Healing Word out of encounter?

[Evil DM]

Hi folks,

I just wonder about the cleric's encounter power: Healing Word.

It grants an ally an additional 1d6 HPs if he uses a healing surge and together with the Healing Lore ability from the cleric it grants an additional 1d6 + WIS modifier.

Would you allow this after the encounter / battle is over?
It takes the cleric another short rest eacht time but this is still no great loss of time.

Cheers, Evil DM.

 

[James McMurray]

It's allowed. You have to take another short rest to recharge it though. See PHB page 263.

 

[On Puget Sound]

Use of healing powers during rests is intended and encouraged; designers and custserv have said so many times.

 

[FadedC]

It's a valid tactic, but potentially extremely risky. If everybody waits for healing words before spending any healing surges at all, you could get attacked mid healing, and find yourself in a fight where everyone is down on hit points and the cleric has expended all his healing resources. Not as bad as being attacked in the middle of your first short rest, but this could still easily lead to a TPK.

 

[Thanee]

The limit lies in the Healing Surges per Day not in the uses of the power.

Bye
Thanee

 

[Lord Zardoz]

The extra 1d6, while potentially helpful, is probably not an especially big boost once you get out of the Heroic tier.

Also, 2nd wind can be used outside of encounters at all. If you have the time to take advantage of it, go for it, but if your expecting hostilities to resume shortly, your better off just burning a few 2nd winds to recover.

END COMMUNICATION

 

[Yaezakura]

The extra 1d6, while potentially helpful, is probably not an especially big boost once you get out of the Heroic tier.

Also, 2nd wind can be used outside of encounters at all. If you have the time to take advantage of it, go for it, but if your expecting hostilities to resume shortly, your better off just burning a few 2nd winds to recover.

END COMMUNICATION

Actually, Healing/Inspiring word heal an additional 1d6 every 5 levels. So they're always useful.

 

[Journeymanmage]

The extra 1d6, while potentially helpful, is probably not an especially big boost once you get out of the Heroic tier.

Also, 2nd wind can be used outside of encounters at all. If you have the time to take advantage of it, go for it, but if your expecting hostilities to resume shortly, your better off just burning a few 2nd winds to recover.

END COMMUNICATION

At lower levels, the bonus for "Healing Lore", (add wisdom bonus to "healing" keyword cleric powers), along with the d6 can save your target a healing surge or two. Say +4 for wisdom and a roll of 3 ... is a +7 to the healing surge, which at low levels is equal to and is some cases better than the surge value alone (wizards / "low" con characters).

 

[Kordeth]

The extra 1d6, while potentially helpful, is probably not an especially big boost once you get out of the Heroic tier.

Also, 2nd wind can be used outside of encounters at all. If you have the time to take advantage of it, go for it, but if your expecting hostilities to resume shortly, your better off just burning a few 2nd winds to recover.

END COMMUNICATION

Just to nitpick, this is incorrect. You can spend as many healing surges as you like in a short rest. Second Wind is an action you can take once per encounter--the two aren't synonymous, and there are situations where confusing them can create problems.

 

[Nifft]

Use of healing powers during rests is intended and encouraged; designers and custserv have said so many times.

Could you provide a cite of designers saying this? It seems like a cheesy tactic to me.

Thanks, -- N