So, you are the healer. Your party is counting on you to keep them alive. Easier said than done, right? Because despite all the shenanigans and danger the party puts themselves in, there is also the daily question of what spells to prepare. When you are playing a healing-based cleric in Dungeons & Dragons, you have a multitude of choices on that account. If you know what you are going to encounter for that day’s quest, that certainly makes things easier. But what if you don’t know? What are the best healing spells to prepare for any occasion? Let’s break it down.
#5: Lesser Restoration
This is an easy spell to overlook, especially as you continue to level up and leave 2nd level spells further behind. But it continues to be relevant and useful even when you’re a level 20 cleric.
Lesser Restoration allows you to end one disease or condition affecting a creature by touching them. The condition can be blinded, deafened, paralyzed, or poisoned. This can be critical in a battle when party members are in need, most especially if they are paralyzed or blinded. Sometimes even turn-by-turn saving throws can’t save them.
The downside to this spell is you have to touch the creature in question. But that is balanced out by its low-level casting. So if multiple party members are affected, you can easily help them all.
#4: Healing Word
As a low-healing 1st level spell, it’s easy to dismiss Healing Word. However, what makes it weaker compared to other healing spells is actually its strength. Healing Word allows you to restore 1d4 HP + your spellcasting modifier. It goes up by each level you cast it at, though it won’t make too much of a difference. You can heal a creature up to 60 feet away.
The biggest perk of this spell is that it is a Bonus Action. While the healing is very low, it’s perfect to quickly get an ally up when you need to save your action for something critical, or have another ally in need. The fact that you don’t have to touch to cast is another big perk. And with it being a first level spell, you can keep casting it numerous times.
#3: Greater Restoration
When you only can prepare a small amount of 5th-level spells, it can be hard to choose which to bring along. But Greater Restoration should always be prepared due to its quick resolution for very serious problems. Yes, it does cost diamond dust to cast. And it’s likely not be used on a daily basis. But when you do need it and it’s not prepared, especially if you are dungeon delving, things can get tricky.
Greater Restoration allows you to spend 100 GP of diamond dust to remove a target’s exhaustion level by one, end a charm, remove a petrification, get rid of a curse, end a reduction to ability scores, or end an effect that reduces Hit Point maximum. Any player that has had to fight their own charmed party knows how critical this can be. And if you are in the middle of a deep dungeon, taking a long rest in order to fix your petrified bard the next morning can be a dangerous endeavor.
#2: Heal
If you need a powerful healing spell for a very dangerous encounter, Heal is your best bet. Even though slots are limited at the 6th level, this is never a spell you want to be without! Your target regains 70 HP immediately after the cast, and the amount goes up by 10 HP if you cast at a higher level. This spell’s biggest perk is that you can cast it at a 60 foot range, and it costs nothing.
Heal is not only great for saving an ally’s life, but due to the amount of healing it churns out they are good for mulitiple more rounds. You also do not have to roll for Heal, it automatically does 70 HP. This makes it really stand out against other roll-for-heal spells.
#1: Mass Cure Wounds
When it comes to saving your party from a TPK, however, there is nothing better than Mass Cure Wounds. Despite having to roll to heal, and it not being a huge amount (only 3d8 + your spellcasting modifier), this spell’s perks far outweigh its cons.
Your cleric doesn’t have to be the center of origin for this spell. You can choose any point within 60 feet around you. And from that point a wave of healing spreads out that is a 30 foot radius sphere. That’s an incredible 60 foot diameter circle of healing! Unless your party is extremely spread out, it’s hard to miss anyone with that spell.
It is a 5th level spell, and healing increases by 1d8 for each slot cast above that level. If you roll high, you could be healing each party member by 24 HP + your spellcasting modifier. But even if it is much lower, the main benefit of this is the ability to heal everyone at once. It is a party saver and should always be prepared. We definitely know from experience in our own game when we had everyone unconscious, and only a lucky Death Save got the party’s cleric up in time to cast this.
Honorable Mention: Mass Heal
The reason Mass Heal did not make our top five list is because it’s a 9th level spell. Unfortunately, many D&D campaigns either don’t last until the cleric is level 17, or the campaign is completed by then. But with its ability to dispense 700 points of healing divided across any creature within 60 feet of the caster, this is the heavy hitter of healing. In addition to the hit points, it also ends any disease and effect making targets blind or deaf.
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