Generally speaking, standard healing potions are NOT intended to be a combat healing option. They can get someone on their feet again, and serve that end for non-healers and those without other magical or race/class related means of restoring hit points, but outside of that they are weak enough that in most situations, yes, they are a very inefficient action that is not supposed to be appealing or long-term viable.
Standard healing potions are intended to be emergency items for those without other means, and for topping up out of combat when you cannot afford the time to take an hour's rest.
For the record, in 5e, clerics are in no way essential; most classes have a small reserve of self-maintenance options that can help tide them over, and many classes have access to viable healing besides (At this stage, in fact, I believe that all caster classes have a means of accessing the healing sub set, with the possible exception of wizard, because theurgist wizard never passed the UA testing... which was a pity, because it was neat). Between what each class and character brings to the group, any class combination can fare well against challenges of appropriate magnitude regardless of their class make-up, as long as they play too their strengths (there are exceptions of course - you would not pit your all-caster group of level 11s against a rakshasa, for example)
Last edited by Niara; 19/03/22 12:44 AM.
