party composition - no healer/no problem?

[papakee]

Is it possible for a party to advance very far without someone with healing spells? It seems that someone to play a healer is a necessity in the game if a dungeon crawl or wilderness scenario is presented.

 

[sidkfjjteidlkkf]

Of course it is, not all parties have sorcerers, but a few gods offer healing as spells and there are several Rune spells.

Most parties CAN rely on Herbs (make them up!) and the healing skill.

Give your players a challenge, let them find other ways of healing.

It is also a lesson for them to avoid combat at times.

I NEVER set an adventure around my PC's. That makes it more challenging. I give a few hints as to what they should have, and they rarely catch on, but they SURVIVE...

 

[RosenMcStern]

One of the beautiful parts of traditional RuneQuest was that almost everyone in the party had at least a couple of points of the Heal spell. Of course, you still have to stay conscious long enough to heal yourself, not to mention having enough magic points

 

[sidkfjjteidlkkf]

Of course, you still have to stay conscious long enough to heal yourself, not to mention having enough magic points

And the WINNER IS!!!

that is why is great to find other methods of healing, and why I cannot waite for the GM Guide... (GO ALCHEMY!!!)

 

[TRose]

Also depends on what type of game you run. Some of my best adventures I have run have been those where the players never drew a weapon. I ran a Ghost story once where the players bought a house that was haunted by a poltergeist and they then had to figure out how to calm the ghost down.

 

[soltakss]

Anyone with the Heal spell can heal.

Many people will have spells such as Heal Area as well.

In older versions of RQ, people could make and use Healing Potions, they'll hopefully appear in the Gamesmasters Book.

You could have a dedicated Healer, but they are not that common.

In Glorantha there are several healer cults but most are non-combative and have limited spells. Outside Glorantha there may be other healer cults or schools, but many will be gentle souls, not suited to adventuring.

RuneQuest, more than any system I've seen, has self-healing spread throughout the game, so everyone is a healer.

 

[Mage]

No player in my party in the game I gm has a healer but thy do have armour spells and some powerhouse characters. There are like nine players in the group, ranging from duck to minotaur in various guises: theif to shaman. Depends on the number of players, gm and level of threat and/or setting.

 

[Ilkka]

Is it possible for a party to advance very far without someone with healing spells? It seems that someone to play a healer is a necessity in the game if a dungeon crawl or wilderness scenario is presented.

In dungeon crawl and wilderness roaming -type gaming, I would make sure that someone (and preferably many) in the party have healing spells, potions, spirits, or something similar. Unless the idea of the game is to get characters killed every now and them.

-ILe

 

[zozotroll]

In my current game, we dont have a dedicated healer, and are OK so far. As far as a few points hidden, Rosen may have a spell or two hidden, but if so he hasnt told us.

Of course his charecter has had no reason to yet.

 

[weasel_fierce]

If you plan on doing the D&D style genocide thing, then I'd be fairly liberal with the healing spells.

Alternatively, keep the encounters lower and tell the players to think on their feet. You'll see a completely different tactical game unfold if you can no longer just shrug off grievous injuries

 

[Sinisalo]

If you plan on doing the D&D style genocide thing, then I'd be fairly liberal with the healing spells.

Come on, we've been destroying newtling colonies since Apple Lane from Dragon Pass to Border Lands. Poor bastards haven't stood a chance.

 

[weasel_fierce]

thats the other option. Pick on the little guys

 

[TRose]

Come on, we've been destroying newtling colonies since Apple Lane from Dragon Pass to Border Lands. Poor bastards haven't stood a chance.[/quote] I once played a Newtling and did the destroying . Might add the Newtlings most players kill are bachelors which are very expendable in Newtling society.