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Message: <blockquote data-quote="DreamChaser" data-source="post: 4785610" data-attributes="member: 1190">Two words on Healing Surges: Bruce WillisOkay...that actually needs three more words: Die Hard series.John McClain gets the crap kicked out of him over and over...he's down (nearly for the count) about a dozen times in a single night. He walks across broken glass, dodges bullets, jumps down elevator shafts, and has strong words (fist to face style) with a bunch of thugs. Some battles go worse than others and during those it seems like he's about to just give up the ghost. But does he?No. John McClain is a hero and heroes have reserves that run deeper than that. Most of what he was facing was exhaustion and bruises. So he sucked it up and pushed through and caught his breath and went after the next set of bad guys to save the day.That is what spending a healing surge with second wind and / or between encounters looks like.Now, eventually (contrived by the plot to happen when the movie is over and the ambulance can get to him) John runs out of surges and can't get up on his own any more. He is hobbling along, barely able to stand.That is what being out of healing surges looks like.This same idea is seen in many fight movies (especially kung fu style movies and crappy Jean Claude Van Damm flix). The hero is beaten to a bloody pulp and with nothing more than a sudden burst of energy (second wind), or the inspiring words of a loved one or ally (Inspiring Word), or the intervention of supernatural forces, they suddenly get back up and win the day.I see no validity to the claim that there are no literary or cinematic examples of this idea as I have just presented several. And if D&D fudged things by omitting penalties to actions as HP / surges dwindle, I think it is because the found that this is superior for **most** people's game flow.Now...on topic, sure the power **could** be used that way just as healing word **can** be used to increase the number of surges effectively available to each character substantially. 2d6+4 extra hp (+5 if dwarf or elf) easily **doubles** the impact of a healing surge for a controller or striker at 6th level. This means that the wizard's 6 healing surges have suddenly become 12. The benefit for defenders is only about +25%.If my party were every inclined to spend 2 hours between each encounter blowing powers to hyper heal, I'd roll my eyes, allow it when it suited me, and attack them mid rest with all their healing powers expended when I wanted to show them the folly of making such an activity an every day occurance. DC</blockquote>

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