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Tvtyrant
2013-06-16, 03:00 AM
One of the things I really hate in games is how much in the way of resources healing takes up. This is especially true in the later editions of D&D (3.5 and 4E) where health gets so bloated.

So the solution I am trying in my current game is to divide each character's HP into two types. Hit points based on the base Hit Dice work as normal. Hit points based on con bonus are instead relabeled "exhaustion points" and are lost before the base hit points. These points represent the exhaustion caused by intense activity.

When an encounter ends a character can "catch their breath" and regain these hitpoints.

So a level 1 Barbarian with an 18 in constitution would have 12 normal hitpoints and 4 exhaustion points. They loose 3 hit points in one fight, but they catch their breath and regain them after the fight. The next encounter that day they lost 6 hitpoints and regain 4 by catching their breath, reducing their total hit points from 12 to 10.

LordErebus12
2013-06-16, 03:36 AM
i like it. it makes sense in some cases. I'd prefer a variant like this and a mana-like system for casting spells to be used together. that way it takes even less resources.

Combat Reflexes
2013-06-16, 05:17 PM
Your houserule is plain awesome and I'm going to steal it for my own gaming group, if you wouldn't mind :smallbiggrin:

By the way, what happens with Con-increasing spells and effects like Bear's Endurance and the barbarian rage? Would the bonus exhaustion points gained from those abilities still be withdrawn once the effect/rage ends? For example, would a raging barbarian currently at 1 hit points still fall unconscious when he loses the Con bonus from raging?)

TuggyNE
2013-06-16, 08:47 PM
I'd actually suggest reversing the role of Con modifier and class HP: have Con represent how physically tough you are at the basic level, while different classes have widely different focuses on endurance in the face of combat.

Tvtyrant
2013-06-17, 03:29 PM
Your houserule is plain awesome and I'm going to steal it for my own gaming group, if you wouldn't mind :smallbiggrin:

By the way, what happens with Con-increasing spells and effects like Bear's Endurance and the barbarian rage? Would the bonus exhaustion points gained from those abilities still be withdrawn once the effect/rage ends? For example, would a raging barbarian currently at 1 hit points still fall unconscious when he loses the Con bonus from raging?)

Of course not! Otherwise I would keep it in my secret "I fixed D&D but won't share how" folder :P

My answer is yes, because otherwise I fear there is a looping health buff exploit to be made. "I rage, end my rage, rage, end my rage, nap for the rest of the day." Sweet, tons of extra HP.

However Barbarian rages last long enough that they would probably be out of the fight when the rage ends, so they would regain their normal con bonus of HP back. So if I had 1 HP as a Barbarian 12, when the battle ended I would lose 36 HP but gain whatever my normal exhaustion points would be (say 36 HP because of a con of 16.) The two would happen about simultaneously, and I would probably rule that he drops to -10 and then immediately climbs up 36 points to 27 HP. You could rule that he would simply swap the two and he stays at 1 HP, but that feels wrong to me.


I'd actually suggest reversing the role of Con modifier and class HP: have Con represent how physically tough you are at the basic level, while different classes have widely different focuses on endurance in the face of combat.

I'll have to think on that. It makes logical sense, and would avoid the above problem mentioned by Combat Reflexes. However it also means that temporary bonuses to Con are now made to your permanent HP stat, the one which is difficult to heal.

Edge of Dreams
2013-06-17, 03:58 PM
This is actually quite a good idea. Several other RPGs have done something similar by splitting HP into two pools called "Vigor" and "Wounds" or something like that.

In FantasyCraft, for example, you have a small number of Wound points that don't change as you level up, representing real injuries, and a larger number of Vitality points that do improve as you level, representing tiredness, glancing blows, etc. Wounds take days or weeks to heal naturally, but Vigor heals within minutes to hours, IIRC. Magically healing Vigor is also easier than Wounds. You have to lose all your Vigor points before you start taking Wound damage, but critical hits deal damage directly to your Wounds no matter how much Vigor you still have left.

OzymandiasX
2013-06-18, 10:15 AM
Overall it is a cool idea, but be careful about how it affects game balance.

Right now D&D scales with level very rapidly and healing is an intentional part of that. Requiring less healing at low-mid levels can leave the party feeling suddenly overwhelmed when at mid-high levels the damage they are taking is now regularly going past their 'Exhaustion Points' by amounts that their healing abilities haven't been build up to be able to handle.


If your issue is with character (and HP/healing) bloat, I'd suggest taking a look at the E6 variant.
http://www.enworld.org/forum/showthread.php?206323-E6-The-Game-Inside-D-amp-D

Thomar_of_Uointer
2013-06-18, 01:22 PM
The UA rules have a simpler variant called Reserve Points.

http://www.d20srd.org/srd/variant/adventuring/reservePoints.htm

Basically, all characters have a second pool of reserve points the same size as their hit point pool. Anytime a damaged character takes a break or rests, points transfer from his reserve point pool to his hit point pool at a rate of one per minute. Very easy math, you just have a player say, "okay, I'm resting for 15 minutes to heal from my reserve pool."

EDIT: I'd just like to note that hit points are already an abstraction. I recommend keeping them as simple as possible.

Grod_The_Giant
2013-06-18, 01:33 PM
Actually, it sounds exactly like Vitality and Wound Points (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/variant/adventuring/vitalityAndWoundPoints.htm).

Tvtyrant
2013-06-18, 04:22 PM
Actually, it sounds exactly like Vitality and Wound Points (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/variant/adventuring/vitalityAndWoundPoints.htm).

So it does! It is a little different in that mine clearly cuts hit die and con from each other, and that actually gives you vitality equal to both. The wound points in that also make you make saving throws against dying, which is a little different from simply having a temp hit point pool and a normal hit point pool.