@everything else going on, that I've needed more time to comment on.
Rest resetting has evolved even in the PnP setting. The PnP setting got more fast paced, as some others have gotten interested in it. Since it has, it has added a short rest for even that setting. D&D has modernized itself on the PnP side. Adapting a mechanic to the video game landscape, is the logical thing to do. They tried to stay as true as possible to the system for DDO, and even there they adopted a mana system, which lets you spam spells. At least cooldowns limit them. Combat usually does not extend past 5 rounds. Cooldowns lasting 4-5 turns limit them to 1 time per battle, this makes it serve the same purpose as the rest reset mechanic. As a matter of fact you can balance it even better, because you can make higher level spells/abilities more restricted. Spellslots would allow me to actually spam a spell back to back, as long as I have them available, and is less strategic overall. Cooldowns serve the same exact purpose of balance, that rest resets do, except they do it better. What reason is there to keep rest resets other than "that's the ruleset bro". Once upon a time there was 4E too, which was the worst thing WotC ever produced.
Because it was cherrypicked out again, I will address it AGAIN. My statement about popularity, wasn't that it should be implemented because its popular. I stated I'd like a D&D based game to actually be popular enough for it to get a successful franchise. That is why it is a relevant statement, because I'd like more content to become available. I firmly believe those games are more popular because of that mechanic, not that the popular games just use them. Sticking to things because, "that's just the way we've always done it", is a terrible reason. What holds back the D&D inspired games from actually being received by a wider audience? Is it the stories? Nope, I think the D&D based ones have some of the most interesting/epic storylines. Is it cuz peeps don't play RPGs? Nope, definitely not that one. Is it the barrier to entry. Maybe, character creation, leveling and advancement is slightly more confusing than other games out there, but then again there are games that are even more min/max that have popularity. Is it because the gameplay sucks or its clunky? Nope, D&D nails combat. Is it because it loses fun factor because it has laborious chore like mechanics, that don't translate to the medium of PnP to cRPG well. Pretty sure that's the reason. I would even argue that a lot of you arguing against it prefer cooldown mechanics, but just don't want them in this game cuz you want a true to life ruleset, even if it makes parts of the game less fun. Sounds masochistic to me.
What really happens if we use Cooldowns instead of Rest Resetting spell availability? 1. The same effect of balance. Better balancing overall, because you can fine tune it better. Rest resetting is a sledgehammer approach, mana is a slightly smaller/bigger hammer depending on how you look at it approach, and cooldowns are a dagger approach. 2. You can still keep rest mechanics. You can still make some spells restricted to 1/day. 3. Your character can have a more realistic day/night rest cycle. 4. Combat becomes more strategic, because you have to use more than 1 spell you really like from each level. 5. We could get a Day/night cycle, that we can't control. This adds so much more RP value.
What happens if we don't change them. 1. AA slog battles. 2. Not being able to really appreciate your character in battle, always having to force yourself to hold back, and never truly being able to just unload on an enemy. 3. Rest cycles are entirely unrealistic. 4. You cant fine tune balance, meaning once we get to level 20 in this game or future expansions, all combat will be a slog, and or completely irrelevant, and/or those levels will continue to be locked off, because gameplay at those levels is just bleh.
What happens if options that have been suggested, are added on top of this poor mechanic. 5. Day/Night cycles will be so fast they will be unrealistic, or so slow that you have to sit around and wait for night time just so you can rest. 6. If you make it limited to 1 rest per 2hrs of play, you are forcing people to sit around and wait, creating even more of a negative experience for them, and making the game get bad reviews.
In closing, you can achieve better balancing, and you can implement a more meaningful resting mechanic, when it is not tied to skill/spell availability. That more meaningful rest mechanic will have actual roleplay value. You could add a day night cycle, that can make the game more immersive. You can add in an actual time into the games, that is impactful and meaningful. You can actually improve the overall experience, and implement more things and not have them be negatives, but positives.
If you're going to counter point this, at least give real reasons, and discuss in good faith.
