[UA] Mearls will be happy about this

[buzz]

Mike Mearls once said he was amazed that no one had swiped Tweet's mucho excellent hp reserve rules from the Omega World d20 mini-game. Well, WotC apparently was smart enough to include them in the upcoming Unearthed Arcana.

http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/iw/20031214a&page=4

Which is a dang good thing, as this is pretty much the best idea ever. I don't know what my cleric is going to do with himself.

 

[Desdichado]

Dang! That is a great idea! Thanks for the heads-up!

 

[Henry]

For me, that's just TOO much of a safety valve, and would seem to make limited healing resources a non-viable game threat; however, I have seen several posts by users on these boards who use the same or a similar system.

For a game without healing magic, though, it would seem to fit in just fine.

 

[buzz]

But not having to rely on healing is EXACTLY what I love about this rule. No more, "Enter dungeon, get into one fight, camp for two days while you heal, repeat" stinkiness. No more, "Okay, who's going to be the cleric?" Clerics actually using spells other than Cure ___ Wounds and Heal!

So many cool effects cascade from this rule! So much awesomeness! Woooooooooooo!!!

I'll calm down any minute now.

 

[Saeviomagy]

Essentially the rule doubles a character's available hitpoints, but makes them stop fighting when they get to 50%.

 

[buzz]

Changes "stop fighting" to "die" and you've sorta got it.

 

[A'koss]

I think it's a pretty spanky rule too and it's definitely going to get a shot in our low magic game. UA is lookin' better every day...

A'koss.

 

[hong]

For me, that's just TOO much of a safety valve, and would seem to make limited healing resources a non-viable game threat; however, I have seen several posts by users on these boards who use the same or a similar system.

At high levels, there's no such thing as too much of a safety valve.

 

[mythusmage]

I'm for anything that'll make the players and GM think seriously about alternatives to fighting.

"Fellas, we can beat the goblins, that's not in doubt. The problem is, then we'd be so beat up the kobolds would wipe the floor with us."

 

[Ycore Rixle]

I don't like this rule. If the reserve hit points are to be a safety valve, then why not consider the lower half of your normal hit points your "safety valve"? If the objective is quick healing, well, that at least makes sense. But I don't think quick healing is needed. Don't have a cleric? That's unfortunate, and it makes you think hard about the next level you take, or what cohort to pick up, etc. Hard choices make good games.