BookTenTiger
He / Him
Problem: The players in my groups almost never use their potions. They stockpile healing potions, potions of flight, poisons, etc. No matter the stakes of a combat, potions are rarely, if ever, brought out and used. Even changing consuming potions to a bonus action has not increased their use.
Hypothesis: The "cost" of using a potion is too great. First off, the character has to spend an action (or, using a common house rule, a bonus action) to take the potion. Then, they also lose the potion! Because of these costs, potions are rarely, if ever, used by my players.
Idea: A potion is an item that is used during a Long Rest (usually at the end). The character doesn't gain the benefits of the poem until they "activate" it as an "interact with object" (or maybe just a free action?). At that point, they gain its benefits. For example, a character consumes a Potion of Healing at the end of their long rest. Then, during a tense combat, they activate the healing potion and immediately heal 2d4+4 hit points. A character can have only one potion "loaded" at a time, and can consume a new potion as an action (or maybe bonus action). If a potion is not activated by the next Long Rest, its benefits are lost.
Desired Outcome: Potions are used more regularly, hopefully with multiple characters using potions at the end of their Long Rest and activating them during the adventuring day.
Other Problems: I can't quite figure out the narrative of what this would look like in the game. How does someone drink a potion in the morning and then activate it later? Keeping it in their chipmunk cheek? I could see having a "potion slot" that the characters load, but then it wouldn't make sense for the potion to be consumed during the Long Rest. Maybe the solution is to replace potions with Runes or other fictional items that can be consumed in the morning and activated later?
Anyways, this is just weird, wild thought on a different way to use potions. Let me know what you think! Is this a problem you've had in your groups? Would this house rule actually lead to more potion use?
Hypothesis: The "cost" of using a potion is too great. First off, the character has to spend an action (or, using a common house rule, a bonus action) to take the potion. Then, they also lose the potion! Because of these costs, potions are rarely, if ever, used by my players.
Idea: A potion is an item that is used during a Long Rest (usually at the end). The character doesn't gain the benefits of the poem until they "activate" it as an "interact with object" (or maybe just a free action?). At that point, they gain its benefits. For example, a character consumes a Potion of Healing at the end of their long rest. Then, during a tense combat, they activate the healing potion and immediately heal 2d4+4 hit points. A character can have only one potion "loaded" at a time, and can consume a new potion as an action (or maybe bonus action). If a potion is not activated by the next Long Rest, its benefits are lost.
Desired Outcome: Potions are used more regularly, hopefully with multiple characters using potions at the end of their Long Rest and activating them during the adventuring day.
Other Problems: I can't quite figure out the narrative of what this would look like in the game. How does someone drink a potion in the morning and then activate it later? Keeping it in their chipmunk cheek? I could see having a "potion slot" that the characters load, but then it wouldn't make sense for the potion to be consumed during the Long Rest. Maybe the solution is to replace potions with Runes or other fictional items that can be consumed in the morning and activated later?
Anyways, this is just weird, wild thought on a different way to use potions. Let me know what you think! Is this a problem you've had in your groups? Would this house rule actually lead to more potion use?
