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Healing and Recovery

Damage and death are the consequences of unsuccessful combat — and of poison, fire, falling, acid, and most other dangerous activities. Damage is measured in hit points (hp): each hit reduces current hp; when hp reaches 0, the character is dead.

Beyond hope

Characters whose bodies are destroyed by the effect that killed them (e.g. a Disintegrate spell or massive single-blow damage) are forever beyond resurrection.

Maximum healing is capped at the character's maximum hit points — you cannot exceed the cap by ordinary healing.

Note

Some special abilities and necromantic spells can temporarily raise maximum hit points.

Natural healing

Natural healing is slow but available to everyone, regardless of class. Characters heal at a rate of one hit point per eight-hour period of rest.

  • Resting in a comfortable inn room restores progressively more hit points the better the room — but at a higher gold cost.
  • Camping in the wilds restores fewer hit points but still lets spellcasters memorise spells.
  • Rest is only possible when no enemies are within visible range. If enemies are nearby you must move away or charm them first.
  • Some creatures may attack while you sleep — if that happens, you don't heal or memorise.

A good reason to rest at an inn!

— Volo

Magical healing

Healing spells, potions, and magical devices can speed the process considerably — wounds close instantly and vigour is restored. Healing magic is particularly useful in the midst of combat or in preparation for a dangerous encounter.

Remember that your opponents are just as likely to carry healing magic — an evil high priest will bestow healing on his followers and guards.

Gameplay options

The Gameplay Options menu offers two convenient toggles:

  • Cast healing spells during rest — automatically casts any remaining healing spells when the party rests, healing more quickly with a priest present.
  • Rest until healed — keeps resting until everyone's hit points are full.

Specifics of each healing spell live in the spell descriptions under Magic.

Raising the dead

Curative and healing spells do nothing for dead characters. The dead can be returned to life only with a Raise Dead or Resurrection spell (or a device that mimics one).

  • A character revived with Raise Dead has only 1 hit point and needs further healing to be useful.
  • If your party can't cast the spell, a nearby temple will do it — for a fee that scales with your reputation.

Small is, of course, a relative term. The more famous you are, I've found, the more the priests expect to be paid for your revival!

— Volo

Gold is a small price to pay for a second, third, or seventeenth chance.

— Elminster

Source: bg2ee/original_manuals/baldurs_gate_2_ee_mastering_melee_and_magic.pdf — "Combat Effects and Recovery", "Healing and Hit Points", "Natural Healing", "Magical Healing", "Raising the Dead".