Rebuilding the Healing Flames feat...

[kreynolds]

You can find the original discussion here. You'll probably want to read up on that, and it's a short thread anyway. Basically, I thought it was too weak, especially when compared to other feats. So, this is about redesigning it. I'll go ahead and just put the original feat here as well...

---------------------------------------------------

Healing Flames [General] RoF
You can draw energy from open flames to heal yourself.
Prerequisites: Base Will save +3, fire genasi or tanarukk.

[size=2][b]Fire Size	Example		Hit Points Healed[/b]
Fine		Tindertwig		1
Diminutive	Torch			1d3
Tiny		Small campfire		1d6
Small		Large campfire		2d6
Medium-size	Forge			3d6
Large		Bonfire			4d6
Huge		Burning shack or tree	5d6
Gargantuan	Burning tavern		6d6
Colossal	Burning inn		7d6[/size]

&nbsp&nbsp&nbspBenefit: When you use your control flame spell-like ability, you may instead touch the flame and heal yourself a number of hit points of damage depending upon the size of the fire. This counts as a use of your control flame ability for the day. Touching the flame causes you no harm when you use this ability, but if you enter the flame, touch more than just its edge, or remain in contact with it for more than 1 round, you take damage from the fire.

---------------------------------------------------

Now, on to the brainstorming. I'll just toss out some ideas I've been having.

1) Keep the feat as is, but grant 2 additional uses per day of the fire genasi's control flame ability, thus you could also use the feat 2 additional times per day (total 3/day).

2) A number of times per day equal to the fire genasi's Constitution modifier, the fire genasi can place his hand inside a flame at least as large as a torch, but no larger than a bonfire, to heal himself. The genasi would heal 1d8 + Con modifier hit points. For example, if the fire genasi had a Con of 16, and he stuck his hand into a torch, fireplace, or bonfire, he would recover 1d8+3 points of damage, and he could do this 3/day (his Con mod).

Well, that's for starters. I gotta go to lunch, but I'll try and pop a few more ideas in here when I get back. Let me know what you think about my ideas, and submit your own if you have them. I'd love to see what you peeps can come up with. Have fun!

 

[kreynolds]

*bump*

 

[Technik4]

I think adding 3 times per day uses (as Deeper Darkness) is about perfect for it. I still think the feat itself has good utility, the only other thing I would change is that you get burned immediately following the moment you get healed. Maybe give fire genasi 1 full round to enjoy the flames, then it gets too hot for them.

Technik

 

[kreynolds]

The original feat already includes the 1 round bit though. I had a few more ideas last night. I'll try and post them in a little while.

 

[Ravellion]

My version would be

Healing Flames [General] RoF
You can draw energy from open flames to heal yourself.
Prerequisites: Base Will save +3, fire genasi or tanarukk.

[size=2][b]Fire Size	Example		Hit Points Healed[/b]
Fine		Tindertwig		1
Diminutive	Torch			1
Tiny		Small campfire		2
Small		Large campfire		2
Medium-size	Forge			3
Large		Bonfire			3
Huge		Burning shack or tree	4
Gargantuan	Burning tavern		4
Colossal	Burning inn		5[/size]

&nbsp&nbsp&nbspBenefit: When you use your control flame spell-like ability, you may instead touch the flame and heal yourself a number of hit points of damage per hit dice depending upon the size of the fire. This counts as a use of your control flame ability for the day. Touching the flame causes you no harm when you use this ability, but if you enter the flame, touch more than just its edge, or remain in contact with it for more than 1 round, you take damage from the fire.

---------------------------------------------------

I myself hate feats with diminishing returns, especially ones that ignore the hit point rationale (it is not all wounds). Giving the normal feat extra uses simply means you recognise the feat is crap, and boost it. It would be like increasing the amount of hit points gained by taking the toughness feat from 3 to 4 or something. It takes longer to become a crap feat, but eventualy it will be.

Your second suggestion again is useful at low level or low hp characters, but high hp characters will find it to become less and less useful as they level up.

I honestly believe that the feat should take your HD into account: If at 1st level a burning inn could bring you from near death to full health, it should have a at least a similar effect at high level, otherwise the feat is a case of "not-so-healing-flames" all of a sudden.

Alternatively, you could give extra uses per level. This would still be somewhat weird. Your wounds at 1st level could be heealed in one round, at 12th level it takes more than a minute. What happened?

Rav

 

[kreynolds]

Re: Re: Rebuilding the Healing Flames feat...

My version would be

Nice!

Alternatively, you could give extra uses per level. This would still be somewhat weird. Your wounds at 1st level could be heealed in one round, at 12th level it takes more than a minute. What happened?

The same thing that happens with healing potions. At low level, cure light wounds will completely patch you up. At high level, it doesn't make a dent. This weirdness is nothing new to D&D.