D&D 5E Why are potions of healing so expensive?

[MichaelSomething]

I though people wanted magic that is rare and hard to obtain?

 

[tetrasodium]

I though people wanted magic that is rare and hard to obtain?

not everyone is a fan of the particular period of cultural stasis present between waterdeep & daggerford

 

[R_J_K75]

A healing potion is less herbal tincture, and more instant jolt of cocaine (for how it reacts, and how quickly it reacts, to the body taking it).

If that were the case the PC's would get through all of Undermountain in under 45 minutes.

 

[Eyes of Nine]

2d4+2 hp back for an action? Not sure that's a good trade for anyone 5th level or higher

 

[Umbran]

2d4+2 hp back for an action? Not sure that's a good trade for anyone 5th level or higher

Which is why greater potions of healing exist...

 

[tetrasodium]

2d4+2 hp back for an action? Not sure that's a good trade for anyone 5th level or higher

not really. I tried improving on it with

Spoiler: these potions

[/spoiler ]
and my players despite an ungodly amount of them I don't think anyone ever used them in combat when they could go down->wackamole healing word->wait till end of fight & drink. The cost of bringing someone up & benefit of nullifying everything beyond zero is too great to bother.

 

[Eyes of Nine]

Indeed. But Potions of greater than basic healing aren't ones you can buy for 50gp per the PHB. They are ones you have to find; or if you can purchase them, they are much more expensive.

Which is why greater potions of healing exist...

 

[tetrasodium]

Indeed. But Potions of greater than basic healing aren't ones you can buy for 50gp per the PHB. They are ones you have to find; or if you can purchase them, they are much more expensive.

Yea but none of those will nullify all but d4+MOD damage from an attack made by anything up to these. It's not just the low cost, there's a perverse disincentive involved with moving away from yoyo healing. Over the course of that campaign I tried moving from he 2hd ones to the more powerful ones tossed in as loot & they only got used out of combat

 

[Umbran]

Indeed. But Potions of greater than basic healing aren't ones you can buy for 50gp per the PHB. They are ones you have to find; or if you can purchase them, they are much more expensive.

Yes. But when you ask about pricing, looking at the spectrum of effectiveness and cost is likely to be informative, no?

 

[Eyes of Nine]

Yea but none of those will nullify all but d4+MOD damage from an attack made by anything up to these. It's not just the low cost, there's a perverse disincentive involved with moving away from yoyo healing. Over the course of that campaign I tried moving from he 2hd ones to the more powerful ones tossed in as loot & they only got used out of combat

Yeah, exactly I think we are on the same page. Only time a healing potion is used is if someone is at 0; and your cleric is out of heals or has a better spell to cast and someone else is next to the downed PC. And sometimes, it's better to let the downed PC make some death saves as you try to wipe out the enemies (situational; as the downed PC is no doubt also a source of damage too)