Clerics can't heal (NPCs)?

[Mr. Patient]

Oh, man. That phrase is like fingernails on a chalkboard.
'The PCs are special cuz we said so' is still one of the biggest stumbling blocks I have with 4e.

I don't know, I think that assumption might make it easier to build a coherent game world (I'm thinking of things like the rule that only those who have a special destiny or whatnot can be raised). It allows me to keep most of the world operating in a basically familiar and predictable fashion while letting the PCs do amazing things.

And to be fair, 3e PCs were already special relative to NPCs in a pretty important area: their equipment.

 

[Jack99]

The way I read it is that you use a healing surge AND heal 1d6+4. If you don't use a healing surge, you don't get the additional 1d6+4.

I must admit that it seems that I am in a minority on how to interpret the wording of the spell. But do admit that my way of reading it would solve the whole healing regarding NPCs with no healing surges. Although it does seem from Chris' post that all have at least some.

Cheers,

 

[HeinorNY]

And to be fair, 3e PCs were already special relative to NPCs in a pretty important area: their equipment.

They also had access to better classes.
Nothing really changed since 3E.
"PCs are (still) extraordinary heroes of great destiny"

 

[Bayonet_Chris]

4Elephant

What's with that fecenation of yours?

It's a reference to an earlier post in the thread.

 

[Revinor]

I must admit that it seems that I am in a minority on how to interpret the wording of the spell. But do admit that my way of reading it would solve the whole healing regarding NPCs with no healing surges.

If you don't need healing surges, it means that cleric can heal people fully between encounters after they have used all healing surges for the day. I doubt it, as healing surges seems main limiting factor for number of encounters per day and this ability would allow to extend it into infinity (at the cost of not being able to use second wind during encounter).

 

[Fallen Seraph]

They also had access to better classes.
Nothing really changed since 3E.
"PCs are (still) extraordinary heroes of great destiny"

As well as the simple fact that they are the only people in the world not following a DMs-script. Everyone else, DM-controls only PCs being obviously controlled by players can step outside this.

So by this simple fact they are already special by being the ones that choose to influence the world, and work outside the world's script. So in-game reasoning would mean there has to be something unique about them.

 

[mach1.9pants]

The way I read it is that you use a healing surge AND heal 1d6+4. If you don't use a healing surge, you don't get the additional 1d6+4.

[OffTopic]This is what I am most worried about with 4E. The power descriptions are neat and short. Easily put on a card or character sheet.
However wording something that is that short so there is little or no ambiguity in a game as complex as DnD will be very hard. I really hope that the rest of the rules will have enough info to stop lots of disagreement about powers etc. With about half of the powers released by WotC we have had discussions on this board about the wording and exact effect of that power.
Now this is probably 'cos of 2 things: 1. We don't have the full rules to fill in the ambiguity gaps and 2. ENWorlders are a bunch of nit-picking rules lawyers! (or, at least, deeply versed in the ways of RPGs; enough to pick holes in anything )[/OffTopic]

 

[Fallen Seraph]

I think too, to make rules clearer WoTC should have a nice clear and precise, Lexicon in the PHB/DMG/(perhaps MM too for specific monster things).

This way, all you need to do if you don't understand something, is flip to Lexicon, look up word see what it means, your done.

 

[Jack99]

If you don't need healing surges, it means that cleric can heal people fully between encounters after they have used all healing surges for the day. I doubt it, as healing surges seems main limiting factor for number of encounters per day and this ability would allow to extend it into infinity (at the cost of not being able to use second wind during encounter).

You are indeed right.

 

[Khur]

Oh, man. That phrase is like fingernails on a chalkboard.
'The PCs are special cuz we said so' is still one of the biggest stumbling blocks I have with 4e.

Do you have a problem with the fact that we openly state it, or that it's true? If the former, that seems strange. If the latter, I'd guess you're not much of a fan of any heroic-scale RPG. All of them have this aspect, even if they don't come right out and say it. The D&D game has had it since very early on, so it's certainly not a departure for it to still be true.

The number is very easy to remember? I'm guessing that the number is "1."

Close, but no healing surge for you.

The way I read it is that you use a healing surge AND heal 1d6+4. If you don't use a healing surge, you don't get the additional 1d6+4.

This.

And to be fair, 3e PCs were already special relative to NPCs in a pretty important area: their equipment.

AND

"PCs are (still) extraordinary heroes of great destiny"

QFT.

[OffTopic]This is what I am most worried about with 4E. The power descriptions are neat and short. Easily put on a card or character sheet.
However wording something that is that short so there is little or no ambiguity in a game as complex as DnD will be very hard. I really hope that the rest of the rules will have enough info to stop lots of disagreement about powers etc. With about half of the powers released by WotC we have had discussions on this board about the wording and exact effect of that power.
Now this is probably 'cos of 2 things: 1. We don't have the full rules to fill in the ambiguity gaps and 2. ENWorlders are a bunch of nit-picking rules lawyers! (or, at least, deeply versed in the ways of RPGs; enough to pick holes in anything ) [/OffTopic]

I'd add a third and fourth I discovered when working on Rules Compendium:

3) Additive misinterpretation of a clear rule. That is, adding something to the rule that's clearly not there. This is very common.

4) Willful misinterpretation of a clear rule. Much rarer, but it happens.

I'd say healing word is clear—you can spend a healing surge and regain an additional 1d6 hit points. Choose not to spend a healing surge, and you regain no additional hit points. You'd have to be regaining some hit points to be regaining any additional ones.