Quick Links
When it comes to healing inDungeons & Dragons, spells like Cure Wounds or Healing Word are always going to come in clutch. But, what happens when you’ve run out of spell slots, or, your main healer is knocked unconscious? Well, that means it’s time to get creative.
So, how can you increase your healing without spells? There are a handful of different methods, and luckily, most of these are available to every single class, meaning you don’t just have to be playing a support class to heal. Here’s everything you need to know to maximize your healing in D&D without spells.
How To Heal Without Spells
Across the world of Dungeons & Dragons,there are a number of different ways you can heal people without using healing spells. Here’s a breakdown of each method.
Healing Potions
Crafting & Items
The primary way to heal your allies in Dungeons & Dragons is touse healing potions.
These items can be found, bought, or crafted, and subsequently used to bring your team back from the brink.
Features & Traits
Abilities
Some features might allow you to healwithout using a spell, as well as some general feats.
Magic Items
Finding magical itemsthat restore health, but don’t necessarily cast spells, can be immensely helpful.
This is great for non-spellcasters, who may be able to attune to items like this, even though they’re technically magic.
Tools
Equipment
Certain tool sets and equipment can help heal allieswho have fallen on the battlefield.
Just be careful to keep proficiency and other abilities in mind when employing tools to help heal allies.
Medicine
Every player can make Medicine checksto attempt to administer first aid on the field of play.
All of the above methods are your best betwhen it comes to acting as a healer without needing to use spells. Any character of any class can employ one of the above methods.
Don’t be afraid toget creative when it comes to healing. Even if you don’t have exactly the right item at your disposal, talk to your DM in the moment and see if you can contrive a creative solution if you’re trying to stabilize a fallen compatriot.
Healing Potions come in many different shapes and sizesin Dungeons & Dragons. Depending on the tier of potion, you’ll produce more healing.
2d4 + 2
Potion of Healing (Greater)
4d4 + 4
Potion of Healing (Superior)
8d4 + 8
Potion of Healing (Supreme)
10d4 + 20
Very Rare
While these items can be bought in magic shops or even found during adventures,you can also craft these items for yourself. This is your best bet for making sure you can maximize your healing output without the need for spells.
However,crafting healing potions takes time. A regular Potion of Healing, for example, takes a full day and eight hours of work.
One thing some DMs will allow is for you tosplit your healing potionamong multiple allies. Whilethis isn’t always allowed, you can maximize your healing output greatly in this way.
For example,you could ask to split a Potion of Superior Healingamong two party members,giving them each 4d4 + 4 healing each.
Because Potions of Healing will always get your ally conscious again, sometimes splitting them up, or using a minor one just to get your friend back up is worth it.
Features And Traits
Another great way to maximize your healing output without using spells is touse species features, class features, or even general/origin featsfrom the Player’s Handbook.
While some of these are magical,all of these abilities do not use specific spells.
Feature Or Ability
Boon of Fortitude
Epic Boon Feat
Your Hit Point Maximum increases by 40when you take this feat.
Additionally, when you regain Hit Points,you can regain additional Hit Points equal to your Constitution modifier.
Healer
Origin Feat
If you have a Healer’s Kit, you can expend one use of it and tend to a creaturewithin five feet of you.
The creature can then expend one of its Hit Point Dice to regain Hit Points equal to the number rolled plus your Proficiency Bonus.
Healing Hands
Aasimar Trait
As a Magic action,you touch a creature and roll a number of d4s equal to your Proficiency Bonus.
The creature then regains Hit Points equal to the total number rolled.
Warrior of the Gods
Path of the Zealot subclass feature
You have a pool of four d12s you’re able to use to healyourself as part of your subclass.
Hand of Healing
Warrior of Mercy subclass feature
Monks of the warrior of mercy subclass canuse a Focus Point to touch a creature and restore Hit Pointsequal to a roll of their Martial Arts die plus their Wisdom modifier.
This ability improves as the warrior of mercy monk levels up.
Wholeness of Body
Warrior of the Open Hand subclass feature
Monks who follow the way of the open handcan heal themselves with bonus actionsstarting at level six.
Lay on Hands
Paladin feature
Paladins can restore Hit Points by laying their hands on their fallen alliesand pulling from a predetermined HP pool.
Clockwork Cavalcade
Clockwork sorcery subclass feature
At level 18,clockwork sorcerers can summon spirits that can heal up to 100 HPdivided among any amount of creatures you can see within range.
Healing Light
Celestial patron warlock subclass feature
Celestial patron warlockscan heal wounds through celestial energy, granting them a pool of d6s to fuel healing.
In addition to standard use items like Potions of Healing,you can also help heal your team with magic itemsthat offer healing abilities.
Some magic items may offer healing, but usually through the use of casting spells. For this section, we’re looking at magic items that offer healing without spells.
Here are just a few examplesof magic items that can offer healing boons without using spells.
Cauldron of Rebirth
Very Rare (Requires Attunement)
You can use this item to create a Potion of Greater Healing, taking only one minute.
Periapt of Wound Closure
Uncommon (Requires Attunement)
While wearing this pendant, whenever you roll a Hit Point Die, you may double the number of Hit Points it restores.
Mariner’s Armor
Uncommon
While wearing this armor, if you start your turn underwater with zero Hit Points, you immediately regain 1d4 Hit Points.
Periapt of Health
While wearing this pendant, you can take a Magic action and regain 2d4 +2 Hit Points once per day.
If you’re interested in creating your own magic items that can restore health,talk to your DM about homebrewing a magic item, and crafting it yourself.
Another way you can maximize your healing output without the use of spells is throughtools and equipment sets.
Similar to magic items, you should also talk to your DM about crafting nonmagical items that might be able to restore help through homebrew.
These tools not only allow you to craft items that can help you heal, but can heal in their own right.Here’s a breakdownof both of them.
Herbalism Kit
By using an Herbalism Kit, you can craft Antitoxins or Potions of Healing.
Healer’s Kit
Adventuring Gear
By taking the Utilize action, you can expend one of ten uses to stabilize an unconscious creature.
Lastly, you can also use the Help action to make a DC 10 Medicine checkto attempt to stabilize a creature. This is similar to the use of a Healer’s Kit, but you must roll to see if you are successful.
Keep in mind that stabilizing a creature alsoresets their Death Savetracker. Though simply keeping a creature may not seem like a huge deal, it can make the difference between life and death.
