D&D (2024) Rests should be dropped. Stop conflating survival mechanics with resource recovery.

[Deset Gled]

Its high time to abandon it. Its dumb and the pearl clutchers can be ignored.

Well, I guess I'm a dumb pearl clutcher, then.

 

[tetrasodium]

How would you recover mana?

Perhaps when you rest?

I think the mana concept is a failure that takes a system built for that kind of thing. Having played some I can say it has a very different feel that doesn't work for d&d... the rest mechanics in 5e are way too deep into the territory of making sure that a failed rest will ultimately failsafe to the point that it becomes implausible for it to failsecure that might lead to the group considering the rest out of reach now/here.

 

[mellored]

I think the mana concept is a failure that takes a system built for that kind of thing.
Having played some I can say it has a very different feel that doesn't work for d&d...

Monks ki is effectively mana (recovered on a rest).

It works just fine.

 

[tetrasodium]

Monks ki is effectively mana (recovered on a rest).

It works just fine.

No it doesn't because it's linked to short rests in 2014. design that encourages a class to nova->rest->nova->repeat is not "fine"

 

[mamba]

Potions, like literally any other RPG that isn't stuck in this useless tradition.

Potions are a resource that removes all negotiating and negates any verisimilitude problems. If players want to spend their resources willy nilly they should be able to, and the GM should be empowered to keep the fight up because the difficulty shouldn't even be tied to whether or not they've had a potion anyway.

hell no, this must be among the worst ideas I have heard on this topic. Chuck down a potion and move on, what is that, liquid cocaine?

No, long rest for resource recovery, short rest for healing only, done.

 

[bloodtide]

To be fair. You could use milestones. Recover X after so many battles.

Not very verisimilitude, but functional.

But not really, as players want things in every battle. Not like one out of ten.

Lower the number of abilities and have them recover with a 5-minute short rest. Keeps rests. Players get to use all their toys. And the designers can actually balance the game. So many problems solved.

A five minute rest? Just make abilities at will then.

 

[billd91]

How is resource recovery not a survival mechanic? Are we not considering hit points (and their recovery) resources?

 

[R_J_K75]

I'd say just make them a check of some sort based on the class pre-requisite ability. Roll a d20, if the check succeeds then the player/character can use the ability if the check fails then the ability doesnt work that round.

 

[overgeeked]

A five minute rest? Just make abilities at will then.

That would be too much. You make them short-rest recharges so that you keep a bit of resource management, can't just always use your best stuff all the time, and can actually balance the game around something tangible and finite like one encounter.

 

[bedir than]

I just want to say that one of the key lessons in the military is sleep whenever and wherever you can, because you need to rest.

If you think verisimilitude says "never rest" you've never talked to a single person involved in war, conflict or natural disaster.