How to Play a Healer in Dungeons and Dragons 5e

This is a hefty video, so here's some bookmarks for the key points:

3:15 Is a Healer Needed?
5:29 How healing in D&D 5e is not like healing in video games
6:21 Healing Mechanics in General
10:40 Comparing Cure Wounds and Healing Word
14:47 Inspiring Leader, Aid, and Dispel Magic
20:30 Healing Spirit
24:45 Polymorph
27:01 Classes for a Healer
27:50 Bards
30:01 Clerics
31:58 Druids
35:10 Paladins and Other Classes

____________________________
Watch us play live Tuesdays 6-9 PM EDT on Twitch:

Join our Patreon community:

Get our custom t-shirts:

Pick up your next D&D book on Amazon using our affiliate links below to help support the channel:

[UgyBoogie]

"This role can be very rewarding, but it's sometimes a thankless one as well."
Ever tried being the DM?

[jonathanwelch]

I feel like every time I type "How to <random thing in d&d> " Dungeon Dudes posted a video on it 3 hours beforehand.

[ajJBP]

My favorite healer was a combat medic, human rogue.

Alternate human, take the Healer feat for the medkit heals. Rogue up to level two for bonus action disengage and dash, to be running around the battlefield patching people up. And expertise in medicine.

And then for those first two levels you just keep screaming "I swear to WHATEVER GODS ARE LISTENING, you better not FUCKING DIE ON ME"

Until a celestial patron takes notice. Take the rest of my levels in Celestial Warlock.

[worldwarflyingace]

An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of Cure Wounds

[darienb]

You wanna know why no one wants to play support/healer? You never thank them! Where is the thank for the 5th level cure wounds that I wanted to use on another spell? How about the fairie fire that helped you land all those blows? How about the Haste that saved your life? ALWAYS thank your supports people, they do so much for you. This applies to video games too.

[RobKinneySouthpaw]

Made a healer dipped in divination wizard. The owl familiar can deliver touch heals at range, and the Portent can prevent crucial damage or conditions.

[Aequilix]

Glad you all prefaced a few things about healing:

- Blowing all your resources on healing is inefficient.

- Don't top off like a video game. You're more of a combat medic than an mmo healer.

- Things like damage prevention, temp hp, etc are all good ways to keep going without needing a heal.

- Your character should be good at other things than healing and you wanna contribute to fights in other ways. Whether its battlefield control, flat out damage, etc. There's a reason some Clerics roll up in heavy armor and martial weapons.

[DungeonDudes]

This is a hefty video, so here's some bookmarks for the key points. In addition, see below for two quick rules corrections:

3:15 Is a Healer Needed?
5:29 How healing in D&D 5e is not like healing in video games
6:21 Healing Mechanics, Hit Dice, and Short Rests
10:40 Comparing Cure Wounds and Healing Word
14:47 Inspiring Leader, Aid, and Dispel Magic
20:30 Healing Spirit
24:45 Polymorph
27:01 Classes for a Healer
27:50 Bards
30:01 Clerics
31:58 Druids
35:10 Paladins and Other Classes

Corrections:
#1 We incorrectly stated in this video that Mass Cure Wounds is a 3rd level spell. It is actually a 5th level spell, which makes it *even worse*.
#2 We also said that Inspiring Leader grants temporary HP based on the target's Hit Dice, which is incorrect. It grants hit points based on your level.

[sethpatterson]

I'm playing a human Divine Soul Sorcerer with Wizard ritual casting and the healer feats. I focus mainly on spot healing and battlefield control. My party still has no idea what class I am, because I haven't told them out of character. They think I'm a weird custom class, despite assurances from both me and the DM that I'm not. It's great :-D

[LunaLasceria]

"If you cast Healing Word on the Fighter and before their turn comes around the orc comes up to them and hits them with a greataxe and knocks them down again, that was a complete waste of Healing Word." - no it wasn't? You spent a 1st level bonus action spell to cost the orc it's action and prevent the two guaranteed failed death saves if that would have occurred if that greataxe collided with the Fighter while they were down instead. You probably just saved your fighter's life.

[williamblack]

I was very sad that Sorcerer wasn’t mentioned. With the combination of the sorcerer and cleric spell list, twin spell to double up your spells, distance spell to get your support spells out farther. They are extremely effective healers.

[saintpoli]

Gotta say, that feeling of gifting people a bunch of HP after a fight to hear them say “I’m at full”, is all worth it.

[Zedrinbot]

GOD I wish parties I was in were more attentive to hit dice. As soon as a combat's over when we're low on spell slots the healers *always* start trying to manually heal injured members. Like, save your slots man D:

(i also feel this pain x2 because I'm running a warlock so I never have spell slots anyway cause no one wants to short rest)

[whade]

Tip: don't forget that heals/buffs work on NPCs, too.
Saw an old man with a broken leg? Cast cure on him! See some laborers? Cast Enhance Strength! Ignore party complaints of not "saving" spell slots and instead become the most popular philanthropist in any town.

[The_Eternal_Dawn]

Human cleric: Feat: Ritual Caster (Wizard): Find Familiar: Owl. Cast 'guidance', 'resistance' or 'cure wounds' through the familiar to any injured party member with 100 ft. Don't worry about the owl getting attacks of opportunity because of their ability 'flyby'.

[jordyalcides]

I hope to see a "how to play support in dnd", that's one of my favorite roles when playing

[SirStanleytheStumbler]

Grave domain clerics can prevent enemy crits and if they heal someone that is at 0 hp no roll is required as the maximum of the spell is gained. Not to mention a 30ft range spare the dying.

[Ryuu]

One thing that was missed being mentioned that any character can take during character creation or downtime training is the optional rule utility of having proficiency in Cook's Utensils from XGTE.



*Prepare Meals.* As part of a short rest, you can prepare a tasty meal that helps your companions regain their strength. You and up to five creatures of your choice regain 1 extra hit point per Hit Die spent during a short rest, provided you have access to your cook’s utensils and sufficient food.


Although it doesn't provide too much mechanically, it is something that even completely magicless characters can do to help their teammates top off their hit points. Especially in those later levels where you will have more Hit Dice to spend. And being the team cook is a simple and effective method to add some roleplay elements; Whether you are playing a Barbarian that feasts to celebrate victorious battles, or a Monk fussing over whether everyone is maintaining their bodies with balanced meals.

[BeaglzRok]

My Ranger teams up with the Bard to handle all the healing needs. Bard as the full caster has Healing Word, Greater Restoration, Mass Cure Wounds, Regeneration, and Raise Dead, while I have Cure Wounds and Lesser Restoration, so I handle the quick mid-combat pickups and early-mode debuffs, while they can handle the more grievous emergency stuff and burst healing. The rogue also helps out with their Healer's Kit and Healer feat.

[alexanderrogers]

Best healer involves not taking the damage in the first place and therefore