One thing that I partially believe has some merit within 4e is the second wind system. I would like to include a much watered down version into my campaign.
What would be a good way to incorporate it into Pathfinder?
And what are your thoughts on the mechanic itself?
Sorry, I don't remember second wind too well.
X times per day you can restore like 8 + con modifier HP (based on class) as a standard action?
Sorry, I don't remember second wind too well.
X times per day you can restore like 8 + con modifier HP (based on class) as a standard action?
Once per encounter (4e's way of saying "X times per day, but not at will"), a player could restore roughly half of their total HP and gain +2 to all defenses for one round.
I believe its 1/4 total hp recovered can be used once a fight use up a healing surge.
As far as Implementing it figure out how many times you are okay with the party reaching full health with no resources used and then base your numbers off that.
Right, I remember the powers (at will, encounter, daily). I have read 4e, but just don't remember it all.
Make the HP gain something controllable (like a percentage of max HP). Make it X times per day dependent on level (since % of HP already makes it better for some classes).
Make it a feat.
Second Wind [Combat]
Prerequisites: Base Fortitude Save: +2
When you take this feat you gain a number "Healing Surges". You gain one at first level, and one for every two levels after first (3rd, 5th, etc.) When you use a healing surge, you heal 20% of your max HP as magical healing. Each use of a healing surge is a standard action that provokes an attack of opportunity. Use of a second healing surge during a single combat fatigues you. A third use exhausts you, regardless of if you are fatigued. A fourth use is impossible.
You could make it a Concentration check that had different results based on the roll.
I've thought about doing something like 1d8 + hit dice temporary hit points once every ten minutes. These temporary hit points would last ten minutes and the amount gained cannot exceed the number of hit points the character is currently down. If the character is at full hit points it cannot take temporary hit points this way(i.e. to buff up for a fight). If the character is down 5 hp it can take 1d8 plus its' hit dice in temporary hit points but if it rolls more than five the excess hit points are ignored.
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What would be a good way to incorporate it into Pathfinder?
Oh, we use these all the time, I call them breathers. Here, let me do some copy-paste:
Breather
Breather moments give a PC a chance to gather himself – to mentally regroup, collect their thoughts, and to take stock of the situation. A breather takes a standard action, can only be done once an encounter, must be used while conscious, cannot be used outside of combat, and can be used to do any ONE of the following things:
• Heal an amount of hit points equal to 5 + their level + their constitution modifier, minimum 5HP
• Gain a bonus to damage equal to +1 plus an additional +1 per four levels to all their damage rolls on the next round
• Gain a bonus to attack rolls equal to +1 plus an additional +1 per four levels to all their attack rolls on the next round
• Gain a +1 bonus to one spell’s DC on the next round.
• Get a second chance to make a saving throw against a spell; this kicks in automatically at the earliest opportunity if affected by a mind-affecting spell, even if told to do otherwise.
It's somewhat stylish to regain your strength, however I would remove that "once per encouter" - while I really like that you get at-will powers in 4e, encouter powers just make no sense in terms of realism and style (only in terms of balance and the "board game aspect")
Also it's not that stylish for say a wizard... how about making it a rage power or combat feat or something else which is combat class domain?
For 3.5, there was a second wind feat- it was in the Miniatures Handbook, I think.
One possible PF substitute that you can use is the Godless Healing feat from the Inner Sea World Guide (It'd be more like a daily rather than an encounter thing though, though the feat can be taken more than once).
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Second Wind – Star Wars: Saga Edition, p. 146
“If you are reduced to one-half your maximum hit points or less, you can catch a second wind as a swift action. This action heals one-quarter of your full hit point total (rounded down) or a number of hit points equal to your Constitution score, whichever is greater. You can catch a second wind only once per day. Certain feats or talents may allow you to catch a second wind more often, but never more than once in a single encounter.
Only heroic characters can catch a second wind; nonheroic characters, creatures, objects, devices, and vehicles cannot. Exception: A nonheroic character that takes the Extra Second wind feat (page 85) can catch a second wind once per day.”
The “Second Wind” action that was created for Star Wars: SE was actually developed in parallel to the one in 4E. The designers of each game were both working from the same basic idea but came up with different implementations of it for their respective game systems.
Like so much that is in SW:SE, I greatly prefer its mechanic over that presented in 4E.
In Pathfinder RPG, for parties that do not have a dedicated divine healer, this may be a viable option on a once per day basis. I certainly would NOT tie it to a once per encounter mechanic.
I've seen a hack of 3.5 that used unique feats (only one person in a group could have it) and every player got one as a bonus. Most of them rewarded actions that are tropes in various styles of fiction, others for teamwork or accepting a disadvantage. I don't remember the names of them though, but they looked kind of like this
Diplomatic- if you attempt to use a social skill to resolve a conflict, you and your party heal 1/2 your level in HP.
Rapt Audience- if you let an opponent monologue, you and your party heal half your level in HP.
Outmaneuvered- when you're flanked, you heal 1/3 your level in HP.
The DM had about 20 of these kinds of feats to choose from and everyone at the table had one. It wasn't huge, but it kept the characters a little more healthy than normal and encouraged some cool decisions.