cure spells scaling [Archive] - Wizards Community

cure spells scaling [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
TheGnomishWizard
08-02-05, 10:39 PM I'm sure this has com up before. So if you could point me in the direction of a previous thread feel free. But I'll ask anyway.

I have no quarrels with the abtract system of HP. I like it in fact. I also don't have a problem with the way healing spells are set up. I did start thinking though. The healing spells don't fit into the abstract idea of hit points.

For instance. 5 damage to someone with only 8 HP is a pretty devastating blow. Whereas it's a splinter to someone with 100+ HP. Why does Cure Light Wounds heal both the devastating blow and the splinter equally. What I'm trying to say is for healing to fit in with a HP system it would need to work more on a percentile scale. For instance, instead of CLW healing 1d8+x it would heal 10% of targets max HP. I would like it if I could get it to work. Unfortunately if my level 1 fighters max HP is 12 having the cleric healing me for 1.2 HP is ginna either get me killed of burn every single spell she has.

Any thoughts?
MerricB
08-02-05, 11:06 PM One trouble is that hit points in D&D aren't always physical damage. There's a fair component of "luck" or "favour of the gods" to them, especially those of PCs.

So, when you cure light wounds, you're not just saying "heal my friend's body", you're also saying "let him be lucky again".

The cure wounds spells do scale somewhat with the level of the caster. This can be supplemented by the Augment Healing feat from Complete Divine (a feat that is well worth taking).

One might also suppose there is divine resistance from enemy deities to powerful characters being healed, which explains why Cure Wounds spells are much weaker at high levels, unless greater magics are used.

Very strangely, in D&D, the tougher you are (the higher Con modifier), the longer it takes to heal you! ;)

However, actually fixing any of this has balance implications that aren't pretty. We all know how hit points actually work and how cure spells interact with them.

Cheers!
Vaelan
08-02-05, 11:09 PM Ah yes... interpretations of abstractions. Let me take a crack at stretching logic to fit the game mechanics. :D

Any healing spell that brings a person above 0 hitpoints fully (or at least nearly fully) heals all injuries. A person above 0 hitpoints has no chance of injuring themselves by moving, and thus a person above 0 hitpoints isn't significantly injured.

The healing spell, however, leaves the person extremely tired (or stiff, or sore) and thus unable to defend themselves effectively. Further healing spells will make the person less tired (or stiff, or sore).
Seeker95
08-03-05, 08:51 AM Cure spells scale. Higher level spells cure more hit points. :D

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
TheGnomishWizard 08-02-05, 10:39 PM	I'm sure this has com up before. So if you could point me in the direction of a previous thread feel free. But I'll ask anyway. I have no quarrels with the abtract system of HP. I like it in fact. I also don't have a problem with the way healing spells are set up. I did start thinking though. The healing spells don't fit into the abstract idea of hit points. For instance. 5 damage to someone with only 8 HP is a pretty devastating blow. Whereas it's a splinter to someone with 100+ HP. Why does Cure Light Wounds heal both the devastating blow and the splinter equally. What I'm trying to say is for healing to fit in with a HP system it would need to work more on a percentile scale. For instance, instead of CLW healing 1d8+x it would heal 10% of targets max HP. I would like it if I could get it to work. Unfortunately if my level 1 fighters max HP is 12 having the cleric healing me for 1.2 HP is ginna either get me killed of burn every single spell she has. Any thoughts?
MerricB 08-02-05, 11:06 PM	One trouble is that hit points in D&D aren't always physical damage. There's a fair component of "luck" or "favour of the gods" to them, especially those of PCs. So, when you cure light wounds, you're not just saying "heal my friend's body", you're also saying "let him be lucky again". The cure wounds spells do scale somewhat with the level of the caster. This can be supplemented by the Augment Healing feat from Complete Divine (a feat that is well worth taking). One might also suppose there is divine resistance from enemy deities to powerful characters being healed, which explains why Cure Wounds spells are much weaker at high levels, unless greater magics are used. Very strangely, in D&D, the tougher you are (the higher Con modifier), the longer it takes to heal you! ;) However, actually fixing any of this has balance implications that aren't pretty. We all know how hit points actually work and how cure spells interact with them. Cheers!
Vaelan 08-02-05, 11:09 PM	Ah yes... interpretations of abstractions. Let me take a crack at stretching logic to fit the game mechanics. :D Any healing spell that brings a person above 0 hitpoints fully (or at least nearly fully) heals all injuries. A person above 0 hitpoints has no chance of injuring themselves by moving, and thus a person above 0 hitpoints isn't significantly injured. The healing spell, however, leaves the person extremely tired (or stiff, or sore) and thus unable to defend themselves effectively. Further healing spells will make the person less tired (or stiff, or sore).
Seeker95 08-03-05, 08:51 AM	Cure spells scale. Higher level spells cure more hit points. :D