New 4e Resting, Action Point, and Second Wind Rule

[Daws2727]

I don't know if this is the case for you, but when I'm DMing I constantly see that healing surges and resting are a little OP, so I made a weekly system.

In the weekly system, you start the week with 4 action points, 4 second winds, and your normal surges/day. When you take an extended rest, you may spend healing surges, but you only regain 1 surge. Also, because my players would always do one encounter then call it a night, milestones now work by the week, so if the PCs play one encounter, rest, then go fight again the next day, they still get a milestone. When you get a milestone, you regain 1 action point, 1 second wind, and 2 surges.

Now for daily powers. Since, as I noted above, my players would play i encounter a day, their daily powers were basically encounter powers. For this, I decided that you can regain all your daily powers every second rest, or regain half your powers rounded up every rest.

I could really use a lot of input, as this system is fairly strange and original, so I need to know what other players think about it. Please remember that this is 4e.

[Daws2727]

Why no replies?

[dariathalon]

A lot of this boils down to how you run your game. It sounds like you're running a game where there aren't any consequences to extended rests. I'm not saying this is a bad thing. In my own games, there often aren't significant consequences to taking a longer rest. However, it does lead to players wanting to take them more often so their power level is a little bit bigger. If you add in some consequences for taking longer rests (if you need ideas let me know), a big part of this problem will resolve itself naturally.

As for whether this rule will work well or not, that is highly game dependent, so I really can't say much (that's probably part of the reason you aren't getting a lot of replies too). The one thing I would suggest is be very careful about messing with the milestone mechanics. That is one of the things that the system has put in place to combat the 15 minute adventuring day that you're also trying to avoid. By making it run on a weekly track, you're pulling out some of its teeth. Also keep in mind that many items gain power with milestones (especially rings). I don't know if you're at a point yet where this matters to your campaign, but this will really add some punch to those items. Honestly, I think I'd go back into the milestones by the day is probably a better idea.

As for the rest of it, well, I can only say I hope there's a believable in game reason for the once-a-week rest being so much more beneficial than all the others. It would break some suspension of disbelief for me as a player unless it is at least given a nod in-game that this day is so much more special than the rest.

[Daws2727]

Mabye I could keep milestones the same, and also add a new milestone-like system with the same rules I originally planned to use for milestones.

Hmm, as for the weekly rest dilemma, I really don't know what to do to make it make sense in the game. Do you have any suggestions?

[dariathalon]

An idea might be that particular day is the holy day of some particular god of healing and renewal. You could even add a touch of flavor to go along with it. All new life starts on that day, that is the only day of the week that babies are born, flower buds bloom fresh only on that day, and everyone awakens feeling fully refreshed. It would still feel a little hokey to me, but at least there would be something there.

[Daws2727]

That could work...