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canucksaram
Acolyte
5 Posts |
 Posted - 03 Aug 2014 : 08:55:32
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I've decided not to use the healing rules from 5th ed D&D and will be replacing them with these rules instead:
Characters have a pool of healing dice equal to their proficiency bonus (instead of their character level, which is the current rule in 5th ed). These dice can be used during short rests when wounded characters have a chance to assess their conditions and receive treatment for wounds, injuries, and damage. This pool of healing dice refreshes at the rate of one die per long rest. Any extended period of downtime (i.e., in between adventures) completely refreshes the die pool. Otherwise, natural healing will be per 3.5/Pathfinder. For those using Fate points or the equivalent of "hero points" (or Conviction, from True20): A Fate point can be spent to fully refresh one's pool of healing dice.
Rationale: the current 5th ed. rules state that all HP are healed at the end of a long rest. That seems quite out of balance to me, and it takes away a lot of the specialness of healing spells. If a long rest restores all HP then PCs will be all too happy to rely on combat first and foremost, rather than as one of many options that they could employ to resolve conflicts with NPCs and monsters, albeit one that has real consequences and possible drawbacks for them.
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Garen Thal
Master of Realmslore
USA
1105 Posts |
Posted - 03 Aug 2014 : 12:05:50
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While house rules are all well and good, and I agree wholeheartedly that there will be some folks for whom the Basic healing rules will work too quickly, I'd strongly encourage looking at the DMG when it comes out. There will almost assuredly be options for extending the duration of short and long rests, for making healing take longer, and otherwise creating a more dangerous campaign world.
Not that you should wait for that book, of course--there are month yet until it's release. Just that you should keep a keen eye for those variant rules when they become available. |
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Delwa
Master of Realmslore
USA
1268 Posts |
Posted - 03 Aug 2014 : 13:32:17
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Not a bad house rule, but a bit too lethal for my taste. I've been running the playtest (not very different from the final rules.) And I've almost had several TPK's with what should have been easy encounters. No bad luck on the dice were involved, it just happened. If I were to implement this House Rule, we'd be spending more time rolling up new characters than playing the game.
Your Mileage may vary, though. Best of luck, and please let us know how the house rule works out! |
- Delwa Aunglor
I am off to slay yon refrigerator and spoil it's horde. Go for the cheese, Boo!
"The Realms change; seldom at the speed desired of those who strive, but far too quickly for those who resist." - The Simbul, taken from the Forgotten Realms Campaign Conspectus |
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Diffan
Great Reader
USA
4427 Posts |
Posted - 04 Aug 2014 : 05:00:53
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| I believe the idea is that you don't make long rests common, especially when your adventuring in dangerous places. By limiting when, where, and how long you rest goes a long way to put a stronger emphasis on your hit points and healing resources. Further, you can adjust a long rest to be a longer time OR put constraints on what conditions must be met with a long rest. For example, simply sleeping in your armor on the cobblestone dungeon floor isn't restful enough for a long rest, regardless of how long you're there. You might require a bed, removal of armor, etc. to meet the conditions. |
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ZeshinX
Learned Scribe
Canada
210 Posts |
Posted - 18 Aug 2014 : 15:54:11
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| I've been looking for alternatives as well for healing in 5e, and this one sounds good to me. I'm still hoping the DMG will offer alternatives, but the concept that everyone has a "self-healing battery" is nonsense in my opinion. It does mitigate the "First Aid Kit" label and role inevitably applied to Clerics (or other Divine spellcasters), which is a very good thing, so I like canucksaram's take on self-healing. |
"...because despite the best advice of those who know what they are talking about, other people insist on doing the most massively stupid things."
-Galen, technomage |
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Erik Scott de Bie
Forgotten Realms Author
USA
4598 Posts |
Posted - 16 Sep 2014 : 01:20:43
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I was under the impression that a long rest could only once a day at most, and you need a safe situation completely away from danger. Or, at least, that's what I would do. 
It really depends on what you think of hit points as being. If it's a measure of how long you can fight without being mortally injured, and every blow that reduces your hit points brings you closer to failure, then it absolutely makes sense that people can heal themselves by recovering, binding up minor wounds, shaking off fatigue, refocusing on the task at hand). If, on the other hand, you think of hit points as some sort of life meter (thanks, Mortal Kombat!), then healing yourself would be tricky.
Myself, I think of hit points as combination of fatigue and bodily damage. By and large, characters aren't really injured until they're down to half hit points (4e called this "bloodied"), at which point they keep taking wounds until they drop. Anyway, that's my concept.
Cheers |
Erik Scott de Bie
'Tis easier to destroy than to create.
Author of a number of Realms novels (GHOSTWALKER, DEPTHS OF MADNESS, and the SHADOWBANE series), contributor to the NEVERWINTER CAMPAIGN GUIDE and SHADOWFELL: GLOOMWROUGHT AND BEYOND, Twitch DM of the Dungeon Scrawlers, currently playing "The Westgate Irregulars" |
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Diffan
Great Reader
USA
4427 Posts |
Posted - 16 Sep 2014 : 05:18:22
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quote:
Originally posted by Erik Scott de Bie
I was under the impression that a long rest could only once a day at most, and you need a safe situation completely away from danger. Or, at least, that's what I would do.
It really depends on what you think of hit points as being. If it's a measure of how long you can fight without being mortally injured, and every blow that reduces your hit points brings you closer to failure, then it absolutely makes sense that people can heal themselves by recovering, binding up minor wounds, shaking off fatigue, refocusing on the task at hand). If, on the other hand, you think of hit points as some sort of life meter (thanks, Mortal Kombat!), then healing yourself would be tricky.
Myself, I think of hit points as combination of fatigue and bodily damage. By and large, characters aren't really injured until they're down to half hit points (4e called this "bloodied"), at which point they keep taking wounds until they drop. Anyway, that's my concept.
Cheers
I have a similar concept considering the amount of damage a character can take, especially at high levels and shrug off to do really difficult things like run, swim, and jump with such wounds. You'd think getting smashed in the body with the club of an ogre would put you into the hospital for a week, but a 5th level Fighter just gets up and goes back to swinging his sword. |
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Erik Scott de Bie
Forgotten Realms Author
USA
4598 Posts |
Posted - 18 Sep 2014 : 18:44:30
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Well, in my conception, a 5th level fighter at 100% hit points who is hit by an ogre's club is managing to turn it into a glancing blow that stings but doesn't really damage him. He still loses the hit points, but until he hits 50%, he's not actually wounded.
The more times he's hit, however, the more he's fatigued and rattled until eventually he leaves an opening that causes him to take a wound.
It would be an interesting houserule, probably best in 4e but really in any edition, where once a character goes to 50% hit points or below, each subsequent hit (not auto damage, etc) causes him/her a wound that has some minor but notable mechanical effect, such as reducing one of your ability score bonuses by 1 (also reducing things that key off that). These wounds can be cumulative, such as taking multiple hits to the hit would reduce your INT score. The wounds can also remain even if your hit points subsequently go back out of bloodied.
Magical healing removes at least one wound (probably 1d4 wounds), and a successful heal check will remove one wound.
Hmm...
Cheers |
Erik Scott de Bie
'Tis easier to destroy than to create.
Author of a number of Realms novels (GHOSTWALKER, DEPTHS OF MADNESS, and the SHADOWBANE series), contributor to the NEVERWINTER CAMPAIGN GUIDE and SHADOWFELL: GLOOMWROUGHT AND BEYOND, Twitch DM of the Dungeon Scrawlers, currently playing "The Westgate Irregulars" |
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Skeptic
Master of Realmslore
Canada
1273 Posts |
Posted - 19 Sep 2014 : 02:30:11
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quote:
Originally posted by Erik Scott de Bie
It would be an interesting houserule, probably best in 4e but really in any edition, where once a character goes to 50% hit points or below, each subsequent hit (not auto damage, etc) causes him/her a wound that has some minor but notable mechanical effect, such as reducing one of your ability score bonuses by 1 (also reducing things that key off that). These wounds can be cumulative, such as taking multiple hits to the hit would reduce your INT score. The wounds can also remain even if your hit points subsequently go back out of bloodied.
Burning Wheel is famous for this kind of death spiral. I don't think it makes a good fit for D&D. In fact in D&D I would go in the opposite direction : being "bloodied" could trigger some abilities or "recharge" them. |
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Erik Scott de Bie
Forgotten Realms Author
USA
4598 Posts |
Posted - 20 Sep 2014 : 20:15:22
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@Skeptic: 4e has a lot of things that do that, indeed.
When instituting house rules, do what works for your game, obviously. No two games are quite the same. If it makes sense for your game, go for it--if it doesn't seem to fit, it's probably not right for your game.
Cheers |
Erik Scott de Bie
'Tis easier to destroy than to create.
Author of a number of Realms novels (GHOSTWALKER, DEPTHS OF MADNESS, and the SHADOWBANE series), contributor to the NEVERWINTER CAMPAIGN GUIDE and SHADOWFELL: GLOOMWROUGHT AND BEYOND, Twitch DM of the Dungeon Scrawlers, currently playing "The Westgate Irregulars" |
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Matt James
Forgotten Realms Game Designer
USA
918 Posts |
Posted - 23 Sep 2014 : 12:45:23
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| Erik is correct. Long-rests are not automatic, and they do not auto-magically happen once every single day. |
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Delwa
Master of Realmslore
USA
1268 Posts |
Posted - 23 Sep 2014 : 15:46:38
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quote:
Originally posted by Matt James
Erik is correct. Long-rests are not automatic, and they do not auto-magically happen once every single day.
Yep. I've been running with the final Playtest since March, and even after switching to the final release when the PHB hit shelves, a long rest is hard to come by, especially in a dungeon. Like Erik said, you have to find a secure place, and even if you think you've found one, you might not have. It's like playing Baldur's Gate, anywhere you rest could spawn a random encounter, spoiling the benefits of a long rest.
Additionally, I'm amazed how many people complain about how strong the PC's are, and they don't even look at the Monsters. The Monsters respond in kind. They are tough, and even the weak ones - I'm looking at you, Mr. CR 2 Intellect Devourer - have abilities that can devastate a PC. |
- Delwa Aunglor
I am off to slay yon refrigerator and spoil it's horde. Go for the cheese, Boo!
"The Realms change; seldom at the speed desired of those who strive, but far too quickly for those who resist." - The Simbul, taken from the Forgotten Realms Campaign Conspectus |
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Zireael
Master of Realmslore
Poland
1190 Posts |
Posted - 23 Sep 2014 : 16:29:06
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quote:
Originally posted by Erik Scott de Bie
Well, in my conception, a 5th level fighter at 100% hit points who is hit by an ogre's club is managing to turn it into a glancing blow that stings but doesn't really damage him. He still loses the hit points, but until he hits 50%, he's not actually wounded.
The more times he's hit, however, the more he's fatigued and rattled until eventually he leaves an opening that causes him to take a wound.
It would be an interesting houserule, probably best in 4e but really in any edition, where once a character goes to 50% hit points or below, each subsequent hit (not auto damage, etc) causes him/her a wound that has some minor but notable mechanical effect, such as reducing one of your ability score bonuses by 1 (also reducing things that key off that). These wounds can be cumulative, such as taking multiple hits to the hit would reduce your INT score. The wounds can also remain even if your hit points subsequently go back out of bloodied.
Magical healing removes at least one wound (probably 1d4 wounds), and a successful heal check will remove one wound.
Hmm...
Cheers
I love this idea. |
SiNafay Vrinn, the daughter of Lloth, from Ched Nasad!
http://zireael07.wordpress.com/ |
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Plaguescarred
Learned Scribe
Canada
190 Posts |
Posted - 25 Sep 2014 : 15:00:30
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| Personally my houserule for long rest is that you regain all your HD but no HP. |
Yan
Playtester |
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Delwa
Master of Realmslore
USA
1268 Posts |
Posted - 25 Sep 2014 : 17:02:09
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quote:
Originally posted by Plaguescarred
Personally my houserule for long rest is that you regain all your HD but no HP.
Now I might have to try that. That sounds interesting. How has it worked out in play? |
- Delwa Aunglor
I am off to slay yon refrigerator and spoil it's horde. Go for the cheese, Boo!
"The Realms change; seldom at the speed desired of those who strive, but far too quickly for those who resist." - The Simbul, taken from the Forgotten Realms Campaign Conspectus |
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Wolfhound75
Learned Scribe
USA
217 Posts |
Posted - 25 Sep 2014 : 19:40:17
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Regardless of edition, I try to use the "Common Sense Philosophy" when PCs take a break.
Who am I, as the DM, to tell them that choosing to stop what they're doing and plop down in exhaustion in the middle of a wide dungeon corridor that any character with any ability to perform scout-type functions can tell is heavily travelled, is a bad idea? If you want to take a break, that's on your party to decide when and pick a spot, secure the area, post guards, etc.
As the DM, (evil grin) I do get a silent vote on how successful their attempt at resting is based upon, in my opinion, how tactically sound their decision was. As an example, dropping in exhaustion and falling asleep with no guards is a pretty unsound tactic. This generally results in being woken up, albeit quite rudely, by being beaten about the head by a pack of chittering Kobolds or suddenly being unable to breathe because a slime has attached itself to your face, and causes learning to occur at a rapid pace.
What the characters choose to do during that rest time, has a direct effect on their condition afterward. For example, as a result of a mobs of a successful critical during a "trip" attempt aimed at one of the PCs, the character may have suffered a sprained ankle. After the battle, if the party takes time to apply first-aid, in this case bracing the ankle, the overall results will be better than if they had done nothing to aid their situation. Maybe the character suffers a subsequent speed penalty. If it's bad enough, perhaps his balance or even dexterity is affected as well. Timely application of first-aid (mundane or magical) can keep party members going longer than just sucking up damage to the point of dropping. In my opinion, it lends a perspective of realism to the effects of battles and provides a necessity for characters to use the "Seven-Ps" or Proper Prior Planning Prevents P1$$ Poor Performance.
My mechanic is to use an individual's CON as a rough guideline. Higher score means the individual is healthier and more robust and thus may heal faster or be able to better "work around" several [insignificant] injuries, given the correct circumstances. A less healthy individual may not battle the effects of a wound as well as someone else. This also has an observed side effect of aiding the characters that seem to receive the most damage, the melee-types, a bit more than ones who are not the primary targets and helps balance the consumption of party resources. In other words, proper first-aid essentially gives a circumstance bonus.
Good Hunting! |
"Firepower - if it's not working, you're not using enough." ~ Military Proverb
"If at first you do succeed, you must've rolled a natural 20!" |
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Plaguescarred
Learned Scribe
Canada
190 Posts |
Posted - 27 Sep 2014 : 16:12:49
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quote:
Originally posted by Delwa
quote:
Originally posted by Plaguescarred
Personally my houserule for long rest is that you regain all your HD but no HP.
Now I might have to try that. That sounds interesting. How has it worked out in play?
Its more gritty, which is a playstyle we prefer. More HDs are spent after long rests to heal lingering wounds, which leaves less HDs available to spend during short rest, thus relying more on magic healing for support and draining more ressources. We're happy with it so far! |
Yan
Playtester |
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Delwa
Master of Realmslore
USA
1268 Posts |
Posted - 27 Sep 2014 : 16:14:51
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quote:
Originally posted by Plaguescarred
quote:
Originally posted by Delwa
quote:
Originally posted by Plaguescarred
Personally my houserule for long rest is that you regain all your HD but no HP.
Now I might have to try that. That sounds interesting. How has it worked out in play?
Its more gritty, which is a playstyle we prefer. More HDs are spent after long rests to heal lingering wounds, which leaves less HDs available to spend during short rest, thus relying more on magic healing for support and draining more ressources. We're happy with it so far!
Sounds good! What level are you? |
- Delwa Aunglor
I am off to slay yon refrigerator and spoil it's horde. Go for the cheese, Boo!
"The Realms change; seldom at the speed desired of those who strive, but far too quickly for those who resist." - The Simbul, taken from the Forgotten Realms Campaign Conspectus |
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Plaguescarred
Learned Scribe
Canada
190 Posts |
Posted - 29 Sep 2014 : 03:39:30
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quote:
Originally posted by Delwa
Sounds good! What level are you?
We're level 10 now. |
Yan
Playtester |
Edited by - Plaguescarred on 29 Sep 2014 03:40:01 |
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Matt James
Forgotten Realms Game Designer
USA
918 Posts |
Posted - 17 Oct 2014 : 20:00:24
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I love the idea of regaining hit-dice, but not hit-points.
I'm going to use that, and ask my DM for the current campaign to do so. |
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D&D 5th: House Rule for Healing
