D&D 5E (2014) Why are potions of healing so expensive?

[Coroc]

doesn't really matter what bob is. I've seen a wizard trying to get killed to make a new character he wanted to play doing similar without much difference

Bob the fighter is a cliche out of some webcomic, i just cannot remember from which. It basically Bob the fighter gets killed, and his Replacement character shows up looking alike also named Bob. And he gets killed so often, that the rest of the party looses count.

 

[Oofta]

There probably could exist a middle ground between gruesome critical injury tables that produce death spirals and no one ever being able to be injured in manner that is not fixed by a good night's sleep...

I do use the optional long rest rules in part because overnight healing doesn't make sense to me either, but any injury systems I've tried (only a few) never really added to the game for me. YMMV.

 

[guachi]

D&D coins are about a 3rd of an ounce, so a bit more than double that size.

For comparison, that's roughly the weight of a US dollar coin.
Coins per dollar (US currency)
penny (2.5g): 181.8
nickel (5g): 90.9
dime (2.268g): 200.35
quarter (5.67g): 80.14
half dollar (11.34g): 40.07
dollar (8.1g): 56.1

 

[Maxperson]

For comparison, that's roughly the weight of a US dollar coin.
Coins per dollar (US currency)
penny (2.5g): 181.8
nickel (5g): 90.9
dime (2.268g): 200.35
quarter (5.67g): 80.14
half dollar (11.34g): 40.07
dollar (8.1g): 56.1

Smaller in size for the gold piece, though, since gold is heavier. Probably closer to a quarter. The Kennedy gold half dollar weighs 23 grams, so a quarter seems right for a gold piece.

 

[Chaosmancer]

Sure, it is fantasy, but to people who have some vague understanding of real historical prices the gold being so worthless feels weird. It probably is one of those D&D things that many people don't notice any more as it has been that way for so long, but personally I find it a tad jarring. I usually switch from gold to silver standard, in effect dividing prices and all treasure values by ten. Then you can eliminate platinum coins and keep gold as actually feeling somewhat precious.

Not if you are used to... pretty much any video games at all. Gil is also represented with a gold coin (even used to be explicitly called gold) and is way more devalued than gp are.

 

[Rabulias]

Bob the fighter is a cliche out of some webcomic, i just cannot remember from which. It basically Bob the fighter gets killed, and his Replacement character shows up looking alike also named Bob. And he gets killed so often, that the rest of the party looses count.

Sounds like the player Bob in Knights of the Dinner Table, who keeps playing his dwarven rogue, Knuckles. Last I read it he was up to the Knuckles the 8th.

 

[AnotherGuy]

Look I have my reason for why I made my decision. Your ignorant response just makes you look like a person who can't understand something that really isn't that complicated. I wasn't wanting to debate it. I was just stating my own decision. I know your ignorant and really can't carry on a conversation about it because of your dismissiveness and trite answers.

You made the comment. I highlighted your bias.
Instead of owning up to your bias in the metagame mechanics, you decided to smear and exit.
That's a good look @Emerikol.

 

[Emerikol]

You made the comment. I highlighted your bias.
Instead of owning up to your bias in the metagame mechanics, you decided to smear and exit.
That's a good look @Emerikol.

No. What you did is show that you absolutely know nothing about the subject. Every time the first thing out of someone's mouth is hit points, I know they know nothing and are ignorant. They have no clue the issue people have nor ways to fix it. They are out in left field.

 

[AnotherGuy]

No. What you did is show that you absolutely know nothing about the subject. Every time the first thing out of someone's mouth is hit points, I know they know nothing and are ignorant. They have no clue the issue people have nor ways to fix it. They are out in left field.

Again wrong.
Firstly, this thread is about healing so hit points is directly related to the topic.
Secondly, I am distinctly aware of which mechanics appear bare-faced by some players, I suspect in the instance with HD it is primarily due to their "newness". In my table's own game we have tied HD to more than just reserves for hit points but also to the refresh rates of abilities, the casting of rituals and the exhaustion track. Thus we are treating HD as a proper reserve mechanic.
Thirdly, you have no decent argument against what I'm saying but to keep smearing people as you have done in a follow-up post.

 

[Emerikol]

Again wrong.
Firstly, this thread is about healing so hit points is directly related to the topic.
Secondly, I am distinctly aware of which mechanics appear bare-faced by some players, I suspect in the instance with HD it is primarily due to their "newness". In my table's own game we have tied HD to more than just reserves for hit points but also to the refresh rates of abilities, the casting of rituals and the exhaustion track. Thus we are treating HD as a proper reserve mechanic.
Thirdly, you have no decent argument against what I'm saying but to keep smearing people as you have done in a follow-up post.

No. I do tire of arguing with idiots.

I dislike mechanics that are dissociated from the underlying game setting and thus dissociative to the player as well. Hit points are not. Powers with no explanation in game are. Hit points are just a way of conveying the well being of the character between GM and player.