Summary
- Open-world games offer unique healing methods, like cannibalism in Fallout 4.
- MMOs like Guild Wars 2 provide various healing classes for party survival.
- RPGs such as Final Fantasy 14 emphasize healing roles to mitigate damage effectively.
Open-world games have almost become the norm, as there are many gamers who appreciate the additional and optional areas they can explore for more loot, potential side-quests, or simply to take in more of the beauty of the world they are in.
Before setting out on their journey, the player needs to be equipped for the dangers ahead, which means the know-how and skill to not only face threats, but also survive to tell the tale. One of the best ways to ensure survival is to know how to heal oneself or others. Fortunately, these open-world games allow their players to do just that.
Best Healers From Games, Ranked
These characters went above and beyond in protecting their allies and keep them alive.
7 Fallout 4
Self-Heal Through Cannibalism
Fallout 4
- Released
- November 10, 2015
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- M FOR MATURE: BLOOD AND GORE, INTENSE VIOLENCE, STRONG LANGUAGE, USE OF DRUGS
- Developer(s)
- Bethesda
- Platform(s)
- PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S
- OpenCritic Rating
- Mighty
One might think that in order to be a healer, one must be able to heal others and use magic to do so, but that is not the case. After all, not all open worlds have a healing system in place. For example, Fallout 4 is a post-apocalyptic atompunk game where magic does not exist, and the world relies on science instead. One shining example of science in this world is the crypods, which can preserve a human for many years. This is how the player character survives the nuclear apocalypse, emerging from Vault 111 centuries later into the new world.
Players can rely on healing items, or simply the passing to recover health. But if they want to be an active healer, they should consider taking the cannibal perk, which allows them to recover health from eating the bodies of dead humans. Investing in the perk grants more recovered health, and allows players to expand their diet by including super mutants and ghouls. It isn't a conventional way to heal, but it still remains a good way to survive the wasteland.
6 Guild Wars 2
Multiple Healing Classes to Choose From
Guild Wars 2
- Released
- August 28, 2012
WHERE TO PLAY
After the defeat of the Great Destroyer, many thought they were in for times of peace, until five elder dragons awoke from their slumber and spread destruction over the land of Tyria. The different races are scattered across the continent, each of their homes feeling the ravages of the dragons. The player must free the lands from their tyranny. To do so alone would be suicide, so it is best if the player gathers a party before marching forward.
Best Free To Play MMOs Of All Time
MMOs are perfect for players that want to embark on a crazy adventure in another world. This gets a bit easier with free-to-play options.
As with any MMO, a dedicated healer is a must to ensure the party can stay on their feet no matter what the game throws at them. Luckily for the designated healer, there are many classes that unlock this possiblity, from the spell-slinging druid to the necromancer. The latter is just a late healer, able to revive fallen allies.
5 Final Fantasy 14
Players Can Undo or Mitigate Damage
Final Fantasy 14
- Released
- August 27, 2013
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- T for Teen - Language, Mild Blood, Sexual Themes, Use of Alcohol, Violence
- Developer(s)
- Square Enix
- Genre(s)
- MMORPG
- Platform(s)
- PC, macOS, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series S, Xbox Series X
If gamers want open-world healing, they are mostly going to have to rely on MMOs to scratch that niche itch. Thankfully, there are a few fantastic ones that fit the bill perfectly, such as Final Fantasy 14. Part of the FF universe, 14 adds a multiplayer twist by immersing fans in a bustling and busy MMO where they can interact with the world and each other, gather a party, and set off on adventures across Eorzea.
By choosing the magic starting class, players can then spec into one of the many jobs, such as white mage or sage. This will allow them to be the best healer, keeping their party members alive, while also contributing some damage where they can.
4 The Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim
Invest in Restoration to Gain Mastery Over Life and Death
Skyrim
- Released
- November 11, 2011
WHERE TO PLAY
Many gamers have fond memories of whiling away hundreds or even thousands of hours into Skyrim, as this open world has so much to do, see, and explore. There is a pressing main quest that involves the return of the world-eater, Alduin, but that can wait while players collect all those noisy nirnroots and go spelunking in countless dungeons.
One of the many things that makes Skyrim so great is that players aren't railroaded into a certain class. Instead, they are given points they can buy into any of the skill trees with, so players can be a one-man army. One of those perk trees is the Restoration school of magic, which allows players to not only heal themselves, but to heal others, so they can be a solid all-around healer without dedicating themselves to the craft.
3 Divinity: Original Sin 2
Playing as an Elf Unlocks an Interesting Method of Healing
Divinity: Original Sin 2
- Released
- September 14, 2017
WHERE TO PLAY
Before Baldur's Gate 3, Larian created the amazing CRPG Divinity: Original Sin 2, set in their own unique world with impressive world-building, lore and scope. Playing as a Sourcerer, an individual capable of wielding a substance known as source to cast powerful spells, the player joins forces with a faction known as the Seekers and several other origin characters in order to stop the tide of Voidwoken, creatures attracted by source.
As one might expect from an RPG, players can create their own character, deciding on the race and class. One of the races is elves, and playing as well unlocks a unique healing trait. Rather than slinging soothing spells or gulping down rejuvenating potions, the player can instead eat corpses to recover a modicum of their health. This is a novel approach to healing, and it means players can be a healer while also not locking themselves to a class dedicated to that feature. The game does allow for standard healer builds as well, mainly through the Hydrosophist skill.
2 Dragon's Dogma
Heal Allies to Battle Monsters Another Day
Dragon's Dogma
- Released
- May 22, 2012
WHERE TO PLAY
Living an ordinary life as another villager of Cassardis, the player character has their world turned upside down when a giant red dragon attacks. Bravely, or perhaps foolishly, they rush the dragon to no avail, and their heart is stolen in the process. But instead of dying, they survive the process, left with a nasty wound for their trouble, and a new title: "Arisen." Only they can rise to face the dragon, maybe with some help from a few Pawns.
Doing so is no small feat, and the player must get stronger before they can face their foe. Lucky for them, there are many monsters to be found in the wide, open-world map they can slay on their way through quests, working up to the dragon. They probably won't get far without some healing help, which is exactly what they can design their character or a Pawn around. Choosing the mage vocation unlocks some handy healing abilities so players can live to fight monsters another day.
1 Baldur's Gate 3
Healers are One of the Most Valued Members of D&D Parties
Baldur's Gate 3
- Released
- August 3, 2023
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- M for Mature: Blood and Gore, Partial Nudity, Sexual Content, Strong Language, Violence
- Developer(s)
- Larian Studios
- Genre(s)
- RPG
- Platform(s)
- PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, PC, macOS
- OpenCritic Rating
- Mighty
Based on Dungeons and Dragons 5e, Baldur's Gate 3 has all the features one would expect, such as locations, monsters, dice-rolling, species, and classes, with a few select classes and subclasses having the ability to heal the party. In actual D&D games, having a healer on deck is always a relief for the damage and tank players at the table, because they know a healer will be the key that keeps their party going.
Now in Baldur's Gate 3, the player can ensure a healer is in their party before going out into the wide, wild Sword Coast as they seek a cure to their parasitic infliction. Though most healers won't be able to do much against the illithid tadpole, they can at least make sure their allies can survive just one more round of combat with well-timed healing spells, as well as potential buffs to allies and debuffs to enemies.
Games With Surprisingly Realistic Healing Systems
While most games include a general healing item that magically fixes most wounds, some titles opt for realism over convenience.