History Main / HealingLoop

The Healing Loop is a CRPG failure state where the player is stuck using all their resources to react to the enemy's attacks and has no way of progressing the fight. Battles are supposed to have two directions, two outcomes: win or loss. What's happening is ''much'' worse: they are now haplessly caught in a Healing Loop.

A Healing Loop is a design flaw that commonly occurs within [[TurnBasedStrategy Turned-Based]] and {{Role Playing Game}}s. The player has encountered an enemy or opponent they can't run away from. The enemy has some strong attacks, ''[[ThatOneAttack very strong attacks]]'', that push you [[HPToOne near Death's door]]. You can't simply AttackAttackAttack otherwise the next turn results in an almost certain game over.

Fortunately, your protagonist character has [[StandardRPGItems plenty of items]] with which to heal yourself, at the meager cost of using one turn. It's just one turn you're sacrificing, right? [[TemptingFate What's the worst that could happen?]]

As the turns progress though, something becomes readily apparent -- ''the battle is not making any real progress''. For one reason or other, the player cannot claim victory, but neither are they about to suffer [[OneHitKO an instantaneous defeat straightaway]]. What's happening is ''much'' worse: they are now haplessly caught in a Healing Loop.

One of the main reasons a Healing Loop happens is due to a lack of [[DevelopersForesight Developers' Foresight]] [[note]]If the developer ''intentionally'' included the loop, which in no way enhances the experience or contributes to gameplay, and serves to only lengthen the fight, then it's a form of {{Padding}}[[/note]]. The games designer quite frankly, didn't expect this to happen. Battles are supposed to have two directions, two outcomes: win or loss. [[NotTheWayItIsMeantToBePlayed Either you didn't grind]] for the [[LevelGrinding necessary experience points]] like they expected you to, or they simply made [[ThatOneBoss a boss or opponent... absurdly overpowered]], but not overpowered enough to [[CurbStompBattle simply end the fight]].

Compare CycleOfHurting, DeathOfAThousandCuts, GameBreakingBug and UnwinnableByMistake.

Contrast with DeathOrGloryAttack, OutsideTheBoxTactic and DesperationAttack which enable the player to ''prevent'' any tedious spiral from happening. Also contrast with HopelessBossFight which unlike a loop, [[UnwinnableByDesign is a battle you are not meant to win]].

* A weird glitch can happen in the ''VideoGame/SecretOfMana'' remake, where if Prim's hit-box overlaps with NPC Grandpa, the old man will talk non-stop, offering you saves and healing you forever. Your only option is to end the game, and reload the save file.

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[[folder:Tabletop Games]]
* A non-health variety can be found in ''{{TabletopGame/Monopoly}}'' or any video game adaption of it, ''[[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin because it's Monopoly]]''. Substitute healing items, for money, and you have the essential loop where there's no progress being made. When down to only two players left, the exchange ''goes on with no end or bankruptcy in sight''. [[SuddenDeath There's no sudden death rule either]]. On record, the longest game of Monopoly ever played lasted '''70 straight days'''.
* Another variety was encountered in ''{{TabletopGame/Chess}}''. Nikolić versus Arsović in Belgrade, 1989, was the longest tournament chess game. Lasting for 269 moves it took 20 hours and 15 minutes just to end in a draw. World Chess Federation (FIDE) at the time had modified the ''fifty-move rule'' to allow 100 moves to be played without a piece being captured in a rook and bishop versus rook endgame. The game dragged on, and on. FIDE has since wisely [[ObviousRulePatch rescinded the rule's modification]].
* One of the class deck characters in ''{{TabletopGame/Pathfinder}}'' is "Arabundi the Nature Adept", who could quickly turn the game into an unfun one indeed if their two powers were used in a specific manner. If his fifth and sixth powers were fully checked, can he make an infinite healing loop of recharging a spell, putting it on top of his deck, drawing it, and repeating. This discovery forced Paizo to change the rules.
* Providing certain conditions are met, this can happen in the board game ''{{TabletopGame/Talisman}}''. The players will get stuck in a near-infinite loop if one, having a good alignment, decides to abuse the Chapel space. Drawing the Poltergeist, means they ''don't have to roll'' for movement, they can just move one space in any direction on their turn. [[SeekingSanctuary Stepping in and out of Chapel continually]], heals them completely ''for free''. Without interference/assistance from another player, to ''break this loop'', you would have to cycle and reshuffle all the way through the Adventure Deck and hope you can change that Chapel-spamming-player's [[HolyBurnsEvil alignment to evil]].
* Healing loops exist in ''TabletopGame/YuGiOh'' through multiple means, depending on how one builds their deck. The "Flint Lock Loop" is the most common and effective of these, which is controllable, unlike [[GameBreakingBug infinite loops which regardless of net change, are generally a bad thing]]. This cycle uses "Flint" and two "Flint Locks" to pass the "Flint" back and forth. The spell card "Morale Boost" is used to ''gain 1000 Life Points'' every time an equip card is equipped. Because no equip card leaves the field, the effect to lose 1000 Life Point is never reached. This allows a player to gain ''an unlimited number of Life Points'', while the opponent may be powerless to stop it.
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[[folder:Video Games]]

[[/folder]]

** Facing off Bowser X in the Challenge Node in Bowser's body is '''gruelling''', he's the [[SelfImposedChallenge hardest optional boss in the game]], but you can't even challenge him until you defeat all the other X bosses ''in a row'' before finally confronting him. And when you do, getting yourself in a healing loop [[{{UnderStatement}} is just the pits]] - ''you need both brothers standing'' to pull off those special attacks, but all of Bowser X's attacks hit like a train, so be prepared to have Mario taking hits while he revives a fainted Luigi... and then Luigi getting pummeled while reviving a KO-ed Mario.

* Another variety was encountered in ''TabletopGame/Chess''. Nikolić versus Arsović in Belgrade, 1989, was the longest tournament chess game. Lasting for 269 moves it took 20 hours and 15 minutes just to end in a draw. World Chess Federation (FIDE) at the time had modified the ''fifty-move rule'' to allow 100 moves to be played without a piece being captured in a rook and bishop versus rook endgame. The game dragged on, and on. FIDE has since wisely [[ObviousRulePatch rescinded the rule's modification]].

One of the main reasons a Healing Loop happens is due to a lack of [[DevelopersForesight Developers' Foresight]]. The games designer quite frankly, didn't expect this to happen. Battles are supposed to have two directions, two outcomes: win or loss. [[NotTheWayItIsMeantToBePlayed Either you didn't grind]] for the [[LevelGrinding necessary experience points]] like they expected you to, or they simply made [[ThatOneBoss a boss or opponent... absurdly overpowered]], but not overpowered enough to [[CurbStompBattle simply end the fight]].

If the developer ''intentionally'' included the loop, which in no way enhances the experience or contributes to gameplay, and serves to only lengthen the fight, then it's a form of {{Padding}}.

* In the same vein as Zelda, VideoGame/EccoTheDolphin also has its looping frustration with its final boss, the Vortex Queen in the American Version. If you get consumed by the alien Queen, [[NintendoHard which can easily happen]], you are forced to play through the previous level, The Machine, just to return to the fight, where her health resets. You don't want or need this loop, as The Machine is a [[MarathonLevel five-minute-long autoscrolling monstrosity of a level]].

A Healing Loop is a design flaw, that is commonly reoccurring within [[TurnBasedStrategy Turned-Based]] and {{Role Playing Game}}s. The player has encountered an enemy or opponent they can't run away from. The enemy has some strong attacks, ''[[ThatOneAttack very strong attacks]]'', that push you [[HPToOne near Death's door]]. You can't simply AttackAttackAttack otherwise the next turn results in an almost certain game over.

Fortunately, your protagonist character has [[StandardRPGItems plenty of items]] with which to heal yourself, at the meager cost of using one turn. Its just one turn you're sacrificing right? [[TemptingFate What's the worse that could happen?]]

As the turns progress though, something becomes readily apparent - ''the battle is not making any real progress''. For one reason or other, the player cannot claim victory, but neither are they about to suffer [[OneHitKO an instantaneous defeat straightaway]]. What's happening is ''much'' worse, they are now haplessly caught in a Healing Loop.

If the developer ''intentionally'' included the loops, that in no way enhances the experience or contributes to gameplay, so it serves to only lengthen the fight, then it's form of {{Padding}}.

This can work both ways, often you find the battle is stuck in a loop because your enemy [[HealingFactor has the ability to recover themselves back from the brink]]. You can't stop them from healing themselves. No matter what strategy you employ, [[PullingThemselvesTogether you can't seem to stop them from returning]].

A healing loop is usually not eternal however. More often than not, its actually a miserable downward spiral into a slower, agonizing, more ''humiliating'' defeat, whereupon you run out of health items, reaching CriticalExistenceFailure. The brawl has now become an arduous cycle, your only alternative is [[RageQuit to switch the game off]], or allow the enemy to defeat you.

* ''{{VideoGame/Elsword}}'': The fight with the [[BonusBoss Bonus Boss Alterasia Type-H]] can be this, especially on harder difficulty. Aside from having loads of HP, he boss can regenerate his health by touching any of the Alterasia Spore spawned in the boss room. So unless the player party consistently does damage on him (using upgraded late-game equipments is pretty much a requisite here) and can prevent him from touching the spores, the fight will take forever and you gotta burn through your potions just to survive and/or quickly deal damage. The fact that the stage has a "time limit" and your HP will drain once you go past that limit only makes it urgent to come to the boss room and defeat him quicker.

* ''{{VideoGame/Spore}}'' for its strategies, can be a complicated game. Colonizing planets, getting that sought-after spice, to the point where it can all get horribly imbalanced. Setting up trade routes, amassing the necessary funds for upgrading, the list goes on. But ''Spore'' has a beginner's trap, and that's own your home-world. Its a useless dead-weight that'll never yield much spice production. It cannot be taken over by hostiles. Many don't realize it can be ignored to start with. Devoting time and resources to it, results in a vicious circle of invading, defending, spending, and rebuilding... over and over until bankruptcy.
* ''Videogame/{{Undertale}}''. The final boss [[TheDreaded of the Genocide Route]] has some all-round insane attacks, that'll force you to heal yourself to avoid death. But as you soon discover, the battle ''cannot'' progress unless you actually ''attack and miss'' him. Unfortunately he's a magnitude stronger than any other enemy in the game, requiring you to heal yourself often in order to just survive. According to WordOfGod, this is intentional.

->(Enemy deals a critical hit) ''"I think we're done. I think we're f**ked already. Okay... restore some HP... more HP... resurrection, water, fish."'' (Playable character recovers. Enemy deals another critical hit) ''"Are... we going to be caught in a healing loop?"''

-->-'''Jim Sterling, Jesus Christ RPG.'''

'''A Healing Loop''' is a design flaw, that is commonly reoccurring within Turned-Based and Role Playing Games. The player has encountered an enemy or opponent they can't run away from. The enemy has some strong attacks, ''[[ThatOneAttack very strong attacks]]'', that push you [[HPToOne near Death's door]]. You can't simply AttackAttackAttack otherwise the next turn results in an almost certain game over.

[[quoteright:350:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/healing_loop.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:350:[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rBD7XVvJ02s 3 hours later]]...]]

* In ''VideoGame/TeamFortress2'' the Medic class can easily heal any teammates (usually the Heavy class) and in the middle of combat, you can have Medic/Heavy pairs or Medic with other classes. The fight easily descends into a cycle where both parties are continually healing, while trying to kill each other.

** ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaALinkToThePast'': The boss Moldrom is a ''[[ThatOneBoss pain in the ass]]'' to defeat for this reason. Bad enough, if he kicked Link out of the arena to climb back up to the top floor of the tower, but he keeps ''regaining his full health'' over and over, effectively resetting the match. There's no strategy to break this cycle, either. It seems purely luck-based.
** ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaLinksAwakening'': The boxing mini boss Blaino, is ''even worse than Moldrom'', he regains his health, knocking Link not only out of the room, but the ''entire dungeon''. [[ThatOneLevel Turtle Rock is not a fun trek]]. This is one loop you don't want to get stuck in.

* A non-health variety can be found in {{TabletopGame/Monopoly}} or any video game adaption of it, ''[[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin because its Monopoly]]''. Substitute healing items, for money, and you have the essential loop where there's no progress being made. When down to only two players left, the exchange ''goes on with no end or bankruptcy in sight''. [[SuddenDeath There's no sudden death rule either]]. On record, the longest game of Monopoly ever played lasted '''70 straight days'''. No joke.

* Providing certain conditions are met, this can happen in [[{{TabletopGame/Talisman}} the board game Talisman]]. The players will get stuck in a near-infinite loop if one, having a good alignment, decides to abuse the Chapel space. Drawing the Poltergeist, means they ''don't have to roll'' for movement, they can just move one space in any direction on their turn. [[SeekingSanctuary Stepping in and out of Chapel continually]], heals them completely ''for free''. Without interference/assistance from another player, to ''break this loop'', you would have to cycle and reshuffle all the way through the Adventure Deck and hope you can change that Chapel-spamming-player's [[HolyBurnsEvil alignment to evil]].
* Healing loops exist in ''{{TabletopGame/YuGiOh}}'' through multiple means, depending on how one builds their deck. The "Flint Lock Loop" is the most common and effective of these, which is controllable, unlike [[GameBreakingBug infinite loops which regardless of net change, are generally a bad thing]]. This cycle uses "Flint" and two "Flint Locks" to pass the "Flint" back and forth. The spell card "Morale Boost" is used to ''gain 1000 Life Points'' every time an equip card is equipped. Because no equip card leaves the field, the effect to lose 1000 Life Point is never reached. This allows a player to gain ''an unlimited number of Life Points'', while the opponent may be powerless to stop it.

* Tech Mages from ''{{VideoGame/EpicDuel}}'' were this. One of their skills was 'reroute', together with 'assimilation' causes a healing loop taken from any damage sustained. Combined with their other formidable abilities in the skill tree, gamers kept on complaining [[GameBreaker that Tech Mages were simply overpowered]], until a recent patch removed the reroute skill.
* This is fairly common in the earlier ''[[{{Franchise/FinalFantasy}} Final Fantasy]]'' games ([[{{VideoGame/FinalFantasyVI}} most notably Final Fantasy VI]]), where [[DifficultySpike sudden difficulty spikes]] can leave players stuck in these loops, if they didn't prepare heavily before moving into a new area of the game.
* ''[[Videogame/GoldenSunTheLostAge Golden Sun: The Lost Age]]'' has one with the Serpent boss around midgame. The Serpent is very easy to find, but if you fight it right there, it regenerates 200 HP per turn (only the nightmarish Bonus Boss Dullahan gets that much, and it's fought at the endgame), far more than the party can hope to inflict without concentrating on healing or defense. The solution to the loop is to explore the dungeon and let light into the Serpent's lair, [[GuideDangIt weakening it until it recovers a much more reasonable 30 HP per turn]].

* This is pretty much ''all you can do'' against the final boss of ''{{VideoGame/Mother3}}'', you can't attack him, so you've got to keep healing yourself again and again [[IKnowYouAreInThereSomewhereFight until the story kicks in]]. Pray to God, he doesn't use [[ThatOneAttack PK Love]] against you too many times or your HP will nosedive.

* In ''{{VideoGame/TeamFortress2}}'' the Medic class can easily heal any teammates (usually the Heavy class) and in the middle of combat, you can have Medic/Heavy pairs or Medic with other classes. The fight easily descends into a cycle where both parties are continually healing, while trying to kill each other.

** ''{{VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaALinkToThePast}}'': The boss Moldrom is a ''[[ThatOneBoss pain in the ass]]'' to defeat for this reason. Bad enough, if he kicked Link out of the arena to climb back up to the top floor of the tower, but he keeps ''regaining his full health'' over and over, effectively resetting the match. There's no strategy to break this cycle, either. It seems purely luck-based.
** ''{{VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaLinksAwakening}}'': The boxing mini boss Blaino, is ''even worse than Moldrom'', he regains his health, knocking Link not only out of the room, but the ''entire dungeon''. [[ThatOneLevel Turtle Rock is not a fun trek]]. This is one loop you don't want to get stuck in.

* In ''{{VideoGame/Spectromancer}}'', only one card is played per turn, allowing skilled players to deduce the opponent's maximum damage potential on any given turn from the few direct-damage spells like Lightning Bolt and Armageddon. Since those two spells also get stronger with each additional point of hoarded mana, a player can easily be caught in a "heal or die" state for several turns in a row. [[https://youtu.be/5HSMyFVT20M?t=264 Here's a video of a player using a healing spell five turns in a row]], but it's not entirely rare for loops to go even longer.

[[index]]
* HealingLoop/RolePlayingGame
* HealingLoop/TabletopGames
* HealingLoop/TurnBasedStrategy
[[/index]]

->(Enemy deals a critical hit) ''"I think we're done. I think we're f**ked already. Okay... restore some HP... more HP... resurrection, water, fish."'' (Playable character recovers. Enemy deals another critical hit) ''"Are... we going to be caught in a healing loop?"'' '''Jim Sterling, Jesus Christ RPG.'''

* GameBreakingBug/FirstPersonShooter
* GameBreakingBug/PlatformGame
* GameBreakingBug/RolePlayingGame