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Taken from the 4E quick-start rules:
"Once during each encounter, you can take a standard action called a second wind; this gives you a certain amount of hit points back ... and gives you a +2 bonus to all your defenses until the start of your next turn."
I have to admit, I kinda' like it. Obviously it would have to work differently in Pathfinder, but I like the idea of not taking any action during a combat round and regaining a few hit points.
1) Being able to self heal would take some of the burden off clerics and potions of healing. I always feel a little video-gamey when I chug 3 potions and watch my little life-meter fill back up.
2) It reminds us that hit points are abstract and not entirely a measure of physical wounds. They also represent fatigue, skill, focus and luck, all of which might recharge with a little breather.
In general, I'd like PCs to be able to heal a little faster and without resorting to magic as frequently. Any thoughts?
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Used it with my Condition Stage system here in playtest. The party as able to split apart and stay viable in combat on thier own. And for once the cleric wasn't relegated to the role of "band-aid."
The second wind concept from 4e thus far is a big turn-off for me, but I admit I haven't played it as yet. Overall it seems to make the characters "too tough" for my tastes. Now, I do actually use the Spell Recharge variant from Unearthed Arcana in my current Savage Tides campaign, so the healer can patch everyone up between combats. But she can't pull that off mid-combat and indeed with the recharge on her healing she does a lot more in the combat than just heal. This is a mcuh better feel for me, but ends up with the same overall effect of extending the party's lifetime during a day. And other than carrying a potion or two for those situations when healing must be accomplished ASAP without the healer, my party doesn't have the magic-mart problem of having potions/scrolls/wands for all their healing needs.
I'm not sure if this thread is looking for folks on both sides of this issue to chime in, but this whole "second wind" thing is one of the things I really dislike about 4th Edition. I can appreciate the desire to take some of the load off of the Cleric, but I have a couple of problems with this:
1) It seems less realistic to me than not doing it. I know that "realism" is a funny word in this context, but hopefully you see what I mean. I feel it detracts from verisimilitude even within the context of the fantasy milieu. I know that hit points are a fairly abstract concept, but to me they are largely about injury. Recovering hit points should (IMO) require some form of healing. To do it any other way seems cheesy (again, IMO).
2) If everyone has self healing, then the Cleric becomes less essential. Now, I will concede that whether this is an issue likely has more to do with one's personal preference than anything else. One might view this as a good thing. However, I like the idea that the Cleric is essential, because I like to think of each of the four main archtypes as fairly indispensible. As an extreme example, what if every team member could pick locks/find traps, throw fireballs/fly and get up in a bugbear's "grill" and lay the smack down with an Earthbreaker? I like the idea that there are some things that only one of the four main archtypes can do well. I feel that having niches like this fosters and reinforces the importance of teamwork. And as it is, one can still chug a healing potion or use a number of magic items (such as the healing belt from the magic item compendium).
So, in other words, I guess I'd prefer that most classes not have an innate ability to heal.
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I completely agree with Kelvar on this.
I know it's a fantasy game, but 4E's second wind grates against my suspension of disbelief in the game, and is one of the main reasons I don't feel 4E is the game for me.
It also detracts from the Cleric's role. I realise Cleric players dislike the walking band-aid stereotype, but I feel Pathfinder RPG is already addressing healing in the game through other means (more hit points for arcane casters, positive energy bursts, etc).
An idea I like from RPGA Living games, are campaign cards that players receive as mailouts as rewards for playing. For those unfamiliar with campaign cards, each player may use a number of cards per game session determined by their character level (one card per few levels). Cards are typed, such as General or Creation. A Creation card can unlock otherwise restricted race/class/feat options during character creation (eg the "City Goblin" card unlocks Goblin from the MM as a player race). General cards grant a one-time special use during play, such as re-roll a failed save, an extra use of Barbarian Rage etc, described on the card. If you use a Creation card, then you have one less card available during play. Once the card has been played, it's gone for that session.
One General card is Second Wind, which allows a character that has dropped below zero (unconscious) to play that card on his turn and immediately regain D6 hit-points. If this brings him above zero, he's still lying prone, but regains consiousness; if he's still below zero, he remains unconscious, but automatically stabilizes.
This is a nice low-powered option that doesn't stretch credibility or step on the toes of other Class roles. In my experience, it works well and has a heroic feel. Not every player has, or uses, a Second Wind card, it is just one more player resource/choice to be managed.
Pathfinder RPG (or Pathfinder Society organised play) could use this idea - a pool of abilities that players could draw from in emergency situations, whether they take the form of cards, or some other mechanism (action points?) Campaign cards could be mailed out to Pathfinder Society players, similar to how the RPGA does, or they could be a new product that anyone could purchase and use in their game, like the Critical Hit or Item Cards that Paizo produces.
Second Wind strikes me as something 4E is handling badly. Not the fact that it exists, mind you, but the way it works.
The "once per encounter" thing is... Well... It's simplistic, boring, and kinda meh.
If it's instead something linked to an action, such as the villain monologuing as per most heroic and/or fantasy stories then it becomes less cheese. It feels more heroic and if your villain isn't gonna monologue then you don't get the power.
Take a look at the heal skill thread for some similar discussion.
I like the idea- but not once per combat, and not for everybody maybe 1/day like the warlocks power, maybe as a feat