Yakk
2008-08-13, 01:12 PM
(This is an alternative rule set, that utterly eliminates the 5 minute day syndrome that can still exist in 4e.)
Daily powers are renamed Inspired powers. They are no longer tied to the day, but rather to the characters being Inspired by progress in an adventure or task.
Long Rest:
Long Rests no longer recharge Daily powers or Action Points.
At each Long Rest, make a Con roll against DC 10. On success, you gain a healing surge. For each 10 you beat this DC by, you gain another healing surge.
A player can also attempt to use Heal skill to heal another player. Make a Heal check against DC 20. On a success, the target gains 1 healing surge, plus 1 for every 10 points you beat your DC by. You may spread these out between multiple players. If you are actively tending to another this way, you don't get to make a Con check to regain your own healing surges at the same time. (you can do them adjacent to each other, however)
Finally, if your Long Rest was a matter of retreating, rather than a natural lull, you lose all accumulated action points, and your progress towards your next Milestone is reset. The DM may waive this, or reduce the penalty, at his discretion.
These Healing Surges regained may be immediately spent on HP healing before your total Healing Surges are capped.
Milestone:
A party should reach about 5 milestones per character level, or about one every (twice party XP value) worth of encounters or challenges. Most should be arranged to be tied in with plot points or hooks, with some ad-libbing based on the party's choice to take extra long rests. (Extra challenges, because the monsters got a chance to regroup, are appropriate as well).
Extra Milestones can be tossed out a dramatically appropriate moments -- ie, successfully crossing the desert, realizing that your hireling is actually the BBEG, or finishing a Quest. Some could even be tossed into the middle of an encounter.
At each Milestone, you recover 1 Inspired magic item power, and one half (round down) of your max healing surges. In addition, for each expended Inspired power (including your other expended Inspired magic item powers), roll 1d6: on a result of 456, it is refreshed. Finally, the character earns 1 action point.
Edit: Simplified the long rest healing surge gain
Daily powers are renamed Inspired powers. They are no longer tied to the day, but rather to the characters being Inspired by progress in an adventure or task.
Long Rest:
Long Rests no longer recharge Daily powers or Action Points.
At each Long Rest, make a Con roll against DC 10. On success, you gain a healing surge. For each 10 you beat this DC by, you gain another healing surge.
A player can also attempt to use Heal skill to heal another player. Make a Heal check against DC 20. On a success, the target gains 1 healing surge, plus 1 for every 10 points you beat your DC by. You may spread these out between multiple players. If you are actively tending to another this way, you don't get to make a Con check to regain your own healing surges at the same time. (you can do them adjacent to each other, however)
Finally, if your Long Rest was a matter of retreating, rather than a natural lull, you lose all accumulated action points, and your progress towards your next Milestone is reset. The DM may waive this, or reduce the penalty, at his discretion.
These Healing Surges regained may be immediately spent on HP healing before your total Healing Surges are capped.
Milestone:
A party should reach about 5 milestones per character level, or about one every (twice party XP value) worth of encounters or challenges. Most should be arranged to be tied in with plot points or hooks, with some ad-libbing based on the party's choice to take extra long rests. (Extra challenges, because the monsters got a chance to regroup, are appropriate as well).
Extra Milestones can be tossed out a dramatically appropriate moments -- ie, successfully crossing the desert, realizing that your hireling is actually the BBEG, or finishing a Quest. Some could even be tossed into the middle of an encounter.
At each Milestone, you recover 1 Inspired magic item power, and one half (round down) of your max healing surges. In addition, for each expended Inspired power (including your other expended Inspired magic item powers), roll 1d6: on a result of 456, it is refreshed. Finally, the character earns 1 action point.
Edit: Simplified the long rest healing surge gain