Does D&D require healing magic? And is that a good thing?

[Nifft]

The solution is obvious: everyone should play a troll. No more need for healing magic, and even limb loss will be recovered, so it's forward-compatible with new mechanics (like, say, limb loss).

Cheers, -- N

 

[Mark Chance]

If there's not some sort of mechanic - be it herbs, potions, spells, whatever - to speed healing the "excitement" level drops considerably; entire sessions would consist of waiting for days on end to recover hit points and hoping nothing hostile drops by in the meantime....

Only if you're playing in something approaching real-time. Otherwise, "You rest in camp for two days, nursing your injuries. On the third day, as the sun rises...."

 

[Bad Paper]

so I did a quick skim of this thread, and I'm still confused.

Can someone point me to a single usage of healing magic in Lord of the Rings?

I don't think Frodo's convalescence in Rivendell counts, because whatever healing took place happened "off stage." The only cleric I can think of was maybe the regent in, uh, the name of the city escapes me. And I doubt that guy was terribly high-level.

Or perhaps Emirikol is being cheeky, and that's OK. D&D's reliance on healing magic and clerics irritates the hell out of me, and maybe that puts me in Emirikol's camp. Clerics are great flavor...if they have half as many spells, no armor, and are generally the frail non-adventuring types. Tolkien is the reason I was drawn toward D&D in the first place, and the idiotic prominence of cleric-and-healing reliance is one of those proud nails I desperately want to pound down.

When the revolution comes, clerics will be first against the wall.

 

[Mortellan]

I know in games I DM, the players fanatically rush on into every combat...unless the cleric is laid out or is out of healing spells. That says alot. But really anyone can be their own medic. Paladins have lay on of hands, rogues can Use Magic Device on healing wands and so forth. As a sidebar, I use the crit rules from the Dragon Magazine Compendium. Those injuries must be healed naturally.

 

[Emirikol]

The solution is obvious: everyone should play a troll. No more need for healing magic, and even limb loss will be recovered, so it's forward-compatible with new mechanics (like, say, limb loss).Cheers, -- N

But "roleplaying" a troll is difficult. ;0

Grunt, sniff, chew
[repeat]

jh

 

[Mortellan]

so I did a quick skim of this thread, and I'm still confused.

Can someone point me to a single usage of healing magic in Lord of the Rings?

That was Elrond, who is notable as a healer and yes never displayed any of that 'in game play' since to the story he is essentially an NPC. Gandalf gets divine intevention to ressurect him, once again 'off screen'. Everyone else gets beat up and bruised normally with little more than bandages to help AFAIK.

 

[Emirikol]

Can someone point me to a single usage of healing magic in Lord of the Rings? Or perhaps Emirikol is being cheeky, and that's OK. D&D's reliance on healing magic and clerics irritates the hell out of me, and maybe that puts me in Emirikol's camp. the idiotic prominence of cleric-and-healing reliance is one of those proud nails I desperately want to pound down. When the revolution comes, clerics will be first against the wall.

All I can think of is the movie where the elf rides away with the hobbit across the river, with the black riders on their tails (do elves have tails?). Doesn't she do some necromancy there to keep him alive?

I'm telling you though, by giving out MORE access to healing potions, I have solved the Cleric-As-Healer mentality of my players..well, that and another house rule..that makes all magic arcane... Can you believe that I advocated MORE access to a magic item after all the arguing that I did that there's too much magic item dependence in D&D already? Well, maybe some of you are rubbing off on me (eeeew..powergamer germs [just kidding]

jh

 

[Emirikol]

Everyone else gets beat up and bruised normally with little more than bandages to help AFAIK.

Is that just because they're just such high level?

I also like to use the conan comparisons...there you either die (if you're not conan) or you havent' been injured. There seems to be no healing in the Conan stories.

jh

 

[Mortellan]

I also like to use the conan comparisons...there you either die (if you're not conan) or you havent' been injured. There seems to be no healing in the Conan stories.

jh

Probably. I do know in the Conan -movie- he was taken to death's door when he was on the Tree of Woe and the oriental spellcaster had to heal/res him, requiring quite a bit of time, inscribing runes and whatnot.

 

[Piratecat]

Can someone point me to a single usage of healing magic in Lord of the Rings?

In the houses of healing in Return of the King, Aragorn uses athelas to bring Eowyn back. That's the most memorable example, I think. It's hardly ubiquitous.