Druidic healing

Dalin · 01-02-2019, 08:33 AM

How unbalancing is it if I let druids have access to healing spells? I usually run games for small groups of 3-4 players. We've never yet had anyone choose to play both a cleric and a druid. Often, if someone doesn't want to play a battle-mage, there is a pressure to play a cleric because of their healing abilities. By allowing druids to have the healing spells too, this might broaden their appeal. But I haven't looked things over carefully. Would that rebalance things to the point that they no sensible munchkin would choose cleric over druid?

I will probably reskin the spells a bit so I could also nerf them. Perhaps they require a longer casting time ("applying sacred mud") so they can't really be cast in combat. This would give an edge to clerics. Or is Herb Lore good enough and I just have druids carry around wineskins of healing potions? (In effect, I suppose the latter is about the same as nerfing the healing spells. Both are slower than a cleric. The spells trade FP for HP and the potions trade $.)

Just musing here. Love to hear if others have played around with this.

~~evileeyore~~ · 01-02-2019, 08:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dalin

How unbalancing is it if I let druids have access to healing spells?

Not even a little bit. In my opinion Druids kinda get shafted, so it's nice little 'power-up' for them.

Something I've also done is allowed Holy Might as a "half stand-in" for Power Investiture. It's treated as Power Investiture except it doesn't add to spells, this allowed a Holy Warrior in one game to pick up some useful "not during combat spells" (like Light, Healing, etc) in a game where no one wanted to play a Cleric.

Quote:

Would that rebalance things to the point that they no sensible munchkin would choose cleric over druid?

No. Clerics get so many useful spells (and are good in combat), that unless you're doing a wilderness hex-crawl, they'll never get overshadowed by Druids.

Black Leviathan · 01-02-2019, 11:31 AM

You wouldn't balk at letting them learn a shield or Two-handed Axe or how to pick locks if they wanted. I think the spells of other professions should be similarly available. I'm not sure if I'd make them available under the Druid's casting advantage or perhaps I'd limit access to the more powerful Cleric spells under it.

Expy · 01-02-2019, 01:08 PM

I don't think that it would be imbalanced at all and so long as no one else is upset that the druid is stealing their limelight, no problem. It's not how I'd do it though, I think that it might damage the cool wilderness expert thing that they have going on if they /don't/ have to pre-prepare potions and poultices or otherwise hunt through the underbrush for just the right thing for the job.

I do agree that their healing leaves a bit to be fesired though. Off the top of my head, I might try either:
- 1 free Gizmo per rank of PI Druid (or maybe a spellcaster perk?) to pull out some herbs and chew them up into a poultice/ steep in water/ whatever to instantly produce a potion with an Herb Lore roll (-1 for every 100$ cost?)
or
- Increase the paltry 1d-3 HP min 1 you get from bandaging if you're using Esoteric Medicine. Maybe a Weapon Master-like effect wouldn't be so bad?

For in-conbat healing, maybe a special perk to pull potions out faster?
Potions being unreliable can also be frustrating if you've spent a few turns pulling one out inly to come up ones. Alternate potions with flat healing or a way to add a flat amount? 1d+3 is a lot safer than 2d

Anthony · 01-02-2019, 04:23 PM

It's pretty rare for players to object to not being forced to spend their mana on healing instead of fun stuff.

Refplace · 01-02-2019, 05:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Anthony

It's pretty rare for players to object to not being forced to spend their mana on healing instead of fun stuff.

This is a good point.
Druids who can heal as well as Clerics may infringe on their niche but that is not important if no one wants to play a cleric anyhow.
But from the clerics point of view another healer frees up options for the cleric, which should be able to do more than just heal after a fight anyhow.

martinl · 01-02-2019, 11:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dalin

How unbalancing is it if I let druids have access to healing spells? ...

When I did this I nerfed them in combat.

In retrospect, I kind of regret it. As the evile donkey says, no one I know of plays druids for the munchkin factor.

01-02-2019, 08:33 AM	#1
Dalin Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Saint Paul, MN	Druidic healing How unbalancing is it if I let druids have access to healing spells? I usually run games for small groups of 3-4 players. We've never yet had anyone choose to play both a cleric and a druid. Often, if someone doesn't want to play a battle-mage, there is a pressure to play a cleric because of their healing abilities. By allowing druids to have the healing spells too, this might broaden their appeal. But I haven't looked things over carefully. Would that rebalance things to the point that they no sensible munchkin would choose cleric over druid? I will probably reskin the spells a bit so I could also nerf them. Perhaps they require a longer casting time ("applying sacred mud") so they can't really be cast in combat. This would give an edge to clerics. Or is Herb Lore good enough and I just have druids carry around wineskins of healing potions? (In effect, I suppose the latter is about the same as nerfing the healing spells. Both are slower than a cleric. The spells trade FP for HP and the potions trade $.) Just musing here. Love to hear if others have played around with this.

01-02-2019, 11:31 AM	#3
Black Leviathan Join Date: Sep 2018	Re: Druidic healing You wouldn't balk at letting them learn a shield or Two-handed Axe or how to pick locks if they wanted. I think the spells of other professions should be similarly available. I'm not sure if I'd make them available under the Druid's casting advantage or perhaps I'd limit access to the more powerful Cleric spells under it.

01-02-2019, 01:08 PM	#4
Expy Join Date: Dec 2015	Re: Druidic healing I don't think that it would be imbalanced at all and so long as no one else is upset that the druid is stealing their limelight, no problem. It's not how I'd do it though, I think that it might damage the cool wilderness expert thing that they have going on if they /don't/ have to pre-prepare potions and poultices or otherwise hunt through the underbrush for just the right thing for the job. I do agree that their healing leaves a bit to be fesired though. Off the top of my head, I might try either: - 1 free Gizmo per rank of PI Druid (or maybe a spellcaster perk?) to pull out some herbs and chew them up into a poultice/ steep in water/ whatever to instantly produce a potion with an Herb Lore roll (-1 for every 100$ cost?) or - Increase the paltry 1d-3 HP min 1 you get from bandaging if you're using Esoteric Medicine. Maybe a Weapon Master-like effect wouldn't be so bad? For in-conbat healing, maybe a special perk to pull potions out faster? Potions being unreliable can also be frustrating if you've spent a few turns pulling one out inly to come up ones. Alternate potions with flat healing or a way to add a flat amount? 1d+3 is a lot safer than 2d Last edited by Expy; 01-02-2019 at 01:19 PM.

01-02-2019, 04:23 PM	#5
Anthony Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Berkeley, CA	Re: Druidic healing It's pretty rare for players to object to not being forced to spend their mana on healing instead of fun stuff. __________________ My GURPS site and Blog.