D&D 5E Should 5E have Healing Surges?

[Oni]

So I don't think we've heard anything as of yet to indicate one way or the other whether healing surges will make an appearance in the next edition, but what do you all think about them?

Would you like to see Healing Surges in the next edition of D&D?



Personally they are one of my favorite innovations from 4E, I like them as a sort of pacing mechanic, allowing HP to be parceled out over the adventuring day, rather than in one giant lump. And their recovery rate seems to be a really easy dial for what kind of game you want to run how gritty or heroic. On the other hand I know a lot of people feel strongly about them (though I think some of those concerns could be addressed in how they and HP in general are presented and of course some tweaking of the mechanics).

 

[JRRNeiklot]

No. We hates them, my precious.

 

[TwinBahamut]

I don't need healing surges, exactly, but I certainly want something like them. I don't want healing to be dependent on divine magic and supernatural effects. I don't want the team to need a Cleric or magical item to function. At the same time, I don't want a team to be able to fight all day completely ignoring attrition because they have a good store of magic items. The healing surge system addresses all of that quite well. I even like how flavorful the mechanic can be, with the sense that characters can pull themselves back from the brink with enough time or motivation, but that their bodies still have physical limits and they can be pushed only so far.

I'd actually like to see more sub-systems layered onto the HP system like healing surges are. Something like an optional sub-system that makes the game more lethal in a controllable, balanced way, so that you can make the game grittier at all level ranges just by adding it in. Some optional subsystems to make the game more epic and crazy would also be fun. Bonus points to WotC if both systems are in as options and are compatible with each other, for those who want those games that are both gritty and epic.

 

[underfoot007ct]

I will be sad if Healing Surges go away.

 

[Mark CMG]

Healing surges, like powers, seems to be one of the more contentious issues regarding D&D from what I have been reading over the last four or five years. There are probably a few hot button issues like this that either need removal or severe changing to pull in as many lapsed players as WotC seems to want to draw to consider 5E a success.

 

[the Jester]

Let's send those healing surges, which were the best of intentions, straight down that road to Hell that they pave.

 

[gloomhound]

No they need to go.

 

[Gilladian]

To me, they don't add enough to the game to make their meta-gameyness worthwhile.

I KNOW they can be rationalized in a lot of ways, but for me every time I had to say "I spend a healing surge" it took me out of the game.

I'd much rather have to stop and bandage wounds or take a nap, or get a healing spell/potion.

 

[Oni]

To me, they don't add enough to the game to make their meta-gameyness worthwhile.

I KNOW they can be rationalized in a lot of ways, but for me every time I had to say "I spend a healing surge" it took me out of the game.

I'd much rather have to stop and bandage wounds or take a nap, or get a healing spell/potion.

Not to quibble, but isn't that normally how you accessed Healing Surges, by taking a short rest (i.e. stopping to catch your breath, bind your wounds et c.) or by being healed either via potion or spell?

 

[modeminitstring]

I think that healing surges were a very interesting idea and that they should have their place in 5th. I do, however, think they should be far more limited in their use, and that there should be fewer of them. In some of my games, they have let the players become a little too relaxed.