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Message: <blockquote data-quote="pemerton" data-source="post: 6288486" data-attributes="member: 42582">In that case . . .Healing surges, as implemented in 4e, combine tactical and strategic considerations in a fashion that provides strong support for effective pacing:(i) each combat encounter starts with the PCs at (around) full hp, which allows encounters to be designed around a stable assumption about PC capacity and performance; (ii) the need for the players to "unlock" their healing surges during the course of combat resolution adds both tactical and dramatic elements to combat, plus supports the dramatic pacing of a combat (as PCs are worn down and then "bounce back"); (iii) the short rest mechanic underpins (i) above - players spend their surges to bring their PCs up to full hp or thereabouts at the end of each combat; (iv) healing surge depletion over the course of an adventure introduces strategic, "Damocles' sword" pacing considerations into the game, which in turn fosters distinctive and interesting in-game choices made to keep low-or-zero-surge PCs alive.As for martial healing, it is the flip-side to making sense of "Gygaxian" hit-points-as-morale-and-luck-and-inspiration. If hit point loss is wearing away your resolve, inspiring people - bards, warlords, clerics (most clerical healing in 4e is also inspirational healing, as it is not surgeless) - can renew vigour and resolution. The ability of inspirational healing to bring back characters from unconsciousness also adds to the game. First, it allows a certain sort of romantic trope to be possible - the hero falls down, but then a memory or vision of a friend/ally reminds the fallen hero of the importance of the cause, and s/he struggles to his/her feet. Second, it reinforces that "unconsciousness" in D&D is typically closer to fainting or swooning than to falling into a coma, which helps make sense of the fact that it happens to PCs quite a bit.Agreed. In my 4e game I don't tinker much with the default short rest pacing, but for extended rests I don't allow these every 24 hours. The PCs have to be somewhere safe and comfortable.</blockquote>

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