How Bad Would the Game Get Fraked if...

[Tequila Sunrise]

PCs could burn healing surges to gain move actions? Say once per turn as a free action, a PC can burn...I dunno, 1d4 surges to gain a move. Obviously classes with more surges could gain more moves safely, but what other consequences would emerge?

This idea came to me as I've been pondering chase mechanics, and how it would be cool if PCs could use that extra "oomph" they have to outrun faster opponents. (For those times when they get in over their heads, or when they just can't let that horseman get away to sound an alarm.)

Of course I could just rule that this option is a 'chase-scene special,' but I prefer consistency in rules.

 

[Ferghis]

First thing that comes to mind is that they can turn them into minor actions. Starting at paragon and depending on the build, characters can have a lot of minor action powers. Also, with those minor actions, characters might swap out their normal weapon/implement for a defensive one (such as a rhythm blade dagger). Or order a small army of figurines of wondrous power to get into position and "Aid Another."

Neither of these possibilities necessarily make your houserule broken. I'm sure other posters will come up with more things to do. The only serious consequence I can see is a shorter adventuring day.

 

[radja]

I like this idea, but making it a general option would probably be too strong.

for a general rule, I'd restrict it to once per encounter, can only be used on your own turn, and apply a -2 hit penalty until the end of your next turn.

I'd also add something like a 'Sprinter' feat:
prereq: trained in endurance or athletics.
You don't suffer a to hit penalty when you use a surge to gain an extra move action.

I think it's more appropriate for a paragon path though.

 

[Ryujin]

I think that it would create some very real issues, given that there's already an extra action mechanic available (action points). There are also items and abilities that turn minor actions into move actions, IIRC, so things could get rather silly.

Building it into a skill challenge for a chase, though, would likely work pretty well.

 

[Tequila Sunrise]

Good points all around.

Two alternatives:

1. This move action can't be traded down for a minor.

2. Forget the move action; burn a surge for a +5 bonus to Athletics before the check is rolled. Combined with a chase mechanic involving Athletics checks, it makes PCs run faster. (Possibly works with other physical checks, too.)

 

[Ferghis]

1. This move action can't be traded down for a minor.

This would resolve most of the issues I was highlighting.

2. Forget the move action; burn a surge for a +5 bonus to Athletics before the check is rolled. Combined with a chase mechanic involving Athletics checks, it makes PCs run faster. (Possibly works with other physical checks, too.)

This is probably the safest way to go. I've been trying to figure out how to use athletics to gain an extra square of movement. My rather unexamined idea is this:

If you take a run action without jumping during it, you can make a free athletics check at the end of your movement to gain extra squares of movement. The DC is an easy DC for your level (plus your speed). If the amount you beat the easy DC for your level by your speed, then you move an extra square. If you beat the DC by twice your speed, you gain two extra squares of movement, and so on.

This makes it so that characters who are already very fast have a bit harder time to gain extra squares of movement. It may not be realistic, but I think it's a bit more balanced than just giving characters who already move 8 extra squares of free movement.

 

[the Jester]

Since the whole point of the healing surge mechanic is to prevent the 15-minute adventuring day, I think it's a terrible idea to put in mechanics that allow you to burn them faster for non-healing purposes; it just brings back the problem the whole surge mechanic is designed to alleviate.

 

[Ryujin]

Since the whole point of the healing surge mechanic is to prevent the 15-minute adventuring day, I think it's a terrible idea to put in mechanics that allow you to burn them faster for non-healing purposes; it just brings back the problem the whole surge mechanic is designed to alleviate.

I can see one instance in which it could work out, which is why I mentioned the chase style skill test. Something like the Aragorn/Gimli/Legolas chase to catch the orcs who captured the hobbits, done as an overland speed chase, could work. In such a situation you're already likely dealing with the "15 minute adventure day", because the players are likely expecting a single nova-style encounter, so burning a few more surges along the way could be a good thing.

 

[Ferghis]

Since the whole point of the healing surge mechanic is to prevent the 15-minute adventuring day, I think it's a terrible idea to put in mechanics that allow you to burn them faster for non-healing purposes; it just brings back the problem the whole surge mechanic is designed to alleviate.

Well, within limits. The rules do suggest burning surges is fair game in skill challenges, and otherwise suggest penalizing or awarding surges in some situations. So I wouldn't describe the idea as "terrible."

 

[the Jester]

Well, within limits. The rules do suggest burning surges is fair game in skill challenges, and otherwise suggest penalizing or awarding surges in some situations. So I wouldn't describe the idea as "terrible."

Fair enough, but the difference is that this turns them into a burnable resource controlled by the pcs that lets them actively reduce their adventuring day. Burning a surge in a skill challenge, OTOH, is a consequence of that same adventuring day.