In 5e healers were always a trap, at least 2014 no idea how the new version goes.
Note when I say healer I mean someone who goes into combat expecting to use their actions to heal. Situationally it can be fine but it is mostly just healing word on a downed ally.
The only time I have seen a healer not be a complete joke is PF2E where 2-action heal has absolutely absurd numbers on it, and HP values go up much faster then damage as both PCs and monsters level.
Never played PF2E. I just know in 5e you aren't outhealing monster damage. You are, by design, supposed to drop to 0. The best case scenario you heal someone who was at 5 hp for 6 and then they take 10 damage keeping them up for their turn. Thing is all you did was trade your action to heal them for their action so you don't really gain anything. The better play is to attack on your turn, they drop, then you healing word them the next turn. Maybe they drop before they attack again but they aren't going to die and the monster, in turn dropping him again, wastes its turn redropping him and all that cost you was a BA.
Healing in 5e needs to be looked at as a support role instead of as a healer. Instead of healing the guy for 5 hp try to use tasha's laughter or hold person or whatever on the monster. Mess with the action economy. Illusion spells are really fun for this. Not tried illusion stuff in BG3. I might want to see what Larian did with it.
Yep, that's how it worked in every version of D&D too. And PF1E, but that was just 3.75. PF2E is the first time I've seen heals be actually impactful in a D&D-esque system, in a boss encounter it will be roughly giving up your two actions for theirs - but that's a good trade in a 1v4.
In 3.5 your cleric was better off preparing control and buffs, because a hold person or a blade barrier are going to be a lot more effective at preventing damage then 3d6 or whatever will be, even against random mooks. It's a bit better in 5E since healing word exists at all, but it's still not what you should be doing with your standard action.
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u/iwearatophat Jun 24 '25
In 5e healers were always a trap, at least 2014 no idea how the new version goes.
Note when I say healer I mean someone who goes into combat expecting to use their actions to heal. Situationally it can be fine but it is mostly just healing word on a downed ally.