Player's handbook says:
All variable, numeric effects of an empowered spell are increased by one-half. An empowered spell deals half again as much damage as normal, cures half again as many hit points, affects half again as many targets, and so forth, as appropriate. For example, an empowered magic missile deals 1-1/2 times its normal damage (roll 1d4+1 and multiply the result by 1-1/2 for each missile). Saving throws and opposed rolls (such as the one you make when you cast dispel magic) are not affected, nor are spells without random variables. An empowered spell uses up a spell slot two levels higher than the spell's actual level.
The damage is the variable numerical effect. The number of rounds it lasts is not. For example Magic Missile, as stated in the example, deals a random amount of damage, but the number of missiles you conjure is NOT variable, it is set, depending on your caster level. That's why while empower spell multiplies the damage each missile deals by 1x5, it does not multiply the number of missiles cast by 1.5.
The multiplier is applied after damage calculation. The reason is because it’s not the 1d4 that is the random variable, it’s the damage that is random. I.e. it doesn’t deal 1d4+1, it deals 2-5 damage; that’s why it’s specifically made as an example that way in the actual text body of the feat. Any spell that has a random numerical value; I.e., it does a random number of damage or healing; it is the end result that is considered a “variable numeric value” and is multiplied by x1.5. The damage or amount healing is random as opposed to spells that always do the same, such as “Heal”
If you just multipied the 1d4, it would violate the text of the feat where it specifically says: An empowered spell
deals half again as much damage as normal,
cures half again as many hit points,
affects half again as many targets, and so forth, as appropriate.
Empowered Cure Light Wounds w/ augment healing at level 10 therefore is 8-15 x 1.5, NOT 1d8 x 1.5 +5+2 Because if that was the case, it would not cure half again as much damage. It would only cure 30% more. That's not what the feat's description says.
If NWN is doing this different on some spells, then it’s not following its own rules that it gives in the feat's description and I guess its those spells that ought to be looked at for balance issues. But for cure spells, its doing it right. For balance purposes, this makes sense unless all you want is buffing casters and AC builds. Blasting wizards have to be able to make a dent, and healing clerics have to be able to make a difference to make them fun to play.
I can agree that empowered gives you a better "average" result than maximize does, but that was probably just the people at WofC not thinking it through all the way. If anything, maximized should be reduced down 1 caster level as the two are really pretty equal in power; its just one is for the gambler, and the other is for the one who likes to play it safe.
The Healing Domain is powerful, but it needs to be to make a Healer cleric even remotely viable compared to a combat/buffing cleric. Even with all these super perks to cure spells, there still aren't a lot of people who play dedicated healers because for the most part, they don't need the healing; they just buff. Having a dedicated healer lets groups bite off more than they could normally chew, and when it IS needed, its REALLY needed bad; little wimpy cure spells just don't cut it when you're fighting monsters who can dish out real damage against the huge ACs we see on PotM. Because consider, when the type of monster that can actually hurt our super AC tank builds gets to the squishy support characters in the back, they are going to need a lot of HP really fast in order to survive. Those are the moments when playing a dedicated healer is amazing. But I need the tools!
