warlord healing

[Neonchameleon]

I really think a warlords words should do something like what abard's did: offer a bonus (maybe to damage, which could simulate him actually issuing orders on the field). I really dont want cinematic D&D, so would like to take the warlord down a notch.

Then why do you object to the Warlord rather than simply Hit Points and Hit Point Scaling? Hit Points themselves are a purely cinematic mechanic intentionally designed to allow swashbuckling duels rather than something realistic. And the way they scale is even more cinematic. No one should be able to take a full strength blow directly from an orc with an axe.

If I didn't want cinematic D&D I'd throw out the magic users (or at least cut them back to ordinary fictional ones) and replace hit points with a wound system for starters.

 

[FireLance]

No one should be able to take a full strength blow directly from an orc with an axe.

Except robots golems. Yes, folks, the best way to run HP as meat (or rather, wood and metal ) is to play an all-warforged party.

 

[Mallus]

Except robots golems. Yes, folks, the best way to run HP as meat (or rather, wood and metal ) is to play an all-warforged party.

Good observation!

My take: re martial healing. D&D has always claimed to be inspired by real-world mythology. Having martial heroes heal via their heroic words sounds, well, mythic, to me (in fact, in their case, it's more mythic than previous iterations of the spell/psi/item systems).

Therefore, it's fine.

 

[El Mahdi]

Putting the mechanic of surges aside for the moment would any non or reluctant 4E adopters still be put off by warlord healing if it instead granted temp hit points? What about fellow 4E players if warlord were altered in this fashion would it ruin the class for you?

I like that. That's a really good idea. That's a rationalization I can wrap my head around.

Very Cool!

 

[Guest 85555]

Then why do you object to the Warlord rather than simply Hit Points and Hit Point Scaling? Hit Points themselves are a purely cinematic mechanic intentionally designed to allow swashbuckling duels rather than something realistic. And the way they scale is even more cinematic. No one should be able to take a full strength blow directly from an orc with an axe.

If I didn't want cinematic D&D I'd throw out the magic users (or at least cut them back to ordinary fictional ones) and replace hit points with a wound system for starters.

Because you and I have different preferences and assumptions and the sooner we agrre on that the sooner we can have a real discussion in good faith insteead of a game of gotch-ya.

I still like having characters be tougher an they would in reality. It isn't like there are only two choices: gritty realism or cinematic action. Hit points still allow for non cinematic style narrationl 10 HP of damage isn't neccesarily ging to be a direct blow to the head from an orc's axe to a high level fighter (though it may be to a low level fighter). I see HP as reflecting elements of real physical damage and other things, just not to the degree that 4e takes it.

 

[Shadeydm]

I really think a warlords words should do something like what abard's did: offer a bonus (maybe to damage, which could simulate him actually issuing orders on the field). I really dont want cinematic D&D, so would like to take the warlord down a notch.

So just to clarify (and no I have no interest in laying traps or whatever) do you object to the mechanic of temp hp itself or the idea that warlord inspiration could grant them?

 

[Janaxstrus]

Warlord's being able to chit chat someone up to a certain % of Hps would be ok with me. This would simulate that not all hps are just physical damage, but also show that some HPs ARE physical damage.

I've stated from the beginning that skills, poultices, and other non-magical healing should exist. I just prefer it not allow a pep talk to bring a person from almost dead to fully healthy.

 

[Zaran]

I've always thought Warlords shouldn't be able to heal but bolster their companions. If they granted THP (in the same amounts that a cleric grants HP) there could have been some really interesting aspects. Like The warlord could grant the THP before a battle. The healing surge mechanic can still be used since a warlord's "soldiers" can only take so much inspiration before they can no longer handle more.

Does this mean they can't revive someone unconscious? Well, yes. There can be other powers that deals with that. Or they can do a Heal check. I think the warlord suffers from the fact that in the beginning of 4e everything had to work the same. Today they would have been made differently.

 

[DEFCON 1]

Actually... as I've heard more and more about the Backgrounds and Themes concepts they've been bandying about... I almost am reaching the point where I don't think warlords/bards/other healers are actually necessary as classes. I think it might be better served to just have a Leader theme. And that Leader (or Inspirer, or Invigorator or whatever you want to call the theme) has healing or buffing or inspiring feats that grant bonuses and hit points (temp or otherwise).

The advantage of this is that every DM can decide for himself whether or not this Theme can be taken by "non-magical" classes. Perhaps the DM is okay with a Fighter taking the Leader theme and thus becoming "warlord-like". Perhaps the DM only allows the theme to be taken by barbarians and rangers, thus creating magical "shamans" of a type. The Bard perhaps *is* its own class (being an important part of the "interaction" pillar of the game)... but doesn't necessarily heal others unless the Leader theme is taken? Thus you also can have non-healing bards.

And each DM can additionally then decide if the hit point recovery the Leader theme grants is temporary hit points or actual hit points, and whether certain classes can only choose one or the other, if it matters that much to them? Some DMs might say that ALL classes can take the Leader theme and the healing done is to actual hit points... some might say that non-magical classes can take the Leader theme but the HP granted is only Temporary... and some might not let non-magical classes take the Leader theme AT ALL.

Let each DM choose how they want to allow the theme in their game. But at least we no longer have an official "warlord" class that many DMs will object to... because they feel like the game is forcing non-magical healing on them. The Leader theme does not guarantee that "non-magical healing" is in the game that they then have to nix.

 

[Guest 85555]

So just to clarify (and no I have no interest in laying traps or whatever) do you object to the mechanic of temp hp itself or the idea that warlord inspiration could grant them?

I think from a mechanical standpoint they are something you want to limit in the gamr. Once in a while (such as with a barbarian's rage which i want to keep a special case) i can see them being a good thing. But I have concerns about having to deal with all classes potentially getting them from a warlord (as a gm i find that stuff a pain to keep tabs on and as a player I really don't want to track temp Hp all that much). I also think temp Hp dont make a lot of sense coming from a warlord's battle cry. I could certainly accept them more than his healing pep talk, but i would still prefer they stick with something like a damage bonus or wven an ac bonus (this just makes more sense to me than actually bestowing hp to a character).