This topic has probably been done to death, but searching brings up all the threads taking about the broken version of Healing Spirit. If unaware, the new Healing Spirit allows you to use the spirit to heal someone in its space a limited number of times (1+MOD) before ending.
The issue of comparison is now that Healing Spirit seems more flexible in how you can use your slots and bonus actions. Aura of Vitality will last longer (with concentration maintained) but consume bonus actions and requires 3rd level slots with no benefit if casted at a higher level.
As an example; If my character has a +4 mod, they can use a Healing Spirit 5 times. A 5th level Healing Spirit at 4d6 healing should be equivalent to a 3rd level Aura of Vitality (used for the full 1 minute) in terms of average healing potential.
However, a 6th level Healing Spirit would be capable of 5x 5d6 healing (avg 87.5 points healed), beating that of a Heal spell.
I would choose the one my character can cast, since they're on mutually exclusive spell lists. But in terms of effectiveness, what makes both good in my opinion is out of combat healing, not in combat. Reasons being they require valuable concentration just for group healing and both have their own drawbacks in addition to that (Aura of vitality takes up your bonus action, Healing spirit requires specific positioning that may be disadvantageous to the party). Sure, I'd you really need a group heal to win the fight and that's what you got then use it but that's not what makes the spells good
With this in mind, the answer for me is Aura of Vitality is the stronger of the two. Being out of combat means taking up a bonus action doesn't really matter and you get more healing out of it for the spellslot. And getting everyone back up to full HP after a big fight with just a 3rd level spell slot without needing to short rest can be really good.
Dwaller summed most of it up, only a few multiclass characters would be able to choose between the spells, Aura of vitality shines more out of combat as the need of a bonus action isn't an issue and provides more healing (unless healing spirit is cast at fifth level) but is only available at level 5.
Healing spirit does actually have a choice of specific positioning or a bonus action. If an allay is unable to move to the spirit (say they are unconcious) the caster can move the spirit to them as a bonus action (up to 30ft) and then the allay can be healed at the start of their next turn.
Optional class features for Druids has an extra spell list. Aura of Vitality is on there.
I am leaning towards Vitality because it’s straight forward, and as mentioned above, very good at the end of a combat. However giving up the flexibility of healing spirit seems wasteful, but only if casting a 6th level spell slot or above. Which probably isn’t going to happen often.
Optional class features for Druids has an extra spell list. Aura of Vitality is on there.
I am leaning towards Vitality because it’s straight forward, and as mentioned above, very good at the end of a combat. However giving up the flexibility of healing spirit seems wasteful, but only if casting a 6th level spell slot or above. Which probably isn’t going to happen often.
or casting it at 2nd level because you can't spare a 3rd level which is likely to happen more often
Optional class features for Druids has an extra spell list. Aura of Vitality is on there.
I am leaning towards Vitality because it’s straight forward, and as mentioned above, very good at the end of a combat. However giving up the flexibility of healing spirit seems wasteful, but only if casting a 6th level spell slot or above. Which probably isn’t going to happen often.
or casting it at 2nd level because you can't spare a 3rd level which is likely to happen more often
This is probably the main concern. I’ve looked at what spells I’d want prepared. My 2nd levels will be mostly be utility other than Healing spirit. My third levels are Vitality, Revivify and Meld into stone.
That being said, the ability to cast decent heals from as low as a second level is pretty handy.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
To post a comment, please login or register a new account.
This topic has probably been done to death, but searching brings up all the threads taking about the broken version of Healing Spirit. If unaware, the new Healing Spirit allows you to use the spirit to heal someone in its space a limited number of times (1+MOD) before ending.
The issue of comparison is now that Healing Spirit seems more flexible in how you can use your slots and bonus actions. Aura of Vitality will last longer (with concentration maintained) but consume bonus actions and requires 3rd level slots with no benefit if casted at a higher level.
As an example; If my character has a +4 mod, they can use a Healing Spirit 5 times. A 5th level Healing Spirit at 4d6 healing should be equivalent to a 3rd level Aura of Vitality (used for the full 1 minute) in terms of average healing potential.
However, a 6th level Healing Spirit would be capable of 5x 5d6 healing (avg 87.5 points healed), beating that of a Heal spell.
Which would you choose, and why?
I would choose the one my character can cast, since they're on mutually exclusive spell lists. But in terms of effectiveness, what makes both good in my opinion is out of combat healing, not in combat. Reasons being they require valuable concentration just for group healing and both have their own drawbacks in addition to that (Aura of vitality takes up your bonus action, Healing spirit requires specific positioning that may be disadvantageous to the party). Sure, I'd you really need a group heal to win the fight and that's what you got then use it but that's not what makes the spells good
With this in mind, the answer for me is Aura of Vitality is the stronger of the two. Being out of combat means taking up a bonus action doesn't really matter and you get more healing out of it for the spellslot. And getting everyone back up to full HP after a big fight with just a 3rd level spell slot without needing to short rest can be really good.
Dwaller summed most of it up, only a few multiclass characters would be able to choose between the spells, Aura of vitality shines more out of combat as the need of a bonus action isn't an issue and provides more healing (unless healing spirit is cast at fifth level) but is only available at level 5.
Healing spirit does actually have a choice of specific positioning or a bonus action. If an allay is unable to move to the spirit (say they are unconcious) the caster can move the spirit to them as a bonus action (up to 30ft) and then the allay can be healed at the start of their next turn.
Optional class features for Druids has an extra spell list. Aura of Vitality is on there.
I am leaning towards Vitality because it’s straight forward, and as mentioned above, very good at the end of a combat. However giving up the flexibility of healing spirit seems wasteful, but only if casting a 6th level spell slot or above. Which probably isn’t going to happen often.
or casting it at 2nd level because you can't spare a 3rd level which is likely to happen more often
This is probably the main concern. I’ve looked at what spells I’d want prepared. My 2nd levels will be mostly be utility other than Healing spirit. My third levels are Vitality, Revivify and Meld into stone.
That being said, the ability to cast decent heals from as low as a second level is pretty handy.