Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Androcus Divinicus 07-28-05, 07:23 PM	x-posted in "What's a DM to do?" Alright, here's my issue: I'm running into trouble with my PCs entering combat on round 1 with 80-100 hp, dropping to 10 or lower by round 5, and zapping themselves (and each other) with wands or laying on hands and similar abilities and snapping back up to 80 by round 8. I'm considering implementing a house-rule to govern magical healing, and reign it in somewhat. I've looked at one of the suggestions from Unearthed Arcana, and I like it ... but I have some concerns: House Rule: Slower Magical Healing The instantaneous nature of magical healing sometimes stretches the imagination a little too thin, even in the highly imaginative world of fantasy roleplaying. I prefer a slightly grittier feel to the game -- one that doesn't change things in the long run, but just "feels: a bit more realisic. When a character is magically healed, the damage, instead of simply going away, is converted into nonlethal damage. The character can then recover from the nonlethal damage normally -- usually by just taking a little time to rest. Magic cannot be used to heal nonlethal damage. This rule slows events down a bit in the game, because characters have to rest between fights. But it also gives the game a more realistic feel, without actually changing the way it works. -Charles Ryan I do like this suggestion, but it basically removes all healing at the combat level, since, once you take a significant amount of damage, you're out of combat for the rest of the encounter (even with magical healing). I'm not sure whether I like that either ... what kinds of houserules have you folks used regarding magical healing? Regards, Justin.
Thuragrun 07-28-05, 07:36 PM	While I agree with you, I have too many house rules and variants going on to implement this one.
Androcus Divinicus 07-28-05, 07:41 PM	Dude ... what? While I agree with you, I have too many house rules and variants going on to implement this one. I'm considering implementing a house-rule to govern magical healing, and reign it in somewhat. <snip>... what kinds of houserules have you folks used regarding magical healing? That didn't answer my question at all ... J.
Thuragrun 07-28-05, 07:46 PM	Being rude will not get you any answers, newb. Also, posting the same thing in multiple places can get you banned. Read the CoC.
Androcus Divinicus 07-28-05, 08:17 PM	*sigh* 1. Pointing out that you didn't understand my original post is not rude. I didn't call you a name, I didn't use any kind of profanity or inappropriate language ... I just pointed out that you weren't giving a valid answer. 2. Here is a link to the Code of Conduct: CoC (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=community/coc). If you don't trust my link, you can get to the same page by scrolling to the top of your browser window and clicking on the button that says "Code of Conduct". If you would please quote for me the section that says x-posting is a violation, I'd like that. Here is a link to the "Reminder of the Ground Rules" thread on the D&D Forums FAQ board: ground rules (http://boards1.wizards.com/showthread.php?t=124488). If you can find anything in that post that says x-posting violates the CoC, I'd like to see that too. I have, however, read the CoC, and the Clarification on the FAQ board, and I know that the closest you're going to get is "Posting off-topic is a violation of CoC". The question that I asked is not off topic for either one of the boards I posted it to. It is a DM's question about House-rules. Now, I'm sorry that you didn't understand my original question, I'm also sorry that you were offended by my correction of your misunderstanding. That said, however, just because you're in a bad mood, or don't like to be corrected doesn't give you the right to insult me in your responses. Regards, Justin.
Thuragrun 07-28-05, 08:26 PM	How can you take my original answer as not understanding you? I stated that I agree with you. On the CoC, quote, "spamming through repeated posts, or off-topic content by word or intent to boards or lists (e.g. scrolling, flooding, polling, or by "bumping" a boards post more than once in 48 hours)" This is considered spamming by the Wizos. I have been on these boards since the beginning and have seen many threads locked and users banned for posting the same questions in multiple parts of the boards.
Androcus Divinicus 07-28-05, 08:49 PM	Alright ... your original response said: While I agree with you, I have too many house rules and variants going on to implement this one. The fact that you seemed to think that I wanted people to implement the house-rule I quoted from UA indicated to me that you misunderstood my post. I asked what house-rules other people had used to deal with magical healing. I don't see anything in my original post that would imply that I wanted people to use this rule. In fact, my entire post steers more towards a direction of "How do all of you folks handle this problem?". Now, I really don't want to get into an argument with you about this on the boards because that would almost certainly constitute a violation of the CoC, and it wouldn't do anything to get my original question answered. So, since you did mention that you have many house rules and variants going on in your campaign, can I ask if any of them deal directly with magical healing? Regards, Justin.
Thuragrun 07-28-05, 09:00 PM	OK, lets be constructive... I have no magic healing potions; I use alchemical patches. They heal over three rounds with total healing divided evenly as possible. They cost the same to create and follow all normal potion creation rules. I removed all the Cure spells and replaced them with the corresponding Vigor spells from CD. Inflict spells work as normal. I still kept Heal and Harm.
Xankh 07-28-05, 09:14 PM	IMO, if you make it so that magical healing doesn't work (and the UA house rule would do just that) your battles would be MUCH shorter, and many would result in the players being knocked unconscious (subdual damage > current hit points), which would in turn lead to frustrated players. I think that you need another solution. Your point makes a lot of sense, and I've experienced the same thing in my games, but with the heal spell instead of lay on hands. The players seem to love it, though (victory and the aquisition of random magic treasure are their only goals). If you're desperate for a house rule, I would suggest having the wounds heal themselves slower than instantaneously. For example, the cleric casts cure critical wounds and rolls a d6 to get the number of rounds the healing is spaced out over. Or, if you wanted to be really evil, put them in an adventure into a cerebrotic blot from the far realm. Any magical healing done within has a certain % chance of healing the flesh into a mutated, twisted version of itself. For example, the character's cure spell turns a wound into a bloated and bloodshot eyeball, rolling crazily in its socket on the character's thigh. :devil:
Androcus Divinicus 07-28-05, 09:19 PM	Hm ... I like the idea of using the Vigor Spells ... I'm curious about one thing though ... Lesser Vigor, Vigor, and Greater Vigor are levels 1, 3 and 5 respectively. Do you have a 2nd level and 4th level healing spell? Do you just use the Mass variations of the vigor spells to fill the gaps, or how do you handle it? Regards, J.
Thuragrun 07-28-05, 09:31 PM	I just use the spells as they appear in the list in CD. BTW, I should not have said the Cure spells are gone, they are available only to clerics with the Healing domain.
Gilean 07-29-05, 03:38 AM	Make it a healing domain power to normalise cures. Or make it a metamagic. Or make healing spells of greater level.
Sir Knight 07-29-05, 07:35 AM	I see what your problem is but it isn't a problem for me so I am having a hard time coming up with suggestions. I tend to use descriptive text and let the mechanics go about as normal. Ex./ Bohb the level 3 Warrior is fighting an orc. The orc has taken him from Bohb's max 20 hp to 10 hp (about half of his "life"). I figure that the orc struck Bohb with a vicious slash and Bohb is hurtin'. Well, the next action Bohb slays the orc. Now then, Mahry the Cleric comes to Bohb's aid and casts Cure X Wounds and fully heals Bohb's lost HP. BUT... here is where creative DMing comes in and some RPing. Even though he is back to normal combat capability, we usually RP that he has pain or that the healing left a minor wound that is sore and will heal naturally. Half of his life was a huge wound so we play on it (sometimes we just move on and ignore, depends on the situation). Ex.2/ Bohb the Warrior is now 10th level and a force to be reckoned with. He has roughly 80 hp and thrashes his enemies with ease. He gets into a fight with multiple orcs and they take him down to 60 hp before he kills them. That is TWICE the damage he took in the 1st example but it is a much smaller percentage. I decribe it as a few slices and whatnot, but nothing too bad. Mahry the Cleric casts Cure X Wounds and Bohb is again at full 80 hp. I say that the minor scratches are fully healed and Bohb won't have any pain or scarring or anything. See, just use descriptive text and roleplaying. No need to change the rules and use alternate house rules and stuff. It just weakens the Cleric class and your players will wonder "why the hell did he do this?". :)
Lina_Inverse 07-29-05, 03:16 PM	who uses healing in combat?3d8 is abit wasteful for an action.