4E to Pathfinder Psionic Healer Conversion

[talanhawke]

I've been in a 4E campaign for the last 5 months, and now we're switching over to Pathfinder. I'm glad for the change (the GM is amazing, but I dislike the 4E system), but I have some issues with converting my character over in any compatible way to how he was before. Keeping in mind that a 3rd level character in Pathfinder is no-where near as powerful as a level 3 4E character, I've been racking my brain and looking for sources to convert him over. I'm wondering anyone can help me out here:

Matharath is a Kalashtar "cleric" (in-game, he is actually a psion whose quori was mutated to only be able to heal, and abhors violence. We're also not in Eberron, so he is posing as a human cleric of Avandra - so far Avandra hasn't taken exception to this). As such, he took Pacifist Healer at level 1, which makes him a complete healbot, and a lot of fun to RP. Since all classes in 4E work very similarly, my GM is allowing for the possibility of a psion using "divine" powers, but that's not really the case in Pathfinder.
I'm not a fan of clerics in Pathfinder, so I was looking for any way to make a psionist healer. I'm pressed for time, but if anyone can recommend some sourcebooks or online resources (3.5 should be fine, I'm creative and my GM is lenient of conversions), I have many friends with bookshelves full of 3.5 stuff.
I have until Tuesday (a random time due to holidays), when we run our first Pathfinder session.

[deuxhero]

I think there is actually a dedicated psionic healing class in PF.

edit: Vitalist. Here is a handbook

http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=222365

[talanhawke]

Oh my... thank you! I missed this somehow, but this is exactly what I wanted :)
Now, I just need to iron out a Kalashtar conversion. I've found a few, but I'm not sure I like the way others have done it.

[deuxhero]

Convert from 3E to PF you mean?

Do you need to do anything aside from a +2 to an ability score?

[talanhawke]

See, I KNOW there are 3E stats for Kalashtar out there, but I looked around for a good 30 minutes without finding them. All I've got is the 4E stats, which give at least a baseline to work with. Part of the problem is that none of my friends own the Eberron stuff, so I can't even ask them for it. My old group was more Dark Sun-esque, so Eberron was never a big buy priority.
My search-fu is weak, I know :(

[Curious]

See, I KNOW there are 3E stats for Kalashtar out there, but I looked around for a good 30 minutes without finding them. All I've got is the 4E stats, which give at least a baseline to work with.
My search-fu is weak, I know :(

Kalashtar is in the Eberron Campaign Setting book.

[talanhawke]

yeah... I just was hoping someone knew it off the top of their head. Laziness, though laziness created through RL distractions. I don't have a heck of a lot of time to work on this between now and Tuesday, and I've had damn-all luck finding the resources online (until deuxhero pointed out the quite excellent Vitalist guide by Psyren :) )

[Psyren]

*snip*
Thank you for the praise!


Convert from 3E to PF you mean?

Do you need to do anything aside from a +2 to an ability score?

Actually, you might - in Pathfinder, psionic races don't have an innate power point pool anymore, instead being standardized by getting Wild Talent for free (or Psionic Talent if they take levels in a psionic class.) So for Kalashtar to actually BE psionic in PF, they'd need similar treatment, then perhaps a separate racial to gain the additional PP (which would then shift their balance relative to the others and possibly require tweaking.)

[deuxhero]

yeah... I just was hoping someone knew it off the top of their head. Laziness, though laziness created through RL distractions. I don't have a heck of a lot of time to work on this between now and Tuesday, and I've had damn-all luck finding the resources online (until deuxhero pointed out the quite excellent Vitalist guide by Psyren :) )

Luckily for you, that's legally free from a preview. I'll dig it up.

http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/eb/20040413a

[MeeposFire]

Do note that one important difference between a 4e healer and a PF healer is that in 4e you can heal somebody and make an attack in the same round. In PF you often have to choose between healing and doing any sort of attack. In fact healing during combat can be very weak except for using some of the better spells (heal for instance or healing spells that are not standard actions).

[NineThePuma]

OR if your DM accepts the logic that you can apply multiple instances of healing from "Mass Cure Wounds" spells to a single target, and then quicken them.

[deuxhero]

Do note that one important difference between a 4e healer and a PF healer is that in 4e you can heal somebody and make an attack in the same round. In PF you often have to choose between healing and doing any sort of attack. In fact healing during combat can be very weak except for using some of the better spells (heal for instance or healing spells that are not standard actions).

Vitalist however, is actually good at in-combat healing

[talanhawke]

Yeah, I've played 3.5 and a bit of Pathfinder with my last group. We just focused on a very different campaign setting (Dark Sun feel minus psionics, low magic, high grit, and no divine magic), so I've never dealt with psionics, Kalashtar, etc.
Unfortunately, my current GM has ixnayed the psionics. Boo! That sucks majorly, because I'm still stuck in the healer slot for the group, and clerics and other divines bore me.

[NineThePuma]

There's a guide sitting around somewhere about how groups don't need a devoted healer. It's got a solid collection of low cost items that are quite good at filling the healer need.

You might consider an Artificer to allow your group more buffs.

[Psyren]

Yeah, I've played 3.5 and a bit of Pathfinder with my last group. We just focused on a very different campaign setting (Dark Sun feel minus psionics, low magic, high grit, and no divine magic), so I've never dealt with psionics, Kalashtar, etc.
Unfortunately, my current GM has ixnayed the psionics. Boo! That sucks majorly, because I'm still stuck in the healer slot for the group, and clerics and other divines bore me.

Well, being a "healer" cleric is at least way easier in PF due to Channel Energy.

Or you could try an Oracle (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/classes/base-classes/oracle) with the Life Mystery (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/classes/base-classes/oracle/mysteries/paizo---oracle-mysteries/life); still divine, but plays a bit more like a sorcerer than a cleric/druid. Or a Hospitaler (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/classes/core-classes/paladin/archetypes/paizo---paladin-archetypes/hospitaler) Paladin.

If you don't want to be divine at all and can't be psionic, there are arcane options: e.g. the Hedge (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/classes/base-classes/witch/archetypes/paizo---witch-archetypes/hedge-witch) Witch (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/classes/base-classes/witch), which puts a healing spin on your arcane abilities, and the Chirurgeon (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/classes/base-classes/alchemist/archetypes/paizo---alchemist-archetypes/chirurgeon) Alchemist (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/classes/base-classes/alchemist); closer to a doctor than a priest.

[talanhawke]

We're working out a new mystery for Oracle based on Life, with some psionic abilities thrown in (and all undead stuff taken out), and we're going to play it as a psionic for RP purposes. She just dislikes the way psionics work mechanically.
But yes, Oracles are much more fun :)
Since my 4E character had Pacifist Healer as his first feat, we're making that one of his "curses" (minus the +1d6 heals, of course). Probably going to be hell to play, but I'm so used to it now that we figured we'd keep it.
We're also going with the Dual-Cursed Oracle archetype, giving him a second "curse" of not being able to use positive energy to damage undead (goes along with him being a psionist for RP purposes, not actually an Oracle at all), and attaching a bunch of benefits to it in the form of better healing abilities, and/or possibly some mind-reading, etc. We're working out the kinks and trying to keep it balanced. I'll post it here as we go along, to get feedback from you all.