Considering of nerfing "healing word" a bit on my table that I am DMing.
Healing word can only be used on creatures that can "hear" you. Meaning creatures with the Unconscious or deafen condition cannot be affected.
So can I apply is to my Adventures league table or is this a homebrew rule only? Really think this spell is a get out of jail free spell most of the time.
I home-brew amend this spell like a few others to give players a chance to help a brother out. If a spell caster can cast the spell in the same round, even after the character has been reduced to 0 HP, or below, I allow it. But that's the limit. It's not a bonus action or a reaction, and the cleric/druid doesn't have to lay hands for the spell to be effective. Healing word only heals a few HP anyway. Why deny the adventuring party a heal?
But, that's just me, and I'm not trying to kill the characters like some sadistic overlord from behind a cardboard curtain. Ya' know?
Depends how you define 'hear' - the sound waves can reach their ears, the eardrums vibrate which is hearing?
Then again if we go down this route, I would argue 'immunity from acid' means you die since all of the water in your body could be scientifically considered acid and so you dry up and die. Or 'immunity to force' = no gravitational force or electrostatic force so you just float off the planet!*
No homebrew rules in AL. The game should play the same at your table as at any other AL table. From the AL DMG:
You're Empowered. Make decisions about how the group interacts with the adventure; adjusting or improvising is encouraged, so long as you maintain the adventure's spirit. This doesn't allow you to implement house rules or change those of the D&D Adventurers League, however; they should be consistent in this regard.
Yes. AL is designed for consistency, for the players. Home-brew isn't allowed because it can't be arbitrated. The interpretation is DM specific. AL does however allow for improvisation to drive the spirit of the Table. In that regard, I allow a few rules, but I clearly explain that the rule does not transfer to another DM. It's specific to this Table Play and player input is a must. Otherwise, I default to the core rules. Have to, otherwise a fun, spirited game could devolve into a rules debate, which is no fun at all.
I think the spell is meant to be a get out of trouble spell. The point of Adventurer's League is to have fun...not to murder all the PCs. Homebrew or AL, modifying spells is a slippery slope. If I sat down at a table and the DM said they'd modified spells to make them 'less powerful' I'd get back up and leave.
You never really state what your problem it's, just that you consider the spell a problem.
It's funny, I saw this post them saw a YouTube video where a guy argued that Heading Word it's broken. He argues it breaks the Action Economy, because it's a bonus action and can be used to get up an unconscious player. I personally don't think this "breaks" anything in the Action Economy, but that's me. It heals significantly less then Cure Wounds (1d4 vs 1d8), but it also uses up a precious spell slot.
I don't think it breaks anything either, but I totally get why other people might feel that way. I saw the same YouTube video and after watching it and reading some of the comments here, I wonder if the best solution is to add back in negative HP (and remove death saves?). At least negative HP stops the yoyo effect to which healing word contributes.
If you think this thread doesn't being here you should just report it. There is however a very clear question about AL in the original post so i don't think it's as cut and dried as you seem to think.
In Adventurers League you cannot implement house rules, as cited above. The spell works on creatures with the Unconscious or Deafened condition, because the spell only requires that the caster see the target and that the target be within range (60 feet). It also costs a bonus action, and the caster cannot cast a spell with their main action on the same turn except for cantrips. It does only a tiny bit of healing. Remember that monsters can choose to attack unconscious targets as well, forcing failed death saves...
Tweaking spells and effects and design is a lot of fun! But in a shared campaign like AL, where consistency matters and players come to the table with an expectation that everyone will be running things according to the rules as written, it doesn't work very well, unfortunately.
If you think this thread doesn't being here you should just report it. There is however a very clear question about AL in the original post so i don't think it's as cut and dried as you seem to think.
The OP question belongs in the forum, but the answers saying it's OK to homebrew in AL game do not.
I don't think it breaks anything either, but I totally get why other people might feel that way. I saw the same YouTube video and after watching it and reading some of the comments here, I wonder if the best solution is to add back in negative HP (and remove death saves?). At least negative HP stops the yoyo effect to which healing word contributes.
What problem does that solve? You already die in two hits with the death save rules if the attacks are made within 5 feet of you, since they're automatic crits. God help you if you're in combat against multiple identical creatures, since they'll all have the same initiative. Even if someone heals you, you're stuck prone and unarmed until your turn comes up, so it's easy to grapple you and keep you down or take your weapon/spellcasting focus away.
That's true. In my experience however, once you're down enemies start to focus on other people. Maybe that's not how it should be, but if enemies continue to focus on downed players, I'm not sure there's a good reason besides metagaming (or very obvious signs of death like a crushed head or copious amounts of blood) for them to stop. They don't know when you've failed 3 death saves.
Depends on the enemies. I've seen DMs have zombies continue to feed on the flesh of an adventurer; she may have died, but at least she kept the monster busy until we got back around to it. I generally don't have my monsters attack downed enemies unless there is a good story reason for it, and that's usually telegraphed in advance (like the villain telling his guards "make sure none of them survive" or summat).
Depends on the enemies. I've seen DMs have zombies continue to feed on the flesh of an adventurer; she may have died, but at least she kept the monster busy until we got back around to it. I generally don't have my monsters attack downed enemies unless there is a good story reason for it, and that's usually telegraphed in advance (like the villain telling his guards "make sure none of them survive" or summat).
Having a zombie horde feast on a PC can be viewed as a last act of heroism but it permanently kills the character. On some level having a zombie horde chow on a dead character is the DM's call, but as a player, if the martyr was a Cleric of Light Domain or a Paladin, I'd jump in and say: aren't those zombies taking radiant damage or something? I mean, just because the character is dead doesn't mean the god allows his/her followers to be zombie food.
Also, if the zombies are feasting on the character, do the characters have advantage? Are the zombies considered grappled or stunned for that round while they're eating?
On some level having a zombie horde chow on a dead character is the DM's call, but as a player, if the martyr was a Cleric of Light Domain or a Paladin, I'd jump in and say: aren't those zombies taking radiant damage or something? I mean, just because the character is dead doesn't mean the god allows his/her followers to be zombie food.
Clerics have to be 10th level to even attempt to request divine intervention, and it's very unreliable (10-19% of success until the cleric reaches 20th level, and even then it only works once a week). Having a deity intervene unprompted cheapens their class feature. Also, if a deity were willing to intervene, don't you think they'd do so before the cleric died?
Also, if the zombies are feasting on the character, do the characters have advantage? Are the zombies considered grappled or stunned for that round while they're eating?
Neither of those conditions seem like a good fit. I'd consider them prone, since they have to kneel down to eat someone that's on the ground.
If the deity is handing off power then I as the DM would presume the demiurge Is aware on some level that a follower has fallen. If the deity doesn't care, so be it. But if the deity does care then intervene. It's not a dues ex machine maneuver. I just have a hard time imagining characters as on/off switches with regards to magic. But that's just me, and I prefer story over rules any day.
I'm new to D&D and was confused by this: "It also costs a bonus action, and the caster cannot cast a spell with their main action on the same turn except for cantrips."
Are you saying you can't do a spell as your main action if you use a spell as a bonus action? Or just healing word? I don't find where either is stated in the rules, though I could easily be overlooking it. Or maybe I'm misunderstanding you entirely.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
To post a comment, please login or register a new account.
Considering of nerfing "healing word" a bit on my table that I am DMing.
Healing word can only be used on creatures that can "hear" you. Meaning creatures with the Unconscious or deafen condition cannot be affected.
So can I apply is to my Adventures league table or is this a homebrew rule only? Really think this spell is a get out of jail free spell most of the time.
I home-brew amend this spell like a few others to give players a chance to help a brother out. If a spell caster can cast the spell in the same round, even after the character has been reduced to 0 HP, or below, I allow it. But that's the limit. It's not a bonus action or a reaction, and the cleric/druid doesn't have to lay hands for the spell to be effective. Healing word only heals a few HP anyway. Why deny the adventuring party a heal?
But, that's just me, and I'm not trying to kill the characters like some sadistic overlord from behind a cardboard curtain. Ya' know?
Depends how you define 'hear' - the sound waves can reach their ears, the eardrums vibrate which is hearing?
Then again if we go down this route, I would argue 'immunity from acid' means you die since all of the water in your body could be scientifically considered acid and so you dry up and die. Or 'immunity to force' = no gravitational force or electrostatic force so you just float off the planet!*
(*This is a joke)
Southampton Guild of Roleplayers
My YouTube (C&C Welcome!)
No homebrew rules in AL. The game should play the same at your table as at any other AL table. From the AL DMG:
You're Empowered. Make decisions about how the
group interacts with the adventure; adjusting or
improvising is encouraged, so long as you maintain
the adventure's spirit. This doesn't allow you to
implement house rules or change those of the D&D
Adventurers League, however; they should be
consistent in this regard.
Yes. AL is designed for consistency, for the players. Home-brew isn't allowed because it can't be arbitrated. The interpretation is DM specific. AL does however allow for improvisation to drive the spirit of the Table. In that regard, I allow a few rules, but I clearly explain that the rule does not transfer to another DM. It's specific to this Table Play and player input is a must. Otherwise, I default to the core rules. Have to, otherwise a fun, spirited game could devolve into a rules debate, which is no fun at all.
I think the spell is meant to be a get out of trouble spell. The point of Adventurer's League is to have fun...not to murder all the PCs. Homebrew or AL, modifying spells is a slippery slope. If I sat down at a table and the DM said they'd modified spells to make them 'less powerful' I'd get back up and leave.
*avatar by @ZomgDae on Twitter*
You never really state what your problem it's, just that you consider the spell a problem.
It's funny, I saw this post them saw a YouTube video where a guy argued that Heading Word it's broken. He argues it breaks the Action Economy, because it's a bonus action and can be used to get up an unconscious player. I personally don't think this "breaks" anything in the Action Economy, but that's me. It heals significantly less then Cure Wounds (1d4 vs 1d8), but it also uses up a precious spell slot.
I don't think it breaks anything either, but I totally get why other people might feel that way. I saw the same YouTube video and after watching it and reading some of the comments here, I wonder if the best solution is to add back in negative HP (and remove death saves?). At least negative HP stops the yoyo effect to which healing word contributes.
Regardless of your feelings this discussion is all about homebrew and does not belong in AL forum.
If you think this thread doesn't being here you should just report it. There is however a very clear question about AL in the original post so i don't think it's as cut and dried as you seem to think.
In Adventurers League you cannot implement house rules, as cited above. The spell works on creatures with the Unconscious or Deafened condition, because the spell only requires that the caster see the target and that the target be within range (60 feet). It also costs a bonus action, and the caster cannot cast a spell with their main action on the same turn except for cantrips. It does only a tiny bit of healing. Remember that monsters can choose to attack unconscious targets as well, forcing failed death saves...
Tweaking spells and effects and design is a lot of fun! But in a shared campaign like AL, where consistency matters and players come to the table with an expectation that everyone will be running things according to the rules as written, it doesn't work very well, unfortunately.
That's true. In my experience however, once you're down enemies start to focus on other people. Maybe that's not how it should be, but if enemies continue to focus on downed players, I'm not sure there's a good reason besides metagaming (or very obvious signs of death like a crushed head or copious amounts of blood) for them to stop. They don't know when you've failed 3 death saves.
Depends on the enemies. I've seen DMs have zombies continue to feed on the flesh of an adventurer; she may have died, but at least she kept the monster busy until we got back around to it. I generally don't have my monsters attack downed enemies unless there is a good story reason for it, and that's usually telegraphed in advance (like the villain telling his guards "make sure none of them survive" or summat).
Clerics have to be 10th level to even attempt to request divine intervention, and it's very unreliable (10-19% of success until the cleric reaches 20th level, and even then it only works once a week). Having a deity intervene unprompted cheapens their class feature. Also, if a deity were willing to intervene, don't you think they'd do so before the cleric died?
Yeah, you're right, prone does make more sense mechanically.
If the deity is handing off power then I as the DM would presume the demiurge Is aware on some level that a follower has fallen. If the deity doesn't care, so be it. But if the deity does care then intervene. It's not a dues ex machine maneuver. I just have a hard time imagining characters as on/off switches with regards to magic. But that's just me, and I prefer story over rules any day.
I'm new to D&D and was confused by this: "It also costs a bonus action, and the caster cannot cast a spell with their main action on the same turn except for cantrips."
Are you saying you can't do a spell as your main action if you use a spell as a bonus action? Or just healing word? I don't find where either is stated in the rules, though I could easily be overlooking it. Or maybe I'm misunderstanding you entirely.