[3.5] Healing for a Low Level Party

[Thurbane]

Wondering what items I can drop in as treasure for a low level (ECL 3) party to assist them with healing (in and out of combat)? This is one of the few parties that hasn't included a Cleric (or Favored Soul).

So far I've included in treasure: an almost full Wand of Cure Light; Wand of Cure Moderate (10 charges); Lesser Weapon Crystal of Life Stealing; and a ton of Cure Light Potions. The party also purchased a full Wand of Cure Light once the first one ran out.

No Healing Belts please! Other than that, pretty much anything appropriate for a 3rd level party is kosher. Party is Bard 3 (the only healer), Duskblade 3, Warlock 3 (good UMD), Warblade 2 and Rogue 1/Swashbuckler 1 (decent UMD).

And yes, I know the golden rule about in-combat healing, but the party would very much like some anyway, since they routinely get knocked into negative HP during fights.

Also, something to help with ability damage/status effects would be good as well.

Cheers - T

[Calimehter]

A Wand of Resurgence is a good catch-all at low levels for helping to remove various conditions. A lot would be riding on just how good the UMD skill of the user is, though, since it isn't on the class list for any of your party. Since you can't take 10 on UMD, and you still have to make your save even if you manage to cast from the wand, you might be lucky to bat .500 with it. Still, it covers a lot of effects, including many that you might not mind spending more than one charge on to try to remove.

Dropping 10gp on a few Blessed Bandages might make the wands last a bit longer, if the tactical situation permits stabilizing someone w/o needing to give them points immediately.

Leveling up offers options. 1-level Cleric dips have their own handbook. :) If you want something more in line with the themes your characters already have, the Warblade could also take Martial Study (Crusader's Strike) with his 3rd level feat.

An alternative option would be to adopt the Vitality/Wound system, as this allows for rapid recovery of vitality points. You might not want to switch to a rule like that mid-stream or deal with the other things that go with that system (i.e. the extra importance of crits) but I've used it for low-magic games as a way to get around not having Clerics around with some success.

Edit: Forgot that the Vigor spell line also requires UMD for your party, so dropped it as a suggestion.

[Thurbane]

Well, next level the Warlock can take 10 on UMD checks, and with ranks and modifiers can hit 20 each time, so guaranteed success.

[Jack_Simth]

No Healing Belts please! Other than that, pretty much anything appropriate for a 3rd level party is kosher. Party is Bard 3 (the only healer), Duskblade 3, Warlock 3 (good UMD), Warblade 2 and Rogue 1/Swashbuckler 1 (decent UMD).
Well, wands are a good choice of course (You've got two people who can reasonably reliably use them). Cure light wounds is automatic for the Bard, a roll for the Warlock and Rogue. As noted, Resurgence (Spell Compendium page 174) is a useful one, although it'll require a roll, so you may want potions for it. (Lesser) Restoration is of course an option, and again, potions potions are decent for it as well (as nobody in your party can use them automatically).

Or, of course, you can just stop worrying about it, let the PC's die, and simply keep going until they have a functional party on their own via replacement characters. Depends on the table.

[Elinvar]

They get into negatives routinely?

Unless you're trying to legitimately threaten them every encounter, you might be going overboard on what you're giving them to fight.

Alternatively, the party sounds pretty bursty. This tends to happen if all your characters are glass cannons, at which it's their choice of play style and there's not much you can do about it.

If it were me I'd go in for prevention rather than cure; it sounds like they've got healing covered, so maybe instead drop them some magic armor, rings cloaks and that sort of thing.

[Troacctid]

If you want in-combat healing, then close wounds is the way to go. It's all about action economy. All you need to make in-combat healing viable is to get it as a swift or immediate action. Which close wounds does. And as a bonus, it can even save them if they drop below -10.

Alternately, you can crib the healing word spell from 5th edition. It's the same as a cure spell of an equivalent level, except it uses a d4 instead of a d8, the range is 60 feet instead of touch, there are no somatic components, and it's a swift action instead of a standard action.

[ericgrau]

Seconded on close wounds. Also potions. Spamming potions is expensive, but a couple for emergencies isn't. You can also get clever with things like potions of invisibility or smoke sticks for those who wish to run away and then heal with weaker spells at their leisure. Plus CLW potions for those who can't use wands but want to heal a little after fleeing just in case they get hit by a stray area effect. By using multiple methods the big expensive potion will be a last resort and then you only need a couple.

[Thurbane]

Leveling up offers options. 1-level Cleric dips have their own handbook. :) If you want something more in line with the themes your characters already have, the Warblade could also take Martial Study (Crusader's Strike) with his 3rd level feat.
No Cleric dips (prepared casters are disallowed in this game, mainly for flavour reasons), although a Favored Soul dip is possible. I will suggest the Warblade have a look into Martial Study.


Or, of course, you can just stop worrying about it, let the PC's die, and simply keep going until they have a functional party on their own via replacement characters. Depends on the table.
We are a generally low to mid-op group, so I don;t want to punish people excessively for their class choices.


They get into negatives routinely?

Unless you're trying to legitimately threaten them every encounter, you might be going overboard on what you're giving them to fight.

Alternatively, the party sounds pretty bursty. This tends to happen if all your characters are glass cannons, at which it's their choice of play style and there's not much you can do about it.

If it were me I'd go in for prevention rather than cure; it sounds like they've got healing covered, so maybe instead drop them some magic armor, rings cloaks and that sort of thing.
I do have a habit of throwing in a few tough fights each level to speed up levelling.

I have given out a +1 Breastplate and +1 Ring of Protection so far.


If you want in-combat healing, then close wounds is the way to go. It's all about action economy. All you need to make in-combat healing viable is to get it as a swift or immediate action. Which close wounds does. And as a bonus, it can even save them if they drop below -10.

Seconded on close wounds. Also potions. Spamming potions is expensive, but a couple for emergencies isn't. You can also get clever with things like potions of invisibility or smoke sticks for those who wish to run away and then heal with weaker spells at their leisure. Plus CLW potions for those who can't use wands but want to heal a little after fleeing just in case they get hit by a stray area effect. By using multiple methods the big expensive potion will be a last resort and then you only need a couple.
Close Wounds is a good idea - my Favored Soul (last character I ran as a player) made good use of it.

I will throw a few utility/healing/restorative potions in the next treasure haul. Also going to throw in a Knowstone of Beastland Ferocity or Healthful Rest for the Bard, and a Memento Magica at some point.

[nedz]

Wondering what items I can drop in as treasure for a low level (ECL 3) party to assist them with healing (in and out of combat)? This is one of the few parties that hasn't included a Cleric (or Favored Soul).


No Cleric dips (prepared casters are disallowed in this game, mainly for flavour reasons), although a Favored Soul dip is possible. I will suggest the Warblade have a look into Martial Study.

The lack of a Cleric wasn't entirely their fault then ? :smallamused:
Spontaneous Clerics are a thing though — and the dip handbook should be good for that. This said there are other [class] options.


Also, something to help with ability damage/status effects would be good as well.
A Wand Lesser Vigour would seem appropriate at this level, well soonish anyway.

I am slightly concerned that you are solving their problems for them — which is always the risk with deliberate drops. I don't think that this is a major issue but unless they are newbies you are removing a challenge from the game. Maybe you are bored of making the PCs solve this issue ?

[Jack_Simth]

We are a generally low to mid-op group, so I don;t want to punish people excessively for their class choices.There is a difference between "Excessively punishing them" and "permitting the natural consequences of the game to run their course"

I'm not really suggesting actively punishing them. Just... stop enabling the gap. Go back to the planned encounters in whatever adventure you're using (whether a module or not), with the standard random treasure drops. Don't pad the treasure with exactly what they seem to need. That's it.

[sideswipe]

have a look at alchemical items, i believe there are ones that emulate the cure potions, and they just seem cooler. it means you don't get into a position where in each loot you have "and the obligatory x amount of cure x wounds".

you could also try giving them a couple of bears endurance potions or partially charged wand of 10-15 uses, this increases their HP and will negate some of the need for in combat healing. they will be able to tank an extra hit on average at ECL3

[holywhippet]

Have someone take a single level dip into dragon shaman (PHB2)then have them take vigor for their first draconic aura. It gives all party members within 30 feet fast healing 1 up to half their hit points.

[Deophaun]

Lesser vigor + healthful rest is a great combo, because lesser vigor gives fast healing, and because "fast healing is like natural healing," except for a defined list of differences, healthful rest doubles it.

[Blackhawk748]

A Wand Lesser Vigour would seem appropriate at this level, well soonish anyway.

I am slightly concerned that you are solving their problems for them — which is always the risk with deliberate drops. I don't think that this is a major issue but unless they are newbies you are removing a challenge from the game. Maybe you are bored of making the PCs solve this issue ?

Lesser Vigour is awesome. On a side note why does healing seem to be an issue? Do they have lousy luck, low HP, they sick of using CLW?

[Thurbane]

Maybe I'm being overly concerned. They seem to keep getting hit into negatives.

Plus, first time running a game for LA characters, so that doesn't help with HP.

Also, I tend to throw a few tough(ish) encounters at the party instead of a lot of weaker ones, to try and level up faster. I might reign that in a bit.

[Seharvepernfan]

False Life + lesser vigor at the beginning of a fight or after the first wound + CLW during the fight

False life is expensive, yes. Potions are not the best things to use during a fight, because they typically use up a whole round of actions and require a free hand for that whole round.

A better bet would be to explain more advanced tactics to your PC's, so that they take advantage of surprise, cover, concealment, tactically dropping prone, readied actions, fighting defensively, total defense, when to use shields or reach weapons, illusions, summoned monsters, etc.

[ericgrau]

Maybe I'm being overly concerned. They seem to keep getting hit into negatives.

Plus, first time running a game for LA characters, so that doesn't help with HP.

Also, I tend to throw a few tough(ish) encounters at the party instead of a lot of weaker ones, to try and level up faster. I might reign that in a bit.
Your concern is warranted. The forum logic is to win the fight in the most efficient way possible which does not involve healing an amount that is less than optimized damage. However this completely ignores emergency situations and the fact that players are trying to win fights with everyone alive and not merely win fights as quickly and efficiently as possible. In all situations except a potential TPK, it's better for the rest of the party to take a little extra damage than it is for one of the members to require a resurrection. So while excessive healing is inefficient, emergency healing is a necessary thing. Also when optimization is limited healing can in fact exceed enemy damage. Many people think healing amounts are slightly lower than appropriate CR enemy damage but once you remember that the enemy doesn't hit every single time it's actually a bit higher than their damage.

[Seharvepernfan]

Also, characters in need of emergency healing can take the total defense action or otherwise use their abilities for defense, until they get healed, further lowering damage taken.

[Thurbane]

Thanks guys.

As a DM, I like to throw in treasure that the party can use every now and then.

Magic Marts are a bit less common in my campaign than usual, although that will change once the group get to the City of Greyhawk.

[Demidos]

Off the top of my head, two suggestions --

Amulet of Tears -- Gives them temporary HP 12/18/24 by burning 1/2/3 of the daily charges (3). Very nice, and only 2.1k (If I remember correctly)

Eternal Wands -- not a particular suggestion, but giving them eternal wands means that if they're like me and hoard charges on their wands to the point that they risk death because they're not healing, it'll be a much easier decision whether or not to use the charges.



And a suggestion for your bard for the far, far future -- the spell snowsong is pretty obscure but real nice :smallbiggrin:

[nedz]

Maybe I'm being overly concerned. They seem to keep getting hit into negatives.

Plus, first time running a game for LA characters, so that doesn't help with HP.

Also, I tend to throw a few tough(ish) encounters at the party instead of a lot of weaker ones, to try and level up faster. I might reign that in a bit.

I wouldn't worry about the last point. I once threw 23 encounters in a day at a first level party — thinking about it: they did have, and require, lots of healing. They made level 2 that day.

[Palanan]

Originally Posted by nedz
I once threw 23 encounters in a day at a first level party....

What was this, the Jack Bauer campaign?

:smalltongue:

[nedz]

What was this, the Jack Bauer campaign?

:smalltongue:

No it was a Battle, but they were all Dwarves — so they could take it.

[Warrnan]

3000g amulet of devoted spirit (martial spirit). Give this item to a melee character who has a high to hit and a high number of attacks. Each successful melee attack heals anyone in the party with in 30 feet for 2hp. Or they could learn this stance via martial stance (martial spirit) + martial study (crusader strike) feats.

Also the feat draconic aura (vitality) for any dragon blooded race characters you have. 1+(1/5 levels) in fast healing up to your half your party's hp in a passive 30' radius aura.

Another option is the Amulet of Tears (MIC). 2300gold. It has 3 charges a day and can be used to give 12 temp hp for 10 mins as a swift action, a very nice quick damage absorb.