Why all the healing?

[Reynard]

The thread on the possibility of wizards healing got me thinking: why make the change to give everyone access to healing at little to no cost when the alternative would be to alter the game design in such a way that you didn't need a cnstant heal battery? i mean, if the goal is to a) free up the cleric from being the walking band-aid and b) to preserve PC life and limb, the wouldn't it follow that the real problem is the damage/healing system itself. Given that they've decided to toss out so many other sacred cows, why keep that one (and exacerbate it by pumping up hit points, for PCs and monsters alike, even more -- but that is hardly a 4E specific problem; every edition has done that, to the game's detriment)?

 

[Michael Silverbane]

Because its more exciting to whang on your enemy over and over than to constantly miss on attack rolls...?

Later
silver

 

[Skaven_13]

because someone wants to shout out "barbarian, heal me!"?

 

[Doug McCrae]

Hit points work. They're simple. They'd probably make my list of the top 5 essential features of D&D, certainly top 10.

Plus we can't kill *all* the sacred cows today. What would be left for 5e?

 

[Reynard]

Because its more exciting to whang on your enemy over and over than to constantly miss on attack rolls...?

Later
silver

Is it, really, though? If you want to still be able to hit all the time, you could do a DR type thing, but the "stand and swing" bit gets tired pretty quickly. And since the intent, it appears, of 4E is to make everyone has a super-awesome time in combat, the system could be designed in such a way that all those super awesome maneuvers result in something other than hit point damage.

For example, let's say that there's a relatively high Defense threshold you have to "hit" in order to do damage, but a relatively low "hit point" threshold you have to reach with that damage to take someone out. So, instead of going through hit point attrition with your power attacks and sneak attacks and fireballs, all those elements (and whatever lse they've added) start stacking up bonuses to be able to beat that Defense threshold. You still get to roll lots of dice, and the results matter and push you ever closer to victory, just as with hit points, but don't require that everyone be able to constantly heal. Same goals, different way of achieving them while also solving another "problem" inherent in D&D.

 

[Azgulor]

With Reserve Points being Open Content (if I recall correctly, everything in Unearthed Arcana was OC), I was surprised they didn't try a similar mechanic rather than putting "healing powers" into each of the classes. It would have accomplished the same goals and might have avoided the "I heal someone when I whack something" debate.

 

[frankthedm]

Because D&D is about taking the hit and rolling with it, rather than not getting hit in the first place. Many other games rely on "defender rolls their own skill to oppose attacks". In those games HP are MUCH lower and armor almost always soaks damage suffered rather than negates attacks.

 

[Reynard]

Because D&D is about taking the hit and rolling with it, rather than not getting hit in the first place. Many other games rely on "defender rolls their own skill to oppose attacks". In those games HP are MUCH lower and armor almost always soaks damage suffered rather than negates attacks.

D&D is also about conserving resources as you make your way through the place full of traps and monsters and loot and things that can kill you with a glance (or the rollof a die).

 

[Cryptos]

D&D is also about conserving resources as you make your way through the place full of traps and monsters and loot and things that can kill you with a glance (or the rollof a die).

True. But 4e seems to have taken most (at least 80%) of the resource management in D&D from per day to per encounter. The timeframe for resource management is compressed. As such, healing needs to happen more often.

 

[Wulf Ratbane]

D&D is also about conserving resources as you make your way through the place full of traps and monsters and loot and things that can kill you with a glance (or the rollof a die).

True. But 4e seems to have taken most (at least 80%) of the resource management in D&D from per day to per encounter. The timeframe for resource management is compressed. As such, healing needs to happen more often.

Exactly.

By 2nd or 3rd level, most experienced PCs have already chipped in for a Wand of Cure Light Wounds, and almost never enter a fight wounded.

Add to this the fact that CR is at its best, most predictive, with a "clean" fight.