D&D 5E (2014) Thoughts on bonus action potions?

[Maxperson]

But this are way more assumptions and making up details where there are none.

No more than you are making up details on the volume of the liquid. And your way has to assume that the entire world consists of morons who put valuable magical healing potions that save lives in thin containers that would shatter if an adventurer stepped wrong. I hope you roll saves for all of those potions every combat, because they aren't likely to survive one in a container that thin.

You also have to assume that every potion EXCEPT healing is typically 1 ounce of liquid for some reason. A very rare 2500gp Oil of Sharpness? 1 ounce! A common 50gp Potion of Healing? 15 ounces. A legendary 25000gp Potion of Storm Giant Strength? 1 ounce! A common 50gp Potion of Healing? 15 ounces.

Your assumptions make no sense. Neither balance nor rarity account for why a Potion of Healing weighs so much more than every other potion out there.

 

[Maxperson]

"So let me get this straight. You want to run up the stairs, hit someone twice with your sword, then dig a potion out of your pouch, open it, and drink it right in front of him. And you want to do all of this in six seconds, without lowering your guard, without spilling the potion, and without dropping your sword or your shield. Is that what you're asking?"

"Well when you say it like that, it sounds foolish."

"Yes. It sounds very foolish indeed."

It's just as foolish to dig it out and drink it as an action. You are lowering your guard and drinking it right in front of something trying to kill you every bit as much as if it were a bonus action.

If you're going with "foolish means no drinking a potion as a bonus action," then you need to just ban them in combat because it's all foolish.

 

[Retros_x]

I think drinking a potion using an action was like that because potions were never really intented to drink in battle. In general I feel mid-battle healing is not really an efficient use and in most situations its better to finish the encounter early and only heal if necessary (when rolling death saves). The main benefit of healing with potions or spells was healing without resting. But that assumes a game where rests and resources matter aka a game that enforces the famous adventuring day aka a game that is most perfectly captured in ... a dungeon.

But modern D&D often plays very differently with less combat encounters that are more impactful though. In this gamestyle out-of-combat healing besides resting becomes irrelevant because most games only have 1-2 encounters before a rest. I think it makes sense that they buffed drinking potions (maybe they buffed healing spells too, I don't know for sure), to make them not completely irrelevant in these kind of games.

 

[CleverNickName]

It's just as foolish to dig it out and drink it as an action. You are lowering your guard and drinking it right in front of something trying to kill you every bit as much as if it were a bonus action.

If you're going with "foolish means no drinking a potion as a bonus action," then you need to just ban them in combat because it's all foolish.

There's avoiding foolishness altogether (like you are referring to), and there's not letting a foolish something get even more foolish (which is what I'm referring to.) They aren't the same thing.

 

[pawsplay]

It's just as foolish to dig it out and drink it as an action. You are lowering your guard and drinking it right in front of something trying to kill you every bit as much as if it were a bonus action.

If you're going with "foolish means no drinking a potion as a bonus action," then you need to just ban them in combat because it's all foolish.

I can definitely get a bottle out of my belt and drink it while actively fighting.

 

[Maxperson]

There's avoiding foolishness altogether (like you are referring to), and there's not letting a foolish something get even more foolish (which is what I'm referring to.) They aren't the same thing.

I see very little difference between the two. You aren't fishing through your backpack, finding a potion, pulling it out and drinking it in 6 seconds, either. All while the enemy is trying to claw your face off.

 

[Maxperson]

I can definitely get a bottle out of my belt and drink it while actively fighting.

If you want to die, sure. You aren't standing still just moving your arm a little to fence with someone.

 

[pawsplay]

If you want to die, sure. You aren't standing still just moving your arm a little to fence with someone.

Clearly, you've never seen me fight. I'm a little past my prime, but I assure you I can manipulate an object while doing other stuff. In fact, fencing would be more difficult, because you are fully engaged with one opponent, but in a fray, there is distance, and opportunities.

 

[Maxperson]

Clearly, you've never seen me fight. I'm a little past my prime, but I assure you I can manipulate an object while doing other stuff. In fact, fencing would be more difficult, because you are fully engaged with one opponent, but in a fray, there is distance, and opportunities.

So you're saying that you disengage and aren't fighting when you do it. That's different. Not fighting=/= fighting.

If you are engaged, say with a D&D monster right in front of you trying to bash your face in, you aren't drinking a potion without leaving yourself wide open to be killed.