Couln't agree more, I think that as Mustrum_Ridcully pointed out earlier, here is where one shuts up and moves on. Its thinking too hard about fantasy.
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Simulating D&D4E
- Thread starter knightofround
- Start date
Hit points/healing: Hit points represent heroic resolve, not physical injury. When your heroic resolve is exhausted, you collapse and die. As long as you have the strength of will to keep fighting, however, you can soldier on despite injuries that would kill a lesser combatant. (This is why a warlord can yell at you and restore your hit points.)
Basically, anything with more than one hit point - i.e., a non-minion - is a Determinator.
Encounter breaks: Pretty much everything that talks about encounters says "until the end of the encounter or for 5 minutes." Thus, I assume an encounter is roughly 5 minutes; the only reason it doesn't flat-out say "5 minutes" is to avoid giving the impression that you have to track round-by-round duration.
Tiers: I don't know about anyone else, but I'm planning my campaign such that there will be a significant break in game time, probably 3-5 years, at each tier change.
I actually like the tier system for this reason. In 3.X, character power went up at a fairly steady (and extremely rapid) rate; this made it very difficult to come up with an in-game explanation for how the characters were becoming so bad-ass so quickly. In 4E, however, there is a much shallower power curve, punctuated by a noticeable jump at the transition from 10th to 11th and another from 20th to 21st. Those transitions are natural break points.
Basically, anything with more than one hit point - i.e., a non-minion - is a Determinator.
Encounter breaks: Pretty much everything that talks about encounters says "until the end of the encounter or for 5 minutes." Thus, I assume an encounter is roughly 5 minutes; the only reason it doesn't flat-out say "5 minutes" is to avoid giving the impression that you have to track round-by-round duration.
Tiers: I don't know about anyone else, but I'm planning my campaign such that there will be a significant break in game time, probably 3-5 years, at each tier change.
I actually like the tier system for this reason. In 3.X, character power went up at a fairly steady (and extremely rapid) rate; this made it very difficult to come up with an in-game explanation for how the characters were becoming so bad-ass so quickly. In 4E, however, there is a much shallower power curve, punctuated by a noticeable jump at the transition from 10th to 11th and another from 20th to 21st. Those transitions are natural break points.
Fifth Element
Legend
I agree that the terms used contribute to the problem. That's why I dislike the term healing surge. In 4E, they go to lengths to emphasize that hit points are abstract, don't only represent physical damage, and don't require healing to recover. So, naturally, they call the mechanic to recover hit points "healing" surge. Well done.
Yeah, terminology is a definite issue I have with certain areas of 4E. "Healing surges" should be called "heroic surges" or something.
Would you like some"freedom fries" to go along with your" heroic surges"?
I find less concern with hp and healing surges than I have with a narrative and non-magical martial power. As healing surges are an abstractions of a vast range of elements can be far more easily explained away in character. Everything from lucky medallion X taking that crossbow or a surge of adhrenile or battle drugs. These can be viewed in character however, and would not be counted on much in any case.
Martial Powers as narrative device is fine if all you do is charge head long into danger without consideration or regard, or simply discuss your tactics out of character. This is maddening to me, as it is obvious for anyone but those who use Martial Powers when they have expended their resources if this is the case. The Mage know when their spells are expended in character, same with the cleric and warlock, any other source can be addressed in game. If we assume that the characters make decisions on what they can know in character, then by rights the martial character is at a disadvantage.
But the exhaustion (rather specific sorts of exhaustion and damage to render specific moves asunder) does not offer a much more satisfactory explaination but at least provide input in character for such judgements can be made.
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