Can our party go without a Healer?

[F0X7713]

So as of now our party consists of:

Fighter
Knight
Wizard
Scout-->Swift Hunter

We may or may not have a 5th player who would be playing a Cleric, but I can't be sure that we are going to have him playing. I haven't actually played a game where our party didn't have a cleric or some sort of healer for our team, keeping the tank alive and such. Just a thought, if you have any ideas that would be great! ^_^

[MesiDoomstalker]

So as of now our party consists of:

Fighter
Knight
Wizard
Scout-->Swift Hunter

We may or may not have a 5th player who would be playing a Cleric, but I can't be sure that we are going to have him playing. I haven't actually played a game where our party didn't have a cleric or some sort of healer for our team, keeping the tank alive and such. Just a thought, if you have any ideas that would be great! ^_^

If I remember correctly, Swift Hunter's have far more levels of Ranger than Scout correct? Well Rangers have Cure X on their list correct? All of them are less than level 4 correct? Get a wand. Wham bam thank you ma'am. Thats all you really need is cheap out of combat healing.

EDIT: GAH! Sorry about triple post, forum spazzed.

[Elric VIII]

Well, as a regular Cleric player myself, I have to preface this by saying: don't force the Cleric player to be a healbot.

Now, a party does do better with out of combat healing, but doesn't need a dedicated in-combat healer. The healer role can be fulfilled by someone that can use a CLW wand (Bard, Cleric, Druid, ranks in UMD).

That said, there are some simple fixes to make things work without a healer. The Healing Belt from MIC is an amazing item. Also, what I usually do in a game lacking someone that can use CLW wand is give cure potions "doses." Basically, potions are incredibly over-priced. So, what I do is give each potion 2*(spell level)+1 charges. This works out to make them roughly equal in cost/use to wands. This is a great way to give the party sustainability if they do not want to have magic-users.

[Voyager_I]

If I remember correctly, Swift Hunter's have far more levels of Ranger than Scout correct? Well Rangers have Cure X on their list correct? All of them are less than level 4 correct? Get a wand. Wham bam thank you ma'am. Thats all you really need is cheap out of combat healing.

EDIT: GAH! Sorry about triple post, forum spazzed.

Just to add to this, you don't actually need to be able to cast a spell to use it from a Wand; you just need to have it on your list. Even one level of Ranger is enough for your Swift Hunter to use Cure Wands.

[kulosle]

I can't find the link, but there is a discussion running around on one of these forums, i think wizards, talking about this. There is no need for a in combat healer. There isn't even a need for someone who can use CLW wands, although it does make it easier. The healing belts were mentioned, and pay attention to what you can summon with spells. Some of those creatures have healing spells. Summon natures ally 4, i think it is, can summon a unicorn to use heal or some other strong healing spell.

Potions cost more because anyone can use them. If they didn't than it would make UMD a lot less useful.

[SowZ]

I am a strong believer in pre-emptive healing. Mainly, preventing damage by putting damage out faster is usually better than taking damage and then having to heal it. My point? The best healer in the party is usually whoever is killing the most. Control type charcters can serve the same function, too, I suppose.

[Thurbane]

Couple of relevant guides over at BG:

A Player's Guide to 3.5 Healing (http://www.minmaxboards.com/index.php?topic=2710.0)
Band-Aids for Dummies (http://www.minmaxboards.com/index.php?topic=1520.0)

[F0X7713]

Thanks everyone!! I plan on seeing if I can convince my DM to let me have to ability to cast some healing spells because I am going with the Champion of the Wild Ranger and loosing my spellcasting ability. And even if not, you guys have all given me really good ideas! =D

[Vizzerdrix]

Something that I haven't seen in any healing related threads is healing salve. It's an alchemical item (so the wizard can make some) that heals for either a D6 or a D8 (don't remember off the top of my head). If yer interested I'll have to go book diving to find it.

[Thurbane]

Something that I haven't seen in any healing related threads is healing salve. It's an alchemical item (so the wizard can make some) that heals for either a D6 or a D8 (don't remember off the top of my head). If yer interested I'll have to go book diving to find it.
According to this list (http://adamsouza.tripod.com/alchemy.html), Tome and Blood.

[Vizzerdrix]

Maybe, but I know I've seen it in a newer book as well.

[Malachei]

Perhaps the fighter would like to switch to Crusader (or even Crusader/Cleric/RKV) or Warblade. The first is an excellent replacement for a cleric, the second can at least heal himself to 1/2 HP in between encounters -- at will.

[Khedrac]

I used to play in the Living Greyhawk campaign which, due to the vaguries of assembling groups from the random people who turn up, meant we had some adventures without a healer.
As said wands of Cure Light Wounds (or similar) provide all the out-of-combat healing you need most of the time - the caveat is you need time to use them which we occasionally did not get.
Once over level 4 I found the big problem is IN combat healing. Yes, one hopes not to need it, but when you need it you need it badly. One healer-less adventure playing APL4 I think (so probably a CR7 encounter) we ran into an ogre with class levels - my 6th level archer was the main damage dealer/absorber and I got seriously worried that I might not survive the fight!
Another time we had a low level healer and due to the number of opponents we almost lost people.
Healing Belts are very under-priced for what they provide and are a major step-up for healer-less parties, but they are not a healer.
Eventually I had to say that I would not play in parties above APL4 (average party level) without a healer (I had a healer too so given the right APL I could provide one) - it just felt too dangerous.

All that said, good luck and let us know how it works.

[Emperor Tippy]

What level are you?

[Snowbluff]

A healer? Yes.
A Cleric? No.

Though the answer is a little more complicated, not everyone has Wands of CLW available, and having someone to patch people up between fights and buff up your warriors can net you a lot more adventuring mileage in a day.

[Palanan]

Originally Posted by Vizzerdrix
...I know I've seen [healing salve] in a newer book as well.

There's an updated version of healing salve in the Magic Item Compendium (p. 162) which is fairly expensive and gives you D8ish healing. It works out to about 225 gp per dose.

[DrDeth]

Well, as a regular Cleric player myself, I have to preface this by saying: don't force the Cleric player to be a healbot.

Now, a party does do better with out of combat healing, but doesn't need a dedicated in-combat healer. The healer role can be fulfilled by someone that can use a CLW wand (Bard, Cleric, Druid, ranks in UMD).

That said, there are some simple fixes to make things work without a healer. The Healing Belt from MIC is an amazing item. Also, what I usually do in a game lacking someone that can use CLW wand is give cure potions "doses." Basically, potions are incredibly over-priced. So, what I do is give each potion 2*(spell level)+1 charges. This works out to make them roughly equal in cost/use to wands. This is a great way to give the party sustainability if they do not want to have magic-users.
Mostly right. Yes, no player should be required to be a dedicated healbot, and that isn’t even a very good role. Buffing works better than healing.

But, sometimes, in-combat healing is needed- and if so it’s really NEEDED.

Indeed the Healing belt from MIC is a great item for parties with no healers, and also it can even give some in combat healing when needed.

[nedz]

If someone has 1 rank of UMD then you can take 20 and use a wand for out of combat healing, provided you're not in a rush. The DC for activating wands is 20. For in combat I think you will be stuck with potions.

[deuxhero]

You can't take 20 UMD as there is a penalty for failure on a roll of a 1.

[Elric VIII]

Mostly right. Yes, no player should be required to be a dedicated healbot, and that isn’t even a very good role. Buffing works better than healing.

But, sometimes, in-combat healing is needed- and if so it’s really NEEDED.

Indeed the Healing belt from MIC is a great item for parties with no healers, and also it can even give some in combat healing when needed.

Something I forgot to mention about the enhanced Cure potions rule was I allowed the players to drink 1 dose as a move action, 2 as a standard, and 3 as a full round. It really does work out well enough, especially since one person can feed a potion to another if they are down.

[imneuromancer]

UMD > Healer