Feats for a Druid/Cleric Healbot?

[Palanan]

For my seafaring campaign I've worked up a fourth-level NPC who will be serving as the ship's healer. For various reasons, I've settled on Druid 1/Cloistered Cleric 3, with a strong emphasis on healing rather than combat. (I'm aware it's considered ideal to prevent damage rather than heal it, but this individual sees things differently.)

She's actually a character from a previous campaign, originally designed as a VoP cleric/druid. I like the concept, but I can't see much mechanical benefit to that approach here, and dropping VoP frees up some feat slots. She's human with one flaw, which gives four feats total.

Right now I'm thinking that her third-level feat will be Practiced Spellcasting on the druid side, which would make her a decent dual caster for a fourth-level character something else entirely. Where I'm hung up on is what to select for her other three feats. I've looked at some of the standard healing options (Augment Healing, Sacred Healing, Touch of Healing, etc.) and none of them really seem that impressive.

Also, it would be great if she could heal a broad swath of people at once--a tightly packed mass of sailors on deck, for example. There's Stabilize from the Spell Compendium, which has a wide enough radius to cover nearly the entire ship...but it only heals 1 hp apiece.

So, is there some clever way to send out a stronger pulse of healing that would affect everyone within a certain radius? And if not, what should I choose for her other three feats to maximize the up-close healing?
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[Dairuga]

For my seafaring campaign I've worked up a fourth-level NPC who will be serving as the ship's healer. For various reasons, I've settled on Druid 1/Cloistered Cleric 3, with a strong emphasis on healing rather than combat. (I'm aware it's considered ideal to prevent damage rather than heal it, but this individual sees things differently.)

She's actually a character from a previous campaign, originally designed as a VoP cleric/druid. I like the concept, but I can't see much mechanical benefit to that approach here, and dropping VoP frees up some feat slots. She's human with one flaw, which gives four feats total.

Right now I'm thinking that her third-level feat will be Practiced Spellcasting on the druid side, which would make her a decent dual caster for a fourth-level character. Where I'm hung up on is what to select for her other three feats. I've looked at some of the standard healing options (Augment Healing, Sacred Healing, Touch of Healing, etc.) and none of them really seem that impressive.


Firstly, please take note that Practiced spellcaster only increases your caster level. It does not grant you extra spells per day, or new spells learned, so even with Practiced Spellcasting, you would only be able to cast Druid level 1 Spells, even if you would be able to cast them as if you were a level 4 druid, in regards for damage dice and duration, meaning it would not be all that much better for dual casting, even if it would add 3 points to each healing spell she casts on her druid side.


Secondly, featwise, If you have the healing domain, you can pick the Feat "Healing Devotion", which in my opinion, at level 4, is a godsend for so many reasons. Healing devotion grants you or another ally Fast Healing 1 (Which becomes Fast healing 2 upon level 5, FH 3 upon reaching level 10, FH 4 at 15, and FH 5 at 20), and it automatically works if you are knocked into the negatives, targeting you. And you can use it once for each Turning attempt you expend for the day, meaning that if you have 7-8 turning attempts, you can heal an immense amount each turn.

Touch of healing, while it might not seem too impressive, note that it can heal everyone up to half their max HP, and will always be a free stabilize / healing when people are dying, as well as a constant source of magical healing for when that is needed. And you only need to keep one spell prepared and ready for it to work.



Also, it would be great if she could heal a broad swath of people at once--a tightly packed mass of sailors on deck, for example. There's Stabilize from the Spell Compendium, which has a wide enough radius to cover nearly the entire ship...but it only heals 1 hp apiece.



I have never heard of that spell, and looking at the Spell compendium now, I cannot seem to find it. Are you sure it is called Stabilize? There is a Pathfinder spell called "Stabilize", but that is only a renamed cure minor wounds, and it only stabilizes without curing HP.

[Palanan]

Practiced Spellcaster...wow. Just...wow. Many, many neurons just failed me all at once. I could feed a small, hungry nation with all the egg on my face.

As for Stabilize...check my reading comprehension on that one, too, willya? It's SC p. 204, starting at the lower left of the page.



EDIT: In that case, assuming the belts are no longer slipping in my brain, I think Touch of Healing is looking a lot better for the third-level feat.
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[Dairuga]

Practiced Spellcaster...wow. Just...wow. Many, many neurons just failed me all at once. I could feed a small, hungry nation with all the egg on my face.

As for Stabilize...check my reading comprehension on that one, too, willya? It's SC p. 204, starting at the lower left of the page.



EDIT: In that case, assuming the belts are no longer slipping in my brain, I think Touch of Healing is looking a lot better for the third-level feat.
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Trust me, I had the exact same reaction once I found out that my Gnoll Cleric could not take practiced spellcaster to make up for two levels of Racial Hit Die. It is quite curious, how everyone, me included, sees the feat; goes "Wow, I can multiclass with ease now", take the feat, and never realize that it actually does not progress their caster class. Do not worry, you are not alone.

And this is perplexing, truly. My Spell compendium only has 179 pages. Granted, it is called "Spell Compendium 3.5", so perhaps it have been updated?

And yes; for your scenario when healing might be scarce, touch of healing is a godsend. Free, auto stabilize plus a dash of healing to keep everyone away from dying. As long as you have the enemy occupied, it basically means that no one can die, ever. 3 Hp healed per level of the healing spell. Meaning you can put them from -5 and into positive with one touch. If they get knocked down again, just touch them again. And so it goes.

[Palanan]

Glad I'm not the only one who's been overeager about Practiced Spellcaster. Thanks again for the catch.....:smalleek:

Touch of Healing is a definite, since that's 6 hp of free healing per round; it just becomes a question of how quickly she can get to everyone. With over a hundred crew on the ship, it'll take her a substantial amount of time to move, touch, and move on again. Stabilize will at least keep the injured from bleeding out without her having to constantly run back and forth during a fight.

And speaking of Stabilize, and the Spell Compendium, here (http://www.amazon.com/Compendium-Dungeons-Dragons-Fantasy-Roleplaying/dp/0786937025)'s the version I'm using, listed at 288 pages. Not sure what to make of your abridged version there. Does it cut off abruptly with "Sanctuary, Mass"? (That's the last spell on my p. 179.) And does it have the spell lists at the very back?



EDIT: Still taking suggestions for the other three feats. Right now I'm defaulting to Sacred Boost, Extra Turning and Scribe Scroll, plus the Spontaneous Rejuvenation ACF. Any alternatives I should consider?
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