Just add a milestone mechanic module

[BobTheNob]

[MENTION=82425]BobTheNob[/MENTION]

The issue with the workday was that there is not always an organic reason to move characters forward. Even when there is one, you can only do it so many times before it hints to railroading or gets inorganic and contrived.

Of course if your DM never has that problem then it is fine. And don't use milestones.

Different debate for a different thread (and there is already multiple of them out there, most of which I have posted in). This thread pertains to mechanical solutions.
[MENTION=18340]CM[/MENTION] had a good mechanical suggestion and I acknowledged it. My disclaimer of propensity for organic solutions over mechanical was simply a disclaimer so that I could acknowledge the idea as a good one without necessarily associating myself with it. It didnt need rebuking here.

 

[Minigiant]

[MENTION=82425]BobTheNob[/MENTION] Cool. Didn't mean to drag that in here too.

Another note is the milestone mechanic does have fluff and role play potential.

I read enough books and watched enough TV to see the "too tired. Give me some time" trope. So there is extra bits to RPG here too.

It seems like a perfect candidate for a module.

 

[CM]

We now have 4 or 5 thread independently discussing this point. This has got to be the most interesting mechanical solution I have found*.

Whilst there is the carrot on the stick to move forward (i.e. getting your dailies) is there equal motivation to rest? I am guessing (given this was for a 4e variant) it was healing surges. With this you have to balance out your hit point resources against your daily powers (i.e. do I rest to regain HS, or do I push on to gain dailies). It actually makes it a genuine mechanically based decision with pro's and cons on both sides.

Im impressed.

*For the record, Im of the camp that sais make your enviroment organic and the problem goes away...but still, a good idea is a good idea, and [MENTION=18340]CM[/MENTION] had a good idea

Thanks. Yes, basically the choice is whether to recover surges and start off on a clean slate or continue the building momentum and press on.

 

[Stormonu]

The current thinking is that you start with all your abilities and regain it after rest. If you want to encourage pressing on, this needs to be reversed.

You dont start with healing surges, you have to earn them at the end of an encounter. Your "daily" powers start uncharged; activity powers them up. Magic items become more potent the longer they are active. And this all drains as you rest. Take a short rest, lose a little. Take a long rest, you get back HP, but lose your accumilated milestones. Not reset to "1", but to "0".

Reward "getting on a roll" and you can reward continuing to push forward (while still leaving in limits on splurging at once), and discourage "one encounter and we're done".

 

[nomotog]

I like this idea. There needs to be some kind of mechanic that drives the party to go forward. Though I'm thinking it might be better if you hand out persistent (till sleep) bonuses for completing encounters. Something like every person a fighter defeats nets him a +1 to damage till the group rests or you can't use your surge till your third encounter, but you can use it at will. I'm also thinking, you don't need to make optional rules. Just optional class choices.

 

[mlund]

Yeah, basically if you don't want players to feel like you're beating them into line with a stick all the time you need a carrot to keep them moving forward. You need a "momentum" mechanic of some sort that D&D lacks. That's not to say that all groups need this, but there are definitely groups out there that have players that try to alpha-strike everything when the going gets tough.

- Marty Lund

 

[fjw70]

Yeah, basically if you don't want players to feel like you're beating them into line with a stick all the time you need a carrot to keep them moving forward. You need a "momentum" mechanic of some sort that D&D lacks. That's not to say that all groups need this, but there are definitely groups out there that have players that try to alpha-strike everything when the going gets tough.

- Marty Lund

I like the momentum idea. The new 13th Age RPG has an escalation die that adds 1 to the PCs attack roles for each round of combat completed during an encounter. This could also be done as a +1 to attacks for each encounter completed before an extended rest.

 

[Rhenny]

Although the milestone idea is interesting, I really hate bookkeeping. Why not let every PC in the party roll a d20 after each "encounter" to determine if something gets recharged. This could add excitement; it could spur groups forward, and it has no bookkeeping.

Not sure what you'd have to roll. Maybe 19 or 20 to give 10% chance (but this could be changed depending on group). If the threshhold for recharge is 19 or 20. In a party of 5, on average someone will be refreshed after 5 encounters. That seems about right.

Player who succeeds in this roll can:

Gain back 1d4 HD to save or use, 1 spell (1d4 level), or any other limited resource (like channel divinity, etc.)