The Healer Wizard

[Tyndmyr]

Aright, lets say that, purely for entertainment, you want a wizard to be the party healer. How best do you accomplish that? Bonus for stuff that kicks in at low levels.

At level 3, we've got light of vecna as a ranged heal...quite good. Healing belt/eternal wand of CLW can also be supplementary hp healing, but a good way to deal with status effects/stat-level drain before limited wish would be excellent.

[Tamer Leon]

Have a party of Warforged. Heal spells don't work on them, but the Repair spells (which are all on the Wizard spell list anyway) totally do.
Bam. Party healer.

[Tyndmyr]

Negative energy and repairs are both quite doable...but changing the party to fit the needs of the healer is often impractical, and in any case, it doesn't address the biggest challenge of a proper healer...

Replenishing hp is easy. Fixing stat drain, negative levels, and status effects is harder.

[Analytica]

Pathfinder have some prestige classes (Daivrat, Pathfinder Savant) and organizations (the african-inspired mage college) that lets you add spells to your class list, though at a higher level than otherwise.

Synostodweomer in Spell Compendium, though high level.

Lots of summons can heal for you.

[ILM]

Arcane Disciple? Only 1/day per spell though.

[prufock]

Arcane Disciple: Healing domain, Life domain, Renewal domain all have things to offer.

The easy but time-consuming and expensive way is simple independent research to duplicate an existing spell or create a new one. If you can find an arcane scroll of the spell you can copy it to your spellbook from that (ie Heroes' Feast as a bard scroll).

[Radar]

As far as I remember, Bards have some healing spells on their list (with Cure Poison among them for example), so it should be potentially possible to get those spells through Mage of Arcane Order. Again, it's limited to one spell per spell level, but you could combine it with Arcane Disciple and/or Domain Wizard variant to get a decent ammount of healing spells.

[Tyndmyr]

As far as I remember, Bards have some healing spells on their list (with Cure Poison among them for example), so it should be potentially possible to get those spells through Mage of Arcane Order. Again, it's limited to one spell per spell level, but you could combine it with Arcane Disciple and/or Domain Wizard variant to get a decent ammount of healing spells.

If arcane and below third level, eternal wands also offer a valid way to gain access to them for a reasonable price. Good points though on the PrCs.

[Tengu_temp]

Since when wizards cannot be healers? Cure Light Wounds is a level 1 Battle Magic spell in WFRP.

What? This isn't the DND 3e subforum, so I can use examples from any RPG I want.

[Shadowknight12]

Rainbow Snake trick.

[Sidmen]

Since when wizards cannot be healers? Cure Light Wounds is a level 1 Battle Magic spell in WFRP.

What? This isn't the DND 3e subforum, so I can use examples from any RPG I want.

Heal is also the most basic Creation spell in the Dragon Age RPG.

Honestly though, the easiest way would be to simply ask your DM if you could be a healing wizard instead of any of the other specialist (or general) wizards - give up a school of magic (I suggest divination because, pfft) and gain access to the Cure line of spells - maybe the restore line too.

[nedz]

I'm going to assume that you meant to post this in the 3.5 sub-forum, because otherwise, ..., well the question is somewhat silly.

Temporary Healing - best done before someone gets hurt.
False Life, Bears Endurance - both 2nd level
Vampiric Touch - caster only

Should the party all die then you can bring them back with Animate Dead, healing them from this point forwards is going to be a bit easier.:smallamused:

[holywhippet]

As far as I remember, Bards have some healing spells on their list (with Cure Poison among them for example), so it should be potentially possible to get those spells through Mage of Arcane Order. Again, it's limited to one spell per spell level, but you could combine it with Arcane Disciple and/or Domain Wizard variant to get a decent ammount of healing spells.

Questionable, the Spell Availability section says:

No 0-level spells are available,
but the Spellpool can provide any other spell on the wizard/sorcerer
spell list in the Player’s Handbook, as well as any additional
spells designated by the DM.

So bard spells aren't really included by default unless the DM says so. That being said, a bard should be able to qualify for entry to this PrC the same as a sorcerer so in theory the spell pool could have bard spells. Fluffwise though it's dubious since the PrC is themed at being for wizards.

[Endarire]

Wyrm Wizard (Dragon Magic) and Recaster (Races of Eberron) let you add spells from any list to your Wizard list.

A party of Warforged and a Warforged Transmuter/War Weaver works best for this though.

[Tyndmyr]

I'm going to assume that you meant to post this in the 3.5 sub-forum, because otherwise, ..., well the question is somewhat silly.

True, =)

Also, the polymorph subschool can be used for minor healing...

[nedz]

Also, the polymorph subschool can be used for minor healing...

Of course - the Minor Shapeshift Reserve feat from CMage. Gain 1 temp HP / level as a free action each round. Well remembered, personal only though.

[gorfnab]

Arcane Disciple feat will let you get into the Combat Medic (HoB) prestige class.

[Harry]

You could take the arcane fire feat at level one to be a first level wizard healer!

[Zaq]

Aright, lets say that, purely for entertainment, you want a wizard to be the party healer. How best do you accomplish that? Bonus for stuff that kicks in at low levels.

At level 3, we've got light of vecna as a ranged heal...quite good. Healing belt/eternal wand of CLW can also be supplementary hp healing, but a good way to deal with status effects/stat-level drain before limited wish would be excellent.

I presume you meant Light of Venya, but the concept of Light of Vecna being a healing spell cracked me up a little bit.

It probably would heal you, too. But it'd further some hilariously convoluted plot in the process.

[Shadowknight12]

I presume you meant Light of Venya, but the concept of Light of Vecna being a healing spell cracked me up a little bit.

It probably would heal you, too. But it'd further some hilariously convoluted plot in the process.

It would heal you, to encourage widespread use, but every casting would transmit all of the target's secrets to Vecna himself.

[TuggyNE]

It would heal you, to encourage widespread use, but every casting would transmit all of the target's secrets to Vecna himself.

Even that doesn't seem nearly subtle enough. :smalltongue:

[Averis Vol]

third level spell, healing touch in SpC heals for 1d6/2 levels and you take half, if you could find some way to mitigate the damage you'd be good to go.

[nedz]

third level spell, healing touch in SpC heals for 1d6/2 levels and you take half, if you could find some way to mitigate the damage you'd be good to go.

Well you can heal others, and then get your familiar to heal you, and then you heal your familiar. Given an infinite amount of spell slots you can heal the whole party.

[Acanous]

Ninth level spell, Shades, duplicates any Conjuration spell. All healing spells are Conjuration (Healing) or an abjuration. Most of the abjurations that would qualify as heals are also on Wiz/Sor lists.

I know it's a rather high-level spell, but there's a few ways to get it at level one. The Elven Generalist Domain Wizard, for example.

[nedz]

Ninth level spell, Shades, duplicates any Conjuration spell. All healing spells are Conjuration (Healing) or an abjuration. Most of the abjurations that would qualify as heals are also on Wiz/Sor lists.

I know it's a rather high-level spell, but there's a few ways to get it at level one. The Elven Generalist Domain Wizard, for example.

Sorceror and Wizard spells only I'm afraid - otherwise you could use Shadow Conjuration.

Ed: now you could use this, or Monster Summoning, to summon various outsiders who can use curing magic. Calling spells such as Gate have similiar applications I believe. Oh and there's also Shapechange.

[FMArthur]

Questionable, the Spell Availability section says:


So bard spells aren't really included by default unless the DM says so. That being said, a bard should be able to qualify for entry to this PrC the same as a sorcerer so in theory the spell pool could have bard spells. Fluffwise though it's dubious since the PrC is themed at being for wizards.

Not true! The Arcane Order consists solely of Sorcerers with zero noncombat spells hoping to use utility spells from others. Any that appear in the spell pool are immediately snapped up due to the demand for it. I'd say you have about a 1-2 out of a d100 to successfully retrieve a noncombat spell. Maybe 1-10 if you know to avoid peak hours. :smallbiggrin:

[Waker]

If you allow PF material, a Wizard focused on Necromancy in the associated Life school, can do a bit of healing. Healing Grace would give you a tiny bit of healing, extra damage against undead and give the tiniest bit of buffing to others via Shared Essence.

[Spuddles]

Dragonwrought kobold and a sovereign archetype that gives you cleric casting?

[Acidic]

Halfling Wizard substitution (level 3) from one of the Dragon Mag (forget which) lets you add any spell to your list, at one level higher. So CLW is a level 2 spell for you.

Recaster (changeling only) lets you add any spell to your list, max level of one below your highest level.

Wyrm Wizard (even levels) lets you add any spell to your list, at any level known.

If you ignore the errata, Master Specialist (wizard conjuration spec) can add any conjuration spell to their list.

And if you get cure light wounds from any source on your spell list, go into Combat Medic (Heroes of Battle) to be able to spontaneously cast Heal.

So a simple halfling wiz 6 / combat medic 5 can cast cure light wounds and sponteneously cast heal.

A changeling wiz 5 / recaster 2 / combat medic 5 can do the same, although you'll be feat starved needing 2 meta feats (to get into recaster), combat casting, and dodge... but possible even without flaws.

[Malimar]

If you can find an arcane scroll of the spell you can copy it to your spellbook from that (ie Heroes' Feast as a bard scroll).

I always wondered if this worked. I've heard that the answer is no (on the reasoning that wizards are not archivists, and it's specifically spelled out in the archivist class features that they can do this, so if wizards were intended to be able to do it, it would be spelled out in theirs, too) and I've heard that the answer is yes (on the reasoning that wizards use exactly the same mechanic for learning spells as archivists do, so it should work exactly the same way, and failing to specifically spell it out in the wizard's description is an oversight that was fixed for the archivist), but I haven't been able to find any definitive yes or no RAW on the subject.

EDIT: I'm going to ask this in the Q&A thread.

[Diarmuid]

Comp Champ, Sorc ACF Domain Access would let you use the Healing domain (or any domain with healing spells) spells on a limited basis.

I dont know if that would qualify you to then use wands that had those spells on them or not (probably not) but a generous DM might let it slide.

[Andorax]

Does it *have* to be wizard?

One of the builds I've been playing with relies on a feat from the Eberron article in Dragon 351...the Dragonmarked Sorcerer.

In short, you add all of the normal SLAs you'd have from your dragonmark as spells known to your Sorcerer class.


A Halfling from House Jorasco Dragonmarked Sorceror, therefore, has the following spells known:

Cure Light Wounds, Lesser Restoration, Cure Serious Wounds, Remove Disease, Neutralize Poison, Restoration and Heal.



You could then proceed, at 5th level, to take the Domain Access alternate class feature (Complete Champion, P. 52) and pick up the Community domain, which gives you (at appropriate levels) 1/day of:

Calm Emotions, Bless, Status, Prayer, Greater Status, Telepathic Bond, Heroes' Feast, Refuge, Sympathy and Mass Heal.



If you wanted to, you could also take the 1st level ACF "Blood of Eberron" (same article from Dragon 351), which gives you an alternate class skill list that includes Heal and Knowledge: Nature, and an animal companion (as a druid of 1/2 sorc level) in lieu of a familiar.

This opens up easy qualification for the feats Augment Healing (Complete Divine, requires 4 ranks in heal) and Magic of the Lands (Races of the Wild, requires pumping Knowledge Nature).


It gets a lot more interesting if your DM is also willing to somewhat liberally interpret the Dragonmarked Sourcerer feat's provision about "all Dragonmarked SLAs count as spells known" and allow you to qualify into and take the Dragonmark Prodigy, Dragonmark Adept and Dragonmark Visionary feats (from the book Dragonmarked).

Which, if allowed, also gives you the Spell Compendium spells known of Lesser Vigor, Stabalize, Close Wounds, Vigor, Panacea and Revivify.