My Mournland Solution [Archive] - Wizards Community

My Mournland Solution [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
RamblingScribe
02-23-05, 07:55 AM Hi All,

So I was just about to start running Shadows of the Last War, and was browsing these boards when I came accross a comment about healing not working in the Mournland. Apparently I'm not the only one who missed this, but I was baffled.

Oddly, one of my players knew this and is panicking about going to the mournland now. I'm glad I found out before he mentioned it at the game table!

Anyways, my plan is to allow characters to activate a healing effect in the Mournland by spending an action point. Either the healer or the recipient can spend the point, and mass effects need one action point spent per recipient. It doesn't matter what the effect is though, Cure Minor Wounds costs the same as Cure Serious Wonds.

I figure this keeps the flavour while allowing a little more survivability, especially since this means that generally npc's still can't heal themselves in the mournland. It also is a heavy cost to the players and they will be loathe to do it unless they have to (at least my players). Except of course during the session when they know they are going to go up a level anyways.

I'm also ruling that characters between -1 and -9 HP stabilize automatically, and all dead bodies are affected by gentle repose. Characters who should be bleeding to death but are stabilized by the mournland who are then taken out of the grey mist will start bleeding again outside the effect.

Any comments?

Craig Shackleton,
The Rambling Scribe
tylerthehobo
02-23-05, 10:14 AM Great ideas! I think I'll adopt the same...
Thorgrip
02-23-05, 12:41 PM You might want to reconsider that. Especially at higher levels, (in my experience) PCs are just brimming with leftover AP's and the use of them to stop this mechanic effectively neutralizes it completely.
Gurv
02-23-05, 12:57 PM You might want to reconsider that. Especially at higher levels, (in my experience) PCs are just brimming with leftover AP's and the use of them to stop this mechanic effectively neutralizes it completely.
I hardly think that even high level characters have enough action points to neutralize the Mournlands in this manner. Higher level characters often go through more healing spells anyway, and have more uses for AP than ever.

Action Points are supposed to help you when you really need it. Spending them at that pivotal moment, to accomplish that nearly impossible task, is what they are all about.

I was considering requiring a spellcraft check, but that is something easily accomplished at higher levels. I may go with this idea instead.
talion09
02-23-05, 01:03 PM This idea works pretty well, and fits into the general idea of action points, at least IMHO.

The other idea I've seen and liked, but haven't yet tried (my players are just starting Shadows of the Last War) is to have the mournland effect be the equivalent of spell resistance in regards to healing spells. So it is possible to heal, albeit difficult, but how many clerics do you know of that have spell penetration?
Gelth
02-24-05, 04:39 PM So, I though that you couldn't heal in the Mournelands, and then right before getting there while running Shadows, I couldn't find anything about it. Where is this actually documented?
Thanks.

--Gelth
james bierly
02-24-05, 05:19 PM You are all too nice to your players. ;) In my game, the only healing available in the Mournlands is potions that were within Cyre when the the disaster occured...
Purple Yin
02-24-05, 05:24 PM You are all too nice to your players. ;) In my game, the only healing available in the Mournlands is potions that were within Cyre when the the disaster occured...
given the effect of the grey mist, i wouldnt be suprised if the potions found acted as a user targeted rod of wonder...
RamblingScribe
02-24-05, 06:07 PM So, I though that you couldn't heal in the Mournelands, and then right before getting there while running Shadows, I couldn't find anything about it. Where is this actually documented?
Thanks.

--Gelth

I had trouble finding this too. ECS p 188, under the heading 'Government and Politics', end of first paragraph.

Craig Shackleton,
The Rambling Scribe
caern.hallatheen
02-24-05, 06:08 PM You are all too nice to your players. ;) In my game, the only healing available in the Mournlands is potions that were within Cyre when the the disaster occured...
What I've done is make potions that were in Cyre during the Mourning work at a lower potency level, 25% of the roll (rounding up). So one or two hit points per die.

Hence healing is hard (and takes a while, you may have to gulp down several potions to see any significant effect) to impossible (healing a lot of hit points requires a ridiculous amount of potions, which of course I don't hand out).

Furthermore, you get these intriguingly precious, and by definition in limited supply, healing potions. They function normally outside the Mournland, so it's easy for the unattentive or ignorant to squander them. But to those in the know, they're priceless.

Then again, they do exist, so you do have the option of helping them if they just got unlucky or "need" to do something against their better judgement. The point isn't to be too nice or too harsh, right?

Of course, there really should be some sort of teleporting restriction too if you want to go hardcore against easy healing. I don't allow Rope Trick and other similar effects in the Mournland.
Dravot
02-24-05, 06:43 PM So, I though that you couldn't heal in the Mournelands, and then right before getting there while running Shadows, I couldn't find anything about it. Where is this actually documented?
Thanks.

--GelthIt's in the ECS section on the Mournland.
Just another user
02-24-05, 06:52 PM It is a nice idea, but I suggest a variant, make the cost in action points proprtional to the level of the healing spell or equivalent, maybe 1/2 level rounded up (or 1 for target, whichever is higher) so a cure light wound need 1 AP, a heal need 4, IIRC) this should keep the Mournland scary even for high level characters.
RamblingScribe
02-24-05, 07:33 PM It is a nice idea, but I suggest a variant, make the cost in action points proprtional to the level of the healing spell or equivalent, maybe 1/2 level rounded up (or 1 for target, whichever is higher) so a cure light wound need 1 AP, a heal need 4, IIRC) this should keep the Mournland scary even for high level characters.

I thought about that, but i don't think it's needed. The effect is already scaled, because they have to use a higher level of spell as well as the action point. Also, as they go up levels, healing effects that used to be great are not a huge impact on the damage level characters can suck up.

Craig Shackleton,
The Rambling Scribe
Gunrock
02-24-05, 08:00 PM Action Points are a rare and precious resource for any Eberron character. You get the ones you have at this level and that's it. If you survive to the next level, one of the biggest perks is more action points. But with an average of 13.3 encounters per level, and each encounter removing 1/4 of max hp, a character will end up using about 4 action points per level assuming that they only get healed once every 3 encounters. Most PCs are scared to run around with 25% or less hp. So they burn more action points. The Heroic Spirit is already gone, and with this increased cost they'll soon run out of AP to spend on saving throws, let alone attack rolls. And since you're allowing PCs to do something they otherwise couldn't they can't complain!

This is both brilliant and cool. :lightbulb: :plotting:

Many thanks Rambling Scribe. :cookie:
Daelkyr
02-25-05, 05:07 PM One thing I've been toying with is allowing in Cyre potions of Cure X Wounds to heal hp damage but also cause Xd4 CON damage where X is equal to the number of d8's used to heal the PC. The reasoning being this is the Mourning has warped the potions and while they might still be usable its at a deadly price. Of course since the PC's are willing ingesting a posion, they don't get to make a Fort save.

This way their current hp rises but their max hp lowers, making it a game a attrition.

Brutal, but not as brutal as when our halfling barbarian downed a Cure Serious Wounds potion with three hp left and
*nothing* happened. He looked something like this: :OMG! then this: :confused: and then the carcass crab (advanced) made him look like this: :ghosted:
LENAIANEL
02-25-05, 05:10 PM I use that method for healing in the Mournlands and it works well.
The characters are heroes and action point is what make the difference between common people (even high level ones) and heroes.
Nobody want to go in the Mournlands the player characters must and can and that's fine.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
RamblingScribe 02-23-05, 07:55 AM	Hi All, So I was just about to start running Shadows of the Last War, and was browsing these boards when I came accross a comment about healing not working in the Mournland. Apparently I'm not the only one who missed this, but I was baffled. Oddly, one of my players knew this and is panicking about going to the mournland now. I'm glad I found out before he mentioned it at the game table! Anyways, my plan is to allow characters to activate a healing effect in the Mournland by spending an action point. Either the healer or the recipient can spend the point, and mass effects need one action point spent per recipient. It doesn't matter what the effect is though, Cure Minor Wounds costs the same as Cure Serious Wonds. I figure this keeps the flavour while allowing a little more survivability, especially since this means that generally npc's still can't heal themselves in the mournland. It also is a heavy cost to the players and they will be loathe to do it unless they have to (at least my players). Except of course during the session when they know they are going to go up a level anyways. I'm also ruling that characters between -1 and -9 HP stabilize automatically, and all dead bodies are affected by gentle repose. Characters who should be bleeding to death but are stabilized by the mournland who are then taken out of the grey mist will start bleeding again outside the effect. Any comments? Craig Shackleton, The Rambling Scribe
tylerthehobo 02-23-05, 10:14 AM	Great ideas! I think I'll adopt the same...
Thorgrip 02-23-05, 12:41 PM	You might want to reconsider that. Especially at higher levels, (in my experience) PCs are just brimming with leftover AP's and the use of them to stop this mechanic effectively neutralizes it completely.
Gurv 02-23-05, 12:57 PM	You might want to reconsider that. Especially at higher levels, (in my experience) PCs are just brimming with leftover AP's and the use of them to stop this mechanic effectively neutralizes it completely. I hardly think that even high level characters have enough action points to neutralize the Mournlands in this manner. Higher level characters often go through more healing spells anyway, and have more uses for AP than ever. Action Points are supposed to help you when you really need it. Spending them at that pivotal moment, to accomplish that nearly impossible task, is what they are all about. I was considering requiring a spellcraft check, but that is something easily accomplished at higher levels. I may go with this idea instead.
talion09 02-23-05, 01:03 PM	This idea works pretty well, and fits into the general idea of action points, at least IMHO. The other idea I've seen and liked, but haven't yet tried (my players are just starting Shadows of the Last War) is to have the mournland effect be the equivalent of spell resistance in regards to healing spells. So it is possible to heal, albeit difficult, but how many clerics do you know of that have spell penetration?
Gelth 02-24-05, 04:39 PM	So, I though that you couldn't heal in the Mournelands, and then right before getting there while running Shadows, I couldn't find anything about it. Where is this actually documented? Thanks. --Gelth
james bierly 02-24-05, 05:19 PM	You are all too nice to your players. ;) In my game, the only healing available in the Mournlands is potions that were within Cyre when the the disaster occured...
Purple Yin 02-24-05, 05:24 PM	You are all too nice to your players. ;) In my game, the only healing available in the Mournlands is potions that were within Cyre when the the disaster occured... given the effect of the grey mist, i wouldnt be suprised if the potions found acted as a user targeted rod of wonder...
RamblingScribe 02-24-05, 06:07 PM	So, I though that you couldn't heal in the Mournelands, and then right before getting there while running Shadows, I couldn't find anything about it. Where is this actually documented? Thanks. --Gelth I had trouble finding this too. ECS p 188, under the heading 'Government and Politics', end of first paragraph. Craig Shackleton, The Rambling Scribe
caern.hallatheen 02-24-05, 06:08 PM	You are all too nice to your players. ;) In my game, the only healing available in the Mournlands is potions that were within Cyre when the the disaster occured... What I've done is make potions that were in Cyre during the Mourning work at a lower potency level, 25% of the roll (rounding up). So one or two hit points per die. Hence healing is hard (and takes a while, you may have to gulp down several potions to see any significant effect) to impossible (healing a lot of hit points requires a ridiculous amount of potions, which of course I don't hand out). Furthermore, you get these intriguingly precious, and by definition in limited supply, healing potions. They function normally outside the Mournland, so it's easy for the unattentive or ignorant to squander them. But to those in the know, they're priceless. Then again, they do exist, so you do have the option of helping them if they just got unlucky or "need" to do something against their better judgement. The point isn't to be too nice or too harsh, right? Of course, there really should be some sort of teleporting restriction too if you want to go hardcore against easy healing. I don't allow Rope Trick and other similar effects in the Mournland.
Dravot 02-24-05, 06:43 PM	So, I though that you couldn't heal in the Mournelands, and then right before getting there while running Shadows, I couldn't find anything about it. Where is this actually documented? Thanks. --GelthIt's in the ECS section on the Mournland.
Just another user 02-24-05, 06:52 PM	It is a nice idea, but I suggest a variant, make the cost in action points proprtional to the level of the healing spell or equivalent, maybe 1/2 level rounded up (or 1 for target, whichever is higher) so a cure light wound need 1 AP, a heal need 4, IIRC) this should keep the Mournland scary even for high level characters.
RamblingScribe 02-24-05, 07:33 PM	It is a nice idea, but I suggest a variant, make the cost in action points proprtional to the level of the healing spell or equivalent, maybe 1/2 level rounded up (or 1 for target, whichever is higher) so a cure light wound need 1 AP, a heal need 4, IIRC) this should keep the Mournland scary even for high level characters. I thought about that, but i don't think it's needed. The effect is already scaled, because they have to use a higher level of spell as well as the action point. Also, as they go up levels, healing effects that used to be great are not a huge impact on the damage level characters can suck up. Craig Shackleton, The Rambling Scribe
Gunrock 02-24-05, 08:00 PM	Action Points are a rare and precious resource for any Eberron character. You get the ones you have at this level and that's it. If you survive to the next level, one of the biggest perks is more action points. But with an average of 13.3 encounters per level, and each encounter removing 1/4 of max hp, a character will end up using about 4 action points per level assuming that they only get healed once every 3 encounters. Most PCs are scared to run around with 25% or less hp. So they burn more action points. The Heroic Spirit is already gone, and with this increased cost they'll soon run out of AP to spend on saving throws, let alone attack rolls. And since you're allowing PCs to do something they otherwise couldn't they can't complain! This is both brilliant and cool. :lightbulb: :plotting: Many thanks Rambling Scribe. :cookie:
Daelkyr 02-25-05, 05:07 PM	One thing I've been toying with is allowing in Cyre potions of Cure X Wounds to heal hp damage but also cause Xd4 CON damage where X is equal to the number of d8's used to heal the PC. The reasoning being this is the Mourning has warped the potions and while they might still be usable its at a deadly price. Of course since the PC's are willing ingesting a posion, they don't get to make a Fort save. This way their current hp rises but their max hp lowers, making it a game a attrition. Brutal, but not as brutal as when our halfling barbarian downed a Cure Serious Wounds potion with three hp left and nothing happened. He looked something like this: :OMG! then this: :confused: and then the carcass crab (advanced) made him look like this: :ghosted:
LENAIANEL 02-25-05, 05:10 PM	I use that method for healing in the Mournlands and it works well. The characters are heroes and action point is what make the difference between common people (even high level ones) and heroes. Nobody want to go in the Mournlands the player characters must and can and that's fine.