Something I’ve added to my D&D solo 3.0 campaign, but something that would work for any D&D campaign, no matter what edition, is to not allow clerics to use magical healing between adventures.

I had been thinking about this for a while, but I started using this rule just recently as I didn’t like the fact that the cleric could pretty much heal everybody within a couple of days and everyone is ready once again to adventure. It takes away from downtime, and seems a little silly to me.

By introducing this (somewhat arbitrary) rule, I have noticed the following positive changes to my campaign:

1. 1. 1. More downtime for those characters that aren’t healing;
      2. The party can split up and do different things, which brings variety to the campaign;
      3. Those characters who lost HP in the last session need to rest for a few days to a week or so (depending on how badly they were injured) and this seems “right” to me; and
      4. Characters get to use their healing and herbalism skills to get the wounded to heal faster (this leads to more adventure where character go and collect herbs)

In-World Reasoning

However, I don’t overly like arbitrary rules without some in-world reason for them.

So, I have been thinking about why clerics wouldn’t cast cure wound spells until they are blue in the face to heal everyone up. And I think I have a nugget of an idea: duty.

A Cleric’s Duty

Duty to the church and duty to their deity.

Duty to their Deity: By this, I mean that mass casting of any spells like this may er on the wrong side of their deity’s favour. Spells from deities are supposed to be miracles. Not a freebie to be used whenever the priest likes.

Duty to the Church: Duty to the church by way of using those miracles on the faithful and helpless – a much better use than healing a hardy adventurer.

This may seem like putting the cart before the horse by making up a rule and then trying to justify it. But, D&D is primarily a game. And games have rules. I don’t see any harm in coming up with a rule that makes the game better. And for me, this one does just that.

Other Spellcasters

So, what about other spellcasters who can heal? Druids? Rangers? And possibly others?

In my campaign world, all divine spells are gained from a deity and so all spellcasters need to hold up to the deity’s ideals and teachings. This rule still applies to them.

Over to You

Would this rule work in your campaign? Let me know in the comments below.

While You’re Here…

Since 2021 I have been publishing d12 Monthly, a monthly zine, which has a ton of articles for any edition of Dungeons and Dragons.

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I will also be releasing some more products in the near future.

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