A different kind of healing

[nobodez]

I've recently been exposed to new ideas for healing damage in D&D, mainly the Absolver ( http://www.enworld.org/forums/showthread.php?t=176343 ).

So, I came up with a new batch of spells based on that model, included is my first take, Absolve Minor Wounds.

Absolve Minor Wounds
Transmutation
Level: Clr 0, Drd 0, Hlr 0
Component: V, S
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Touch
Target: Living creature touched
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw: None
Spell Resistance: No

When laying your hand upon a living creature, you channel positive energy that cures 1d8 points of lethal damage, and take non-lethal damage equal to half (round down, minimum 1) the lethal damage cured. This spell has no effect on creatures immune to non-lethal damage.

So, what do you think?

 

[airwalkrr]

Meh. I could take it or leave it. Personally, it does not have enough utility for me in combat, and it has too much utility outside of combat.

 

[Thondor]

Yeah but who really cares about outside of combat anyway? The only problem is when characters do have the oportunity to rest, between a series of combats.

It's interesting. Have you thought of the possibility of transfering the damage to other willing recepients?

I'd call it Absorb minor wounds.

For a long time I've been explaining druids healing magic as requiring the life energy of plants to fuel them. A curelight spell would turn a small patch of grass brown, or take some leaves of a tree. This fits well. Makes me wonder if I should restructure the whole healing thing though.

Not quite sure it's really a 0th level spell though. maybe it should just be 1d4 healing? I had a healing slave once that simply turned lethal to non-lethal damage. I thought it was pretty powerful actually.

 

[nobodez]

Well, I was thinking that since it does 1d8 healing, and deals half that in nonlethal, in effect it does half of 1d8 healing before unconsciousness. Plus, the higher level versions are all straight d8s, no bonus from level.

Absolve Light Wounds (Clr 1, Drd 1, Hlr 1, Pal 1, Rgr 2): 2d8 lethal (half dealt as NL)
Absolve Moderate Wounds: 3d8 lethal (half dealt as NL)
etc.

it's sort of a different kind of healing, and really would be more appropriate in a "per encounter" spell system then a "per day" spell system.

 

[CRGreathouse]

On a roll of 1, it converts 1 point of lethal damage to nonlethal.
On a roll of 2, it heals 1 point and converts 1 point.
On a higher roll, it heals at least 2 points and converts at least 1 point.

It's better than cure minor wounds, to be sure.

 

[nobodez]

Well, how's this:

Absolve Wounds, Lesser
Transmutation
Level: Clr 1, Drd 1, Hlr 1, Pal 1, Rgr 2
Components: V,S,DF
Casting Time: 1 Standard action
Range: Touch
Target: One living creature touched
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw: None
Spell Resistance: No

When laying your hand upon a living creature, you channel positive energy that cures 1d4 points of lethal damage per caster level (max 5d4), and deals non-lethal damage equal to half (round up, minimum 1) the lethal damage cured. This spell has no effect on creatures immune to non-lethal damage.

Absolve Wounds (Clr 3, Drd 3, Hlr 3) 1d6/level (max 10d6)
Absolve Wounds, Greater (Clr 5, Drd 5, Hlr 5) 1d8/lvl (max 15d8)
Absolve Wounds, Mass (Clr 5, Drd 5, Hlr 5) 1d6/lvl (max 15d6) 1 target/lvl (w/in 30 ft)

 

[Bladesong]

I believe Arcana Unearthed has healing spells similar to this except that the caster takes on the non-lethal damage.
You may wish to consider keeping the dice types the same throughout (i.e. either all d4, d6 or d8) to prevent any possibility of confusion. Currently I am trying to reduce rolling dice and set healing spells so that players know exactly what they will be getting, so I would either change these spells to be "cures 5 points of lethal damage per caster level (max 25)" using the last spell you mentioned, or just give them a set total such as the 1st level spell cures 25 points converting them to 12 non-lethal, the 3rd level spell cures 50 points converting them to 25 non-lethal, and so on. Of course you cannot heal past your regular maximum hit points.
In any case I say go with it. You like them, they do not appear to be unbalancing, and they have some "flavor" to them.

Have fun.

 

[Thondor]

I would limit all the spells to 1 d4/d6/d8 per 2 levels. I think it's overpowered if you don't and while there are drawbacks to the spell ... it just doesn't make up for it's potency. - You also don't want to be depriving yourself of that many hit points.

Especially with the Greater spells, without this change you'd be starting with 9d8 healing. With the possibility of having half your hitpoints converted to non-leathal. That would be a rather high chance of passing out and you'd only ever be able to cast 2 in combat - assuming decent roles and that your character gets attacked.

Scale it down.

my 6 cents

 

[Shadeus]

Well, here's another rub on this. Let's say you have 10 hit points and 8 wounds. You cast this spell and covert 6 hp damage to 3 hp non-lethal. So you have 2 wounds and 3 nonlethal wounds. Any cure spell that cures 3 points of damage cures both lethal and non-lethal. So are are essentially curing double the amount.

 

[Bladesong]

Well, here's another rub on this. Let's say you have 10 hit points and 8 wounds. You cast this spell and covert 6 hp damage to 3 hp non-lethal. So you have 2 wounds and 3 nonlethal wounds. Any cure spell that cures 3 points of damage cures both lethal and non-lethal. So are are essentially curing double the amount.

I believe it is implied that these spells would NOT cure lethal and non-lethal damage. You have to "forget" what you know about existing spells; he is reinventing them. It is not so much actually curing as it is reducing the severity and allowing you to heal quicker naturally.
In other words the spell ONLY converts lethal to non-lethal.