Scribble said:
Not sure if I agree with that...
I don't think failure is an unfun unfair punishment. It's just part of the game... "Oh if only I had made a better choice poor Merric the Thief would still be alive!!!"
It's like a chess game where you get a piece taken... You get to be upset that you planned unwiely and lost the piece, but does that mean the rules of chess are broken and unfun?
In Chess, you don't write down your moves ahead of time and only reveal them in the midgame, forcing you to do something. In Chess, you have the choice to do something, and you can see the situation at that time. You don't have to decide upon your strategy before you even see what you're facing!
All the contingent healing spells do is say, "You have more hit points". They don't allow you to
react to the situation where someone is in trouble. With contingent HP, all that happens is that you fight a little longer and then get into trouble!
Consider: situation as it is now:
Round 1: Fighter with 100 hp gets hit for 40.
Round 2: Fighter gets hit for 40; cleric loses action to run over and heal 50
Round 3: Fighter gets hit for 40; cleric loses action to heal 50
Round 4: Fighter gets hit for 40; cleric loses action to heal 50
etc.
To contingent healing:
Round 1: Fighter with 100 hp gets hit for 40.
Round 2: Fighter gets hit for 40; contingent healing triggers for 50.
Round 3: Fighter gets hit for 40; cleric loses action to heal 50
Round 4: Fighter gets hit for 40; cleric loses action to heal 50
etc.
To action+healing.
Round 1: Fighter with 100 hp gets hit for 40; cleric attack hits, also heals 50.
Round 2: Fighter gets hit for 40; cleric attack misses.
Round 3: Fighter gets hit for 40; cleric attack hits, also heals 50.
Round 4: Fighter gets hit for 40; cleric attack hits, also heals 50.
etc.
I'm simplifying, and there may come a time when the cleric needs to disengage and just cast healing spells (perhaps even the healing spell will heal *everyone* rather than just one PC).
Cheers!