Healing Spells for Wizards [3e WD&D]

The Healer's Grimoire

Back in late November/early December of 2000, I got into a very large argument on the WotC message boards; specifically, RPG.DnD.Core_PH.Spells, about wizards and healing magics. I maintained that Arcane magic was just as capable of healing as Divine magic, cited several examples, and expected the rest of the world to bask in my brilliance. I won't rehash the arguments here, but let it suffice to say that I was largely shouted down. People, for some reason, were unwilling to give wizards Cure Light Wounds and related spells.

The arguments, however, did produce some useful results: a set of several Wizardly healing spells, operating on slightly different principles from the WotC usual "infusion of Positive Energy bolsters your life force." I came up with most of these based on the arguments placed against me, others by stealing from Ars Magica, and a few from simply extrapolating a combination of magic and medieval medicine. So, here are a few spells that can be added to wizardly grimoires, to provide a few more options for the masters of magic.

Bind Wound

Transmutation

Level: Sor/Wiz 1

Components: V,S,M

Casting Time: One Action

Range: Touch

Target:  One Wound

Duration: Instantaneous

Saving Throw: Fortitude Negates (if they want)

Spell Resistance: Yes

Bind Wound works very similar to "Mending", but at is usable upon a person. This spell will close one wound, curing a person of up to 1d6 + 1 HP per two levels of experience (max of 1d6+5), or however much damage the wound inflicted originally, whichever is lower. Unless only one wound has been inflicted, it alone is not sufficient to stabilize a dying character, though each use of the spell reduces the DC of any healing action for that purpose by 1. Against undead, who rely less upon their tissues, this spell is only half as effective

Material Component: Needle and a bit of thread

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Chirurgeon's Healing Touch

Transmutation

Level: Sor/Wiz 2

Components: V,S,M

Casting Time:  One Action

Range: Touch

Target: One Creature

Duration: Instantaneous

Saving Throw: Fortitude Negates (if they wish)

Spell Resistance: Yes

Chirurgeon's Healing Touch is an improved version of "Bind Wound", scouring the body for cuts and bruises, and then returning the body to as close to its original form as possible. This spell cures a person of 2d6 points of damage +1 per two levels (up to 2d6 + 10) . Unlike Bind Wounds, this spell will stabilize a dying character. This spell is only half as effective on undead.

Material Component:  Silver needle and a bit of thread.

Further versions of the spell, with increasing effectiveness on a scale with Cure wounds (3d6+15 is max at 3rd level spells, 4d6+20 at 4th level, un so weiter) can be pretty easily envisioned. It fits in with many clerical combat spells, which do only a certain amount, plus one every two levels, and fits in with a Wizard's abilities, since he's not actually restoring vital (positive) energy, but rather curing the physical effects of wounds... broken bones, cut or ruptured blood vessels, etc.... which is shown to be possible through the spell Polymorph Other and Polymorph Self.

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Blood of Trolls (Conversion of "Trollish Fortitude" from Spells and Magic)

Transmutation

Level: Sor/Wiz 6

Components: V, S, M

Casting Time: 1 action

Range: Touch

Target: 1 Living Creature

Duration: 1 round / level (D)

Saving Throw: Fortitude Negates

Spell Resistance: Yes

This spell temporarily grants the subject the regenerative capabilities of a troll. Except for damage from fire and acid (and others; see note below), the subject will regenerate 5 hit points per round, and continue to do so as long as the spell remains in effect. Regeneration cannot take the subject above his normal maximum; once that limit is reached, the regeneration is halted until it is needed again.

Material Component:  Some piece of a troll, or troll's blood. Note that the spell above assumes that only a standard troll's body is used for material components. If the troll body used has different vulnerabilities (such as a desert troll's vulnerability to water), then the subject gains those weaknesses, too.

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Timeheal (X)

Transmutation

Level:  Sor/Wiz (X)

Components: V, S, Special

Casting Time: 1 action

Range: Touch

Target:  One creature

Duration: Instantaneous

Saving Throw: Fortitude Negates

Spell Resistance: Yes

These spells (nine different versions, for levels 1-9), each force a living body to heal X days, giving the equivalent benefits (save sleep) of having rested, with full bed rest, for that period of time. This spell will _not_ reset bones, cure disease, or eliminate poisons from the system, unless proper steps to fix those ailments have first been taken using the Heal skill or some other magic. Thus, someone with an unset broken leg receiving this spell will have the leg heal at an odd angle, someone with a disease will have it worsen, and someone suffering from poison may well die unless proper steps were taken first.

Material Components (Special): While this spell does not require true material components, the various requirements of healing an injured person must be dealt with for this spell to be fully effective.

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Perfect Body

Transmutation

Level: Sor/Wiz 7

Components: V, S, M

Casting Time: 1 minute

Range: Touch

Target: One creature

Duration: Instantaneous

Saving Throw: None

Spell Resistance: Yes

This spell returns the target to perfect health for a person of his race and age, from any point up to death, with effects identical to a Heal spell. Rather than drawing upon Positive Energy to affect the change, however, the wizard instead transmutes the target into the best possible version of his physical and mental self for that age.

Material Components: A powder made from carnelian and amethyst must be sprinkled across the body of the person to be healed. Components for creatures up to medium size will cost 150gp, with and additional 150 being added for every size category larger (300gp for Large, 450gp for Huge, etc.)

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Balance of Humors

Evocation

Level: Drd 3, Sor/Wiz 3

Components: V, S, M, F

Casting Time: 1 hour

Range: 0

Area: 10' radius, +5' per level of experience

Duration: 1 day / level

Saving Throw: None

Spell Resistance: Yes

This spell attempts to balance the four bodily humors within all inside its area of effect. The caster erects four small tripods, one with a censer of incense, the next with a small brazier, then a small cairn of rocks (or pile of earth, or lump of clay), and lastly a vial of clean water. These need not be arranged according to any specific direction, but the brazier must always be opposite the vial of water, and the censer opposite the cairn, with 90 degrees between each structure. All injured humans within this circle will heal at twice the speed, due to the favorable confluence of elements, and mundane healers gain a +10 competence bonus to all healing checks while within the circle. If a Timeheal spell is cast within the area of effect, the subject gains an additional day of rest beyond what the spell would normally allow.

This spell is optimized for humans, and others with similar balances of elements. Variant versions must be researched for each race (a dwarven version, for example, would likely contain much more earth and fire than water and air, to account for the races different biology). If a non-human is within the area of effect, they will feel somewhat dizzy and nauseous (-2 to all attacks, skill and ability checks, and saving throws), but will receive one-half the benefits of the spell (healing 3 days for every 2 rested, and with a +5 to healing checks). A half-human within the area of effect must make a Fortitude saving throw against twice the usual DC or suffer the same effects as their non-human parent.

Focus:  The tripods, censor, brazier, and vial may all be reused; their initial cost is 30gp.

Material Components:  At the beginning of each casting, the caster must locate a fresh pint of water, approximately 1 pound of fertile earth, 1 pint of oil, and 30 gold pieces worth of incense. The magic of the circle will keep the materials active (burning, unevaporated, etc.) for the entire duration, provided the tripods are not upset; knocking over a tripod ends the spell.

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