I still don't understand healing spells

[chakyeung]

Hey guys,

First of all I apologise in advance I'm sure its been asked a lot but I've read through so many forums but still can't find my answer... To be fair I have a lot of questions...

So if I'm understanding what I've read, healing spells don't scale off any stat, but instead they increase in potency by upscaling the healing spell. Is that right?

If so, where I'm confused is where does your wisdom stat come into play? If it doesn't scale and it doesn't affect potency. Why are some people and the game it self saying that healers ( mainly clerics and Druids) need wisdom as it's their spell modifier? What does it modify exactly?

Also, if say Druid and Wizard has the same spell (let's just say ice Knife) does that mean if a wizard casts ice knife it'll scale of Int? And if a druid casts ice knife it'll scale of Wis?. Or is it a trick situation cos its a Dex save so I should actually only ever use that spell if I have high dex!??.

Linking it back to healing though. What stats does a "common healing spell" ( by that I mean a healing spell that multiple classes can use/ prepare ) what do they scale off? if say I was using a Bard to cast healing word? Would it suddenly go by my cha? But then wisdom for druid and cleric? What if I had the spell from class Feat and took it as a sorcerer? Does it automatically go back to Charisma?

I recently tried to make my bard a healer bard. So I multi classed him. He went from originally just pure bard level 8. To a level 6 bard and level 2 life cleric. After the change his healing word dropped from 4-7 to 0-3!!!. Which is what made me look for answers to begin with, if healing spells don't scale then what caused this drop??

Again I'm so sorry for all the questions, I'm just really struggling to find my answers.

[L3wt]

Yes.

[Kernest]

Most spells do damage (or healing) with the following formula 1dX (1d4 for Healing Word) + Spellcasting modifier. That's for level 1 spell slot of course.

Your spellcasting modifier is the modifier for the stat that is your spellcasting stat.

Wisdom for Clerics and Druids, Charisma for Bards.

If you're multiclassed, which stat it uses would depend on which of your classes has learned the spell. Even if you're 20 Charisma level 8 Bard, and 2 Levels of Life Cleric with 10 Wisdom, but you only know Healing Word from Cleric spells, you'd be using Wisdom to cast it.

As for Feats, the Feat should explain what the chosen spell uses as a spellcasting modifier.

[Xhaiden]

The spell will scale off of the spell casting stat of the class you are getting the spell from. So yeah, your Bard, who uses Charisma likely doesn't have the Wisdom to be casting Healing Word from the Cleric side. Typically the game will give you two different icons for the same spell if you are casting it from two different sources but perhaps it doesn't do that when you pull the same spell from two different classes.

[Dis Lexic]

Healing in DnD is...honestly kinda ♥♥♥♥. Generally speaking, your actually better off using it to patch up after battle or get downed fighters back up than you are keeping them up and active.

As for casting, spells scale of the casters stats, so a Wizard and a Cleric casting the same spell will have it scale off of Int and Wis respectively. Healing spells also scale of that same modifier, with Healing Word, for example, healing 1d4+spellcasting modifier. What probably happened with that multiclass is that your Bards Wis modifier is low, so the spell (for whatever reason) ended up trying to scale of the Clerics casting stat and dropped through the floor as a result.

[kevin]

heal amount is dice roll+casting stat. you will get 1 more point of healing per casting modifier((stat rounded down to closest even #)/2).

the stat scaling depends on from which class they learned the spell, spells off items usually have the attribute in the examine description.

the dex save is what they roll vs your spell dc(10+ spell level+stat). it is independent of your casting stat, it is spell specific.

the thing to understand is that you dont really want or need a dedicated healer. everyone should do a little bit of their own healing via class features, SOME spells, or potions. it is more effective to maim/kill your enemies than win via attrition+healing. healing spells are better used to revive knocked down allies.

[Kernest]

Originally posted by kevin:

heal amount is dice roll+casting stat. you will get 1 more point of healing per casting modifier((stat rounded down to closest even #)/2).

the dex save is what they roll vs your spell dc(10+ spell level+stat). it is independent of your casting stat, it is spell specific.

Whoo boy is that wrong

Casting modifier is +1 for every 2 stat points above 10, just like all stat modifiers.

Spellsave DC is 8 + Proficiency bonus (2 at level 1) + Spellcasting ability modifier.

[chakyeung]

Oh my gosh guys you've been amazing!!! I understand so much more now!! Gonna go sort out my character right away! Thanks for all your help!! :)

[Carynara]

So... apart from the technical details others have already explained, I think it's worth rethinking your approach. You can't really rely on healing like in other games, especially at lower levels. Imo focusing on healing spells and trying to prioritize them over attacks can gimp your character. I personally found only Lay on Hands and Healing Radiance (the other paladin spell) useful at higher levels, and barely ever use the cleric spells. Most fights are 25 against 4 so that's another reason why trying to outheal incoming damage is mission impossible.

If you find your party is getting too much damage in, it's better to look into armour and other equipment - that will make a bigger difference and allow you to focus on CC and attack more. Also positioning, gaining high ground, stay out of range, in shadows etc. these weigh a lot more in a fight than 4-9 healing.

Again I'm so sorry for all the questions, I'm just really struggling to find my answers.

Honestly, I really think the game is missing a massive tutorial. There should be one at the beginning that introduces the player to DnD rules and tactics, otherwise one can spend entire Act 1 or even Act 2 looking up stuff on google and browsing forums for tips... I completely messed up my first run and started over many times until I felt I kinda figured out how to play this game.

[Dragon Master]

Think of healing less for keeping the party in good health and more for keeping them from dying. Yes, there is a difference.

All you need is healing word for the most part, and maybe a cleric with prayer of healing in the very few areas in the game where you can't long-rest when needed for when you're between combat and the short rests didn't get everyone back up.

The party is often better off grouping together and tossing a healing potion on the ground and healing everyone at once rather than using a spell slot.

[talemore]

Wisdom give you number of spells to use.
You get spells depending on the stats.

Spells like bane directly target the check advantage from stats. A dice is thrown to see if the target is hit by the spell.

Depending on what rules larian has decided to use since they use their own.

The one most prefer is 3.5e you get spells with wisdom as a cleric. You can't cast spells with less than 10 intelligence was removed or many times is a rule who is oversighted. Haven't encountered a single game who really follow the rulebooks.

[dolby]

https://bg3.wiki/wiki/Healing_Word

https://bg3.wiki/wiki/Disciple_of_Life

https://bg3.wiki/wiki/Life_Domain