Why Randomized Healing?

[Vrecknidj]

Why random healing?

Here's how we've done Cure Light Wound (etc.) potions in all the campaigns I've been in (and how we did Healing and Extra Healing potions, from the good ol' days).

A player says "I'm gonna drink my potion of _____." The DM says "Okay, roll it." The player rolls whatever, and that's how many hit points the character gets.

But...why?

Let's say a cleric makes a potion of cure moderate wounds. Let's say brews it at 6th level. Instead of having the player roll 2d8+6 when the character drinks it, why not have the cleric's player roll 2d8+6 when he makes it? Then, someone with the appropriate magic or skills could check it and say, "That's a 7" or "That's a 10" or "That's a 20," or whatever. Then, the player would have potions of X hit points instead of potions of cure (blank) wounds.

Anybody doing this?

Here's another thought. A cleric with the healing domain, in addition to casting with a +1 caster level, could perhaps brew better potions than others. Maybe this would take a Craft (alchemy) check, or a Heal check (or both). But, then a cleric could make potions that always cure the maximum amount. I'd think these would sell for a good price on the market.

Speaking of which, a maximized cure light wounds cures 13 hit points, but a cure critical wounds cures at least 11 (4d8+7) and, on average, at least 25 hit points. There's pretty much no point in a maximized cure light wounds, right?

Dave

 

[Nifft]

Healing HP are rolled because every darn thing is rolled. It's just how D&D is done.



Now, as to Maximize being not-so-worth-it for Cure spells, well ... it's pretty much not worth it for other spells, either. The exception is when you find a Rod of Metamagic (Maximize) -- those are cool.

-- N

 

[fba827]

Why random healing?
-snip-
Let's say a cleric makes a potion of cure moderate wounds. Let's say brews it at 6th level. Instead of having the player roll 2d8+6 when the character drinks it, why not have the cleric's player roll 2d8+6 when he makes it? Then, someone with the appropriate magic or skills could check it and say, "That's a 7" or "That's a 10" or "That's a 20," or whatever. Then, the player would have potions of X hit points instead of potions of cure (blank) wounds.

Anybody doing this?
-snip-

A valid idea but I think it would require that much additional bookkepping on the part of the DM every time he puts in a curing magic item. Now, of course, if the DM does not mind the additional bookkepping, I don't see much wrong with the magic item, etc already having a set amount of hp... basically, "how potent is that cure potion" type thing. The only other argument I could possibly see against this is that it would make using cure potions (etc) much more mechanical and technical rather than mgaical... "oh, I am down 6hp but only have a 7hp cure potion. anyone have a 6hp cure potion?"

but, again.. not a huge deal..

 

[Destil]

The same idea could be applied to basicly anything with a single use (scroll of fireball etc).

Mostly I woulnd't use it because it's a pain to keep track of.

 

[Krug]

You roll dice to keep the player involved. Else they'd fall asleep and just play the PS2.

 

[dvvega]

The main reason healing is radom (and damage for that matter) is to indicate the randomness of the world.

Damage is random because not all attacks are equal.

Curing is random because not all hit points are equal.

What you propose, however is simply to generate the random number ahead of time. As mentioned this is extra book keeping, but some people don't mind that.

The main problem with your idea that it will encourage even more min/max style play. If I have 3 cure potions of the same spell (light for example) and they were 4, 7, 11 respectively. My character would drink them at appropriate times, not hope that I get a good roll. The thrill of drinking the potion and hoping for the best is removed. The game becomes more computer like than roleplaying like.

 

[Aaron2]

Anybody doing this?

We started doing this for clw wands. Each charge heals 5 hps. He were wasting hours rolling one at a time now if your down 40 hps, its 8 charges. Much quicker.


Aaron

 

[Chronosome]

The dice are fun. Having maximized healing potions sounds like a cool way to insure the game keeps rollin', though. Here're some ways of making them fit:


Feats:

SECRET REMEDY [Regional]
Healvanians jealously guard their inexpensive methods of creating powerful items of healing.
Prerequisite: Kingdom of Healvania.
Benefit: Any item you craft which cures damage always cures the maximum amount.
Normal: Roll it up like all the others, punk.
Special: You may select this feat only as a 1st level character. You may only have one regional feat.

OR

SECRET HERBS AND SPICES [General]
You create healing potions that pack a potent punch.
Prerequisites: Brew Potion, Maximize Spell, Heal 8 ranks.
Benefit: Cure potions you create are treated as being maximized. This does not increase the base price of the item.
Normal: Maximize Spell increases an item's spell level, which increases costs.

(Each feat could also be limited to a certain deity...Pelor, perhaps.)

Or maybe have a power component apply the maximize effect? A couatl's brightest feather, maybe? These potions would certainly be worth more than their normal counterparts...maybe price times 150%.

Hope those inspire ya.

 

[Staffan]

We started doing this for clw wands. Each charge heals 5 hps. He were wasting hours rolling one at a time now if your down 40 hps, its 8 charges. Much quicker.

I do that for downtime healing with CLW wands as well, though I use 11 hp per two charges. When using them in a situation where time is of the essence (such as in combat), I still have them roll, but not when zapping people with a dozen charges to get them up to speed again.
Edit: As for having pre-rolled healing potions, a major problem with that is what to do with the prices. Do you charge as much for a 2 hp CLW potion as for a 9 hp one? If not, how do you determine the price? Should there be a difference in price between a 7 hp potion of CLW and a 7 hp potion of Cure Moderate Wounds?

 

[RuminDange]

If you are going to the potions with a set amount of hp healing, then just make it average. i.e. a cure light wounds would heal 5 hp, cure moderate: 11, etc. The only difference then would be if they were made at higher caster level.
So a caster level 1 Cure light is 5hp, whereas a caster level 5 cure light is 9hp.
Calculating the cost in that case is much easier. The formula is already provided in the rules. 50*spell level*caster level. Basically, 50gp for a level 1 cure light or 250gp for level 5.

Either way, you are either increasing bookkeeping, making it more like a CRPG, or slowing game down as players roll the die to see how many precious hit points they get back.


RD