Arelith

Paint wrote: ↑

Fri Dec 24, 2021 3:07 am

If I don't take the healing skill on a character, it's because I've dipped in to herbalism or I have some alternative way of healing. Around level 20, you start collecting a lot of Cure Wounds potions just from beating up enemies, so as a class with built-in healing like Shaman or Cleric, I usually opt to supplement my healing with the potions I accumulate and use lesser restorations for things like poison.

When I -do- dip herbalism, I usually just make CMW potions in bulk and call it a day. It takes some time, but it's worth it to just not have to spend any money. A dollar saved is a dollar earned? I think? I don't know.

Changing my opinion. I love having Heal when I can fit it, but when I can fit it these days is basically never. It's a useful skill. It's just not useful enough to reconcile taking over other skills that translate either into raw statistical power, or provide more utility. There are so many other ways to heal that don't require the heal skill. You're not very incentivized to take it unless you're doing a roleplay gimmick, or you're so flush with points that you can afford it as a treat.

I never take it because it feels like there's always something better than heal. If I had a free skill I'm going to take spot, craft mastery, sail, leadership, appraise, or bluff if I have a free skill. I'll also just spend another 50gp to heal with 2 kits instead of 1.

i've taken a few characters to 30 using only cure minor wounds

so no, not usually

Security_Blanket wrote: ↑

Mon Dec 06, 2021 6:30 am

I used to always dip at least a little into Heal, it was necessary on a tank if you didn't want to go broke or spend forever healing after every fight. But now, ever since the update to basic healing potions I never bother with it. Which I have to say, I love that I can use basic healing potions effectively. Not only does it feel thematically accurate, it just makes more sense to me that my character healed himself with a magic potion than wrapping myself up like a mummy with endless bandages.

This definitely leaves me conflicted, as while I agree there is just a great deal more 'realism' in using potions over bandages, this potion change really did tank the poultice economy, which really was a major part of the crafting economy as a whole.

Now? Yeah, as a skill I rarely take it beyond 15 ranks.

Now if I were to develop my way around this problem, here's what I'd do.

• Change the police name and description to make clear they gave some, minor, magical properties, rather that purely First Blood field dressing.

• Make the healing potions much easier to craft.

• Rework/Reimagine the healing skill to 'Body Development', a con based skill that represents physical/health training that provides a small amount of extra HP, and improves the body's reaction to healing, making healing spells, poultices and potions more effective when used. (With potions & spells being only partially affected, but with a generally higher base heal amount) This way it wouldn't matter who in the party actually uses the poultices.

Not that I'm likely to do the above, we"ve fared pretty well with the current system.

I used to. Now I don't. I don't miss it considering I rather rely on scrolls and potions which for the latter are faster to use and the first is just great because of LM. For me it's more a luxury skill that I will invest in if I have skill points left over.

This is the first time I have played a toon that actually didnt take uber heal points.

For me it was a simple question of where would those 30 something points be better used for my specific build.

I think as others have said it really depends on build and concept.

Just a lttle feedback here - and everyone feel free to dissagree but:

Make the healing potions much easier to craft.

I actually think the lesser (serious and critical I believe are the craftable ones?) are currently pretty easy to make. I'm sure they could be made easier still, but I don't think that is terribly needed? Even with the above change.

Heal potions could (in theory) be made easier. I'm not saying they should mark you. But they are currently rather hard to make. Same with the mundane healing potions.