Class Recommendations

[Brom]

I have a game that's starting soon. The party is a Rogue and a Barbarian so far. I am wondering what to join as. I'm aware we're obviously missing a healer, but part of me just wants the group to suck it up. I don't want to play a healer just because the group doesn't have one.

I want to play something casty. I like spells. Spells give me that fantasy feel that I look for so hard: it's the one thing I could conceivably never do in real life.

So I'm wondering, between my picks, what can compensate best for the lack of healing, and what sounds like a good pick?

- Telepath
- Seer
- Sorcerer
- Wizard
- Warlock
- Bard

[Vizzerdrix]

Artificer. No healer? make some vigor wands. Want Blasty? necklace of fireballs and Blast discs. Need moar meat shield? Constructs. Heck, customize your buddies gear for them and they'll love you for it.

[Brom]

That was actually going to be my first pick, in part because I've never played an artificer before. Then I went through, spent my gold on crafting magic items, decided I didn't much like what I had, reset my inventory list with all my gold again, went through it again, and did this about 4-5 times and decided there just wasn't enough money to do what I was wanting to do.

[Tvtyrant]

First: You know Clerics are at least the second best caster in core? Seriously, one of the three most powerful and one of the two best for casting (Druid is more like a selfbuffing bear then a caster :P).

Second: Out of that group I would go Bard into Sublime Cord; they can use cure wands out of combat and can cast in it. Also a wand of CLWs is much more effective then a healing caster.

[Vizzerdrix]

Hmm... What exactly do you want to do? :smallconfused:

[FelixG]

I would pick Warlock, they are low Tier but they are just so much fun :smallbiggrin:

[Rasman]

Artificer. No healer? make some vigor wands. Want Blasty? necklace of fireballs and Blast discs. Need moar meat shield? Constructs. Heck, customize your buddies gear for them and they'll love you for it.

my ONLY problem with Artificers is that they're only good when they have PLENTY of time to prepare. They don't do so hot when they're caught with their pants down.

Frankly, if I were you, I'd go with a Druid. That's about as Swiss Army Knife as it gets.

You can also play a Cleric without being Healy McHeal bot. Your sticking too much to the concept and not enough to the potential.

In my honest (and final since I seem to be babbling) opinion though, your part needs a party face more than anything. EVERY party needs a party face. Your best bets are Bard or Paladin. Bards are HIGHLY underrated and when built properly can be FAR more dangerous with words than a Barbarian with a sword.

[Brom]

Clerics lack most of the things I really like about casters:

Straight forward defenses (Protection from Arrows, Nondetection, Wind Wall, Wall of Force, Web)
Raw destructive capacity (From Shatter to Gust of Wind)
Save or Die (Deep Slumber + Coup De Grace, Disintegrate)
Beams of Pwn (Enervate, Scorching Ray at early levels)
Illusions at all (Seriously. Greater Invisibility. Major Image.)

I think I should narrow it down a bit more. I think I'm looking to specialize in save or suck/controlling, + save or dies. I want my presence to signal enemies being ruined.

Because ruining enemies is *really* satisfying.

The caveat is that somewhere in there, I need to make sure we have the ability to heal between encounters.

[FelixG]

Clerics can raise undead, need defence? have your undead ready to take a hit for you

Raw destruction? have them kill a town off, they are good at that, ADDED BONUS: more raw material!

Clerics have a decent share of SoDs as well as some offensive stuff, you have many MANY sourcebooks to choose from

[Vizzerdrix]

You can also play a Cleric without being Healy McHeal bot. Your sticking too much to the concept and not enough to the potential.

Sure you can. But lets be honest. Most times someone sets out a cleric, the only thing the other players see is a walking band aid. No. Wizard, or depending on what books are allowed, early entry Mystic Theurge (and/or arcane heirophant) will give you the best of all worlds.


Archivist. I think you can get all the spells you mentioned with it AND all the healing yer group would ever want.

[JaronK]

I'd go Dread Necromancer. They're a fun class, and when the party realizes they have no healing you can convince them to let you make them Necropolitans so that you can heal them. Also, unlike Clerics you're not massively more powerful than your party mates.

JaronK

[Brom]

Clerics can raise undead, need defence? have your undead ready to take a hit for you

Raw destruction? have them kill a town off, they are good at that, ADDED BONUS: more raw material!

Clerics have a decent share of SoDs as well as some offensive stuff, you have many MANY sourcebooks to choose from

This is admittedly more of a limitation on my part than a flaw in the class, but I like to stick to core. I've worked hardish to be able to hear, ''that's the spell, here's what it does, up to and including: Does it allow SR, does it allow a save, what's the range, etc." I know most of that stuff for core without needing to look it up, and it makes DM'ing and playing very smooth.

It's very convenient. I have a laptop with the SRD downloaded from their website which I bring to gaming sessions. I don't want to have to port splatbooks and be looking stuff up in game when I recently just got past the point of needing to do that x.x

[FelixG]

This is admittedly more of a limitation on my part than a flaw in the class, but I like to stick to core. I've worked hardish to be able to hear, ''that's the spell, here's what it does, up to and including: Does it allow SR, does it allow a save, what's the range, etc." I know most of that stuff for core without needing to look it up, and it makes DM'ing and playing very smooth.

It's very convenient. I have a laptop with the SRD downloaded from their website which I bring to gaming sessions. I don't want to have to port splatbooks and be looking stuff up in game when I recently just got past the point of needing to do that x.x

Well then I guess throw out the non core options you have listed...If you think the cleric doesnt have any of those fun spells you like you should toss out the bard as well

So that pretty much leaves you with Wizard...go with that :smallcool:

[Brom]

Well then I guess throw out the non core options you have listed...If you think the cleric doesnt have any of those fun spells you like you should toss out the bard as well

So that pretty much leaves you with Wizard...go with that :smallcool:

Yeah. I think I'm going to do that. I'd play a Warmage and learn the direct damage spells, but that would be one splatbook. More tolerable.

Is there a way to get healing in as a Wizard? I don't need to be an awesome healer. I can be an awesome controller/CC'er/disable to minimize injuries and just instruct the party to not be reckless.

Rather, I need to be able to stick a few heals on people to mop up injuries, and to be able to do with an okay amount of efficiency.

Advice?

Also, should I just state that at this point I'm asking for the best way to set a wizard up for CC/save or suck, or should I start a new thread about it?

[FelixG]

Arcane Healing:
http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=172395

I dont have the time to go through and look to see if they came up with anything so I will just link it so you can check it out, its only 2 pages!

[Brom]

Arcane Healing:
http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=172395

I dont have the time to go through and look to see if they came up with anything so I will just link it so you can check it out, its only 2 pages!

Was nice. The best option I've thought of:

Arcane Disciple (http://www.realmshelps.net/cgi-bin/feats.pl?Arcane_Disciple)

+ Touch of Healing (http://www.realmshelps.net/cgi-bin/feats.pl?Touch_Of_Healing)

+ Wand of Lesser Vigor & Cure Light Wounds

= Profit

It costs me 2 feats and 1500 gold, though.

[molten_dragon]

I'd suggest going with a druid. You'll be able to do pretty much everything, including healing if you need to.

[ArcanistSupreme]

I would go with Warlock. It's much closer to the power level of the other two members of the party, and with Use Magic Device and a wand of cure light wounds, all of your healing needs are taken care of.