D&D 5E Using 4e elements for your 5e games?

[Weiley31]

Less mechanical crunch and more fluff/lore usage.

Referring to Power Sources for spells to this day fory 5E games, using 4E Gnoll/Shadar-Kai/Raven Queen lore for such characters. Terms. Weapon types.

I liked the Dice Steps that was shown in one book(can't remember which one it was tho) which gives a nice way of "eyeballing" Dice Steps improvements for PC weapons.

Same goes with another book that pretty much had a fantastic way of describing/telling how to do stuff like traps or when something triggered and an effect happened.

I think an example of that was like saying to putting down index cards on a certain spot of the map, and on the one side write the Skill DC for a certain skill or like something to show it was interactiable


(Although I'll admit that last part might be me misremembering a person on YouTube who did that through either the updated Rules Compendium or one of the later 4E DMG books pretty much had an example of that).

 

[NotAYakk]

Back in 3rd ed we divided HP into four categories based on 1/4 of max HP and enforced communicating HP only with those categories. Scratched, wounded, badly wounded, and near death.

We've mostly just used Bloodied since 4E, though.

I think 50% and 10% are two good thresholds actually. Both are easy to calculate.

A creature being at or under 10% is mostly a sign that they are on their last legs. Which matters dramatically and tactically; a foe at 10% you should probably just try to finish instead of trying to mitigate problems, even if you aren't good at finishing.

 

[Vael]

I use the bloodied condition. Often if I want a more dramatic fight, any monster that has a roll to recharge power automatically succeeds the roll the first time after they are bloodied.

I know 5e isn't as hard and fast with it, but I also explicitly make Druids a Primal magic user, their magic is not Divine anymore.

 

[TheHand]

We use “Bloodied” and we ported over the Daze condition. I’ve also enhanced 5e monsters with special abilities from some of their 4e counterparts when I’m looking to spice up an encounter.

In one of our campaigns, where our players missed the Encounter, Daily powers of martial classes, we even experimented with rewriting a few of the abilities and giving limited versions of them to the characters. I wouldn’t call it “balanced”, but everybody had a good time.

 

[Voadam]

I often announce when monsters are bloodied.

I have turned 5e monsters into 4e style elites and solo versions.

I use a bunch of 4e grid rules such as fire cubes in my 5e games.

 

[Yaarel]

I want to point out that Bloodied is awesome for urban settings.

There nonlethal combat reduces interference from the civil authorities who try to keep the peace.

For combat, a fatiguing confrontation happens, that tends to resolve at Bloodied when drawing first blood, rather than at Downed with proverbial sword thru the gut. Morale checks (at the moment using Wisdom will saves) to flee, Intimidation checks to force surrender for capture, and so on. I dont mind players casting combat-ending spells after Bloodied. And so on.

Players can "win" a combat challenge via Bloodied, rather than death. It feels more like a bar fight or a night club brawl. But there are winners, whence the experience toward leveling up.

 

[Horwath]

Healing surges.

 

[Voadam]

Healing surges.

Do you just add a surge onto healing spells so that a level 1 healing word is really effective? Does it replace HD entirely?

 

[Horwath]

Do you just add a surge onto healing spells so that a level 1 healing word is really effective? Does it replace HD entirely?

instead of rolling HD, you regain 1/4 of your max HPs,

number of healing surges is 2×prof bonus + Con mod.

Once per short rest when you take Dodge action you can spend a healing surge

when your are healed by magic spell or a potion you can spend a healing surge to add to healing value of spell/potion.