D&D 5E (2014) On the healing options in the 5e DMG

[Mouseferatu]

Well, some classes are balanced almost purely via short rest (Fighters, Monks) and others almost purely by long rest (Sorcerers, Wizards, and to a lesser extent, Clerics)...you don't feel making rests shorter overall would mean more power for the former?

Somewhat, sure. I don't think it'd do so to a horrific extent, though.

But even beyond that... What if it does? Grim-and-gritty rules options usually--not always, I admit, but usually, at least IME--go along with a desire for a lower-magic setting. In such an instance, I'd argue that it makes thematic sense for the spellcasters to be a tad less reliable.

 

[Mouseferatu]

Beyond that, though...

Any major rules tweak is going to involve a shift in character balance. I think that's something people need to accept going into any of these options. Such imbalances can be minimized, but not eliminated.

 

[SilverfireSage]

Wow, that seems incredibly naive with no consideration at all for the large effect that will have in the (supposedly) balanced classes. At best it seems like an idea for a rule with lots and lots of time and effort left for the DM to actually make it work. Yikes.

I guess that is right up there with flanking giving advantage so the value of several feats and class abilities are greatly changed.

It would be not at all hard to come up with better rules than this. What were we paying these guys for again? Art I guess.

I look forward to reading your edition of the Dungeon Master's guide!

 

[I'm A Banana]

There isn't, as long as the DM changes his style of play to accommodate it.

Totally, it would be 6-8 encounters per long rest - in this instance, per week. A megadungeon could still work, it would just need well-structured safe zones. And I, too, hope the DMG mentions this! It's pretty important!

 

[Eric V]

Somewhat, sure. I don't think it'd do so to a horrific extent, though.

But even beyond that... What if it does? Grim-and-gritty rules options usually--not always, I admit, but usually, at least IME--go along with a desire for a lower-magic setting. In such an instance, I'd argue that it makes thematic sense for the spellcasters to be a tad less reliable.

Well, that's true. Mind you, it makes Moon Circle shapechanging magic even better...but yeah, some change in class balance would necessarily happen. I was just hoping to minimize it.

 

[The Crimson Binome]

3) Slow natural healing. No HP are recovered after a long rest. Characters need to expend HD to recover HP.

Neat! Assuming you recover 1 Hit Die along with each long rest, and/or can only spend 1 HD per long rest, that could go a long way toward giving me the old 3E healing rate. A++

 

[MechaPilot]

Neat! Assuming you recover 1 Hit Die along with each long rest, and/or can only spend 1 HD per long rest, that could go a long way toward giving me the old 3E healing rate. A++

If it's like the playtest version, you will recover half your HDs on a long rest and be able to spend all the HDs you have. That gives you an average recovery of around 25% per day. Naturally, you could always alter the number of HDs gained per long rest.

 

[The Crimson Binome]

If it's like the playtest version, you will recover half your HDs on a long rest and be able to spend all the HDs you have. That gives you an average recovery of around 25% per day. Naturally, you could always alter the number of HDs gained per long rest.

Wouldn't that give you 50% per day? Each hit die adds your Con modifier, so half of your Hit Dice should let you heal exactly half of your Hit Points (give or take a small amount).

That's way faster than anything prior to 4E, so it would be weird if that's what they put in to appeal to that crowd.

 

[MechaPilot]

Wouldn't that give you 50% per day? Each hit die adds your Con modifier, so half of your Hit Dice should let you heal exactly half of your Hit Points (give or take a small amount).

That's way faster than anything prior to 4E, so it would be weird if that's what they put in to appeal to that crowd.

It's only half if you roll maximum on the dice or have a feat or feature that maximizes the result. If you take the average die result of half your total HDs, that's approximately 25% of your HPs.

 

[Jeff Carlsen]

Well, some classes are balanced almost purely via short rest (Fighters, Monks) and others almost purely by long rest (Sorcerers, Wizards, and to a lesser extent, Clerics)...you don't feel making rests shorter overall would mean more power for the former?

Shorter overall rests make everyone more powerful, and longer ones make everyone weaker, that's definitely true. The increased frequency of high level spells is particularly problematic, which is why they've mentioned a specific limit. What changes the balance of power between classes that favor long or short rests is the ratio between the two.

If the default is two hour long short rests per eight hour long rest, then so long at the group only takes two five minute short rests per hour long rest, the classes recover resources at the same rate. As such, you are somewhat correct. The longer rest rules favor classes that depend on short rests, as well as the reverse.

Though that's assuming that the party will expend resources between every rest. The longer rest rules are fitting for campaigns where encounters don't happen multiple times a day, every day. You may only expend resources one or twice per week. If this is the case, these rules actual make the classes more balanced than the default.

I will concede that this information should be provided alongside the rules. But, as I mentioned before, I haven't seen the final book yet, so can't give criticism.