Which monsters allow allies to spend a healing surge?

[NewJeffCT]

I tried searching through the online and offline monster builders, but couldn't find a way to filter on a power that allowed a monster, or a monster's allies, to spend a healing surge?

I know there aren't many that can do that, but I thought there were a few?

Can anybody help me out?

Thanks

 

[(Psi)SeveredHead]

I think none do!

You could do a search for the healing keyword though.

There are monsters that can heal allies, usually 1/encounter, and usually a fixed amount that's probably roughly equivalent to the monster's healing surge value. The dwarf sun priest in the Dark Sun Creature Catalog can heal allies, along with the Jorasco halfling healer in the Eberron Campaign Guide. I don't believe these abilities actually use up healing surges though.

Also, in the DMG1 there's a few NPCs based on classes, using some out-of-date rules, and I think one is a cleric of Tiamat or something like that. Said NPC might have Healing Word.

 

[Tequila Sunrise]

I haven't noticed any, and frankly, I'd suggest ignoring those that may exist. Monsters using surges is the definition of grind.

 

[NewJeffCT]

thanks - I know most orcs have the Warrior's Surge when bloodied. I'm sure there are a few others that are similar. However, most monster healing seems rather limited - other than the orc's surge, most are kind of wimpy - heal 3, 5 or 8 hit points or temp hit points or something like that.

 

[NewJeffCT]

I haven't noticed any, and frankly, I'd suggest ignoring those that may exist. Monsters using surges is the definition of grind.

Frankly, I've been DMing 4E for a year and a half now and I've been amazed at how much quicker battles run in 4E when compared to 3.5E.

 

[(Psi)SeveredHead]

thanks - I know most orcs have the Warrior's Surge when bloodied. I'm sure there are a few others that are similar. However, most monster healing seems rather limited - other than the orc's surge, most are kind of wimpy - heal 3, 5 or 8 hit points or temp hit points or something like that.

Now I remember, warforged monsters (I don't know about PCs) seem to give themselves temp hp = healing surge value, and the Lord of Blades (an elite) can heal some (either his surge value or half that) in addition to gaining temp hp.

Most "modern" orcs get Savage Demise instead, gaining a standard action on death. Presumably the change was made in order to avoid the grind of Warrior's Surge. I've not seen any MM3+ warforged treatments.

Random note: Just wondered about a regular monster healing a solo. A solo's healing surge value is worth 4 times as much. Best to use a "set" number of hit points, like a healing potion.

 

[RangerWickett]

There's a doctor in ZEITGEIST's second adventure who can heal his allies. It's thematic, but I wouldn't do it often because yes, it makes combat take longer.

 

[NewJeffCT]

There's a doctor in ZEITGEIST's second adventure who can heal his allies. It's thematic, but I wouldn't do it often because yes, it makes combat take longer.

Zeitgeist looks tempting, but I'd need to TPK my current party in order to get to it any time soon.

And, I guess if I wanted to heal up some bad guys, I'd need to build an evil NPC cleric.

 

[Mengu]

If you want a monster to have the ability to heal its allies, you give it to them. Done. Now there are 4689 monsters that can do it.

I don't particularly see the point in looking for a monster that can do X, Y, or Z. You're the one designing the encounter, you get to decide what's appropriate. Say you're making an encounter with an evil artificer and his elite guardian golem. But you think the party will do a lot of damage to the golem and it won't pose a big enough threat. As one counter measure, you could give the artificer a power to let the golem spend a surge. You use it if the need arises. If you were wrong and the party is having difficulty beating the golem, and the fight is dragging on, you could decide not to use the power.

I did something similar in a fight against some dwarves. I had given one of the dwarves the ability to second wind as a minor. It seemed the fight was coming to a natural conclusion, and I didn't see point in his using his second wind, surrender was just the easier option, so that's what I did, and the ability went unused. This is why there is a human behind the DM screen. Monsters that can heal are fine. They don't necessarily increase grind. They increase the DM's options.

 

[NewJeffCT]

Good point... I can just give it to a monster.