D&D 5E Backup Healz

[Fauchard1520]

I love that 5e has healing on a short rest. I love that that you don't technically need a "dedicated healer" to function. Even so, I like to make sure that all of my characters have a minor healing option for RP purposes. I'm talking about those moments where you're rescuing civilians from the site of a crashed airship, heading out on a solo adventure in enemy territory, or the last gamer standing in a battlefield full of toppled minis. It pays to be able to get your buddies up after the near-TPK!

My question to the board is this: Aside from basic potions, what are my best options for backup healz?

(Comic for illustrative purposes.)

 

[aco175]

After everyone has a potion for emergency use, there is the secondary healer in the party. We used to make sure people carried wands, but in 5e it tends to be a caster like a ranger or bard as the back-up.

 

[Shiroiken]

Generally speaking, a group of 5 PCs works best with a secondary healer. Our current group had the issue of our Cleric going down, but making his Death Save with a 20. Upon leveling, one of our wizard multi-classed into Artificer to pickup some secondary healing options. She doesn't plan on using it, but she wants to make sure we can get the Cleric back up if we need to. I've found Paladin to be the best for this, since not only do they have Lay on Hands, but they can prepare Cure Wounds with no desire to actually cast it. Ranger can do the same. Path of Mercy Monk and Divine Soul Sorcerer are good options as well.

 

[RoughCoronet0]

There are also the Healer feat which can allow someone with a Healer’s Kit to bring a dying person to 1 hp, and also allows for small amounts of healing to be done.

 

[GMforPowergamers]

We have a 4person game where we are all artificer (one multi into cleric) and our alchemist has the healer's kit... we have so much healing we don't know what to do with it.

 

[Audiomancer]

Lots of classes have access to Cure Wounds and/or Healing Word: Bard, Cleric, Druid, Paladin, Ranger (and Artificer, I think). So a one-level in any of those classes by any PC gives the party a secondary healer. That’s useful if the Cleric is down, or too far away to help.

The Healer feat is already mentioned.

Paladins get Lay on Hands for healing. Rangers can pick the Goodberry spell.

And the Magic Initiate Feat gets you a 1st level Bard, Cleric or Druid spell. But that’s only one use per day.

IOW, there are multiple ways for other characters to contribute to healing. Some are more effective than others.

 

[Brotton Goodfellow]

As an action spend a hit die and regain temp HP equal to the roll until the end of the encounter. Outside of combat, use a healers kit, roll a hit die. Instead of burning the use of a hit die, the healers kit is used up (I house rule healers kits only have one use).

 

[Fauchard1520]

There are also the Healer feat which can allow someone with a Healer’s Kit to bring a dying person to 1 hp, and also allows for small amounts of healing to be done.

Do people actually take that in practice? It always seemed like a waste of an ASI to me.

 

[GMforPowergamers]

Do people actually take that in practice? It always seemed like a waste of an ASI to me.

we have 2 or 3 diffrent times had players with it.. the +level healing is a great help

 

[RoughCoronet0]

Do people actually take that in practice? It always seemed like a waste of an ASI to me.

We have had players over the years take Healer and use it to great effect.