D&D (2024) Should healing word require hit dice?

[Umbran]

... and eventually the Rogue managed to exceed that and had to spend the rest of the combat face down instead of murdering people ...

I want to note that I find this turn of phrase highly amusing. That is all.

 

[mellored]

Well, that's an interesting breakdown.
Ten castings of Healing Word will take up a 10th level cleric's 1st, 2nd, and 3rd level spells for the day.
So, for the "big spell" you have three 4th level slots, and two 5th level. So, you're talking at best five encounters a day, and the cleric gets to cast one spell, and healing word, and cantrips, and that's it.

I question the theorycraft here, because it is focusing on what the numbers technically allow, instead of what players do. Who, playing a cleric, chooses this pattern in actual play?

I've seen plenty of clerics use all their first and second slots on healing word, and then mass healing word at 3+. With their concentration being spirit guardian.

The only real competition is spiritual weapon. Since that is also a bonus action.

I mean. What other combat spell would you use your low level slots for?

 

[Umbran]

I mean. What other combat spell would you use your low level slots for?

I've had players use Hold Person and Blindness to great effect. Guiding Bolt sees some significant action to give someone else advantage in the round, Sanctuary gets cast to protect folks who aren't combatants, or who they want to get across the battle field with minimal damage.

I mean, I've had clerics at my table who were not built to primarily be healers, so Healing Word is really not their go-to.

 

[GMforPowergamers]

Well, that's an interesting breakdown.
Ten castings of Healing Word will take up a 10th level cleric's 1st, 2nd, and 3rd level spells for the day.
So, for the "big spell" you have three 4th level slots, and two 5th level. So, you're talking at best five encounters a day, and the cleric gets to cast one spell, and healing word, and cantrips, and that's it.

I question the theorycraft here, because it is focusing on what the numbers technically allow, instead of what players do. Who, playing a cleric, chooses this pattern in actual play?

yeah I would focus more on the 3 or 4 1st level spells and MAYBE 1 up, but over that is really not working

 

[mellored]

I've had players use Hold Person and Blindness to great effect. Guiding Bolt sees some significant action to give someone else advantage in the round, Sanctuary gets cast to protect folks who aren't combatants, or who they want to get across the battle field with minimal damage.

I mean, I've had clerics at my table who were not built to primarily be healers, so Healing Word is really not their go-to.

My players don't like the all or nothing spells. Sanctuary had been used, but it's fairly rare.

And I wouldn't say using spirit guardian is a primary healer. They wade into combat, use thorn whip to pull people into the aura for plenty of damage, and then the rest of the party shoves everyone close too.

 

[Olrox17]

My players don't like the all or nothing spells. Sanctuary had been used, but it's fairly rare.

And I wouldn't say using spirit guardian is a primary healer. They wade into combat, use thorn whip to pull people into the aura for plenty of damage, and then the rest of the party shoves everyone close too.

Off topic: I really hope they nerf the heck out of spirit guardians.

 

[Umbran]

And I wouldn't say using spirit guardian is a primary healer.

I wasn't claiming it was. I was saying that, not taking a primary healer role, those characters are not interested in limiting their lower-level spell use to healing.

 

[Neonchameleon]

I don't think healing should require hit dice. I hated the element of healing surges in 4e where the external resource (potion, power, whatever) used and were limited by the target's own resources. They were using external resources - they should bring their own benefit above and beyond what's inherent to the PC.
I'd do like allowing healing spells to be supplemented by hit dice - maybe allowing a PC to expend one or more hit dice (perhaps 1 per spell level?) for further healing.

And some healing in 4e worked the way you want. For example Cure Wounds. I like the approach that most healing relies on the resources of the healed which they would normally take longer to tap - and some doesn't.

 

[Clint_L]

Off topic: I really hope they nerf the heck out of spirit guardians.

In the playtest so far they are changing spiritual weapon so that it can't be used in conjunction with spirit guardians, which at least nerfs the most egregious combo.

 

[Clint_L]

Well, that's an interesting breakdown.
Ten castings of Healing Word will take up a 10th level cleric's 1st, 2nd, and 3rd level spells for the day.
So, for the "big spell" you have three 4th level slots, and two 5th level. So, you're talking at best five encounters a day, and the cleric gets to cast one spell, and healing word, and cantrips, and that's it.

I question the theorycraft here, because it is focusing on what the numbers technically allow, instead of what players do. Who, playing a cleric, chooses this pattern in actual play?

Any spell caster who has to. It's probably not what they plan on, but the point is that they have the option, in a pinch. I think we've all seen those types of fights.

Plus I think the trend is towards fewer encounters per day, and encounters in general only last a few rounds. Typically if someone is going to 0 HP it is well into the fight, so picking them up once more often than not gets them through the battle. And if it doesn't...you just pick them up again. Given the ease of use, it's kind of a get out of jail free card. A very viable strategy for clerics is to cast spirit guardians, wade into battle while attacking with their action, and always have the healing word option available as needed.

Also, healing word is very widely available. We're not just talking about clerics. Bards, in particular, use it a ton, and they look to be getting a second version of it that can be used as a reaction.