D&D 5E Would You Give Your Party a Wand of Cure Light Wounds (limited charges)?
- Thread starter KarinsDad
- Start date
I am not against it but it is not my style. I would prefer to do a first aid skill / kit that speeds up recovery of HP.
I'm A Banana
Potassium-Rich
Probably not, for the same reason that HP-based healing doesn't occur as a cantrip - it wrecks the pacing I like to reliably be able to heal to full HP.
Arguably, tolerable if it somehow used up Hit Dice, but there we've got the specter of Healing Surges looming.
Arguably, tolerable if it somehow used up Hit Dice, but there we've got the specter of Healing Surges looming.
Yes.
There are plenty of ways to restore h.p already.
There are ways to get extra h.p restoration that might be considered tricks. Like expending spell slots on Goodberry before the party takes a long rest to have a sack full of berries that heal 1 h.p each and last until the next evening. Conjure Woodland beings to summon Dryads so they can cast Goodberry for your party. Stuff like this.
There are already magic items that allow for healing.
So my main concern about a wand of cure wounds isn't do I add it to my game because it is too powerful but do I add it to my game because compared to other options it is just boring.
There are plenty of ways to restore h.p already.
- Hit dice during short rest
- Full h.p recover after a long rest
- Class abilities, like second wind
- Healer feat to augment hit dice recovery during a short rest
- Spending spell slots on healing spells like cure wounds and healing word
There are ways to get extra h.p restoration that might be considered tricks. Like expending spell slots on Goodberry before the party takes a long rest to have a sack full of berries that heal 1 h.p each and last until the next evening. Conjure Woodland beings to summon Dryads so they can cast Goodberry for your party. Stuff like this.
There are already magic items that allow for healing.
- Potions of healing, that the characters can craft with herbalism kit proficiency or just bought
- Instrument of the bards- a few different ones
- Necklace of prayer beads, it could have 6 cure beads that renew each dawn.
- Staff of healing, a wand of cure wounds but better
So my main concern about a wand of cure wounds isn't do I add it to my game because it is too powerful but do I add it to my game because compared to other options it is just boring.
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jodyjohnson
Adventurer
I have my party heal to full with a short rest. No Wand needed and no HD needed.
We also have Lingering Wounds which time and magic are needed to heal.
We also have Lingering Wounds which time and magic are needed to heal.
ExploderWizard
Hero
I kind of already have. The party found a staff of healing in a treasure hoard. It has 10 charges and recharges some daily. Of course this is a party of 8 (now 7) characters without a dedicated cleric in it.
Leatherhead
Possibly a Idiot.
Technically, the spell Cure Light Wounds doesn't exist in 5e, so I would assume you are asking for a Wand of Cure Wounds.
Mechanically speaking, it would be entirely unlike the Wand of CLW of 3.X. With 7 charges max, recharging, attunement, scaling, etc. It's niche would be as a panic button, rather than a battery (a role filled by HD in 5e.) Given the rarity of other similar-power wands, it would be available at the same time a Staff of Healing is. And toning down the wand, so it could be more common, would give it less impact than a Potion of Healing.
I see no point in it. We already have the various Potions of Healing and the Staff of Healing to fill the same niche. If a player really wanted a wand, I would be tempted to re-skin the Staff first.
Mechanically speaking, it would be entirely unlike the Wand of CLW of 3.X. With 7 charges max, recharging, attunement, scaling, etc. It's niche would be as a panic button, rather than a battery (a role filled by HD in 5e.) Given the rarity of other similar-power wands, it would be available at the same time a Staff of Healing is. And toning down the wand, so it could be more common, would give it less impact than a Potion of Healing.
I see no point in it. We already have the various Potions of Healing and the Staff of Healing to fill the same niche. If a player really wanted a wand, I would be tempted to re-skin the Staff first.
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I would, but probably for only one primary reason... if there was a character in the party that was built, runs, and sees themselves as a Healer. That's the background and story of their character. And for that character, if a Wand of Cure Wounds would be seen as an awesome magical boon to them the same way a magical weapon is seen to a melee fighting character... then sure, I'd introduce it as an option. Because then, the wand is a true reward for that character.
However, if in any other case where the Wand of Cure Wounds is seen as nothing more as a utility item that someone takes just because someone *has* to take it... and it's not a stop-gap measure to help the party that is missing an important healing option... I most likely wouldn't. I don't tend to introduce treasure that isn't going to be treasured, as that by definition goes against its purpose for putting it into the narrative of my campaign.
However, if in any other case where the Wand of Cure Wounds is seen as nothing more as a utility item that someone takes just because someone *has* to take it... and it's not a stop-gap measure to help the party that is missing an important healing option... I most likely wouldn't. I don't tend to introduce treasure that isn't going to be treasured, as that by definition goes against its purpose for putting it into the narrative of my campaign.
