UngeheuerLich
Legend
Healing being less efficient than damage is a feature, not a bug.
I have seen a lot of posts that talk about Clerics being healers and I have played at a few tables (not many) where players expected Clerics to be healers.
Personally, my PCs are never really healers per se. I will pick up healing word and aid for bringing back downed party members during combat in a pinch, and I will keep revify on hand as long as the party pitches in for the diamond. But I am not going to top you up between combats because that is generally not the character I like to play and I am generally not spending my spell slots on your healing. That is what your gold is for - to spend on potions for this.
It is totally cool if that is the cleric you want to play, but I really don't like the trope/stereotype that seems to exist saying that is the only way to play a Cleric or that you are not a team player if you don't play a Cleric as a healer. I am just wondering how common or uncommon it is, how Clerics are played at your tables and what other players expect.
I'd have some choice profanities for anyone who told me I wasnt a team player and I have to play a healing cleric. I miss the 2E cleric sphere mechanic. IIRC if you played a cleric/specialty priest of a specific deity there were some spheres you could not take, and in some cases you didnt even have access to healing magic as I dont recall them being in a universal sphere. the (3) 2E FR deity books were a good examples of this if you played a specialty priest.but I really don't like the trope/stereotype that seems to exist saying that is the only way to play a Cleric or that you are not a team player if you don't play a Cleric as a healer.
Its not 'spending slots on YOUR healing' any more than the Fighter is 'wasting' his Action Surge killing a monster before it kills you.
It's a teamwork game, where the players help each other to achieve a common goal. Healing and buffing your allies is part of the role of the Cleric (other classes as well, but it's the Clerics main schtick).
Healing the Fighter benefits the party as a whole (of which, you're a member) to achieve a common goal of the lot of you, just like buffing him with Bless does.
I guess you can play it where it's every man or woman for himself, but that's not the sort of game I would find partiuclarly compelling to play in. Even my Evil campaigns I've played in featured teamwork (undermined by the occasional bit of backstabbing of course!).
Might be how one looks at the role. A cleric of Ares, while likely a warrior who fights in the front line, may also believe that keeping his side of the fight in the fight is more important than him fighting. If he can keep 10 soldiers fighting, then the force multiple is greater than just himself and maybe a bonus action heal to bring someone back.How much healing would a cleric of Ares do? Zeus?
Its not 'spending slots on YOUR healing' any more than the Fighter is 'wasting' his Action Surge killing a monster before it kills you.
It's a teamwork game, where the players help each other to achieve a common goal. Healing and buffing your allies is part of the role of the Cleric (other classes as well, but it's the Clerics main schtick).
Healing the Fighter benefits the party as a whole (of which, you're a member) to achieve a common goal of the lot of you, just like buffing him with Bless does.
I guess you can play it where it's every man or woman for himself, but that's not the sort of game I would find partiuclarly compelling to play in. Even my Evil campaigns I've played in featured teamwork (undermined by the occasional bit of backstabbing of course!).
I think what this highlights is there are several ways to play a cleric. And if we are talking about alignment, might there be someMight be how one looks at the role. A cleric of Ares, while likely a warrior who fights in the front line, may also believe that keeping his side of the fight in the fight is more important than him fighting. If he can keep 10 soldiers fighting, then the force multiple is greater than just himself and maybe a bonus action heal to bring someone back.
Can he be just a fighting man that waits until after the battle to see if anyone still remains alive before granting them some healing to keep them alive? Sure, that is another way to play him and it might work fine. Trying to discern the objectives of the gods is like trying to have a discussion on alignment.