Larian Studios Forums Baldur's Gate III Baldur's Gate III - General "Party healer" concerns

I am a huge fan of the game so far.
Im having one major concern tough.

It seems that regarding your party composition, you either have to be a cleric (and maybe a druid once the game releases?) or you have to take Shadowheart with you - otherwise you will have no healer and gonna have a bad time... probably.

Now, the issue that I have with Shadowheart is that you are not able to chose her cleric domain, and they gave her the trickery domain. Which is the worst domain in the book
So there are less customization options there, most of the campaigns will involve an evil trickery domain cleric.

I don't think there are any plans to change that? I would say maybe let us chose the domain, but it fits her personality so I guess no to that...
Maybe more companion options in the future? Or more customization options to the companions are coming? (Im thinking the DoS2 mirror :D)

A Paladin, druid, divine soul sorcerer and bard can also heal (though not all of them has it as their strongest ability, which is fine). We just need a few more classes and party member to be added, but that'll come.

Right,
Although I still hate the fact that you either make a healer or you are stuck with her.

Honestly, unless they change food healing and the rest system, you really don't need a cleric at all

BG 3 needs more "standard" chars that the player can define. Although there is always food healing... .

I'm hoping, in the end, they'll have one unique character per class (even if some don't have full fledged stories) or do allow custom characters for party members.

Dont forget all the food you find all over the world - pigs head & other meat cures more than a cure light wounds & you can eat two items during combat from your inventory - im carrying enough now that I wouldnt need Shadow Heart - but in this playthrough im using her ...fruit does the same dont discard anything - carrots, garlic, potatoes...even some grilled unsavoury meats the goblins have all works....well 99% does....

Divine soul sorcerer is cheese from Xanathar's Guide to Everything, so we probably won't see it in this game.

Honestly even with all the food available and Shadowheart, I'm having a lot of difficulty. I could not rely on one or the other singularly, having both has been a lfesaver.

Food can't bring a downed party member up from a distance.
I wouldn't also know how it scale in higher levels. Probably wasting a bonus action to eat a carrot to heal 4 hp won't do you much at levels 10+ when you need a healing word level 3-4 or something like that.
It may hold up for the early access though.

Anyone that says you don't need a cleric in D&D is a fool or plays with DM's that never challenge them. That said, there's ways around not having one, but it should hurt. I'm in favor of it hurting in Baldur's Gate 3, but I know that won't be the case. So far in EA? Absolutely not the case. You don't need a cleric whatsoever. I certainly bring one, but in Baldur's Gate 3 even moreso than pen and paper I find healing spells almost useless. Food heals you and is ultra abundant in between fights. Healing mid fight is usually not really worthwhile in 5e unless you're just getting someone up from 0. It's one of the weak spots in 5e.

Since Larian is adding some of their own flavor, I would really like to see the game made more consequential. Maybe reducing the number of times you can be downed in a single fight to once before dying, or something. The 5e yoyo mechanic is strong here with help actions.

In my 5e games I have a custom rule where anyone who goes down to 0 just takes a point of exhaustion each time. Exhaustion hurts big time after you get 3 levels of it. Even 2 hurts badly.

Clerics are the most useless class in the game right now. What little combat healing you need can be provided by potions, food, scrolls and items. As for most buffs; another attack/spell action would have benefited the party more than the buff in most fights anyway (sure, bless is nice to have but not a must at all).
This might change at higher levels but at least for the first four levels the only reason to even take Shadowheart is for RP purposes, so need to be worried about having to take her..

I've not had to use any healing spells or food.

Theres these things called healing potions you see, and you find more than you could ever need.

hoping to see this as well, have the option to either make more custom characters for party members

But the problem with that is that eating food is a bonus action, you can do it as much as you want, and healing spells cost precious spell slots. 5e does have the problem where heals are usually only worthwhile to bring up someone who is Downed, but that doesn't mean that eating food should be a more powerful heal than something which costs a precious Spell Slot resource.

I beat the EA with the composition:

Warlock
Warlock
Ranger
Rogue (arcane trickster)

No healer, no tank, no problem.

Except guiding bolt and cause wounds are some of the most damaging low level spells in the 5e (and in this game as well.) Guiding bolt also gives advantage on the next attack, which possibly makes it the most powerful level 1 spell, competing with magic missile. Combine that with the fact that clerics can wear medium armor, can use simple weapons and shields, and get a better hit die than most casters, I'd say that you're severely underestimating clerics and they are far from "the most useless" caster. I'd argue they are (one of) the strongest in the 4 levels we get to play with.

Although rangers can learn a healing spell if they choose. Mine hasn't so far, but at least at low levels you don't really have the tools (other than potions) to heal through damage. In my experience, I'm either controlling the fight and out damaging my opponents or I'm losing big.

I did my first playthrough with 2 Warlocks, a Wizard, and a Rogue, which is likely the worst possible setup imaginable considering the state of spellcasters right now, and I did well enough.
Manage your short rests and your long rests a bit better.

How did you get 2 warlocks and a ranger?