Comments on: Healing Time Sets the Tempo http://www.gnomestew.com/gming-advice/healing-time-sets-the-tempo The Game Mastering Blog Sat, 11 Feb 2012 00:00:43 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: DocRyder http://www.gnomestew.com/gming-advice/healing-time-sets-the-tempo/comment-page-1#comment-2493 DocRyder Wed, 01 Oct 2008 03:34:03 +0000 http://www.gnomestew.com/?p=696#comment-2493 I had a bad experience with this a number of years ago. A CoC game a friend ran resulted in me going through the "Hunter" healing pacing, but the DM had me sitting out sessions while my character healed. Needless to say, the game collapsed soon afterword. D&D 3.x can use a different pacer, depending on the DM, magic item creation. It is so-o-o-o time consuming that you can end up needing lots of down time if characters get to building anything moderately priced if the DM is stingy.<div class="comment-remix-meta"><a href="#" class="replyto" onclick="replyto('2493','DocRyder'); return false;">Reply</a> </div> I had a bad experience with this a number of years ago. A CoC game a friend ran resulted in me going through the “Hunter” healing pacing, but the DM had me sitting out sessions while my character healed. Needless to say, the game collapsed soon afterword.

D&D 3.x can use a different pacer, depending on the DM, magic item creation. It is so-o-o-o time consuming that you can end up needing lots of down time if characters get to building anything moderately priced if the DM is stingy.

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]]> By: Scott Martin http://www.gnomestew.com/gming-advice/healing-time-sets-the-tempo/comment-page-1#comment-2376 Scott Martin Mon, 22 Sep 2008 17:02:46 +0000 http://www.gnomestew.com/?p=696#comment-2376 It seems suspicious that Martin writes this on Friday, the day that I'm plunged into coughing and unconsciousness. I'm not exactly pointing fingers, but I really didn't like Friday... I like your examples for the four systems; they illustrate the choices you have. I agree that the pacing of a game has a lot to do with healing; whether you say "OK, it's two months later and George is finally healthy", or whether everyone can do two months of stuff in between because they heal up a day after the last adventure. Healing and other longer mechanisms (crafting, enchanting, researching, etc.) can help naturally space out adventures.<div class="comment-remix-meta"><a href="#" class="replyto" onclick="replyto('2376','Scott Martin'); return false;">Reply</a> </div> It seems suspicious that Martin writes this on Friday, the day that I’m plunged into coughing and unconsciousness. I’m not exactly pointing fingers, but I really didn’t like Friday…

I like your examples for the four systems; they illustrate the choices you have. I agree that the pacing of a game has a lot to do with healing; whether you say “OK, it’s two months later and George is finally healthy”, or whether everyone can do two months of stuff in between because they heal up a day after the last adventure.

Healing and other longer mechanisms (crafting, enchanting, researching, etc.) can help naturally space out adventures.

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]]> By: Kurt "Telas" Schneider http://www.gnomestew.com/gming-advice/healing-time-sets-the-tempo/comment-page-1#comment-2364 Kurt "Telas" Schneider Sat, 20 Sep 2008 01:10:01 +0000 http://www.gnomestew.com/?p=696#comment-2364 A lass?! Methink yer a scurvy wench, as ye dinna write like a runt.<div class="comment-remix-meta"><a href="#" class="replyto" onclick="replyto('2364','Kurt \"Telas\" Schneider'); return false;">Reply</a> </div> A lass?! Methink yer a scurvy wench, as ye dinna write like a runt.
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]]> By: Swordgleam http://www.gnomestew.com/gming-advice/healing-time-sets-the-tempo/comment-page-1#comment-2362 Swordgleam Fri, 19 Sep 2008 22:02:24 +0000 http://www.gnomestew.com/?p=696#comment-2362 <a href='#comment-2357' rel="nofollow">@Kurt "Telas" Schneider</a> - Argh, so 'tis! I did no remember 'til later this morn, after me comment already be posted. And no man-jack is I. I be a lass! (Everyone be gettin' it wrong on these here intrawebs, yarr.)<div class="comment-remix-meta"><a href="#" class="replyto" onclick="replyto('2362','Swordgleam'); return false;">Reply</a> </div> @Kurt “Telas” Schneider – Argh, so ’tis! I did no remember ’til later this morn, after me comment already be posted.

And no man-jack is I. I be a lass! (Everyone be gettin’ it wrong on these here intrawebs, yarr.)

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]]> By: LesInk http://www.gnomestew.com/gming-advice/healing-time-sets-the-tempo/comment-page-1#comment-2361 LesInk Fri, 19 Sep 2008 19:35:13 +0000 http://www.gnomestew.com/?p=696#comment-2361 Arr. I's says taking th' time to heal is fine and all, but tis a rather boring event. I's recommend a player take a swig of his finest liquors and move his land lubbing feet along. Ifs a player wanted a taste of the real life, he'd go visiten the local churgeon.<div class="comment-remix-meta"><a href="#" class="replyto" onclick="replyto('2361','LesInk'); return false;">Reply</a> </div> Arr. I’s says taking th’ time to heal is fine and all, but tis a rather boring event. I’s recommend a player take a swig of his finest liquors and move his land lubbing feet along. Ifs a player wanted a taste of the real life, he’d go visiten the local churgeon.
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]]> By: Kurt "Telas" Schneider http://www.gnomestew.com/gming-advice/healing-time-sets-the-tempo/comment-page-1#comment-2357 Kurt "Telas" Schneider Fri, 19 Sep 2008 17:11:46 +0000 http://www.gnomestew.com/?p=696#comment-2357 <a href='#comment-2354' rel="nofollow">@Swordgleam</a> - Avast! I ne'er implemented it, but I fiddled a wee bit wit' them Cure Disease spells. Any ship's doc'd have to make hisself a check not unlike Dispel Magic. (And a Greater Cure Disease fer the really bad scurvy.) I'm sure a strapping man-jack like yerself could do tha' same in 4E, p'raps as a Ritual. Why is meself talkin; like this? Ye scurvy dogs!! Did ye not 'member that it's Talk Like A Pirate Day?<div class="comment-remix-meta"><a href="#" class="replyto" onclick="replyto('2357','Kurt \"Telas\" Schneider'); return false;">Reply</a> </div> @Swordgleam – Avast! I ne’er implemented it, but I fiddled a wee bit wit’ them Cure Disease spells. Any ship’s doc’d have to make hisself a check not unlike Dispel Magic. (And a Greater Cure Disease fer the really bad scurvy.)

I’m sure a strapping man-jack like yerself could do tha’ same in 4E, p’raps as a Ritual.

Why is meself talkin; like this? Ye scurvy dogs!! Did ye not ‘member that it’s Talk Like A Pirate Day?

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]]> By: Cole http://www.gnomestew.com/gming-advice/healing-time-sets-the-tempo/comment-page-1#comment-2356 Cole Fri, 19 Sep 2008 16:31:53 +0000 http://www.gnomestew.com/?p=696#comment-2356 In my campaigns, I let the party buy as many potions as they want. They place all them in a fund and everyone can just use it and mark it off. The trade off is that they can't have any extra armor and only one weapon of their choice plus a light weapon. I do allow any extra large items to be hauled either. It results in more encounters for the party and it speeds up the game since they don't have to rest all the time.<div class="comment-remix-meta"><a href="#" class="replyto" onclick="replyto('2356','Cole'); return false;">Reply</a> </div> In my campaigns, I let the party buy as many potions as they want. They place all them in a fund and everyone can just use it and mark it off.

The trade off is that they can’t have any extra armor and only one weapon of their choice plus a light weapon. I do allow any extra large items to be hauled either.

It results in more encounters for the party and it speeds up the game since they don’t have to rest all the time.

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]]> By: nblade http://www.gnomestew.com/gming-advice/healing-time-sets-the-tempo/comment-page-1#comment-2355 nblade Fri, 19 Sep 2008 16:22:35 +0000 http://www.gnomestew.com/?p=696#comment-2355 Your right, healing does set the tempo of the game. It also dictates the type of game you are playing. The faster the healing the more combat that is going to happen, while if you had less healing, the less combat you are likely going to have. @Swordgleam Your comment has me wondering once again about the varies cure disease spells. I think in a magic rich environment, two things are going to happen. #1 Magical Diseases. These would not likely be cured with with cure diseases nor might they be cured with a simple dispel magic. Maybe it would require both? #2 Magic Resistant Diseases. It would stand to reason that some diseases while not magical, might be magic resistant and the various cure spells might have some chance to fail against them.<div class="comment-remix-meta"><a href="#" class="replyto" onclick="replyto('2355','nblade'); return false;">Reply</a> </div> Your right, healing does set the tempo of the game. It also dictates the type of game you are playing. The faster the healing the more combat that is going to happen, while if you had less healing, the less combat you are likely going to have.

@Swordgleam
Your comment has me wondering once again about the varies cure disease spells. I think in a magic rich environment, two things are going to happen.
#1 Magical Diseases. These would not likely be cured with with cure diseases nor might they be cured with a simple dispel magic. Maybe it would require both?
#2 Magic Resistant Diseases. It would stand to reason that some diseases while not magical, might be magic resistant and the various cure spells might have some chance to fail against them.

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]]> By: Swordgleam http://www.gnomestew.com/gming-advice/healing-time-sets-the-tempo/comment-page-1#comment-2354 Swordgleam Fri, 19 Sep 2008 16:09:20 +0000 http://www.gnomestew.com/?p=696#comment-2354 When I read the title, I thought you were going to talk about shorter-term tempo. In first edition D&D, your cleric only had a couple of cure lights, and once those were up, you all needed to rest for a few hours to get those back. In 4e, you're all healed up to full within minutes of a combat ending. That means you can maul monsters all day so long as you take coffee breaks in between, as opposed to the one or two encounters a day pace in 1st. This is a really timely post, as I want to incorporate disease and infection and that sort of thing into my new 4e campaign to add to the gritty feel, but without causing the characters to be laid up for weeks on end in between adventures. I think I'm going to say that healing powers don't necessarily cure infection and the like, but beyond that, I'm not sure where to go. Any suggestions?<div class="comment-remix-meta"><a href="#" class="replyto" onclick="replyto('2354','Swordgleam'); return false;">Reply</a> </div> When I read the title, I thought you were going to talk about shorter-term tempo. In first edition D&D, your cleric only had a couple of cure lights, and once those were up, you all needed to rest for a few hours to get those back. In 4e, you’re all healed up to full within minutes of a combat ending. That means you can maul monsters all day so long as you take coffee breaks in between, as opposed to the one or two encounters a day pace in 1st.

This is a really timely post, as I want to incorporate disease and infection and that sort of thing into my new 4e campaign to add to the gritty feel, but without causing the characters to be laid up for weeks on end in between adventures. I think I’m going to say that healing powers don’t necessarily cure infection and the like, but beyond that, I’m not sure where to go. Any suggestions?

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