Healing

[Lonely Tylenol]

Maybe I'm overthinking the healing word prayer given to the cleric, but I interpreted it as:

"The target can (1) spend a healing surge and (2) regain an additional 1d6+4 HP."

The target doesn't HAVE to use a healing surge (they "can" use a healing surge). After all, what if the target doesn't want to use a healing surge, or has none remaining? Also, how would this power be any better than say, triggering a healing surge with a Heal check (which has been described in other playtest reports as something even a wizard could do)?

Because you don't get the extra 1d6+4 HP. Also, I get the feeling that the Heal skill lets you trigger healing surges only in unconscious characters, to wake them back up, essentially as though they had rolled to stabilize.

My reading was that you get the 1d6+4 HP regardless of whether or not a healing surge is used. Perhaps that is over-parsing things though.

If you don't use the surge, the 1d6+4 isn't additional.

 

[LightPhoenix]

Keep in mind that the power in question is not a prayer, but a class specific ability (feature). I would bet that we'll be seeing the Cleric get some powers (probably "utilities") that end up being free healing, ala the Cure Wounds spells.

 

[fafhrd]

Because you don't get the extra 1d6+4 HP. Also, I get the feeling that the Heal skill lets you trigger healing surges only in unconscious characters, to wake them back up.

Also, it's a minor action at range.

 

[half-dragon dragon]

I'm honestly really happy with the healing surge mechanic. One concern I had about at-will/unlimited healing (in general, not just for 4E) was that except for daily powers and such, there would be no incentive for players to stop for the most part. One thought I had was a "healing threshold" that essentially represented the limit to which the character's body and whatever else represented HP could be stitched back together on a daily basis. I just could never think of a simple, clean way of representing this, and to me at least, the healing surges do this and more in a very elegant manner.

 

[Stalker0]

I'm honestly really happy with the healing surge mechanic. One concern I had about at-will/unlimited healing (in general, not just for 4E) was that except for daily powers and such, there would be no incentive for players to stop for the most part. One thought I had was a "healing threshold" that essentially represented the limit to which the character's body and whatever else represented HP could be stitched back together on a daily basis. I just could never think of a simple, clean way of representing this, and to me at least, the healing surges do this and more in a very elegant manner.

Agreed, though of course we'll have to see the results to determine if healings surges work well, the theory seems very elegant. The tanks that take all the damage can heal more of it, remaining less of a drain on the party. A party can recover after a fight quickly but not indefinitely. And it provides a resource that a player can spend for other benefits, like the paladin's lay on hands.

 

[ZombieRoboNinja]

I'm honestly really happy with the healing surge mechanic. One concern I had about at-will/unlimited healing (in general, not just for 4E) was that except for daily powers and such, there would be no incentive for players to stop for the most part. One thought I had was a "healing threshold" that essentially represented the limit to which the character's body and whatever else represented HP could be stitched back together on a daily basis. I just could never think of a simple, clean way of representing this, and to me at least, the healing surges do this and more in a very elegant manner.

I agree completely. It's an elegant way to limit the adventuring day of the party as a whole without sticking healers with only per-day spells.

 

[Aloïsius]

I don't like the idea that a lasting rest (6 hours) will cure you of all your wounds... Or, rather, I would like for a way to simulate real wounds (critical ?).

This looks too much like "I know, I spilled my guts all over the wall when the ogre axed me, but I'm feeling better now !. It was nothing a good nap can't heal !"

This is so unrealistic that I think I will need a magical explanation. Like this regenerating ability being limited to PC and some NPC, and explained by the binding of some kind of spirit/totem/elemental in the Pc's body. Of course, this kind of trick is very setting dependant....

 

[Fallen Seraph]

I am viewing it like this, after a battle where the party is really battered up.

So that be like, completely bruised, many gashes and cuts, muddy, tired, moral low, etc. Just to top it off it starts to rain on them, etc.

They make their way to a ditch where they collapse, covering themselves in a tent. They spend the six-hours mending their wounds, resting, eating, etc.

Things like having their guts sprayed all over the place, well beyond magical means there really is no way to survive that. As such it more likely then not wouldn't happen, now when a person is true and surely dead, it can be from such things as that.

 

[neceros]

I don't like the idea that a lasting rest (6 hours) will cure you of all your wounds... Or, rather, I would like for a way to simulate real wounds (critical ?).

This looks too much like "I know, I spilled my guts all over the wall when the ogre axed me, but I'm feeling better now !. It was nothing a good nap can't heal !"

This is so unrealistic that I think I will need a magical explanation. Like this regenerating ability being limited to PC and some NPC, and explained by the binding of some kind of spirit/totem/elemental in the Pc's body. Of course, this kind of trick is very setting dependant....

The difference is in thematic hitpoints and blood and guts hitpoints.

When a character gets hit with an axe it's true that he may get scratched, cut and bleed. In whole, though, that character isn't going to be gutted. The only time he will have sever wounds should be during death strikes or more severe critical hits.

Most hitpoint damage, is in fact, attrition and being worn out. This is inherent in the thematic "movie" approach that generic hitpoints deliver.

 

[mach1.9pants]

*shrug*

Hasn't been the case for us, at least. We're not fighting 20 or 30 encounters a day or anything like that, but we've definitely moved well past the "four equal combats and out" of 3E.

Off Topic: You must be feeling the weight off your shoulders! Not being the only one who can talk with authority about playing 4E
On Topic: Surges look great to me, and the Helaing Word power only allows players access to their healing surge; and gives a bonus. AFAIK you cannot just access a healing surge whenever you want, something (e.g. second wind) has to trigger it.