, that also sounds like a worthwhile system to try.

 

[Sunseeker]

Probably. But, as the reverse of what I mentioned above, getting all your HDs back every night won't really break anything either. It just means that each day will require more encounters to wear the PCs down, and that the PCs will be more apt to push ahead than stop and rest up. If one enjoys a faster-paced game or larger combats, the very minor error that you made could even be a feature that works in your group's favor.

Quite possibly. I do certainly hit harder with fewer combats. It doesn't make much of a difference to me since I don't usually string adventuring days anyway.

 

[Ancalagon]

All HP are returned by a long rest, and PCs get half HD back. Pg 186, under Long Rest in the PHB

Not getting any HP and only getting HD is a DMG variant from Pg. 267, Slow Natural Healing. However, HD can be spent during a Long Rest, so players can spend them as they get'em.

Honestly, if you're surprised by HD healing in 5E, I really wonder what you think of Second Wind and the Open Hand Monk Wholeness of Body features.

Woah, resting gives you half your HD *and* full HP!? That's even more natural healing than I thought! (thank you for that clarification).

The monk's ability doesn't bother me as it is a mystical, near magical power representing the monk's great control over his or her body. The fighter's second wind represent inner reserves of willpower and grit that a professional warrior can rely on - he or she doesn't need a short rest to regain a small burst of HP. Besides, with a bit less natural healing this fighter ability becomes more important, and the consensus on the board seems to be that the fighter could do with a little boost

When a party receives a sound trashing and isn't able to automatically heal up after a long rest, it can slow the game down but it also has two effects.

First, this can be a bit like a minor defeat for the party. Not a TPK, but enough to make them reflect. Even if the party won the battle, it still stings.

Furthermore, if this is a "time is short" adventure and the party must press on without their full HP, it creates a lot of dramatic tension, and I think that can be a good thing.