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I have been toying with an option in my homebrew campaign. To avoid a bunch of lengthy blah blah that isn't really needed for the core question I have, I'll simply get straight to it.
Would it be balanced, power wise, to allow someone to trade the ability to have Regeneration 1 which increases by 1 at level 5 and every 5 levels there after (Regenerate 1 at lvl 1, 2 at level 5, 3 at level 10, and so on) IF their character was completely unable to be healed by any other source (all cure spells, heal spells, potions, or magic of any kind outside of temporary hitpoint gain).
That's the question.
Regeneration at what rate, though?
X/round? {troll-like, no? This, IMO, would be too much. Especially if you factor in a "for nothing" scaling increase.}
x/minute? {Lower in potency, but still, over the course of 1 hour's rest, it'll be fully back on it's feet (mostly I'd guess being as by level 20 you're talking about Regen 4 and at 60 minutes, it's 240 hps. This, as well, is a bit much.}
x/hour? {like a ring of regeneration, basically. This is probably the *best* bet, IMO, as it's not overly powerful, available as an option to other characters via equipment later on and so it's like a trade-off. Other characters get to heal up nicely and normal. This thing NEEDS regeneration or it can't heal at all, BUT it's doing it much, MUCH more slowly than other things out there.}
I'd say that the frequency of regeneration matters a LOT here.
I'm also wondering *why/what* can't heal normally?
One other rout I'd suggest is that since Regen requires some damage source that negates it (otherwise all incoming damage is subdual) you look to Fast Healing instead. W/Fast healing, you get a similar effect w/out the immunity that Regeneration confers on the character. Again - the rates/frequency are kind of key even if you go Fast Healing.
Fast healing maybe, regen is pretty much death-proof (depending what the vulnerability)
Fasting healing 1-2 isn't "over powered" in the sense that your character can suddenly "do things" he couldn't before *inside combat*.
*yes, I changed regen to fast healing, since regen actually alters combat*
fast healing WILL however drastically increase the amount of encounters the melee folk can do in a day. It also frees up money (no more wands/potions) for the party in general.
Combats themselves will largely be the same due to the fact that 1-2 hp a round isn't really a game breaker overall.
Just be prepared for the fact that the folks will be af ull power- not counting special abilities/spells. (i.e. the pally may be at full HP But may have run out of smite/mercies whatever, and wiz/sorc/clerics may go shy on spells despite being full on HP).
just my .02 anyway.
-S
iirc, when you are reduced to negs you still are knocked out.
so really, regaining a few hp's each round is not a big deal considering once your knocked out a coop dee gracey will still gank you.
honestly, the part about no other healing affecting the character would be more of an imbalance; remember 3e warforged!
i would allow regen in a game, i have before, and i would again.
don't be afraid to take ownership of your game, despite what others may say, or think might happen.