I was wondering why over 3 playtests I didn't see anyone use Mend Armor, and I think I know why...
In the .11 rulebook, it's not listed in the condensed spell list in section 4.3 @__@ I can't believe I didn't notice this until I went to do my feedback today.
Repel and Slow are hurt by the fact they can be ripped from, so Pin is definitely Lord of Binding as far as 2nd level is concerned, sure.
Is this accurate? I haven't seen the cards, but I would have intuitively guessed that Pin could be ripped but not Slow or Repel. Given how inferior they are to Pin otherwise I figured that would be their redeeming value.
I think when we consider a Mend Armor spell, we easily fall into the trap of thinking of it like it was healing. We let anyone buy a 3-4 point ability that lets them infinitely repair armor at no cost in-game with 1 minute of concentration; in chunks of up to 40 (soon to be up to 62) at once. We have nothing even vaguely equivalent to that in healing. Our biggest healing spell requires a significant investment and only heals at most 45, compared to the infinite use blacksmith's skill repairing 62. Given this context, expecting a "mend armor" spell to follow the same scaling as healing spells seems weird - we treat armor different than we treat health.
Life Leech is a necromantic ritual that heals at most 200, when used with another high point skill. Though I suppose there is a loophole in the wording of that ritual that it caps at 200 when used with terminate/doomblow, but technically its uncapped healing when used with slay/assassinate. Which suggests a 50th level rogue could do assassinate+life_leech for 400+ damage & healing. However, I'd argue this not a heal spell.(Our biggest heal spell heals at most 300.)