D&D (2024) What would you put in 1D&D from 4E?

[Bolares]

2. Bloodied. I basically started using this because I had players keep asking me if an opponent looked bloodied. They basically explained it as half or fewer hit points. I didn't like it at first, but it grew on me. It is a simple way to telegraph how injured opponents are. I mean, it is fun to try to go all Matt Mercer and describe in detail the condition of an enemy, but it quickly get repetitive even if you are fairly creative and good at improv, especially if there a large number of combatants. At some point, saying someone is "bloodied" just keeps things moving. But it always bothered me that there was no mechanical significance and I'd like to read more about how the bloodied condition (if it was a condition) worked in 4e.

Yes, it’s a condition. But it has no inherent mechanical effect. But a lot of powers and features either from the monsters or the PCs either need the target or the user to be bloodied and others become more powerful or unlock secondary effects with the bloodied condition.

 

[mamba]

2. Bloodied. I basically started using this because I had players keep asking me if an opponent looked bloodied. They basically explained it as half or fewer hit points. I didn't like it at first, but it grew on me. It is a simple way to telegraph how injured opponents are. I mean, it is fun to try to go all Matt Mercer and describe in detail the condition of an enemy, but it quickly get repetitive even if you are fairly creative and good at improv, especially if there a large number of combatants. At some point, saying someone is "bloodied" just keeps things moving. But it always bothered me that there was no mechanical significance and I'd like to read more about how the bloodied condition (if it was a condition) worked in 4e.

You can always add mechanical significance to 5e

Bloodied & Bruised Vol. 1 – Monster Manual - Dungeon Masters Guild | Dungeon Masters Guild

Bloodied & Bruised Vol. 1 – Monster Manual - New Combat Actions for the Creatures in the Monster Manual The bugbear chief nurses a gushing wound in her side before i

www.dmsguild.com

 

[MNblockhead]

Yes, it’s a condition. But it has no inherent mechanical effect. But a lot of powers and features either from the monsters or the PCs either need the target or the user to be bloodied and others become more powerful or unlock secondary effects with the bloodied condition.

I like that. The only similar thing in 5e RAW that comes to mind are creatures that can take additional actions when they've dropped a creature to 0 hit points, which doesn't happen that frequently with 5e PCs to see a lot of use. Mainly I've used it in a "save the villagers" scenario where, e.g., gnolls are rampaging through a village. When they down a commoner and immediately attack another it creates a heightened sense of urgency. If similar things could be done with the bloodied condition, it would force PCs to be more liberal with spell slots and potions for healing.

 

[Uni-the-Unicorn!]

Bloodied

 

[DEFCON 1]

I don't mind the Bloodied condition and would have no problem seeing it reincorporated into the game... as it's merely nothing more than one more "timing slot" in which a monster can do a thing. But of course for it to be at all warranted, then it has to go hand-in-hand with more advanced monster action design. Monsters need to have larger blocks with more abilities that function on all the different "timing slots"-- something that @Nixlord is doing with their Monster Manual Expanded series, MCDM is doing with 'Flee Mortals!' and I'm sure others have as well.

Most monsters should have abilities that occur on most of these "timing slots":

Automatic / Always-on
Action
Bonus Action
Reaction
When successfully hitting enemy
When being successfully hit by enemy
When reaching half hit points (Bloodied)
When reaching zero hit points (On Death)
Off-turn (Legendary)

Of course, the biggest problem with a list like this is that the more monsters you have that have all these options available to them... the more difficult it is for a DM to remember they all exist and to use them when appropriate. I mean I've been DMing 5E now since it was released and I STILL forget to use a Legendary Monsters' Legendary Actions between player turns (just because I'm so not used to it and there are so many other monsters and combat-related activity to deal with already.) Heck... I've begun occasionally just inserting the three Legendary actions into my initiative order just so that I have a reminder as they come up to use them (even if they are supposed to happen organically in reaction to what the players are doing.)

That's the biggest thing with re-adding Bloodied into the game-- it's just one more "timing slot" a DM has to remember as it comes up. And to be honest... when I think about it I'm not sure if the WotC Monster Manual is necessarily the book to use all of these in. I honestly think the MM should probably be and remain the base and least complex monster book... and let folks like @Nixlord and MCDM make the more complex monsters using "timing slots" like Bloodied. So they're there for those who want them... but less-inclined folks don't need to pick up them up and they can just use the standard MM.

 

[TheHand]

Bloodied - We still use it in our games.

Short Rest - 1 hour is too long, though in our games we went with 15 minutes (5 minutes also feels too short).

More 4e monster-like writeups and skill challenges.

I don't see them doing anything this radical in One D&D, but I'd love to see Saving Throws revert back to Fort, Ref, and Will (I guess more 3e than 4e).

 

[Azzy]

Never played 4e, so my knowledge rests of what has been discussed on these boards, but....

Fighters
Warlords
Bloodied condition
Skill Challenges
5-minute Short Rest

 

[Minigiant]

1. Monster Roles
2. Monster Encounter Powers
3. Warlords
4. Wardens
5. Avengers
6. Bloodied
7. Marked (Aka Engaged)
8. 10 minute Short Rest 8 hour Long Rest

 

[grimslade]

Bloodied. Minions. Are easy amendments to 5E. Nothing better than slashing through mooks on the way to the BBEG. Bloodied with a list of actions/reactions for players and monsters triggered by the condition could be a page if done as a chart with a paragraph or two description on the mechanic.
If we were bringing back minions, I would like some AoE melee abilities too. It just felt cinematic and made melee comparable to magic wielders.
I am not a huge fan of healing surges and everybody second wind. Healing is fine in 5E. Maybe a little too ubiquitous, but fits the rules of 5E. 4E healing was meant to mesh with 4E rules.
I loved monster design in 4E. It was such a refreshing change from 3.x actuarial simulation (which coming out of 2E was an amazing expansive monster design!). I do not see a way to blend the concept of Lego abilities with 5E monster stat blocks easily. It would require quite a bit of page count to incorporate. Maybe in the first 1D&D monster splat book.
I am torn on monster roles. It made encounter design super easy and varied, but it also was a bit too abstract. It might do well as advice rather than a rule set or stat block label in the game.
How a bout psionics? I guess that is every other edition but 5E rather than 4E exclusive.

 

[Vaalingrade]

Encounter powers.

Martial powers.

Powers in general.

Also the design philosophy.