D&D 4E Playing parts of 4e today: Second Wind

[Grymar]

I'm about to push my group through a very rough fight or two and I started thinking how nice it would be to have a second wind type of heal for them. Well, why not?

We are using Eberron and thus Action Points, so I was thinking I'd give all PCs the ability to burn 2 APs to heal their constitution score as a swift action. Is that reasonable? The main problem with it for me is flavor...I know 4e is pushing the abstract nature of HPs, but we usually talk of hit point damage as real wounds.

Any other thoughts? Good idea or bad?

 

[Mentat55]

I think it is a good idea, though having it scale with level somehow might be more appropriate; at low level, your Con score is relatively large compared to your hp total, but at higher levels this shot of healing might never be worth 2 APs.

You could make them temporary hit points that last until the end of the encounter; thus, they act as a buffer to survive a fight, but do not represent actual healing, but rather the will to fight on, kind of like a non-magical version of aid .

 

[GreatLemur]

I've been figuring Second Wind would look a lot like a rather similar feat from the Tome of Battle, Vital Recovery. It lets you "heal" 3 + level points of damage once per encounter. (Strangely, you also need to recharge an expended martial maneuver in order to do this, which means it's a pain in the ass for the Swordsage, and completely trivial for the Warblade.)

 

[Campbell]

Here's the Star Wars Sage Edition version of second wind.

Second Wind

If you are reduced to one-half your maximum hit points or less, you can catch a second wind as a swift action. This action heals one-quarter of your full hit point total (rounded down) or a number of hit points equal to your Constitution score, whichever is greater. You can catch a second wind only once per day. Certain feats or talents may allow to catch a second wind more often, but never more than once in a single encounter.

Only heroic characters can catch a second wind; nonheroic characters, creatures, objects, devices, and vehicles cannot. Exception: A nonheroic character that takes the Extra Second Wind feat (page 85) can catch a second wind once per day.

 

[Archade]

I give out Action Points like hen's teeth (2 per level, and they are bankable), but I allow a second wind function for spending an action point that heals 1d6 x your HD in hp.

 

[kennew142]

I introduced second wind in all of my D&D campaigns shortly after seeing the rule in SWSE. The only real difference I see is that the cleric is able to use her spells for more than healing party members. Even in this aspect, it doesn't have an extreme effect on the flow of the game.

 

[Remathilis]

Heh, I intended to use Bloodied + Second Wind in my Eberron game as well. This is my version so far...

“Bloodied”
When a PC, NPC or monster reaches ½ his normal hit point total, he becomes bloodied. When a creature becomes bloodied, it is immediately noticeable to anyone around them. It can manifest as some non-serious wound, scratches, burns or bruises, or simply being winded. Becoming bloodied has no immediate game effect, but it does open up additional actions and abilities to use on yourself or your foes.
Even creatures that do not have blood or even physical bodies can become “bloodied”, since the term is used to represent amount of hp, not actual blood or wounds.
The bloodied condition persists for as long as the creature is below ½ his total hp. Any healing that brings him above ½ his total ends the bloodied condition.
Only regular hp damage invokes the bloodied condition; ability damage, level drain, and other non-hit point attacks do not trigger the bloodied condition.
Beyond “bloodied”, there is no way to determine a creatures remaining hp in combat, this goes for PCs as well as NPCs and monsters. For abilities that rely on a fixed hp amount (such as a paladin’s lay on hands) actual numbers can be exchanged, and PCs can determine exact hp amounts lost outside of combat with a successful heal check (DC 15).

Second Wind
When a character becomes bloodied, he can draw upon his inner reserves to press on. Once per day, he can heal himself ¼ of his hp total as a swift action. He can use this ability if he is already in negative hp (-1 through -9) but not if he is at -10 or less hp.
Only characters with PC classes can gain a second wind. NPC classes and creatures with monster HD do not. The exception: characters who take the feat extra second wind gain a use of this ability once per day.

Extra Second Wind [General]
You are resilient and always come back for more.
Prerequisites: Endurance
Benefit: You may use your second wind ability one additional time per day.
Special: This feat make be taken more than once. Each time you take it, you gain an additional use of your second wind ability. Creatures which cannot use second wind can take this feat to gain one use of the ability. This feat is a fighter bonus feat.

----------
I have a variety of other feats that tie to this condition as well. I removed the "or con" element since that seems more for Saga's x3 hp rule than D&D's current hp rule (and it would make second wind effectively a full refill for most PCs levels 1-6 or more)

 

[kennew142]

I have a variety of other feats that tie to this condition as well. I removed the "or con" element since that seems more for Saga's x3 hp rule than D&D's current hp rule (and it would make second wind effectively a full refill for most PCs levels 1-6 or more)

I might steal some of the bloodied effects and second wind stuff for my current games.

I also removed the CON minimum on Second Wind. For the same reason - D&D (as currently written) gives PCs fewer hp than SWSE.

 

[The Little Raven]

I give out Action Points like hen's teeth (2 per level, and they are bankable), but I allow a second wind function for spending an action point that heals 1d6 x your HD in hp.

I give them out like crazy too, but I also reward players for doing cool roleplaying things with them. Anything that makes everyone say "Damn, that's cool." gets an action point.

 

[Protagonist]

I give them out like crazy too, but I also reward players for doing cool roleplaying things with them. Anything that makes everyone say "Damn, that's cool." gets an action point.

I have a similar policy about the "karma points" I hand out (i.e. fpr cinematic or self-sacrifice / high risk type stuff). These don't allow the characters to regain hp, but a player may spend one to ignore all damage dealt by a single source and attack. In the end regaining a few hps or avoiding a few points of damage are roughly the same, but the latter seems to fit our style of playing better