Where is the healing spell?

[MikMod]

Given how useful this would be, it seems really odd that there is no simple healing spell before regeneration at IQ 15. And its 30 ST and takes a whole week to work!

Do people simply outfit their parties with armfuls of healing potions? And how does this affect economy issues? Or are your groups constantly retreating for a week of rest, then returning to advance a few more rooms in the labyrinth?

[TippetsTX]

This same topic has been discussed at great length on Facebook this week as well as in this forum during the months leading up the release of the new Legacy ruleset. The short answer is that the spell almost made it into the game. Steve Jackson himself proposed a version that can be found with a little searching here and which some have adopted into their own games in spite of the fact that it did not make the final cut.

[Axly Suregrip]

Originally Posted by MikMod

Do people simply outfit their parties with armfuls of healing potions?

Having a physickers is very important to a group. Without one you are looking at what you said: buying lots of healing potions or running away.

[warhorse11h]

Originally Posted by Axly Suregrip

Having a physickers is very important to a group. Without one you are looking at what you said: buying lots of healing potions or running away.

I adopted a version of the spell Steve Jackson proposed. It works for me.

There are others who prefer not to have any healing spells and instead have modified the Physicker and Master Physicker talents to allow for healing by wound, not by combat. It works, at least in some cases, better than a healing spell, assuming I have correctly understood the explanations of it that have been provided.

[JLV]

Originally Posted by warhorse11h

I adopted a version of the spell Steve Jackson proposed. It works for me.

This is what I did. Or you can adapt Dark City Games' healing spells if you like -- they never struck me as too overpowered.

Originally Posted by warhorse11h

There are others who prefer not to have any healing spells and instead have modified the Physicker and Master Physicker talents to allow for healing by wound, not by combat. It works, at least in some cases, better than a healing spell, assuming I have correctly understood the explanations of it that have been provided.

I've heard that too, but somehow it never really "worked" for me mentally -- I kept having flashbacks to old episodes of MASH...

[Skarg]

Originally Posted by MikMod

Do people simply outfit their parties with armfuls of healing potions? And how does this affect economy issues? Or are your groups constantly retreating for a week of rest, then returning to advance a few more rooms in the labyrinth?

This is what people have done in the combat-rich TFT games I have GM'd and played in for years:

1) Don't go weeks' travel away from safe places with 2-4 people and expect to be able to fight groups of opponents and not be in trouble.

2) Bring a physicker or two, and keep them alive.

3) Bring enough people to be able to take some casualties and still be able to fight. This probably means recruiting some NPCs and/or having more than one figure per player.

4) Play some non-RPG arena combats until you understand tactics. Then use good tactics to avoid getting hurt if you can help it.

5) Be cautious and scout. Run away when out-matched.

6) When people are very injured, try not to keep sending them into combat, but have them rest.

7) Have enough people to have a guarded camp. You want this anyway, because otherwise someone will steal your gear / loot / supplies / pack animals. Have the most wounded people rest at the guarded camp while the others go on sorties.

8) Yes, if and when there are any healing potions available, buy they and use them wisely and try not to have them break.

9) Enjoy all of the above, because there aren't many RPGs where you'll find these sorts of interesting situations.


Oh, and at least, playing the way we did where physicking applies to each wound, not each combat, we did not experience the situation people seem to dread where parties couldn't adventure much without resting all the time. Come prepared, bring extras, use tactics, and it can be rare (and exciting and interesting) when your party gets messed up.

[MikMod]

Thanks everyone! This feels like the TL:DR version of that other thread I lost a whole morning in! (thanks to your tip - and sorry for not searching first)

I think I am favouring the 'physick every wound' approach, especially as it makes armour more valuable - in most of the campaigns I ran back in the day it seemed that high AdjDX was the main goal. I think we took the 'armfuls of healing potions' approach too. But this is such a good idea.

I seem to remember I introduced 'poultices' (ala RuneQuest?) which anyone could slap on - like a cheaper, slower healing potion.

With the extension (reinterpretation) of physicker, I think I might allow everyone a 1 point 'bandage wounds' if they buy the special bandages.

I also like the 'damage becomes fatigue' so that if you get physicked for 2 points you still aren't feeling too good until you have had a chunk of proper rest. Will work well for characters on the run through town after a brush with some unpleasant elements in the city guard!

What a great discussion on that thread though. It was more about play style and what kind of game you want to play (and run) than just healing.

[larsdangly]

I've been playing with no healing spell and Physicker talent run RAW. It's definitely different from playing D+D, but it also seems good to me on its own merits. Basically, fights in adventures are more like the lord of the rings books and movies and less like D+D sessions.