How do monsters heal outside of combat?

[babinro]

Seems like after every session, we run into another question we cannot seem to find an answer to. Thankfully Enworld has proven to be a great place for support.

So here we go, my party was fighting a Young Black Dragon in their last session...after several grueling rounds, they hid behind some terrain while the dragon who was near death hid within his happy cloud. Ultimately, it choose to flee the scene rather than rush into certain death against a party ready to kill anything that leaves the cloud.

The party takes an uninterrupted short rest and fully heals...what happens to the dragon? I didn't see anything about healing surges or how monster healing works? I'm assuming it fully heals like anything else after 6-8 hours rest...but what about after 5-10 minutes? If the party hunts this thing down quickly is it back to full force?

Any official rulings on this one or is it DM's discretion?

 

[boolean]

IIRC, the Monster Manual says that monsters have 1 healing surge per tier: 1 at Heroic, 2 at Paragon, 3 at Epic. Monsters are usually more limited than PCs in their ability to use these surges (e.g. they can't take the Second Wind action), but they can use them during a short rest.

So, assuming a Young Black Dragon is a Heroic tier monster, it can use it's one surge to recover 25% of it's HP. This would also allow it to refresh any Encounter and Recharge abilities it has.

For a dragon, this is especially advantageous if it has managed to flee at 49-26% of it's maximum HP. Spending the HS would put it back above it's bloodied value, allowing it to re-use any abilites that trigger the first time it is bloodied in an encounter.

 

[babinro]

Excellent, I seem to remember reading something like that when I first got the books...but I couldn't remember it. Thank you!

 

[fissionessence]

A given monster has a number of healing surges as dictated by its tier;

· Heroic | 1-10 | 1 healing surge
· Paragon | 11-20 | 2 healing surges
· Epic | 21-30 | 3 healing surges

So, outside of combat, during a short rest, the monster may use its healing surge(s) in order to get back up in hit points. Most monsters don't have access to second wind, so they can't take advantage of their healing surge(s) during combat.

A monster should probably get back up to full hit points and surges after an extended rest, just like a PC.

That's using the rules. If I had a monster that I wanted to be back up to full health (just like the players) after just a few minutes, I'd do it. (Of course, the players should get commensurate XP for dealing with the monster twice.) If the players are the types to bring up the rules and complain about the monster's healing, just have their first glimpse of him/it being the enemy gulping down a healing potion and breaking the potion vial on the floor dramatically.

~

EDIT: sarnath'd . . .

 

[babinro]

Well I really like the rules as is here. Being a solo creature...it would be a bit unbalancing to have its hit points back to max so early after the first encounter...especially considering if they fought it shortly after (either by choice or not) considering all action points and daily powers have already been used up to weaken it in the first place.

 

[Alabast]

The Correct answer is: however much you want. Since the dragon is an NPC out of combat, he can basically do whatever the DM's story requires of him, since the next time he faces the pcs, it will effectively be a new encounter. You can heal him to full, or, if you don't think that's fair, give him a surge or two's worth of hp.

Me personally? I would do one of two things: Bring the dragon back to his bloodied value (if he was bloodied), bring the dragon back to full (if he wasn't bloodied). That way, it maintains consistency. You get either "That dragon we wounded is back and he pissed!" or "Darn, we didn't hurt it enough and now he's as strong as ever!"

One of the best things about 4e is the assumption that the DM narrates everything that is not an interaction with the PCs, regardless of what the rules say. Minions may have one hp, but only in combat with the PCs. Two minions could fight each other to a standstill for hours, if the DM wants to. The same goes true for your dragon situation. Since the second battle is effectively a new encounter, you can do whatever you want. Heal him to full, and let him keep his surges, if you like. The PCs will have all their encounter powers back, so they're ready to rumble.

 

[OchreJelly]

After the PC's flee and the monster drops aggro, it returns to its spot until its health bar returns to full.

I kid, I kid *runs away*

 

[Lackhand]

That's using the rules. If I had a monster that I wanted to be back up to full health (just like the players) after just a few minutes, I'd do it. (Of course, the players should get commensurate XP for dealing with the monster twice.) If the players are the types to bring up the rules and complain about the monster's healing, just have their first glimpse of him/it being the enemy gulping down a healing potion and breaking the potion vial on the floor dramatically.

~

EDIT: sarnath'd . . .

Off topic, but [giant evil brain alien whose name I'm too lazy to look up]THAT IS NOT HOW POTIONS WORK[/gebawnItltlu].
Potions consume healing surges just like second wind, so if you're trying to justify it, better would be a friendly lvl 2 cleric or just generalized "it heals quickly, 'kay?".

Potions assist you in drawing on reserves of inner strength, but they don't provide extra inner strength

 

[Stalker0]

Monsters are usually more limited than PCs in their ability to use these surges (e.g. they can't take the Second Wind action), but they can use them during a short rest.

I don't think there's any rule that says monsters can't second wind. Now personally I think there should be, as a solo monster getting back 1/4 of its health is crazy! But since we are in the rules forum

 

[Kordeth]

I don't think there's any rule that says monsters can't second wind. Now personally I think there should be, as a solo monster getting back 1/4 of its health is crazy! But since we are in the rules forum

There is, actually; PHB p. 291. Unless specifically stated otherwise in a monster's or NPC's stat block, only PCs can use second wind.