D&D 5E Make Cleric Healing a Minor Action

[ren1999]

As in, the Cleric can heal either as a reaction out of turn or as part of the cleric's turn. Then during the turn, the cleric can assault. During the play-test, all the Cleric is doing is running around healing people and not helping to fight. It's not fun and the player isn't having fun. The cleric doesn't have the best armor, weapons or spells compared to the other classes. Clerics should be given healing as a minor action.

 

[UngeheuerLich]

Did you read the "word of power" section? Right now, all their healing spells are minor action...
and they have the best armor too...

 

[Chris_Nightwing]

.. and some of them have the best weapons!

 

[ren1999]

I didn't! I see. So since healing spell/prayers are words of power, I can allow an attack with a weapon. But I can't allow Lance of Faith?

 

[Chris_Nightwing]

Correct, you can't double spellcast as it stands.

 

[kerleth]

Ironically, I specifically don't like the default "cure _____ wounds" spells as minor actions. I certainly do want clerics to have that ability. The image of a cleric bending over an ally and slowly knitting their wounds is very iconic, and should be representable in the mechanics (without just saying I waste my turn cause it looks cooler). These are also the spells granted by the god of healing, which is often one of the least likely to encourage their worshippers to rush into battle. Give me spells that heal and hit, heal an ally and buff them, heal my allies and harm my enemies. But also give me my iconic healing (Goldmoon from Dragonlance is one example). Just make them balanced.

Rather than just be contrary, here is an idea. Perhaps the "cure ______ wounds" spells could be specifically made to not be as useful in the midst of combat. But make them heal more. Perhaps give them a concentrate that lasts for a short time and some hp is healed every turn. That total amount would be higher than the "heal and strike" spell. Then both would have a niche and we could all be happy.

 

[ren1999]

Would it really kill any player to let the Cleric heal once at a range of 50 feet and then be allowed cast an assault spell such as Lance of Light? What if we had expertise dice for the healing and subjected it to a reaction out of turn or action?