Healing and the need for it

We're wrapping up our latest game of Apocalypse World, and talking about playing Dungeon World next. Looking through the classes, I'm wondering whether a cleric's healing is mandatory for a party, like in D&D? How does one need to approach healing and the need for healing in DW?

it's really not mandatory. My party doesn't have a cleric, and even though the Wizard learned CUre Light Wounds, he only prepares it half the time. Camping and herbs/bandages do most of the work. Having a healer in the party mostly just changes the playstyle a smidge.

Note, EVERY PC-power healing effect involves a roll, so in a way, character-induced healing is a gamble.

And even if your party does decide they want (or need) some healing, it doesn't necessarily have to be through a Cleric. The Bard and the Paladin can heal from level 1, while the Druid, Ranger and Wizard can gain access to healing through advanced moves. If you then add things like bandages, healing potions and setting up camp, any party should be able to stay standing.

This thread gave me the confidence to jump in without a cleric when we started up our first DW game at the beginning of the year. I wanted to keep the gods aloof and mysterious in this world, so no clerics. Here are some thoughts after five sessions:

Context- We're playing a game with a barbarian, paladin, and wizard. I pulled my punches the first three sessions while I got used to the system, but opened up the throttle the last two. Have had two knifes-edge battles since, and has been a blast.

-I've been using a modified "heal at the end of the scene" rule I picked up from The Agency. At the conclusion of a major scene, when you pause to catch your breath and lick your wounds, heal +half your Con. So far, this has worked out well. I can lay the damage on thick without killing the momentum of the session if the pc's are chewed up in combat.

-Because the paladin is the only thing close to a healer, laying on hands is high drama with high stakes consequences. A failed roll has effectively become a rejection of the recipient by the paladin's god. He's now pretty well convinced that the wizard's soul is irredeemably lost.

-Ritual is awesome! In a pinch, a wizard can do anything a cleric can do, but stakes are higher. So far, our wizard has neutralized the venom in the veins of the snake-bitten paladin at the cost of attracting some very unwanted attention.

-The wizard selected the three healing potions as starting items, and has so far used one to heal himself and another to fuel a ritual. I may have to salt in few additional healing items over time, but will try to keep them rare and interesting.


So, overall, so far so good. Things are running well without a major healer in the party. Really loving the flexibility of the system!

Ive leant more and more toward making HP like somewhat of a 'mistake potential' for harm (and healing), thus the fighter and paladin are far more risk - savvy than the poor, risk - adverse Wizard.

In our games, its the damage that takes you to death door that is the 'severe wound'. Anything else is just narrative colour - near hits, scrapes, bruises and so forth. Any broken limbs or severe bleeding or concussion etc. are referenced as a tag, inflicted as a hard (monster) move and narratively invoked is scenes for what they are. HP are more a measure, so when I deal damage as a hard move, or via hack 'n slash, its specifically taking away that 'mistake potential' resource.

So, in reference to the healing potential of clerics.... Its not needed, but it sure helps! I would ask a provactive question and state the consequences and ask...
'So Avon, you don't have a cleric in your party? What do you plan on doing if someone needs healing? Hire a priest perhaps? Rely on herbs and potions? Avoid combat? Learn a new skill as you become more experienced? (level up with multiclass dabbler)'

This then gives you good hooks to tap into and antagonise as part of your emergent story.

Exactly! "Mistake Potential" is a great way of looking at it. I've been trying to gel on similar thoughts in this direction, but that sums it up very concisely.

So, to riff on this a bit, HP could maybe be considered something like luck or fate. When you're luck runs out, you're open to a fatal mistake.

Of course, taking a hit to your "luck points" is probably not very satisfying for players or GMs.

I'm playing a Bard and constantly heal the party (when I make the roll, the is). Could have taken the advance move for it at level 2 but decided I needed more meat to my noble lavish-cloth wearing Gnome Bard so he wouldn't be so useless all the time.