Are Health Potions Cheating?

[VFN]

When I play RPGs I always feel that chugging health potions are essentially cheating, an easy way to get out of trouble. Magic restoration always seems more valid because it's usually not as fast so it's not as easy to get of a tough spot. Or you can flee, or have properties that regenerate your health. I've always wondered what other gamers thought about this.

Thanks

VFN

 

[Pete]

I limit myself to 3 per battle. Now if I just defeated an opponent and am not being immediately attacked then I drink more. The same can be said for other potion use. Limit is 3. That's how I do it anyway. I agree with you, chug-a-lugging is cheating. Basically, I do what the in game enemies do.

 

[Howarthee]

I tend to try not to need them, but if I do have to use them, I'll make sure they're ones my character has created themself.

 

[Nighthiker77]

I wouldn't call it cheating. Its just a tactic that doesn't appeal to everyone. I usually carry a bunch but rarely use them. I keep the ultimates and sell everything else.

 

[Dagmar]

It's not cheating as it's an intended game mechanic. It's non-immersive though, as are many aspects of the game like the number of items you can carry, that your wounds heal automatically rapidly on their own, that you don't need water, food or sleep to survive, or the fact that you can consume food to heal yourself in the middle of a battle.

 

[Mwhals]

I just sell mine as I keep none after getting out of the lowest levels.

 

[CosmicExplorer]

To be honest, I don't feel I really need them that often. I've trained my first instinct to be run / heal / break line of site so i can survive, more like something you would do IRL.I can see though that if someone's first instinct is to always chug a potion when they're first attacked, it would seem more like cheating, because IRL that's not something anyone would really do. Besides popeye.

 

[Annageckos]

Cheating? No, not at all. It is part of the game, not an exploit or something like that. Like other aspects of the game some people chose not to use it. I do use health potions in I need them, but that is not often with my archer.

 

[Liliana]

If u can change armor, eat, go up levels, charge ur weapons, and read spell books in the middle of battle, drinking potions isnt cheating. But its not realistic. Up to u if u want a more or less realistic game.

 

[Perkless in Skyrim]

I've never considered it cheating but in Skyrim it's certainly unrealistic. Being able to bring my inventory up in the middle of a battle, taking my time choosing what to (un)equip, eat or drink and being able to do any of these things as often as I like would put Superman to shame.

Realistically you shouldn't have access to everything in your possessions if something hostile is nearby, just like you're unable to rest or wait. There also ought to be a limit on how many things you can consume. I try to avoid eating in the middle of a fight yet have no problem drinking 10 lbs worth of potions.

That doesn't even take into account whether I'm playing as a Mage and need to quaff Magicka potions as well.

 

[Black Orchid]

I keep the Health potions hot-keyed for use in battle, and only use enough to stay alive. I bring out the Restoration magic afterwards, to top off my health before heading into the next fight.

As far as food goes, I generally only carry vegetable soup on most of my characters. The only time I consume the soup is before doing a lot of cross country running, or to help my vampire character regenerate some of her health and stamina while she's out in the sunlight. Seems kinda funny, though, a vampire gaining any benefit from a non-blood meal...

Ultimately, I would say it depends on the difficulty level you're playing on as to whether or not quaffing a Healing potion would seem like cheating. The only potion that ever really felt like cheating to me was the Potion of Ultimate Healing.

 

[Hildolfr]

I look at potions in the same light as my inter-dimensional pockets. I take them when necessary, but I could understand some people putting a set of rules/restrictions for when they play. So while I don't really have a rule for potions, I do have others... such as not being able to wear armor I find/loot because it's unrealistic that it would fit me.

 

[Nighthiker77]

Coming from Diablo II as my last game (yes I'm that old and didn't play games for over a decade), ultimate potions just seem normal. We don't even have the big pink ones. Didn't they completely refill health and mana?

Since they all weigh the same, I always use the weakest stuff I have and save the strong light ones for later, even though I probably won't need them.

I like how the good potions show up right before big fights. I think that means that they are definitely meant to be used.

 

[shadowkitty]

I don't think it's cheating. Each to his own.. I personally don't use them all that often as I am mostly a ranged attacker. I may need one if I am up against a particularly hard opponent.

 

[sticky runes]

Well, if this game didn't pause every time I bring up my inventory, then I probably wouldn't have gotten into it as much, as I tend to suck at games where I end up fiddling through my items in real time while there are enemies trying to cut my head off.

And I've also spent a lot of time playing turn-based RPGs, and you might as well say those are cheating because if two groups are fighting each other, they wouldn't take turns attacking and healing and hoping for the best, it would be every man for himself, but that's how different games mechanics work.

I guess for more "realistic" play, you could stick to your favourites list when you're in the thick of combat, as that doesn't let you pause.

Or if I was playing a character that I wanted to specialize in restoration magic, then I'd want to favour spells over potions.

But I like my potions.

 

[Mr Forz]

One of the PC mods out there used to change the way a potion heals you, instead of directly healing you, it heals you over a certain amount of time, 5s if I'm right. Gives ways to sustain, but won't really really help you during battles where you take heavy damage.

 

[CosmicExplorer]

One of the PC mods out there used to change the way a potion heals you, instead of directly healing you, it heals you over a certain amount of time, 5s if I'm right. Gives ways to sustain, but won't really really help you during battles where you take heavy damage.

Skyrim redone does this , not sure if that's what you were referring to or not though.

 

[LotusEater]

It's only cheating if you think it is.

 

[Zyphur]

I feel that way too, lol. Not cheating as in game mechanics cheating, but my character is suddenly less of a badass because she drank like 12 lesser potions and is magically all better now even though she should've lost. >.>

I don't use them too often though.

 

[Daelon DuLac]

I find that I don't use them as much at higher levels, but they are invaluable at lower (especially for those of us that aren't that great at running away!). I don't think their cheating. Almost any RPG scenario has them. After all, part of the game is the ability to create them yourself w/Alchemy. Technically, I suppose that, if you were opposed to them then the same would hold true for food, drink, etc...

What is the option, really? Die? You can't really outrun most of your attackers in SR anyhow (they chase you). I agree that they probably shouldn't be used all the time (I usually use a heal spell or just hide for a few until I recover - regeneration isn't that slow after all), but are an invaluable tool.

Why I'm collecting Ultimate's now, when I rarely use them, I'll never know, but I have quite an inventory now. I might use the cure disease or poison once in a while, but, honestly, at level 69, I haven't really used a healing potion in a long time, unless I'm up againts a major boss (say Mirrak in Dragonborn).

As to the guy that thought Magika potions were okay, but not health or stamina: Why? Would it not still be cheating? You're still artificially augmenting your regeneration.

Besides, I've decided that my Health, Stamina and Magika potions are flavored: Cherry, mint and milk of magnesia respectively.

Just my thoughts.