D&D 5E Impacts of allowing using a HD to reduce Exhaustion during a short rest break?

[sable_twilight]

I am thinking of adding a house rule which would allow the use Hit Dice to reduce exhaustion. Probably with the requirement of either using a use of a Healer's Kit or some form of healing magic.

In short, what problems might this cause? Beyond the Path of the Berserker's Frenzy, are there other class or archetype abilities this would notably impact?

 

[ReshiIRE]

I initially thought that the Chronurgy Wizard's 14th level feature might get stronger, but that says the Exhaustion can only be cleared by a long rest.

I think the impact of this house rule would require a good scouring of the rule books and always keeping in mind whether the exhaustion can only be cleared by specific means or not. I'm not sure, for example, if exhaustion gained from not eating food or not resting could be cleared by this rule ('specific beats general' after all).

That above example makes exhaustion a bit irritating to track. You would almost want it to be it's own unique condition.

 

[iserith]

What's your goal with this house rule? What aspect of your game is it trying to support or problem it is trying to solve?

 

[MarkB]

How many times can you do this per short rest? And how many per day?

I.e. if you have 3 levels of exhaustion, can you clear them all in one short rest by spending 3 HD, or do you have to take 3 short rests, or can you only remove one level per day this way?

As a once per day option this would soften the impact of exhaustion while still leaving it dangerous. The unlimited use version would essentially eliminate exhaustion as a long term issue.

 

[sable_twilight]

What's your goal with this house rule? What aspect of your game is it trying to support or problem it is trying to solve?

I've been thinking giving levels exhaustion when characters go down to zero hit points. However, the way exhaustion currently plays out, even one level of exhaustion is pretty rough. I am considering increasing the frequency and ways in which characters can gain exhaustion, such as through traps or magical effects.

There is the Berserker's Frenzy issue, but the solution to that could addressed by adding this as a specific class feature or burn a HD or gain a level of exhaustion at the end of frenzy.

I am still just toying around with ideas and there might be better options.

 

[ad_hoc]

I'm doing this in my current RotFM game.

I have increased the prevalence of exhaustion causing dangers to play up the survival aspect but also allow 2 hit dice to be spent each short rest to remove 1 level.

 

[sable_twilight]

I initially thought that the Chronurgy Wizard's 14th level feature might get stronger, but that says the Exhaustion can only be cleared by a long rest.

I think the impact of this house rule would require a good scouring of the rule books and always keeping in mind whether the exhaustion can only be cleared by specific means or not. I'm not sure, for example, if exhaustion gained from not eating food or not resting could be cleared by this rule ('specific beats general' after all).

That above example makes exhaustion a bit irritating to track. You would almost want it to be it's own unique condition.

I'm going to be including a house rule that character can't regain hit dice if they have not had sufficient food, water, or rest, they don't regain hit dice. Thus they can't "rest" to gain HD which they use to offset no food or water.

I agree tracking different types of exhaustion is unfun bookkeeping, that is a good point. Especially since the biggest goal of this is to have a more lasting impact for things like dropping to 0HP without having to add too much bookkeeping.

 

[iserith]

I've been thinking giving levels exhaustion when characters go down to zero hit points. However, the way exhaustion currently plays out, even one level of exhaustion is pretty rough. I am considering increasing the frequency and ways in which characters can gain exhaustion, such as through traps or magical effects.

There is the Berserker's Frenzy issue, but the solution to that could addressed by adding this as a specific class feature or burn a HD or gain a level of exhaustion at the end of frenzy.

I am still just toying around with ideas and there might be better options.

I think it might be worth creating some kind of substance in your setting - perhaps a valuable herb or spice or reagent of some kind - that can be found in the world that removes exhaustion. Like some kind of goblin snuff or nixie smelling salts or a mushroom that only grows where someone has died. Maybe you can buy it or find it by foraging (see DMG). This way you can control the supply of it and it creates an incentive for the players to engage in exploration or social interaction to get it.

 

[sable_twilight]

How many times can you do this per short rest? And how many per day?

I.e. if you have 3 levels of exhaustion, can you clear them all in one short rest by spending 3 HD, or do you have to take 3 short rests, or can you only remove one level per day this way?

As a once per day option this would soften the impact of exhaustion while still leaving it dangerous. The unlimited use version would essentially eliminate exhaustion as a long term issue.

I considered limiting to 1 level per short rest. I envisioned the scenario similar to the one you suggested, pictured a party just sitting for multiple hours while their barbarian or front line fighter patch themselves up, and wondered if they would actually be a benefit or drag to game play.

 

[sable_twilight]

I'm doing this in my current RotFM game.

I have increased the prevalence of exhaustion causing dangers to play up the survival aspect but also allow 2 hit dice to be spent each short rest to remove 1 level.

I think I might have seen this and 2 HD seems like a better ratio for something like this.