Healing Amplification Spell

[LordMond63]

As DDO has evolved, players have far more hitpoints now than they did earlier on and damage inflicted in various quests has ramped up dramatically, yet the Heal spell remains the most potent single-target healing spell a Cleric or FvS and, barring crits, it no longer even approaches enough healing capacity to keep a 700hp Barbarian healed.

To fill this "doughnut hole" in the healing line of spells, I would like to see a series of single-target and mass Healing Amplification spells introduced into the game. I'm thinking a single-target 10% amp level 4 spell, a single-target 20% amp level 6 and a single-target 40% healing amp level 8, with mass targets of 10% level 5 spell, 20% at level 7 and 30% at level 9 (though perhaps a percentage based on x+ caster level would be simpler).

So under best circumstances, we'd be talking about a 300 point single-target Heal increased to 420 points and a Mass Heal increasing from 300 to 390- hardly game-breaking amounts but they take a staple of high level quests and raids and make them at least a bit more effective in dealing with the damage output of newer content.

Problems:

I do understand that there is a fair amount of healing amp feats/enhancements and gear in the game, so provisions to deal with this existing capability would have to be made so that no one would be running around with an unbalancing 80% healing amplification. My initial thought would be to prevent spell and feat/enhancement/gear benefit to stack- a simple enough fix I would think.

Honestly, that is the only speedbump I can think of offhand, though I'm sure others can think of additional ones (and I hope they do so).

EDIT: second possible concern- do you apply the crit heal percentage, if successful, before or after the Heal Amplification spell effects? I would say after.

[MrFister]

Alternatively, Tier 3 of the Radiant Servant could provide people in the Cleric's aura with a stacking 15% healing amp, providing another reason to go Cleric instead of FvS, as well as tier 3 in a PrE with only two tiers.

[DeafeningWhisper]

I don' t think it's needed really, my cleric's heal hits for around 600+ with Empowered Healing, Radiant Servant II and 2 piece Lorrik set.

Exact number is 446+175 = 621 with zero healing amp.

Rather then increase the amount healed I would prefer the sp needed to cat healing spells be reduced by Radiant Servant III.

[Sarisa]

Alternatively, Tier 3 of the Radiant Servant could provide people in the Cleric's aura with a stacking 15% healing amp, providing another reason to go Cleric instead of FvS, as well as tier 3 in a PrE with only two tiers.

Yum! I like this idea (but I'm a healing amp junkie).

[Trufire]

I don' t think it's needed really, my cleric's heal hits for around 600+ with Empowered Healing, Radiant Servant II and 2 piece Lorrik set.

Exact number is 446+175 = 621 with zero healing amp.

Rather then increase the amount healed I would prefer the sp needed to cat healing spells be reduced by Radiant Servant III.

I really like this idea. Healing Amplification always has that other effect of characters being able to self-heal more effectively. I think it would be more prudent to give the Radiant Servant line a healing boost, as above.

[Kinerd]

OP, I think you dramatically underestimate the healing amp running around in the game. My level 12 monk has 232% healing amp (where 100% = base). He's going to end up with 306% once he levels back to his dragontouched. The absolute maximum is I believe 524% for a Solar Phoenix type with too much time on their hands. A change that made it so spell, gear, and enhancement didn't stack (and calling it a fix) would be a slap in the face to anyone who already had a high-amp build.

If your tank refuses to carry healing amp, get a new tank. Allow me to recommend an Earth stance human monk.

[Enoach]

Reducing the SP cost would be interesting as right now with Staff of the Petitioner, Noxious Embers/Cove Dagger (lesser Maximize), a bard song or a Monk buff, I can already cast a Maximized+Empower Heal Spell for approximately 9 SP less than its base cost....

Ok, I admit the Staff is not in everyone's bag. Personally, I want to see Tier III be more inline with what a Radiant Servant power is with - Undead. Which means we also need a higher End Undead Quest line.

[SirValentine]

So under best circumstances, we'd be talking about a 300 point single-target Heal increased to 420

The real issue is that your Heal is hitting for 300 instead of, say, a conservative 564, on a zero-healing-amp target.

If that 700-HP Barb can manage to find 20% healing amp on his own, that Heal will take him from almost empty to full no problem.

(And with the addition of Alchemical Weapons, Mass Heal just got crazy: 731 points on a zero-healing-amp target!)

I really don't see the need you are seeing.

[PNellesen]

Rather then increase the amount healed I would prefer the sp needed to cat healing spells be reduced by Radiant Servant III.

I like this idea as well. I would like it to be a REAL reduction too, not this 2 or 4 SP cr*p you get from Enhanced Empower Heal (or whatever it's called - I see "Reduces the cost of your healing spells by 2sp", laugh, and look for an enhancement that's actually useful)

[LordMond63]

While I may well have overestimated the potential healing amplification that exists in the game, I'm not at all convinced, based on my experience healing various PuGs, that this potential is even faintly realized by a large segment of the player base. In fact, I would go so far as to say that, beyond the ship buff healing amp, not all that many folks are aware of additional ways to increase that amp. I base this on seeing consistent 300 point Mass Heals, barring an occasional crit on my part, and little varience that would seem to indicate other players having healing amp of some other type. In many respects it seems to be like these ultra-high AC builds that are possible but you really have to dedicate yourself to it and be prepared to deal with the tradeoffs it entails.

I don't argue that it does not exist; I argue that it isn't being tapped nearly enough.

I hadn't really considered the possibility of Radiant Servant III being a possible solution. A substantial sp reduction would be welcome, as those empowered, quickened Mass Heals do drain the mana bar pretty quickly.

[AtomicMew]

I think this is, in general, a good idea. Currently, healing in this game is all about two numbers: SP cost and heal power. This is boring and bland. Divine spells need to be more diverse, for several reasons. 1) To make cleric spell access more attractive, and to force FvS to make tough choices with regard to spell selection. 2) To reward smart play and coordination. Currently, the only coordination between healers is "you go first I'll heal after."

[Firesmall_at]

I think this is, in general, a good idea. Currently, healing in this game is all about two numbers: SP cost and heal power. This is boring and bland. Divine spells need to be more diverse, for several reasons. 1) To make cleric spell access more attractive, and to force FvS to make tough choices with regard to spell selection. 2) To reward smart play and coordination. Currently, the only coordination between healers is "you go first I'll heal after."

Favs should not get this for heals. They r more offensive caster and melee spec. Their prestige enhancement reflects that.

Cleric rad serv 3 should do it with emp heal as 100% and better auras/bursts.

[Habreno]

Hitting 300 on Heal? Not sure how.

I mean, without my 75% clicky, I'm hitting 367.5, and with a clicky hitting 564. With a simple 50%, I'm hitting 499, on things without amp.

Mass Heal hits for 539. With Superior Efficacy IX or Superior Devotion IX I would hit for 731.

[Teelk_Jafffa]

As a healer I would love to see some Heal over times. I know we have the enhancement but I mean a serious heal over time that does say 10-15D6 + level per 2 second tick for 16 seconds plus bonuses with a 1 minutes cooldown type heal spell. An alternative would be a shield type spell that prevents 100-250 points of damage that lasts 1 minute per level or up the aid/mass aid to this type of level.

[Carpone]

Barbarians should be striving for 20% heal amp and 30% heal amp effects on their gear. They can easily obtain that while still wearing the best in slot items. If they're warforged, just let them die and heal whoever has aggro.

As a healer, you've got a couple of options:

1. Supplement your Heal spell with Heal scrolls. Alternate between them.
2. Acquire Empowered Healing feat. This affects Heal and Mass Heal. The Empower feat does not affect either.
3. Acquire a Superior Devotion IX item (from Master Artificer/The Lord of Blades).

[SirValentine]

I base this on seeing consistent 300 point Mass Heals

Hmmm...maybe we can help you out if you give us more details.

Class & Level?
Ranks in Life Magic enhancement line?
Empower Healing feat, yes/no?
Any Devotion IX (Potency/Efficacy/etc.) gear?

As someone mentioned above, Mass Heal consistently hits for 539 for some folks, 731 with certain gear (924 with a certain special clicky), all non-crits on a zero-heal-amp target.

[Chai]

This isnt needed as there is enough amp in the game through enhancements and gear.

Any barbarian who cares about their healers being able to keep them alive at the very least has 10% + 20% heal amp at cap. A human or half elf can have much more than this, and those races are desirable as tanks and TWF fighters now with their damage boost capabilities + heal amp. We can already keep tanks up in raids mostly with heal scrolls. When someone has 900 HP that doesnt mean they need a 900 point heal. They can be kept up with heals that hit for half that, fairly easily.

Mass Heal hits for 539. With Superior Efficacy IX or Superior Devotion IX I would hit for 731.

Id turn metamagics off at that point as most players in more difficult higher end content have amp gear and enhancements.

[Habreno]

Id turn metamagics off at that point as most players in more difficult higher end content have amp gear and enhancements.

When it costs me 4 SP for 231 of those points, and 50 SP for 308, I think I'll leave Empower Healing on. I'm using 108% of the base SP to get 175% of the benefit. And a clicky would not change those numbers one bit.

This brings up the OP's problem. Lack of Empower Healing. Mass Heal is hitting for 280 without Empower Healing (as you can't get the bonus CL from Radiant Servant) or hits for 308 if you don't turn the feat on.

[dkyle]

A spell that gives healing amp is a little much, I think.

But perhaps give RSIII an ability that works like AoV's crown, but instead provides healing amp, an on-hit proc heal, and maybe even recenters your Aura on the target.

[LordMond63]

Hmmm...maybe we can help you out if you give us more details.

Class & Level?
Ranks in Life Magic enhancement line?
Empower Healing feat, yes/no?
Any Devotion IX (Potency/Efficacy/etc.) gear?

As someone mentioned above, Mass Heal consistently hits for 539 for some folks, 731 with certain gear (924 with a certain special clicky), all non-crits on a zero-heal-amp target.

Just hit 19 pure Cleric.

I believe I have Life Magic I-IV.

Yes on Empower Healing, though I use it only situationally. It tends to drain my sp pool (around 1870) too quickly. I can and will address that most likely through some GS sp gear.

I have nothing better than Devo VI (Staff of the Fleshshaper I think) and no idea where to get anything better. This is why my single target Heal does so much better than Mass Heal.

I'm not likely to participate in enough end-game Epic raiding to find any super-rare loot due to both time constraints and personal choice so if the suggestion is for me to outfit myself in Epic gear, while that would obviously improve my capability dramatically, that ain't going to happen. Someone who can devote the time and energy to find those sorts of things should be exponentially better than I am at healing, but the gap is, in my opinion, unnecessarily wide and I suspect that there are far more casual players that would benefit from some sort of improvement to their healing line of spells than there are advanced players who have access to the highest-end of gear. I don't begrudge them one bit what they've earned and the last thing I would call for is for them to be taken down a peg. There are better ways to address the problem that I perceive as existing than to take the nerfbat to them.

Another possible suggestion comes from my days playing Dark Age of Camelot. In DAoC, you had access to spells that created a "pool" of healing that was applied to your group as needed. I think there were three levels of them- 500 points of healing, 1000 points of healing and 1500 points of healing. You could cast this at the beginning of a battle and have it active during the fight to cover for those seconds between your casted healing spells. In DDO context, it would provide for healing between casts of, say, Mass Heal.

Also shamelessly stolen from DAoC could be "Fonts of Healing" that function much like Artificier Turrets but provide healing over time rather than damage in a fixed radious around the implement. They could be physical entities which can suffer damage. You could have several levels of them which HoT at different rates. I would think that one per caster would be enough, but that they should stack with each other.