D&D 5E Refusing To Heal Party Members?

[Mouseferatu]

I did heal the players last night but ran out very very fast compounded by certain players being outright moronic because it is "fun and "roleplaying". LG type being played as CN and more like chaotic stupid.

So, um... You didn't ask for this kind of advice, so I won't harp on it. But I just have to say, it sounds like the conflicts in the group are due to a mismatch in player styles and expectations, not in-character disagreements. Just something to consider.

 

[Ahrimon]

I wonder what would happen if the party decides that they want to replace your character with another Cleric from a church that they worship rather then paying a heretic a tithe?

I'll concede that it could have happened. But it's no further of a stretch than any character not fitting in. How many times have we (general we) had that character that just didn't fit in yet we all make those leaps of character logic to fit everyone in? Unfortunately, not all of us live in gaming nirvana and have to deal with a player or group that causes issues. However if they had been insistent I would have either dropped the request for tithes or if they really wanted me to play a different character I would have. I have always had enough character ideas that I wasn't short of a replacement.

It worked though. After a few sessions the other players realized that the cleric was not their personal heal servant and from then on anyone playing a cleric didn't have to worry about being treated as a second rate character and I stopped asking.

I did get a chuckle at some of the outrage in this thread. Folks acted like I was some sort of evil machiavellian overloard hording my healing over the other players heads. In character I asked them for donations to the church equating to, if I remember right, 3gp per spell level for cure spells only. Some of the players balked at first, others went along with it without question. There was never a heal with held from the other characters, just that a small tithe was required after the adventure. And like I said above, after a few sessions they came to realize that they've always forced a heal-bot onto one player and taken it for granted. It made the group a better group of friends and a better group of players.

Edit: I didn't quite answer your question. I'm not sure what I would have done had they insisted on a cleric from another religion. I'd say that falls firmly into the ridiculous request category for me. That would d be like the cleric of Torm insisting that the Paladin also worship Torm because his cleric wouldn't adventure with a heretic from another god. Or like the group insisting that the fighter be S&B because they want a more defensive fighter. Or the wizard has to be an evoker because the other players want a blaster.

 

[Jacob Marley]

That's fine as long as you realize when you refuse to use your ability to help the party you open the door for others to do the same like my example

What does "help the party" mean? That's the crux of the issue. Is it better to expend a limited resource now or conserve it for later? Is it better to expend a limited resource on Character A or Character B? There isn't a right or wrong answer to these questions. As a player, I am constantly evaluating the situation, making judgements, anticipating my companions actions, anticipating the DM's reactions, and I am trying to do all this from the point-of-view of a fictional character. I play D&D with people who understand that the decision-making process is complex. Our social contract includes an understanding that other player's may, from time-to-time, make decisions that we initially disagree with. However, we understand that those decisions are being made from a sincere desire to enhance the quality of the game.

 

[GMforPowergamers]

What does "help the party" mean? That's the crux of the issue. Is it better to expend a limited resource now or conserve it for later? Is it better to expend a limited resource on Character A or Character B? There isn't a right or wrong answer to these questions. As a player, I am constantly evaluating the situation, making judgements, anticipating my companions actions, anticipating the DM's reactions, and I am trying to do all this from the point-of-view of a fictional character. I play D&D with people who understand that the decision-making process is complex. Our social contract includes an understanding that other player's may, from time-to-time, make decisions that we initially disagree with. However, we understand that those decisions are being made from a sincere desire to enhance the quality of the game.

none of that is what we are talking about though... if you say "I charge for healing spells" you have made a choice to not expend your resource without being paid... that opens the door for others to do the same. At witch point you HAVE to accept that now we are not adventureing togather and working togather but charging for our own unquie abilities...

 

[Ranes]

One could make the argument Jesus is a high level cleric in D&D terms.

Yeah but you know what they say. Jesus saves. Everyone else takes full damage.

 

[DMCF]

Healing is fun in MMO's where you can draw agro and can be just as fun if you draw agro for healing in D&D.

Clerics come to my table and states "I'm not a healer".

I say "OK Cool".

If the party complains I tell them "He's a holy servant. That doesn't mean he's been granted the power to heal you heathens. Just like you use d4 daggers instead of d8 scimitars because you've got tiny hands!"

 

[Lanefan]

Yeah but you know what they say. Jesus saves. Everyone else takes full damage.

Or the Canadian version:

Jesus saves...and Gretzky scores on the rebound!

Lanefan

 

[transtemporal]

Now I do not refuse to heal them because I am being a asshat but it is more pragmatic. I give them 1hp for example to stop them bleeding out if reduced to 0hp. Its just that if if I go down no one else has any form of healing to bring me up to conscious again. I have a cure spell prepared as well but that is more of a to heal myself since i have a grand total of 3 spell slots and prefer to use them for other things (smite, bless, and shield of faith).

Heh this sounds like a rehash from the DnD Online forums "clerics are better off using spellpoints offensively rather than healing" which was largely true (except in raids).

For PnP, there are no penalties until you get to zero anyway so its better to attack unless its an absolute emergency. If people are whining because they're not at max HP all the time then screw em, basically.

 

[Zardnaar]

Heh this sounds like a rehash from the DnD Online forums "clerics are better off using spellpoints offensively rather than healing" which was largely true (except in raids).

For PnP, there are no penalties until you get to zero anyway so its better to attack unless its an absolute emergency. If people are whining because they're not at max HP all the time then screw em, basically.

Well none of them decided to take the healing feat or some sort of healing magic. 3 arcanists in the party tends to do that.

 

[Lanefan]

Well none of them decided to take the healing feat or some sort of healing magic. 3 arcanists in the party tends to do that.

Why oh why haven't you hauled their butts back to town and refused to leave until they (including you) spend some pooled party funds to hire an adventuring healer as an NPC party member???

Lan-"a tactic also known as rent-a-Cleric"-efan