The Best Healing Spells in D&D 5e

Healing spells are the difference between party wipes and close calls. But not every healing spell is created equal. Some are efficient. Some are wasted slots.

Here's the ranking of every major healing spell in 5e, with notes on when to use each.

S-Tier: Must-Have

Healing Word (1st level)

Bonus action. 60 ft range. 1d4 + mod healing (scales with slot level).

The best 1st-level healing spell in the game, not because of how much it heals, but because of action economy. Revives downed allies from distance without ending your turn. See our Healing Word guide.

Mass Healing Word (3rd level)

Bonus action. 60 ft range. 1d4 + mod healing (scales) to up to 6 creatures.

Party-wide heals. Revives multiple downed allies at once. Essential for group play.

Aura of Vitality (3rd level, Paladin)

Concentration, 1 minute. Bonus action: heal a creature within 30 feet 2d6 HP.

This is 10 turns of 2d6 healing for one 3rd-level slot = 10d6 total healing (35 avg). Compared to Cure Wounds or Healing Word's one-shot healing, this is massive.

Paladin-specific. Incredibly strong sustained healing.

Healing Spirit (2nd level, Druid, Ranger; non-SRD in some rulesets)

Concentration. Creates a spirit that heals anyone entering its space. Originally OP, errata'd to limit uses per round.

Even errata'd, sustainable healing over multiple rounds.

A-Tier: Strong

Cure Wounds (1st level)

Action. Touch. 1d8 + mod.

Heals more than Healing Word per slot, but requires an action and touch range. Best when you're adjacent to a mildly injured ally and can spare the action.

Prayer of Healing (2nd level)

10 minutes cast time. Heal 2d8 + mod to up to 6 creatures in 30 ft.

Out-of-combat mass heal. Great between fights.

Goodberry (1st level, Druid)

Action. Create 10 berries. Each restores 1 HP when eaten.

Weird. But 10 HP of healing for a 1st-level slot, and the berries last 24 hours. Effectively an emergency healing reserve.

Healing Surge (if in your ruleset)

Various names in various rulesets. Emergency HP burst. Power depends on ruleset.

B-Tier: Situational

Mass Cure Wounds (5th level)

Action. 60 ft cone. 3d8 + mod to up to 6 creatures.

Big heal, but a 5th-level slot is expensive. Mass Healing Word at 3rd level is often better because of bonus action timing.

Heal (6th level)

Action. Touch. 70 HP.

Massive. If someone really needs 70 HP, this does it. Otherwise overkill.

Greater Restoration (5th level)

Touch. Removes conditions, curses, exhaustion.

Not a healing spell per se, but removes debilitating conditions that healing can't fix.

Regenerate (7th level)

Heals 4d8+15 initially, then 1 HP per minute for 1 hour. Also regrows lost limbs.

Niche. Expensive.

C-Tier: Mostly Skip

Revivify (3rd level)

Touch. Brings a creature back to life if dead within 1 minute of death.

Not healing, but resurrection-adjacent. Essential when you can't long rest before ally dies, but not needed in most cases.

Raise Dead (5th level)

Lengthy resurrection. Requires diamond components.

Niche.

Spare the Dying (cantrip)

Stabilize a dying creature (not actual healing, but prevents death saves).

Free way to keep someone alive when you can't spare a slot.

Class-Specific Healing

Paladin

Lay on Hands (pool of 5 x level HP). Bonus action or action use. Extremely flexible. Plus spells above.

Druid

Healing Spirit (if available), Goodberry, Cure Wounds, Mass Cure Wounds. Decent suite.

Bard

Cure Wounds, Healing Word, Mass Healing Word. Solid. Lore Bard can grab any healing spell via Magical Secrets.

Cleric

Best healers in the game. Everything on this list plus Channel Divinity (Life Domain) for massive heals.

Sorcerer, Wizard, Warlock

No innate healing. Divine Soul Sorcerer (non-SRD) can heal. Otherwise, these classes don't heal well.

Healing Economy

Healing in 5e is action-efficient when:

• It's a bonus action (Healing Word family).
• It prevents damage (Armor of Agathys, Mirror Image).
• It's over time (Aura of Vitality).

Healing is action-wasteful when:

• It's a full action for one target.
• It's at touch range during combat.
• It's less than the damage the enemy dealt this turn.

Generally, healing-as-resurrection (reviving downed allies) is always worth it. Healing-as-patching (raising HP above 0 but still low) is sometimes a waste.

In Solo Play

Solo healing priorities:

• Healing Word on yourself when you drop to 0. Self-revive.
• Lay on Hands if you're a Paladin.
• Goodberry reserve for out-of-combat healing.
• Cure Wounds if you have a spare action after combat.

Don't waste slots patching yourself mid-combat unless you'd die otherwise.

The Endlessness and Healing

Our AI Dungeon Master handles all healing spells correctly: slot levels, scaling dice, upcast interactions, Life Domain Disciple of Life bonuses, Aura of Vitality ongoing effects. When you cast Cure Wounds at 3rd level, you roll 3d8 + mod and apply.

For related reads, our spell slots guide, cleric guide, and spell list cover more.

Final Takeaway

Healing matters more in solo and deep-dungeon play. Learn Healing Word above all else. Aura of Vitality if Paladin. Mass Healing Word if you're running multiple characters.

Start a Cleric or Bard on The Endlessness and feel how healing economy shapes encounters.