Priests as healers

[AlexN]

Just curious. Who and when first thought of priests as healers? This never happened in history. Priests participated in battles, but only for doing divination and asking gods for help. They never (until 19 century) acted as healers.

Is there a possibility for a more realistic functioning of the priests?

[sanderd17]

I don't see a problem. Priests ask the gods to heal someone, and that person is healed.

[dvangennip]

I think the priests as healers are a game mechanic, which a player can use to buff her army. Having healers then becomes a strategical choice and opportunity to change the odds in a battle. Essentially, if two similar armies get into a fight, the one with healers will last longer and win the fight (even if the opponent goes for the healers first, leaving them vulnerable to the army's soldiers).

While there may be no historical basis (as asking for help is not the same as actually healing someone), I think this is where a game can (and should be allowed to) deviate from reality to make the game more fun and deepen the tactical possibilities. Healing adds a restorative element, next to the damage dealing of the soldiers themselves (similar to the RPG trinity of DPS/tank/healer).

If you do not agree, I'm curious to learn why not? How would you see the priest's role?

[Andrettin]

I don't see a problem. Priests ask the gods to heal someone, and that person is healed.

I agree. And also, it makes the game more interesting, since this is one of the few ways it is possible to plausibly introduce non-military personnel as playable in a RTS.

[Lion.Kanzen]

Is a game not a simulador , i miss some AOE features, the game is evolving, new gameplay and civilizations gives other feelings.

Priest needs more tech and sounds, may be some a helping bonus by medicine surgery. Even can do other things.

Druids can fight may be.(Britons)

Greek Romans have surgery to restore hp slowly.

Things like that.

Bless units to increase some stats.(timer)

[AlexN]

 

If you do not agree, I'm curious to learn why not? How would you see the priest's role?

 

It is not that I disagree. It's a tradition. I was curious to learn why yes. I see no obvious reason to assign healer abilities to priests. Somehow it became a tradition nevertheless.

Isn't it more natural for priests to increase luck or courage of units? Which they really did.

[Prodigal Son]

   

It is not that I disagree. It's a tradition. I was curious to learn why yes. I see no obvious reason to assign healer abilities to priests. Somehow it became a tradition nevertheless.

Isn't it more natural for priests to increase luck or courage of units? Which they really did.

Probably healing makes more sense than "luck". The concept of changing luck isn't something rational, while one could learn the era's medicine and mending techniques and priests should have been more educated (on average) than commoners back then. Courage could work though, maybe some attack speed aura with a tech or not.

Actually just thought of a pair tech:

- "Battlefield Priests/Augurs/Haruspices/Omen Readers", gives an attack speed increasing (or damage if attack speed change isn't implemented) aura to priests.

- "Ritual Sacrifice/Fanatisism/Afterlife" or whatever it turns out to be called, gives a smaller but permanent bonus to all organic units.

Edited November 14, 2013 by Prodigal Son

[Mythos_Ruler]

Also, you have to look at a unit's "health" stats in a different light. "Health" in a game like this doesn't strictly mean how healthy that unit is, it's more abstract than that. Would a soldier with 5% "Health" still be standing around looking all awesome with his sword and shield? Or should he realistically be crawling around on the ground or being helped off the battlefield by some of his comrades? So, already the concept is very abstract and can include things like luck, skill, courage, and health.

[Loki1950]

I have a feeling that using priests as healers goes back to Gary Gygax's Chain mail game which was then developed into D&D.

Enjoy the Choice

[SDM]

One way to add avert the priests-as-healer trope would be to have physicians as a trainable unit and have them be more effective healers while priests be units that act as general support units. Or just have doctors be more effective priests.

[AlexN]

 

Also, you have to look at a unit's "health" stats in a different light. "Health" in a game like this doesn't strictly mean how healthy that unit is, it's more abstract than that.

 

Yes, I know it. And the integral "health" of a group of units is even more complicated subject. If, for example, two equal groups are fighting and gets 10% damage each, it does not mean that they have equal chances to win and that they will have 99% damage when finished. It depends on the "health" distribution among units.

This stat is generally misleading.