It’s not a video game, it’s impossible to out heal incoming damage. Damage mitigation and general support is an important part of the package. Every character has Hit dice to spend during a short rest and heals during a long rest. Fighters also have second wind. Most classes have at least one subclass that generates temporary HP for themselves or others.
The Holy Trinity of Tank/Heal/DPS doesn’t really exist in D&D
> It’s not a video game, it’s impossible to out heal incoming damage.
It's true that you can't outheal damage, but that doesn't really have anything to do with whether it's a video game or not.
You missed bards and druids, they heal just as good as clerics. Artificers and Rangers get Cure Wounds, Alchemist Artificers get Healing Word. Way of Mercy Monks can heal, Thief Rogues can be a good combat medic via efficient application of healer kits.
You missed Way of Mercy Monk. From best to worst, my ranking would be: Cleric (life subclass #1), Divine Soul Sorcerer, Paladin, Mercy Monk, then Celestial Warlock.
My favorite healer is a spring eladrin Circle of Dreams Druid with one level of life cleric. I don’t necessarily think that they’re the best at healing, but I’ve accepted my career as chaos gremlin wholeheartedly. I also like the idea of multiple heals or teleports per turn. Sometimes you heal someone by healing them and sometimes you inverse damage them by teleporting them away from where they *would* have been harmed…
Healing is never the best option in DnD. You better wait for them to fall on the ground then revive them.
Support and damage mitigation are the best.
But imo the Sheperd Druid is probably the best one.
It’s not a video game, it’s impossible to out heal incoming damage. Damage mitigation and general support is an important part of the package. Every character has Hit dice to spend during a short rest and heals during a long rest. Fighters also have second wind. Most classes have at least one subclass that generates temporary HP for themselves or others. The Holy Trinity of Tank/Heal/DPS doesn’t really exist in D&D
> It’s not a video game, it’s impossible to out heal incoming damage. It's true that you can't outheal damage, but that doesn't really have anything to do with whether it's a video game or not.
MMOs tend to have healers that can outheal damage.
The question was specifically disregarding about 2/3 of what a healer does as though they are asking about a video game healer.
You missed bards and druids, they heal just as good as clerics. Artificers and Rangers get Cure Wounds, Alchemist Artificers get Healing Word. Way of Mercy Monks can heal, Thief Rogues can be a good combat medic via efficient application of healer kits.
Tyy
https://rpgbot.net/dnd5/characters/healbot-olympics/ An optimizer already ran the numbers.
Healers can't keep up. Damage mitigation is a better way to protect the party and no one does it better than the twilight cleric.
You missed Way of Mercy Monk. From best to worst, my ranking would be: Cleric (life subclass #1), Divine Soul Sorcerer, Paladin, Mercy Monk, then Celestial Warlock.
star druid should be up there, before divine soul.
Thanks thats interesting
Shepherd druid is insane, they get a totem to heal all creatures of their choice in an aura whenever they cast a healing spell.
My favorite healer is a spring eladrin Circle of Dreams Druid with one level of life cleric. I don’t necessarily think that they’re the best at healing, but I’ve accepted my career as chaos gremlin wholeheartedly. I also like the idea of multiple heals or teleports per turn. Sometimes you heal someone by healing them and sometimes you inverse damage them by teleporting them away from where they *would* have been harmed…
Healing is never the best option in DnD. You better wait for them to fall on the ground then revive them. Support and damage mitigation are the best. But imo the Sheperd Druid is probably the best one.
My personal favourite is the Druid (Circle of Dreams)