I was unconsious 20 minutes ago, but I'm ok now..

[hong]

I'm still not entirely sold on the mechanic of using healing surges for clerical healing, but it's late and I can't explicate what the problem is.

 

[Vomax]

I'm still not entirely sold on the mechanic of using healing surges for clerical healing, but it's late and I can't explicate what the problem is.

I think the reasoning is that they want healers to heal (obviously) but given the relative ease with which players can heal on their own, between Second Wind during an encounter and simply burning healing surges out of an encounter, a healing class shouldn't exist completely parallel to that system or it'd be too easy. The solution it seems they chose was to have healing classes improve the effectiveness of the self-healing but still utilize the same resources. That way a healing class can still heal, but it (hopefully) won't unbalance things too much.

 

[Mort]

I'm still not entirely sold on the mechanic of using healing surges for clerical healing, but it's late and I can't explicate what the problem is.

Do you mean healing surges in general (as in not quite liking the concept of being able to self heal) or

the fact that when a cleric heals you one of your surges gets used?

The former I like the latter I'm not sure yet.

 

[Amphimir Míriel]

Off the top of my head...

We already will have to learn how to introduce a somewhat arbitrary "time unit", the ENCOUNTER. (And I LIKE that.)

How about introducing another arbitrary (as in "not fixed, as long as narrative logic requires), longer unit called the ADVENTURE? Not necessarily meaning the same thing as Adventure means in "published adventure"; for example, if a published adventure includes investigating the sewers looking for the thieves guild, following the trail deduced by the notes found there to the bandit king castle, and storming the castle, each of these three "items" could be an "Adventure".
Once we introduce the concept, we might simply say that DM keeps track of the total number of healing surges a character uses during the "Adventure"; once the Adventure is over, the adrenaline that's kept the PC standing and fighting and pushin onward is REALLY exhausted. He (she) needs rest for a day for each healing surge used (or something like that). Healing surges activated by magical healing do not count for this calculation.

This seems to me not to add any unnecessary bookkeeping (counting healing surges is as simple as putting a small cross on the character sheet every time one is used) and does model, a little, the "we need to rest and recuperate" which I think CAN HAVE a place in the game.
Modifications might be made to the rate (don't know, maybe one rest day per 2 healing surges, for faster recuperating), or to the factors (if you've been hit by any number of criticals, that alone requires, say , a week's rest).

Just making suggestions, of course.

This is a good idea, although I would suggest the term "mission" instead...

Then, an adventure can be composed of several missions, and each mission consists of several encounters and challenges...

Then you could have "per mission" abilities somewhat in between "per encounter" stuff and "per day" stuff...

 

[Mustrum_Ridcully]

I'm still not entirely sold on the mechanic of using healing surges for clerical healing, but it's late and I can't explicate what the problem is.

Pseudo-Explaination:
Hit points also represent your "divine luck". If you are hit too often, you lose favor in the gods. Clerical healing can restore it to some extend, but even there is a point where the gods just don't buy it anymore and need to sleep over it.
Or alternatively: "It's magic" - divine magic maybe, but still divine / "The ways of the gods are mysterious..."

Off course, the main reason why it is the way it is because they didn't want to turn from a 15 minute adventuring day to a 15 hours adventuring career. ("Do you remember this morning, when we were still 1st level and we were just fighting kobolds?" Be quiet and stab this annoying Pit Fiend in the back!")
Oh, and possibly to retain some of the "daily resource management" from previous editions.

 

[Nytmare]

Do you mean healing surges in general (as in not quite liking the concept of being able to self heal) or the fact that when a cleric heals you one of your surges gets used?

Hmmm. What do you think the chances are of a suite of clerical abilities that heal people and burn the clerics healing surges?

 

[Syrsuro]

Given that we have already seen a Paladin ability that does this (Lay on Hands) - I'd say very possible.

Carl

 

[DreamChaser]

I'm still not entirely sold on the mechanic of using healing surges for clerical healing, but it's late and I can't explicate what the problem is.

Calling upon the power of the gods to restore your companion's resolve and energy but -- as with a body's use of adrenaline -- each individual only has so much "oomph" in them and eventually, barring the benefit of great magics, it just runs out.

DC

 

[Vomax]

Haha, maybe what REALLY sets the adventurers apart from everyone else are incredibly overdeveloped adrenal glands.

 

[DreamChaser]

Haha, maybe what REALLY sets the adventurers apart from everyone else are incredibly overdeveloped adrenal glands.

Finally! Someone understands! All this time that's what I've been trying to say!

"Doctor! It appears this woman was an adventurer."
"How can you tell?"
"Adrenal glands the size of baseballs and no bladder or kidneys."
"No kidneys: I don't understand..."
"When was the last time you saw an adventurer stop for a bathroom break?"

Heh heh.

DC