D&D 5E Warlord - Is 5E SRD/DMsGuild a Solution? Is AL a Problem?

[mellored]

And yet, your proposed class feature above, to which I posted immediately after with that comment, does that very thing...

No. My purposed class feature is reach, not ranged. You need to physically touch someone.

 

[ChrisCarlson]

It might help if you weren't reframing want or would like to need.

Maybe you are just new to these conversations, but need has indeed been the situation. Lacking the ability to heal an ally from dying has been labeled a non-starter for more than one warlord advocate.

And literally treating the game condition of "unconscious" as beaten to the point of "actively dying" while the actual effect in play is sometimes so brief that the character doesn't even miss a turn (drop, Rogue with Healer applies Healing Kit, take turn), recover to full on a short rest). Only rarely does it come to stroking out.

And yet, when you are dropped to zero, if that rogue didn't come over and fix you with that kit, what happens next?

The fact is plain. Barring intervention, a character reduced to zero hit points is in the state of actively dying. Might they stabilize and survive? Maybe. It's basically a prolonged coin toll. Heck, in just last night's game we had two PCs and one NPC both one death save fail away from dying, and one NPC ally actually die from death saves. But maybe they were all just sleeping too hard?

 

[ChrisCarlson]

No. My purposed class feature is reach, not ranged. You need to physically touch someone.

Okay, so instead, he is whispering the inspiration into the allies ear instead of yelling it at them from a distance.

Or is this class feature something else I'm not seeing? Elaborate on what this warlord is doing as he uses this ability.

 

[mellored]

Okay, so instead, he is whispering the inspiration into the allies ear instead of yelling it at them from a distance.

I never said anything about shouting, whispering, or inspiration.


Though i won't stop you if you want to play it that way.

 

[jodyjohnson]

My apologies, I reversed who was the bear and who had the stick.

 

[ChrisCarlson]

I never said anything about shouting, whispering, or inspiration.


Though i won't stop you if you want to play it that way.

...he says while clumsily avoiding answering what the warlord is doing to provide the class feature's benefit to his ally.

 

[ChrisCarlson]

My apologies, I reversed who was the bear and who had the stick.

S'all good.

 

[mellored]

...he says while clumsily avoiding answering what the warlord is doing to provide the class feature's benefit to his ally.

I left it up as an exercised to the reader.

You want them to whisper inspiration in their ear. You can play that way. I'm not the authority on weather you see HP as meat or mojo. (+1 to jody for "meat or mojo" wording).

Someone else want's to flavor it pure medical treatment, then they can play that way.

Personally would go with some of each. You slap on a bandage while encourage them at the same time.

 

[ChrisCarlson]

Okay, but you may want to consider designing to 5e's aesthetic. IMX, D&D isn't all that big on amorphous abilities or "Schrodinger's Effects". Classes in D&D tend to be a bit more evocative having themes and fluff and niches. Just a suggestion...

 

[Jester David]

How do you feel about...

"As an (bonus) action, one creature in reach gains 1 HP, and a number of THP equal to your warlord level. A creature can only benefit from this once per short rest." ?

Enough to get someone off the ground and back into the fight, but not actually "heal" any of their wounds.

It works.
But so would a line that creatures with temporary hit points from a warlord act as if they had 1hp.
Or a reaction that prevents a creature going down in the first place.
But as warlord healing goes it's a decent compromise and I'd probably allow it at my table.

Alternatively: A creature gains THP equal to your warlord level and if they are at 0hp they regain 1hp.
It has the same effect but you're not healing unless unconscious, so you're not tracking a fiddly amount of hp restored. And this way you could maybe tweak the short rest restriction (in case someone needs it twice).