This is an idea for an alternate setting game I'm developing, so the base Pathfinder assumptions aren't my guiding principle here. I want to make Cure spells more effective, so I'm considering either:
1) Increase the range of Cure spells to short (from touch).
Or
2) Change the amount healed formula to 1d4 +5/lv (instead of 1d8 +1)
Yes, this means that I want healing to be easier. No, neither of these will apply to Inflict spells, on account of Inflict spells not existing in the setting. Channel Energy isn't in the setting either.
Which of these do you think would be better?
Thanks for the input.
Sounds like we need a more complete knowledge of house rules if we are to give a meningfull advice. Is type 2. 1d4+5xCL?
I would go with method 2 because incombat healing is not a powerfull option even with a bit of range.
Option 2 would replace any instance of 1d8 with 1d4+4, so Cure Light would be 1d4+5/lv max 5d4+25.
The setting isn't going to have wands, so no easy access to constant casts of CLW, unless a player chooses to play as the one class that gets access to healing "spells". (As I mentioned in a previous thread, the setting has three revamped, custom spell list 6 level casters, each narrowly focused.) Potions won't exist either, although there will be a fairly uncommon replacement. Few "magic items" will be available. On the other hand, I'm using a custom Armor as DR system, so the combat inclined should be able to resist some damage.
I like option 2 best then.
I'd drop roll and replace it with fixed healing of 5-10 per spell level for single target spells, depending on how strong you want the healing to be.
Exactly what do you want to accomplish by changing cure spells?
Exactly what do you want to accomplish by changing cure spells?
I want to make healing work better. In my experiences with PF, cure spells are inefficient, often requiring multiple castings to heal noticeable amounts.
Come to think of it, I suppose that does answer the question. Option 2 it is.
I know this isn't one of the two options you listed, but how about just all cure spells functioning as maximized? That makes calculations easier and much faster. It also makes these spells worth using in a fight.
How better? Do you want them to be better in combat? Do you want them to sustain the party better over an adventure? Do you want them to just heal more? There's many ways to accomplish any and all of them.
I know this isn't one of the two options you listed, but how about just all cure spells functioning as maximized? That makes calculations easier and much faster. It also makes these spells worth using in a fight.
There was one house-rule I've seen floated here before which is similar: non-combat casting of any healing spells are always maximized. Still gives some randomness in-combat while making it easier to heal after a battle (which seems to be what OP is looking for).
Be aware that dropping all consumable forms of healing is basically forcing one of your players to be a healbot, unless you have some alternative mechanism of healing available. Not needing a healbot is one of the better changes in pathfinder, honestly.
I don't like having lots of consumable healing items either. I use full healing outside of combat in my games and it is great.. With this change and allowing limited arcane healing (cure spells with spell one higher than for a cleric) I have not had a problem.
Of the two suggested homebrews I would definatly not give cure spells range but that's because I like the healer to have to risk themselves to save the downed comrade mechanically and stylistically.
Sorry to throw in an additional option, but I've always liked the idea of some healing now, some over time. Instead of 1d4 + 5/lvl, how about 1d4 + 1/lvl (no max), and an additional 1d4 + 1/lvl (standard max based on level of cure spell) for an additional x rounds? I know it's more to keep track of, but making more than half the amount healed be over time (and not stackable), it would keep up with abundant healing out of combat, and still keep the players in relative danger in combat, being unable to get a full cure spell up front.
channel [...] use a wand with use magic device [...] If anything it needs a Nerf not a buff.
Wow, its almost like you didn't read the various posts involved here.
The setting isn't going to have wands, so no easy access to constant casts of CLW. Potions won't exist either, although there will be a fairly uncommon replacement. Few "magic items" will be available.
Channel Energy isn't in the setting either.
Every single one of your criticisms of the suggested change were already taken care of.
I'd almost say what you want is MMO style healing. You might want to consider tweaking cure spells to have extra effects on them, to make playing a healbot more entertaining. "This healing spell also removes penalty X". "This healing spell gives Y buff". "This healing spell functions by blasting the enemy then dispersing the damage/half the damage to chosen members of the caster's party". Stuff like that.
But of the given two options, why not take both? That'd be my recommendation since as I said it seems like you're going for MMO-style healing magic and that's usually how it works.
That really doesn't affect the effectiveness of them, but it is a change I approve of (and use in all my own games).
3) Designate healing spells as members of the Necromancy school, like they were before 3rd Edition.
What would that fix, though?
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Option 2 would replace any instance of 1d8 with 1d4+4, so Cure Light would be 1d4+5/lv max 5d4+25.You do realize that the standard Cure Light has 1d8+5 as the maximum?
You are actually adding dice-per-level to your version that do not exist in the standard version.
With out wands and channeling i think it is a good call. That way a person with healing spells on the list can do the healing with just a few spells. I assume that Cure serious will be somthing like 1d4+15 pr level or so. This will sort of devaluate the heal Spell but it will be a fine fix of the problem with killing the Spell slot free healing.
Edit: and it will, like Orthos said, make incombat healing a more usefull option.| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
3) Designate healing spells as members of the Necromancy school, like they were before 3rd Edition.
There is no Necromancy school in this setting. Or any of the other schools. Instead powers (the spell equivalents) are divided into three categories. Kinetic (energy & motion), Dominant (mind control & mental buffs), & Vivifier (still trying to think up a better name - healing and physical buffs). It wasn't my original plan, but I realized once I was making the power lists each is keyed to a specific save.
As for not forcing anyone to have to play a healer, I'm thinking there will be more mundane means to allow heal over time effects. I want the Vivifier healing to be effective immediately, and thus useful in combat, but other means of healing to be used between combats.
Thanks for the discussion so far, it's helping me consider the idea from other angles.
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3) Designate healing spells as members of the Necromancy school, like they were before 3rd Edition.There is no Necromancy school in this setting. Or any of the other schools. Instead powers (the spell equivalents) are divided into three categories. Kinetic (energy & motion), Dominant (mind control & mental buffs), & Vivifier (still trying to think up a better name - healing and physical buffs).
...As a matter of fact, 'Necromancy' (the magic of life and death) would work pretty well.
Or, as it kind of sounds like, are you doing psionics instead of "magic?" Maybe you want "Metabolic."
For simplicity's sake, I like to houserule that casters can choose to maximize cure spells by increasing the casting time to 3 rounds. This makes it highly improbable (and inefficient) to do it in combat, but it speeds up after-combat heal-up time. The benefit of the feat then is that it can be done in a single standard action. Don't know if that helps.
Our Evil-only group decided to run with single-target heal spells/potions/whatever have the maximum roll possible (since we also roll with Max Hit Dice at each level). Healing spells that target multiple creatures (including Channel Energy) heal as if an "average" roll is calculated. (So a 4D6 Channel Energy would equate to 14 hit points.)
So far it's worked out very nicely.