Skrum
2022-03-21, 05:53 PM
This is an idea I had after getting into very long discussions with my dnd group about resting, warlocks, and the particular format we are playing. The problem, in a nutshell, was that DM's were giving almost no short rests (it's not worth explaining the whole thing but there's a good reason for it), and that was leading to certain classes to be hurt by it.
So, I thought of bringing in a mechanic that debuted in 3.5, but is much more associated with 4E. Encounter powers. Get rid of short rests (almost) entirely, and balance around getting back powers essentially when initiative is rolled. Long rests are still fine and spellcasting is still based around it, but most other powers have been changed to encounter-based recovery.
I personally also find encounter powers to be a much better fit for martial abilities. Spamming your best move over and over is obviously not very reflective of RL combat, but neither is using a move and not being able to use it again for hours and hours (or maybe just an hour! who knows!). Being able to use them 1-2 times per fight feels just right. It also increases the choices martials get to make, which I think is a huge boon.
Anyways, I've written up how it works, as well as what barbarian, bard, cleric, druid, fighter, and warlock would look like (that is, I've listed the specific powers that would change and how they're different. If it's not hear, it's the same). Would love to hear what anyone thinks!
How Encounter Powers Work
An ability that has X/encounter uses may be used however many times is listed, and replenishes when an encounter begins. The vast majority of the time, an encounter begins when initiative is rolled, and ends when the characters are no longer in initiative. However, a DM may also want to apply the term for things like skill challenges or even until a particular goal is reached (for instance, the characters may be attending a social event with a goal of finding a particular person that is attending, but disguised. The time it takes them to find the target is the “encounter”).
Using encounter powers out of an encounter: This is very straight-forward; powers have exactly the amount of uses that are listed, and they may be used as the player wants. They replenish when the character next enters an encounter. If a power is used during an encounter, it is spent and not available until the character enters a new encounter and the power is refreshed.
Short Rests still exist in the game, but they are *only* for spending hit dice. Abilities that modify a short rest, like bard’s Song of Rest, work the same. Abilities no longer replenish with a short rest.
Barbarian
Rage: 1/encounter at first level. Rage lasts for a number of rounds equal to 1 + Con modifier. +1 use at 7th level
Subclasses
Ancestral Guardian
Consult the Spirits: useable 3/long rest
Path of the Berserker
Frenzy: you may make an extra melee weapon attack the turn you enter rage
Bard
Font of Inspiration: beginning at 5th level, if you have no uses of bardic inspiration left, you gain one use when you begin an encounter
Superior Inspiration: at 20th level you gain back all uses of Bardic Inspiration when you begin an encounter
Subclasses
College of Glamour
Enthralling Performance: usable 2/long rest
Unbreakable Majesty: usable 1/encounter. Duration is changed to until the end of your next turn
College of Whispers
Words of Terror: usable 2/long rest
Mantle of Whispers: usable 2/long rest
Cleric
Channel Divinity: usable 2/long rest. At 6th level, it can be used 3 times/long rest. At 18th level, if you have no uses left when you begin an encounter, you regain a use.
Subclasses
Knowledge Domain
Visions of the Past: 2/long rest
Druid
Wildshape: can be used 3 times/long rest
Subclasses
Circle of the Moon
Combat Wild Shape: this ability also grants “when you begin an encounter with no uses of wild shape, gain 1 use.”
Circle of the Shepherd
Spirit Totem: usable 2/long rest
Fighter
Second Wind: usable 2/long rest
Action Surge: 1/encounter
Subclasses
Arcane Archer
Arcane Shot: 2/encounter
Ever-Ready Shot: 4/encounter
Battle Master
Combat Superiority: 3 dice/encounter. This rises to 4 dice at 7th and 5 dice at 15th
Relentless: (remove this ability)
Echo Knight
Shadow Martyr: 1/encounter
Psi Warrior
Psionic Power: lose the power to regain a psionic dice using a bonus action. Instead, if you begin an encounter with no psionic dice, regain 2 dice
Psi-Powered Leap: this ability may be used 1/encounter, or additional times by spending a psionic energy die
Rune Knight
Rune Carver: each rune can be used 1/encounter
Master of Runes: each rune may be used 2/encounter
Warlock
Pact Magic Spell Slots: At 1st level, warlocks have a single spell slot to cast their spells. At 3rd level, they gain another 1st level spell slot (so one 2nd level slot, and one 1st level slot in total). At 5th level,the warlock has one 3rd level slot and one 2nd level slot. At 7th level, a warlock has one 4th level slot and one 3rd level slot. At 9th, one 5th level and one 4th level slot. At 11th level, both slots are 5th level. At 15th level, they gain a 3rd spell slot of 5th level. At 20th level, they gain a 4th spell slot of 5th level. Regardless of how many slots granted by this feature, they may be used one each/encounter.
Eldritch Master: this ability now has two uses. As an action, the warlock may recover all of their spent spell slots granted by Pact Magic. Or, with a 1 minute of uninterrupted effort, they may recover a single spell slot granted by Mystic Arcanum. Regardless of which one is used, this ability may not be used again until you finish a long rest.
Subclasses
Archfey
Fey Presence: 1/encounter
Misty Escape: 1/encounter
Dark Delirium: 1/encounter
Celestial
Celestial Resistance: this ability may be used when rolling initiative. It grants temporary HP equal to your proficiency bonus + cha modifier to all creatures it affects
The Fathomless
Fathomless Plunge: 1/encounter
The Fiend
Dark One’s Own Luck: 1/encounter
Great Old One
Entropic Ward: 1/encounter
Hexblade
Hexblade’s Curse: 1/encounter. It lasts until the end of your next turn
Undying
Indestructible Life: 1/encounter
So, I thought of bringing in a mechanic that debuted in 3.5, but is much more associated with 4E. Encounter powers. Get rid of short rests (almost) entirely, and balance around getting back powers essentially when initiative is rolled. Long rests are still fine and spellcasting is still based around it, but most other powers have been changed to encounter-based recovery.
I personally also find encounter powers to be a much better fit for martial abilities. Spamming your best move over and over is obviously not very reflective of RL combat, but neither is using a move and not being able to use it again for hours and hours (or maybe just an hour! who knows!). Being able to use them 1-2 times per fight feels just right. It also increases the choices martials get to make, which I think is a huge boon.
Anyways, I've written up how it works, as well as what barbarian, bard, cleric, druid, fighter, and warlock would look like (that is, I've listed the specific powers that would change and how they're different. If it's not hear, it's the same). Would love to hear what anyone thinks!
How Encounter Powers Work
An ability that has X/encounter uses may be used however many times is listed, and replenishes when an encounter begins. The vast majority of the time, an encounter begins when initiative is rolled, and ends when the characters are no longer in initiative. However, a DM may also want to apply the term for things like skill challenges or even until a particular goal is reached (for instance, the characters may be attending a social event with a goal of finding a particular person that is attending, but disguised. The time it takes them to find the target is the “encounter”).
Using encounter powers out of an encounter: This is very straight-forward; powers have exactly the amount of uses that are listed, and they may be used as the player wants. They replenish when the character next enters an encounter. If a power is used during an encounter, it is spent and not available until the character enters a new encounter and the power is refreshed.
Short Rests still exist in the game, but they are *only* for spending hit dice. Abilities that modify a short rest, like bard’s Song of Rest, work the same. Abilities no longer replenish with a short rest.
Barbarian
Rage: 1/encounter at first level. Rage lasts for a number of rounds equal to 1 + Con modifier. +1 use at 7th level
Subclasses
Ancestral Guardian
Consult the Spirits: useable 3/long rest
Path of the Berserker
Frenzy: you may make an extra melee weapon attack the turn you enter rage
Bard
Font of Inspiration: beginning at 5th level, if you have no uses of bardic inspiration left, you gain one use when you begin an encounter
Superior Inspiration: at 20th level you gain back all uses of Bardic Inspiration when you begin an encounter
Subclasses
College of Glamour
Enthralling Performance: usable 2/long rest
Unbreakable Majesty: usable 1/encounter. Duration is changed to until the end of your next turn
College of Whispers
Words of Terror: usable 2/long rest
Mantle of Whispers: usable 2/long rest
Cleric
Channel Divinity: usable 2/long rest. At 6th level, it can be used 3 times/long rest. At 18th level, if you have no uses left when you begin an encounter, you regain a use.
Subclasses
Knowledge Domain
Visions of the Past: 2/long rest
Druid
Wildshape: can be used 3 times/long rest
Subclasses
Circle of the Moon
Combat Wild Shape: this ability also grants “when you begin an encounter with no uses of wild shape, gain 1 use.”
Circle of the Shepherd
Spirit Totem: usable 2/long rest
Fighter
Second Wind: usable 2/long rest
Action Surge: 1/encounter
Subclasses
Arcane Archer
Arcane Shot: 2/encounter
Ever-Ready Shot: 4/encounter
Battle Master
Combat Superiority: 3 dice/encounter. This rises to 4 dice at 7th and 5 dice at 15th
Relentless: (remove this ability)
Echo Knight
Shadow Martyr: 1/encounter
Psi Warrior
Psionic Power: lose the power to regain a psionic dice using a bonus action. Instead, if you begin an encounter with no psionic dice, regain 2 dice
Psi-Powered Leap: this ability may be used 1/encounter, or additional times by spending a psionic energy die
Rune Knight
Rune Carver: each rune can be used 1/encounter
Master of Runes: each rune may be used 2/encounter
Warlock
Pact Magic Spell Slots: At 1st level, warlocks have a single spell slot to cast their spells. At 3rd level, they gain another 1st level spell slot (so one 2nd level slot, and one 1st level slot in total). At 5th level,the warlock has one 3rd level slot and one 2nd level slot. At 7th level, a warlock has one 4th level slot and one 3rd level slot. At 9th, one 5th level and one 4th level slot. At 11th level, both slots are 5th level. At 15th level, they gain a 3rd spell slot of 5th level. At 20th level, they gain a 4th spell slot of 5th level. Regardless of how many slots granted by this feature, they may be used one each/encounter.
Eldritch Master: this ability now has two uses. As an action, the warlock may recover all of their spent spell slots granted by Pact Magic. Or, with a 1 minute of uninterrupted effort, they may recover a single spell slot granted by Mystic Arcanum. Regardless of which one is used, this ability may not be used again until you finish a long rest.
Subclasses
Archfey
Fey Presence: 1/encounter
Misty Escape: 1/encounter
Dark Delirium: 1/encounter
Celestial
Celestial Resistance: this ability may be used when rolling initiative. It grants temporary HP equal to your proficiency bonus + cha modifier to all creatures it affects
The Fathomless
Fathomless Plunge: 1/encounter
The Fiend
Dark One’s Own Luck: 1/encounter
Great Old One
Entropic Ward: 1/encounter
Hexblade
Hexblade’s Curse: 1/encounter. It lasts until the end of your next turn
Undying
Indestructible Life: 1/encounter