D&D (2024) What would your ideal rest mechanic look like?

[dave2008]

Presumably if you run out of them you die? Do you start losing them if you run out of normal hp, or by some other method?

Yes, 0 BHP = death. You loose them when HP = 0 or on a confirmed critical hit. Also, armor in our game also has DR (damage reduction) of AC-10. This only comes into play when you would suffer BHP damage. So if your HP are 0 and you take a hit for 10 damage and you're wearing plate (DR 8) you only take 2 BHP damage.

 

[Lanefan]

Yes, 0 BHP = death. You loose them when HP = 0 or on a confirmed critical hit. Also, armor in our game also has DR (damage reduction) of AC-10. This only comes into play when you would suffer BHP damage. So if your HP are 0 and you take a hit for 10 damage and you're wearing plate (DR 8) you only take 2 BHP damage.

Question: do you find this makes your non-armoured characters more vulnerable? Also, does it make your tanks unkillable by minor foes e.g. Leprechauns or Pixies who simply can't do 8 damage on an attack, even if the tank is buried under three dozen of 'em? Both of these would be concerns for me.

 

[Branduil]

To me, the most important thing is that all the resources in the game are tied together. If you recover full HP every rest, you should recover full Spells/Rechargeable abilities as well. If you recover half HP, half Spells.

 

[dave2008]

Question: do you find this makes your non-armoured characters more vulnerable?

Yes, when they take an actual hit. That is the game working as intended for us. Maybe that is why most of our players wear heavy armor!

Also, does it make your tanks unkillable by minor foes e.g. Leprechauns or Pixies who simply can't do 8 damage on an attack, even if the tank is buried under three dozen of 'em? Both of these would be concerns for me.

It could; however, we have a house rule that allows players and monsters spend 1-2 HD to increase the damage on an attack. So an Almiraji could spend its 1 HD and increase the damage of its attack to 1d4 + 3 + 1d6, which could inflict enough damage to arm even someone in plate armor.

PS. The 5e pixie doesn't have an attack that targets AC, so it is not an issue.

 

[glass]

Yes, 0 BHP = death. You loose them when HP = 0 or on a confirmed critical hit. Also, armor in our game also has DR (damage reduction) of AC-10. This only comes into play when you would suffer BHP damage. So if your HP are 0 and you take a hit for 10 damage and you're wearing plate (DR 8) you only take 2 BHP damage.

Actually, I think I have quizzed you about this before, so apologies for the repetition. IIRC, I was concerned about crits going straught to BHP being instant death (due to the difference in scale between regular HP and BHP), but in your experience the DR was enough to offset that.

 

[dave2008]

Actually, I think I have quizzed you about this before, so apologies for the repetition. IIRC, I was concerned about crits going straught to BHP being instant death (due to the difference in scale between regular HP and BHP), but in your experience the DR was enough to offset that.

Yes. Now, you obviously want to avoid a crit from an ancient dragon, but that is working as intended in our opinion.

I will be honest that it is probably not the right fit for all groups or playstyles, but it works for us.

 

[Lojaan]

Short rest = same but 5min
Long rest= same but need a survival check if not in comfortable, safe place

 

[Lanefan]

Yes, when they take an actual hit. That is the game working as intended for us. Maybe that is why most of our players where heavy armor!

Even your arcane casters?

It could; however, we have a house rule that allows players and monsters spend 1-2 HD to increase the damage on an attack. So an Almiraji could spend its 1 HD and increase the damage of its attack to 1d4 + 3 + 1d6, which could inflict enough damage to arm even someone in plate armor.

Ah. That does make a difference, yes.

PS. The 5e pixie doesn't have an attack that targets AC, so it is not an issue.

I used Pixie as an off-the-cuff example of a tiny creature that is only dangerous in numbers, each doing one or two points damage per hit. Replace it with any other such creature to get what I'm after here.

 

[dave2008]

Even your arcane casters?

No (I said most), but they are supposed to be squishy. Again, that is working as intended. Though we only have one caster. Casters are not front line fighters in our game. They need to be protected.

I used Pixie as an off-the-cuff example of a tiny creature that is only dangerous in numbers, each doing one or two points damage per hit. Replace it with any other such creature to get what I'm after here.

Yes, and I think that is an issue with typical D&D. It overvalues tiny creature damage in my opinion. I mean a cat causes 1 slashing damage. I've had many a cat scratch and it would take about a million of them (or more) before I would need a death save!

 

[UngeheuerLich]

Yes, 0 BHP = death. You loose them when HP = 0 or on a confirmed critical hit. Also, armor in our game also has DR (damage reduction) of AC-10. This only comes into play when you would suffer BHP damage. So if your HP are 0 and you take a hit for 10 damage and you're wearing plate (DR 8) you only take 2 BHP damage.

What are BHP?
Can you still act on HP=0?

I like the idea.