Recharging when the tank is empty: Gaining encounter powers back on natural 20's

[Stalker0]

There's been a lot of talk lately about the desire to recharge powers and the desire to speed up combat a bit. I figured this can help kill 2 birds with one stone.

One of the problems people have mentioned is that once you finish your encounter and daily powers, combat can become a bit of a grind...where both sides trade at-wills back and forth until someone is dead. Here's a way to add a little spice back into play.

Recharging Powers

Whenever a character is out of encounter and daily powers, he can regain one encounter power of his choice is he rolls a 20 on the first attack roll made in an attack.


Overall, this is a fairly minor effect. You have to run out of powers first, and then get a 20. But it can add a lot of fun when it happens, it allows players something to hope for once the are down to at-wills, and it can help combats end just a little faster. As I mentioned, mathematically this is a small change, but I think it could be a fun one.

 

[Szatany]

I have another house rule that can do the same:

Whenever you hit someone and about to roll damage, you may take damage up to your level and add the same amount to the damage dealt.

 

[Revinor]

Consider recharging power on natural 1. With recharging on 20 you are giving two benefits on the same role - critical hit and recharge. Recharging on 1 help players a bit more.

 

[nemhgih]

That's what I thought also.
I would permit on a natural 20, to recharge an encounter power instead of having the max damage of a critical. You can choose to roll the damage normally and get an encounter power for your next turn.
At least it sounds more balanced to me.

I'm not sure about recharging a daily power, maybe as an encounter power...
This way you have to use it now or lose it at the end of the encounter.
And any change I make for the players also applies to the opposition so it can be harder for them also.

 

[Jack Colby]

I would permit on a natural 20, to recharge an encounter power instead of having the max damage of a critical. You can choose to roll the damage normally and get an encounter power for your next turn.
At least it sounds more balanced to me.

I like this version. Make it the player's choice.

 

[Nytmare]

I had been toying around with the idea of, on an attack, if you have used up all of the next tier's abilities, you can exchange crit damage with that attack, for an attack from that empty tier.

 

[PeelSeel2]

I have been toying with letting them burn surges to regain encounter and daily powers. 2 for an encounter, 3 for a daily.

Also, give some heavy incentive to go on after they are weak. Experience doubles for any encounter.

 

[Orcus Porkus]

do it like the monsters

I would allow encounter powers to be recharged with a 6 on a d6 roll right after the power was spent. Also, PC's need to spend an action point perhaps.

 

[FireLance]

I have been toying with letting them burn surges to regain encounter and daily powers. 2 for an encounter, 3 for a daily.

My preference would be to tie it in with the second wind mechanic so that you don't change the basic assumptions of how quickly the PCs are going to burn through their healing surges. Perhaps something along the lines of the following feat:

Power Surge
Benefit: When you take the second wind action, you may choose to regain an expended encounter power instead of regaining hit points.​

Note: feat was originally posted in a blog comment as specific to the martial power source, but I've generalized it here.