Why do potions heal a static number?

[Blackbrrd]

Its a design rule that there are no items that buffs your stats. There aren't any effects that debuff stats either. Buffs that increase to-hit are quite rare and usually don't last longer than a round.

Personally I am taking the hint* and staying away from creating items that increases stats. Instead you can do as proposed earlier and have potions that for instance increases to-hit rating, gives you a bonus to a skill or the like.

*The hint is that your stats affects quite a lot of abilities, for instance con might change:
the amount of healing surges you have,
how many hp you have,
when you are bloodied,
how much each healing surge heals,
your fortitude defense,
con-based skills,
con based powers,
etc.
You basically have to recalculate your character each time you change a stat. This slows down the game. Therefore it is better to give for instance a buff that gives +2hit/damage until your next turn, a buff that gives +5 to any strength based skill, etc.

 

[Blair Goatsblood]

I' In my game, there will be traveling alchemists that sell 'tonics', 'elixirs', and 'restoratives' - snake oil salesmen, in other words. Some of them work fine, others not so much. Thus the thought about some slight randomness to the healing.ut putting in potions that modify strength/dexterity/etc?

Snake oil salesmen can have short lifespans when PCs get involved...

 

[Ydars]

I agree with Mort_Q who suggests that potions heal 10 HP not 10 HP + your normal healing surge.

This also answers the question about why not have random healing potions; because if you are spending a healing surge and using a potion you want something that is going to give you more HP than just spending a healing surge. If you make it random, then there is a chance that drinking the potion gives you less HP back than just spending a healing surge, which makes them a) lame and useless and b) a waste of money.