[November UA] Aura of Vitality now on the Cleric list?

[Slipperychicken]

It looks like the november UA (https://media.wizards.com/2019/dnd/downloads/UA-ClassFeatures.pdf) class variants add Aura of Vitality to the cleric list.

Have we ever gotten formal verification on the interaction between that and life clerics' disciple of life feature? i.e. Whether a life cleric casting it would heal 2d6+5 instead of just 2d6?

[Ventruenox]

We have not received formal verification, given how it is still considered playtest material.

But yes, a Life Cleric would heal 2d6+5 with Aura of Vitality. Until that UA came out, players achieved that combo by taking the spell as a Bard's Magic Secret choice and a one level dip into Life Cleric.

[MaxWilson]

We have not received formal verification, given how it is still considered playtest material.

But yes, a Life Cleric would heal 2d6+5 with Aura of Vitality. Until that UA came out, players achieved that combo by taking the spell as a Bard's Magic Secret choice and a one level dip into Life Cleric.

Note that the healing doubles yet again if you have Sorc levels for Extended Spell metamagic.

And then Xanathar's came out, and Healing Spirit made impossibly good healing part of a bog-standard druid, no multiclassing required.

[Spiritchaser]

Note that the healing doubles yet again if you have Sorc levels for Extended Spell metamagic.

And then Xanathar's came out, and Healing Spirit made impossibly good healing part of a bog-standard druid, no multiclassing required.

Extended spell is such a niche power, and metamagic choices are so desperately limited, if a character really wishes to take extended spell? So be it.

I do agree that healing spirit makes any discussion like this largely irrelevant. If anything, aura of vitality is needed on a cleric such that a life cleric isn’t outgunned by a ranger.

[jaappleton]

Its 2d6+5.

What is key in this instance is the wording of Disciple of Life.

When you use a spell-

Use. Not cast.

Because of that word, which seems incredibly intentional given its been years since Life Cleric debuted (so there'd been plenty of time for Errata if it was incorrect), it is 2d6+5 whenever its utilized.

[Petrocorus]

And then Xanathar's came out, and Healing Spirit made impossibly good healing part of a bog-standard druid, no multiclassing required.

Except this is due to bad wording. I really don't believe this was intended to heal 10d6 on each party member.


Its 2d6+5.

What is key in this instance is the wording of Disciple of Life.

When you use a spell-

Use. Not cast.

Because of that word, which seems incredibly intentional given its been years since Life Cleric debuted (so there'd been plenty of time for Errata if it was incorrect), it is 2d6+5 whenever its utilized.
Indeed.

This is why Disciple of life combine with Goodberries too, for 40 HP of healing total (at least it does cost 11 actions and a feat or a multiclassing).

Notice that Blessed Healer (level 6 feature) do work when the spell is cast, not used.

The Arcane domain level 6 feature work like Disciple of Life. It combines with Goodberries and should combine with Aura of Vitality.

[Willie the Duck]

Except this is due to bad wording. I really don't believe this was intended to heal 10d6 on each party member.

Quite likely, but all honesty, does the intent matter? Every DM is going to rule how they see fit and will likely do so based on whether they think relatively low-level spellcasting healing the party up between any two fights to be disruptive to the game or exactly what was missing rather than designer intent.

AFAIC, the thing that the Nov. UA does is put Life Clerics back in the role of one of the better healers, and make them even consider hanging back and pumping in-combat healing into the party members (although, as a concentration spell that takes up one's bonus action each round, it is disrupting the Spirit Weapon/Guardians combo pretty thoroughly, so it's not going to be the automatic go-to). So overall, I am in favor of it.

[jaappleton]

Except this is due to bad wording. I really don't believe this was intended to heal 10d6 on each party member.


Indeed.

This is why Disciple of life combine with Goodberries too, for 40 HP of healing total (at least it does cost 11 actions and a feat or a multiclassing).

Notice that Blessed Healer (level 6 feature) do work when the spell is cast, not used.

The Arcane domain level 6 feature work like Disciple of Life. It combines with Goodberries and should combine with Aura of Vitality.

Hadn't even considered coupling it with Arcane Domain, that's quite a good combo!

Got some mages that keep using Hold Person or Vampire Spawn using Charms? This would be an excellent way to combat that. Nice find!

[MaxWilson]

Except this is due to bad wording. I really don't believe this was intended to heal 10d6 on each party member.

I don't either, and I'm ignoring that multiple-heals-per-round cheese. Even without it, just using the spell as it was intended, it's ridiculously strong healing, especially on a Moon Druid who likes to Wildshape in combat instead of casting spells. 245 HP of healing per long rest, on a 5th level Moon Druid who rarely needs any healing himself? Yes, please. (Plus 40 more HP from Goodberry, if you like diabetes and don't have any other use for those spell slots. : ))

It's true that a specialized healer is still better than a Moon Druid at healing, but it's also true that, combined with the ~100 free HP per short rest that the Moon Druid gets from wildshaping, that party will have little to no motivation to invest in even more healing. 250 HP for ~3 5th level PCs is overkill already in anything but the most brutal grinds.


Indeed.

This is why Disciple of life combine with Goodberries too, for 40 HP of healing total (at least it does cost 11 actions and a feat or a multiclassing).

Unfortunately that combination doesn't work. Disciple of Life works only when you heal with a spell, and berries created by Goodberry are not a spell: by the time anyone is healed, the spell has already ended. That's like trying to claim Disciple of Life benefits for using the Healer feat with a healer's kit you created using Fabricate. It just doesn't work.

[Degwerks]

I don't either, and I'm ignoring that multiple-heals-per-round cheese. Even without it, just using the spell as it was intended, it's ridiculously strong healing, especially on a Moon Druid who likes to Wildshape in combat instead of casting spells. 245 HP of healing per long rest, on a 5th level Moon Druid who rarely needs any healing himself? Yes, please. (Plus 40 more HP from Goodberry, if you like diabetes and don't have any other use for those spell slots. : ))

It's true that a specialized healer is still better than a Moon Druid at healing, but it's also true that, combined with the ~100 free HP per short rest that the Moon Druid gets from wildshaping, that party will have little to no motivation to invest in even more healing. 250 HP for ~3 5th level PCs is overkill already in anything but the most brutal grinds.



Unfortunately that combination doesn't work. Disciple of Life works only when you heal with a spell, and berries created by Goodberry are not a spell: by the time anyone is healed, the spell has already ended. That's like trying to claim Disciple of Life benefits for using the Healer feat with a healer's kit you created using Fabricate. It just doesn't work.

https://dnd.wizards.com/articles/sage-advice/rules-answers-august-2015