anyway to abuse the healer class?

[CyberThread]

any bloody way to abuse the healer class, something about it, has to be :(

[Acanous]

Get Gate. Gate Shennanigans. Profit.

[FreakyCheeseMan]

Convince your enemies to take it?

[TuggyNE]

I was gonna say gate, but I think I like FreakyCheeseMan's suggestion better. :smallbiggrin:

[Carth]

There's a roundabout way to abuse it. A gestalt factotum//something with metamind can basically abuse factotum's level 19 ability, the temporal reiteration power from Comp Psi, and metamind's capstone to basically get new class features every day, until you've got every class feature factotum is eligible for. The healer's mount is an (EX) ability, so said factotum could have a healer mount, druid animal companion, and, well, all the other (EX) abilities factotum is eligible for.

[Lord Haart]

There was a thread recently about the GM who applies Positive Energy Plane's "You explode on overheal" rules to any healing, period. Wanna slaughter his world?

[FreakyCheeseMan]

There was a thread recently about the GM who applies Positive Energy Plane's "You explode on overheal" rules to any healing, period. Wanna slaughter his world?

Except healer's aren't even all that great at healing, as I recall. I mean, they're decent, but my impression has been that the loss of access to DMM hurts potential power-builds more than anything they've got.

[eggynack]

Except healer's aren't even all that great at healing, as I recall. I mean, they're decent, but my impression has been that the loss of access to DMM hurts potential power-builds more than anything they've got.
Additionally, clerics can generally just heal better. Setting aside the fact that they can do it spontaneously, and that healing is generally terrible, I'm pretty sure that you can get more healing bang for your healing buck by taking radiant servant of Pelor. Empowered maximized healing spells seem significantly better than +cha mod healing spells. This is also true in the crazy healsplosion world, and I believe that it was the cause of his healing woes in the first place. Man, that was a great thread. Anyway, in conclusion, healers suck at everything but healing, and they're also not the best at healing. It's a sad thing in general.

[Sith_Happens]

any bloody way to abuse the healer class

I think most weapons will work fine.

[FreakyCheeseMan]

Additionally, clerics can generally just heal better. Setting aside the fact that they can do it spontaneously, and that healing is generally terrible, I'm pretty sure that you can get more healing bang for your healing buck by taking radiant servant of Pelor. Empowered maximized healing spells seem significantly better than +cha mod healing spells. This is also true in the crazy healsplosion world, and I believe that it was the cause of his healing woes in the first place. Man, that was a great thread. Anyway, in conclusion, healers suck at everything but healing, and they're also not the best at healing. It's a sad thing in general.

They really seem like an NPC class to me, more than anything. Or something for mass combat - if you were putting together an army, I could see Healers being a good option so long as they cost less than Clerics.

[Sith_Happens]

They really seem like an NPC class to me, more than anything. Or something for mass combat - if you were putting together an army, I could see Healers being a good option so long as they cost less than Clerics.

This could very well be the idea, seeing as the class is in the Miniatures Handbook.

[Arc_knight25]

Mobile spellcasting Feat with the ability to fly. Nothing like getting 2 move actions and a spell off while flying. No one should ever be out of your reach for a heal.

All you need to do is stack that concentration.

[Hand_of_Vecna]

If you convince the DM to make them spontaneous list casters like they should be, then you can do something like Rainbow War Snake. Something similar is probably your best bet anyway, just get enough spells onto their list to make them a tier 3 prepared caster.

I'm sure there's some way to break your Couatl companions Sorcerer casting from a combined Sorcerer/Cleric spell list.

[INoKnowNames]

I think most weapons will work fine.

Damn, son, that be Gallows Humor!

[ericgrau]

They get mass cures a level early. That plus healing hands could make for very efficient mass healing. Take it farther with augment healing. Shield other and imbue with spell ability could make this work well in PC parties too, except that the healer gets neither of those.

The unicorn's small additional healing and constant magic circle against evil helps a little.

Ya I agree it works well with large groups like D&D minis, which is the book it's in anyway.

[Magnet Tech]

I hear that beating them with stick works won - oh we're not talking about that.
oh my god i hate myself so much right now

I don't really know much about the class, so I can't really help. Sorry mate.

[Chronos]

Archivists can take advantage of some of their spells being lower than normal level.

[Vaz]

Except healer's aren't even all that great at healing, as I recall. I mean, they're decent, but my impression has been that the loss of access to DMM hurts potential power-builds more than anything they've got.

Easily fixed with Planar Touchstone if that's the case.

Bard Dip with Healing Hymn, and maxed Perform RANKS (specifically, RANKS, not Perform Check). However, that requires Bardic Music uses; so that requires Extra Music or more Bard Ranks.

However, as mentioned above, all of that works better for an Archivist, especially with Able Learner; however you need Nightsticks to abuse the Turn Undead ability. Dips to get more Domain powers for Scalykind, Earth, Evil domains all combine with Extra Turning.

[mattie_p]

However, as mentioned above, all of that works better for an Archivist, especially with Able Learner; however you need Nightsticks to abuse the Turn Undead ability. Dips to get more Domain powers for Scalykind, Earth, Evil domains all combine with Extra Turning.

Except that Divine Feats specifically require turn or rebuke undead. There are several ACFs (for clerics) that state that they count as turn or rebuke undead for powering divine feats, but no domain power has that wording.

[Vaz]

Sacred Exorcist dip, then? My bad.

Bard 1/Archivist 19/Exorcist 1 (Exorcist at level 18).

Divine Metamagic
Extra Music
Apprentice Entertainer (or whatever it is to get Perform permanently as a Class Skill).
Extra Turning, Extra Turning
Extend
Persist

If your DM allows the Domain abilities to work, then Planar Touchstone, if not something else. Possibly Extra Turning for further free Metamagic.

[CyberThread]

arrgg, pretty bad, that a class is so badly done, that it you struggle to find exploits haha , then again maybe it should have been herald as a NPC class.

[Zombulian]

They get mass cures a level early. That plus healing hands could make for very efficient mass healing. Take it farther with augment healing. Shield other and imbue with spell ability could make this work well in PC parties too, except that the healer gets neither of those.

The unicorn's small additional healing and constant magic circle against evil helps a little.

Ya I agree it works well with large groups like D&D minis, which is the book it's in anyway.

Yeah, unfortunately they aren't very abusable, though in my opinion, much to the protests of much of the playground, they are still very playable.

They're better healers than Clerics and Druids until about level 7. And then at 8 they get a companion who could basically ubermount. You can even have a Coatl with all their spellcasting ability. Picking up some sanctified spells never hurt anyone. Well, maybe the caster a little.
Also there are some pretty easy ways to pick up DMM. Take 1 level of Contemplative for access to a Domain that gives turning attempts, and then pick up like 50 nightsticks. Your Cha is already stupid high anyway, you can make do.

[Nettlekid]

Find powerful wizards and clerics who untimely shuffled off this mortal coil and use your weekly True Resurrection to bring them back. Pick Lawful types that will be indebted to you for bringing them back.

[Akal Saris]

You can check out my signature for a handbook on the class :P

Some thoughts on strong (semi-abusable) things:

1) Gate, sure, at L17+

2) Healers automatically have access to BoED's sanctified spells, which opens up a ton of useful spells, some which are quite strong. Best with a way to deal with ability damage (such as binding naberius from binder 1).

Greater luminous armor overcomes their poor armor proficiencies, celestial aspect gives flight at CL 5, inquisition is a useful divination spell, valiant steed gives a second unicorn for 1 year, storm of shards is terrific damage and debuff, constricting chains is great battlefield control, etc.

3) Combined with some of the Sacred Vow feats, you can have a character with great saves & defenses, albeit one in a support role rather than an offensive one.

4) If for some reason you're playing a game where PCs can only be low-tier characters, then the Healer is probably T4 or low on T3 rather than T5 where it's listed :P

5) SU abilities with no EXP or GP cost. Things like Greater Restoration (save 500 XP per spell, and as a standard action rather than 10 minutes) or true resurrection (capstone, but saves you 25K gold per casting, and it's a standard action rather than 10 minutes to cast).