NekoIncardine
2014-02-17, 12:39 AM
Please be advised that this class is incomplete; I believe it to be fully playable to 10th level, but have not gotten far on Greater and Grand Invocations, or filler class features that make it worth considering sticking with the class rather than just moving into Prestige Classes.
Updates
2/17/2014: Renamed "Eldritch Healer" at recommendation of DragoonWraith. May still be called Pact Healer in some areas.
Eldritch Healer
By the power of my Mark and Pact, you will be safe.
- Cielith Matera, Eldritch Healer
Most people associate magical healing with the Cleric - capable of great feats of magical healing. Slightly fewer think of Druids, and fewer still of Healers, figures of good who work nearly abstract of gods or nature to do Good For The Good God. All share one thing in common: They rely on Divine Magic, one way or another, to cast their magic.
However, at least one force has uncovered another way. The Lord Of Shades, an artificial god created by "men of modest repute," has some Devils bound to his service via the power of his Mark. These Devils, in turn, 'bless' a few choice humanoid Marked with an unusual variant of the standard infernal pact - one devoted to healing the wounds of their fellows. (Scroll past the class if you want the basics on this unusual threat.)
Eldritch Healers can heal their allies with seemingly no limit, and use some powerful magical effects besides. That said, in terms of action variety, they may be the most limited of all healing classes, thanks to their very few available Invocations. Learning to get the most mileage from the fewest tricks defines their day in an adventuring party.
Credit where credit is due: A lot of the key ideas for Eldritch Healer originate with T.G. Oskar's homebrew Warlock fix
(http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=212830). This includes providing a specific stack of Shape/Essence invocations, freeing the user to take more invocations that do not modify their main ability.
This class, like Oskar's Healer fix, tries to make even in-combat healing viable; however, it does so using the unlimited-use, limited-variety Invocations mechanic. I also chose to run with the idea of a healing class of Infernal origins, mostly just because. The existing concept I had written of The Lord Of Shades was basically slipped in as an excuse for why this would happen, since it fit better here than as an isolated homebrew scrap.
While I keep the silly out of the crunch and basics, keep in mind that a lot of the class fluff is intentionally less than serious. The Lord of Shades, the god that is the fluffwise origin point of this class, has a nightmarish methodolgy, but looks like an Elvis impersonator, just as one example.
Adventures: Eldritch Healers regularly work in adventuring groups, simply because those who know of them know them to be reliable allies. Unlike traditional Healers, they're less bound to causes of good, and more likely to work specifically with profit in mind. This is not to say they are not generous with their talents; far from it. A Eldritch Healer knows that a village whose wounds are treated cleanly and effectively is one that prospers, bringing more opportunities for the future.
Characteristics: A Eldritch Healer uses their invocation powers to heal wounds, with a few utilitarian tricks on top. They're supremely incompetent in a serious fight, to the point where many Eldritch Healers who are active in the faith of The Lord of Shades choose to have their mark Empowered, sacrificing their ability to harm others in return for making their other tricks more powerful.
Alignment: Eldritch Healers have a slight Lawful tendency, but run the alignment gamut. Evil characters who take the Pact tend to be doing so, not for their own greedy purposes, but to aid Evil allies - a clear mark of Lawful Evil individuals. Good-aligned Eldritch Healers do exist, but are comparatively rare, simply due to the Pact's Infernal origin. The Lord of Shades doesn't discriminate, but his servants are not always so open of mind.
Religion: The vastest majority of Eldritch Healers are followers of The Lord of Shades - simply because the god-entity's Mark is what has provided a few devils willing to provide a potentially great source of good in the world. The exceptions tend towards good-aligned deities that emphasize healing.
Background: Most, but not all Eldritch Healers are victims of The Lord of Shades' Mark, turned against their natural wills into his followers. They then proceed to a Pact with similarly-marked Infernals, that they may better advance his cause - or, almost as frequently, their own interests. (The Mark doesn't create a thrall of the cult - just a follower of the god-entity it spawned.)
Races: Eldritch Healers exist among every race which has followers of The Lord of Shades; however, there is a slight tendency towards Elven followers to take the pact, perhaps finding an elegance in its abilities, even compared against the magics that they often celebrate.
Other Classes: A Eldritch Healer who joins an adventuring party is someone to rely upon, who will keep people going through the long days of adventures. The unusual origin of their abilities can lead them to clash with Clerics and Healers, who draw their power more from faith, rather than incidental to it.
Role: Eldritch Healers are typically a healbot, but also tend to be decent party faces, since their abilities dominantly rely on Charisma.
GAME RULE INFORMATION
Eldritch Healers have the following game statistics.
Abilities: Charisma defines the Eldritch Healer more than any other single ability score, for it is what powers their supply of Enhancement Energy and a few of their class abilities. Constitution, Dexterity, Intelligence, and Wisdom all have their varying uses as well.
Alignment: Any.
Hit Die: d6.
Starting Age: As Barbarian; the Pact does not inherently require any specific level of learning.
Starting Gold: As Cleric.
Class Skills
The Eldritch Healer's class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Bluff (Cha), Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Gather Information (Cha), Handle Animal (Cha), Heal (Wis), Knowledge (arcana) (Int), Knowledge (religion) (Int), Knowledge (the planes) (Int), Profession (Wis), Sense Motive (Wis), Spellcraft (Int), Survival (Wis).
Skill Points at First Level: (4 + Int modifier) x 4
Skill Points at Each Additional Level: 4 + Int modifier
This is mostly in line with the Healer class, with a few extensions.
Healer
{table=head]Level|Base Attack Bonus|Fort Save|Ref Save|Will Save|Special|Enhancement Energy|Wave Shapes/Essences|Pact Boons|Invocations
1st|
+0|
+0|
+0|
+2|Healing Wave +1d6, Invocation (least)|
2|
1||
2
2nd|
+1|
+0|
+0|
+3|Aura of Protection|
3||
1|
3
3rd|
+1|
+1|
+1|
+3|Healing Wave +2d6|
3|
2||
4th|
+2|
+1|
+1|
+4|Self Recovery|
3|||
4
5th|
+2|
+1|
+1|
+4|Healing Wave +3d6|
4||
2|
6th|
+3|
+2|
+2|
+5|Invocation (Lesser)|
4|
3||
5
7th|
+3|
+2|
+2|
+5|Healing Wave +4d6|
4|||
8th|
+4|
+2|
+2|
+6| |
5||
3|
6
9th|
+4|
+3|
+3|
+6|Healing Wave +5d6|
5|
4||
10th|
+5|
+3|
+3|
+7| |
5|||
7
11th|
+5|
+3|
+3|
+7|Healing Wave +6d6, Invocation (greater)|
6||
4|
12th|
+6/+1|
+4|
+4|
+8| |
6|
5||
8
13th|
+6/+1|
+4|
+4|
+8|Healing Wave +7d6|
6|||
14th|
+7/+2|
+4|
+4|
+9| |
7||
5|
9
15th|
+7/+2|
+5|
+5|
+9|Healing Wave +8d6|
7|
6||
16th|
+8/+3|
+5|
+5|
+10|Invocation (Grand)|
7|||
10
17th|
+8/+3|
+5|
+5|
+10|Healing Wave +9d6|
8||
6|
18th|
+9/+4|
+6|
+6|
+11||
8|
7||
11
19th|
+9/+4|
+6|
+6|
+11|Healing Wave +10d6|
8|||
20th|
+10/+5|
+6|
+6|
+12|Class Ability|
10|
8|
7|
12[/table]
I'm not going to lie - that's a LOT of dead or near-dead levels. I'm trying to come up with fillers that feel right for a few of them, but pointedly, very few levels don't provide at least one new invocation of one of the three types.
We'll get to Enhancement Energy later. It was an attempt to try something a little new.
Class Features
All of the following are class features of the Eldritch Healer.
Weapon and Armor Proficiencies: A Eldritch Healer is proficient with simple bludgeoning weapons, plus the sap and whip. They are proficient with light armor and light shields.
A Eldritch Healer’s invocations use simpler motions than a Wizard’s spells; they may wear light armor without having to deal with an Arcane Spell Failure chance. They still suffer an Arcane Spell Failure chance when wearing medium or heavy armor, or any shield. A multiclass Eldritch Healer still incurs the normal arcane spell failure chance for arcane spells or invocations received from other classes.
Invocations (Sp): The Healer’s Pact allows a Eldritch Healer access to arcane power in a different sense than most; they do not prepare or cast spells like most arcane casters do. Instead, they possess a number of invocations borne of the arcane power they have received. They may use any invocations they know at-will (except for pact boons, which are always active), with the following qualifications:
A Eldritch Healer’s invocations are spell-like abilities, taking a standard action that provokes an attack of opportunity. They may use Concentration checks to invoke defensively or continue to invoke in spite of taking advantage, like a Wizard does with spells. Invocations are subject to spell resistance unless the description specifically states otherwise, and a Eldritch Healer’s caster level with their invocations is equal to their caster level.
The save DC for an invocation (if it allows a save) is equal to 10 + the equivalent spell level of the invocation (stated on its description) + the Warlock’s Charisma modifier. Unlike most spell-like abilities, a Eldritch Healer can benefit from metamagic feats (but only at the cost of Enhancement Points or through magic items; see Enhancement Points, below); they cannot benefit from the Spell Focus feat.
The four grades of invocations, in order of their relative power, are least, lesser, greater and grand. A Eldritch Healer begins play with knowledge of two least-grade invocations and one least-grade wave shape or wave essence invocation, as mentioned on the table above. As a Eldritch Healer gains levels, he learns new invocations, as shown on the table above. At any level when a Eldritch Healer learns a new invocation, he may also replace an invocation he already knows with another invocation of the same or a lower grade. At 6th level, a Eldritch Healer gains access to lesser invocations; at 11th level, a Eldritch Healer gains access to greater invocations and at 16th level the Eldritch Healer gains access to grand invocations.
Invocations are subject to Spell Failure Chance, unlike spell-like abilities. Eldritch Healers may qualify for some Prestige Classes like Arcane Casters.
For reference, the reason for calling them “Grand” is simply that “Dark” seemed inappropriate somehow. They're functionally equivalent.
Healing Wave (Sp): The most basic invocation a Eldritch Healer gains is their healing wave - arcane manipulation of positive energy capable of healing an ally’s wounds.
A healing wave affects a single target within a range of 25 feet plus 5 feet for every 2 caster levels. No attack roll or saving throw is necessary when using the ability. It heals 1d6 damage at 1st level, and increases in power for every two class levels in Eldritch Healer. The healing is capable of working on incorporeal creatures as a normal spell, and is treated as a first-level spell. It is subject to spell resistance, but is harmless. Metamagic feats cannot improve a healing wave, but feats that affect spell-like abilities also affect it.
When used against an undead target, healing wave deals damage instead of healing it. Doing so requires hitting the Undead using a ranged touch attack.
Enhancement Energy : A Eldritch Healer has enough arcane power running through their bodies to continuously power their invocations. However, they also have a little more, which can be used to get a little more power out of their abilities. A Eldritch Healer gains a supply of Enhancement Energy based on their class level, and a bonus amount equal to their Charisma modifier.
Enhancement energy is ‘invested’ into specific Invocations to enhance them in various ways - usually, in the form of the ability to apply a specific Metamagic feat to that Invocation, or to apply an Invocation-specific Augmentation to that Invocation. Augmentation options are provided in the text of the Invocation. Enhancing an Invocation with a Metamagic feat requires having that feat, and requires investing an amount of enhancement energy equal to how many levels that feat raises the spell’s effective level. Enhancing an Invocation with an Augmentation requires meeting a caster-level prerequisite, and then investing a specified amount of enhancement energy to apply that Augmentation.
You may change which Invocations your Enhancement Energy is invested in, or the benefits of those investments, by spending one hour in meditation.
Healing Wave cannot be modified using Enhancement Energy; however, Wave Shape and Wave Essence invocations might be so modified, thus affecting it in turn.
Enhancement Energy serves two purposes.
First, it's a way to make metamagic feats useful for invokers - allowing them access to a greater variety of ways to manipulate magic.
Second, its progression should provide at least a modest advantage to sticking with the class to higher levels, rather than dipping in it and moving on to other classes or prestige classes.
Note that at least one classic metamagic doesn't do much here: The nastier uses of Persistent Spell would only work on Invocations that have been converted to Pact Boons... Which are always-on anyways as implemented for this class. Many other ones are also functionally worthless.
Aura of Protection: At 2nd level, a Eldritch Healer kind of disappears into combat, becoming harder to notice enough to target with spells. A Eldritch Healer emanates a permanent aura that causes an effect identical to the Sanctuary spell, with a save DC equal to 10 + ½ the healer’s class level + the Eldritch Healer's Charisma modifier. Once an attacking creature succeeds on the saving throw, or is victim to a healer’s attack, the effect is suppressed for that creature for the next 24 hours.
It's a direct match to T.G. Oskar's Healer fix ability - and serves the exact same purpose. Forcing a will save provides a functional defense for at least some situations - and one that many opponents who would have a high chance of getting past armor will have a harder time getting past.
Watch out for AoEs.
Self Recovery: At 4th level, the inherent positive energy channeled through the Eldritch Healer’s pact can sustain them - slowly - in desperate circumstances. When they are disabled, or when they are at negative hit points but stabilized, they gain Fast Healing 1 until they reach 1 HP. If they are dead, this ability has no effect.
Notice that it only works when they are stabilized. Most characters who stabilize in negative HP recover over several hours - Eldritch Healers just get it at a compressed rate.
... I was running out of ideas when I wrote this, not going to lie - thus why there's so many blanks lower in the chart.
Eldritch Healers and Prestige Classes
A Eldritch Healer progresses in specific ways from Prestige Classes that grant “+1 level of existing arcane spellcasting class” or “+1 level of existing spellcasting class” on their table. Such increases improve the Eldritch Healer’s caster level, as well as their restoration rate with healing wave. They also gain Wave Shape/Essence, Pact Boons, and Invocations as if they had gained a level in Eldritch Healer.
Eldritch Healers count as an arcane class for Prestige Class prerequisites; however, they do not actually learn spells. If a prestige class requires the ability to cast spells of a certain level, the Eldritch Healer does not qualify for that class without an adaptation to make it mesh with Eldritch Healer, usually by switching the prerequisite to specific invocations or caster levels.
Pretty much the same boilerplate text, except with an implicit recommendation that you adapt existing prestige classes to offer Eldritch Healers new options.
---
Playing a Eldritch Healer
A Eldritch Healer's role is in their name; they keep their allies up and at their best, using their healing wave and other Invocations to keep their allies in tip-top shape. Unlike many other healing classes, they have little by way of buffs and other enhancmenets to use to pre-emptively cover people; they must react as much as act.
Most Marked Eldritch Healers go whole-hog into their ability, getting their mark Empowered, sacrificing their ability to deal lethal damage in favor of maximizing other abilities they have.
Combat
In a battle, a Eldritch Healer's most important resource, outside of their own actions, is their awareness of the positions of their allies, relative to the ranges and shapes they can manage with a healing wave. A Eldritch Healer often needs to signal allies to specific locations to maximize their ability to keep their allies up, while keeping themself out of immediate harm's way. They need to know what their enemies are capable of, to guide their allies out of harm's way.
Multiclassing and Gestalting
The most obvious multiclass and gestalt ideas for a Eldritch Healer - Warlock and Dragon Shaman - actually may be among the worst ideas for a Eldritch Healer, providing very slight increases to their array of available actions in return for consuming space from their various advancement mechanisms. In general, the best complement to a Eldritch Healer is the same exact things that are most useful for Warlocks and Dragon Shamen - namely, anything that vastly increases their array of available actions, particularly other light-armor classes like the Swordsage, Beguiler, and Bard.
Eldritch Healers in the World
Eldritch Healers, being mostly agents of the cult of The Lord of Shades, are mostly found helping to maintain the cult and its bases. In areas where the cult operates openly, they usually run hospital-type services at lower costs than surrounding temples - though they are vastly less able to cover many things common to traditional healers in many cases. Most Eldritch Healers who work like this learn a lot about mundane treatment methodss to supplement their techniques.
Eldritch Healers almost never reveal the initial source of their abilities, for numerous reasons. Organizing in any significant fashion other than in service to a temple is also rare, though within a temple, they often tend to clique up. In areas where the cult operates openly, Eldritch Healers tend to develop a distinctive outfit that all of them wear when in public - usually up-to-date with the regional fashions of the merchant classes. (They're a charisma class, dressing snappy comes naturally with the territory.)
Eldritch Healers in the Game
Eldritch Healers are most easily introduced alongside the Lord of Shades' cults - for in the default setting concepts, there are no Eldritch Healers who aren't also servants of the cult. This isn't because it's impossible for a Devil to offer a healing pact - it's simply that they probably wouldn't without a very specific reason. Indeed, even Marked Devils only do so for a very specific reason - albeit it is one on behalf of their God, rather than the advancement of the Nine Hells' objectives. Most Eldritch Healers will also be Marked, simply because bringing power to those who are sure to keep serving the cult are more valuable than those who could turn away. Exceptions do exist, though.
A handy excuse for exceptions is people who make a deal with the cult on some mutually advantageous basis - a Pact for a donation of some sort, for example. These would definitely NOT be the norm, though.
Eldritch Healers are usually nonviolent in nature - but that doesn't mean they do not tolerate violence, especially if it serves the purposes of the church... Or an adventuring party. Cult-aligned Eldritch Healers, even Marked ones, aren't restricted to working only with cultists - indeed, serving alongside others, particularly in the kinds of great feats common to adventurers, is considered a valid form of proselytizing - and a powerful source of bragging rights, an occasionally useful resource.
Adaptation
The most typical adaptation for a Eldritch Healer is to shuffle out The Lord Of Shades entirely, and shift it to a draconic, fey, or even celestial origin. A celestial who uses power to grant a permanent ability to a mortal - one the Celestial can't easily revoke - is taking a gamble on that mortal's ability to use it to do good. However, the power is one that is normally considered 'good' in most use. Naturally, a Celestial would only offer the Pact to someone who clearly pings on detect good.
Expanding the class by grabbing invocations from existing invoking classes is also feasible, particularly if you want to allow it a few ways to deal damage or battlefield control. Keep in mind, however, that the results should not obviate the Warlock, its direct inspiration.
Eldritch Healers and resource limits
(DMs, read this before bringing a Eldritch Healer into your game.)
A Eldritch Healer's healing wave is an unlimited healing resource. This can have a game-changing impact, in that one of the most basic resources that limits an adventurer's action time per day - their hit points, and healing spells used to restore them - can effectively cease to be when the Eldritch Healer has time to restore them. However, most groups that play with enough game-savviness as to even be considering bringing homebrew in will keep a deep-limit resource - a simple wand of cure light wounds, used by the Cleric or a Rogue with a decent Use Magic Device total - available at all times. A Eldritch Healer is strictly more expensive - a whole share of the party's wealth - than arming a more typical Cleric with said wands. Further, a Eldritch Healer is less versatile than the Cleric at everything else.
Nonetheless, their being highly capable at healing both in and out of combat can tweak encounters, reducing the natural risk by providing a solid, flexible source of in-combat healing. As always, a DM needs to measure how strong the effect is in actual play and keep it in mind while mapping encounters to ensure the party stays on their toes. In general, a party with a Eldritch Healer should be able to face about the same kinds of encounters as a comparable party that lacks one.
A sensible nerf for the Eldritch Healer, if a DM believes one is necessary, is simply to restrict Healing Wave to only work during combat encounters, or have a limited number of out-of-combat uses per day (3+Charisma, perhaps). This preserves their ability to keep the party alive in the pressure of battle, but keeps healing resources valuable.
The Eldritch Healer is targeted as a Tier 3 class - their primary role is valuable, while their Invocations grant them some non-combat options, allowing them to remain useful when the party is at full health. This is one reason that they are given plenty of other action options.
In general, Eldritch Healer is at its most broken when used as a dip. It's safer to accept if it's the core class behind a build, with most progression being in prestige classes related to it. If a DM wishes to encourage but not completely force the class not being used as a dip, consider requiring the Empowered Mark of Pactifistic Spellcasting - which makes many classes absolutely worthless, forcing an emphasis on classes that enhance the healing talents of the Eldritch Healer.
When I was first writing this class, I had this discussion, and wanted to lay the basics out for DM convenience.
Updates
2/17/2014: Renamed "Eldritch Healer" at recommendation of DragoonWraith. May still be called Pact Healer in some areas.
Eldritch Healer
By the power of my Mark and Pact, you will be safe.
- Cielith Matera, Eldritch Healer
Most people associate magical healing with the Cleric - capable of great feats of magical healing. Slightly fewer think of Druids, and fewer still of Healers, figures of good who work nearly abstract of gods or nature to do Good For The Good God. All share one thing in common: They rely on Divine Magic, one way or another, to cast their magic.
However, at least one force has uncovered another way. The Lord Of Shades, an artificial god created by "men of modest repute," has some Devils bound to his service via the power of his Mark. These Devils, in turn, 'bless' a few choice humanoid Marked with an unusual variant of the standard infernal pact - one devoted to healing the wounds of their fellows. (Scroll past the class if you want the basics on this unusual threat.)
Eldritch Healers can heal their allies with seemingly no limit, and use some powerful magical effects besides. That said, in terms of action variety, they may be the most limited of all healing classes, thanks to their very few available Invocations. Learning to get the most mileage from the fewest tricks defines their day in an adventuring party.
Credit where credit is due: A lot of the key ideas for Eldritch Healer originate with T.G. Oskar's homebrew Warlock fix
(http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=212830). This includes providing a specific stack of Shape/Essence invocations, freeing the user to take more invocations that do not modify their main ability.
This class, like Oskar's Healer fix, tries to make even in-combat healing viable; however, it does so using the unlimited-use, limited-variety Invocations mechanic. I also chose to run with the idea of a healing class of Infernal origins, mostly just because. The existing concept I had written of The Lord Of Shades was basically slipped in as an excuse for why this would happen, since it fit better here than as an isolated homebrew scrap.
While I keep the silly out of the crunch and basics, keep in mind that a lot of the class fluff is intentionally less than serious. The Lord of Shades, the god that is the fluffwise origin point of this class, has a nightmarish methodolgy, but looks like an Elvis impersonator, just as one example.
Adventures: Eldritch Healers regularly work in adventuring groups, simply because those who know of them know them to be reliable allies. Unlike traditional Healers, they're less bound to causes of good, and more likely to work specifically with profit in mind. This is not to say they are not generous with their talents; far from it. A Eldritch Healer knows that a village whose wounds are treated cleanly and effectively is one that prospers, bringing more opportunities for the future.
Characteristics: A Eldritch Healer uses their invocation powers to heal wounds, with a few utilitarian tricks on top. They're supremely incompetent in a serious fight, to the point where many Eldritch Healers who are active in the faith of The Lord of Shades choose to have their mark Empowered, sacrificing their ability to harm others in return for making their other tricks more powerful.
Alignment: Eldritch Healers have a slight Lawful tendency, but run the alignment gamut. Evil characters who take the Pact tend to be doing so, not for their own greedy purposes, but to aid Evil allies - a clear mark of Lawful Evil individuals. Good-aligned Eldritch Healers do exist, but are comparatively rare, simply due to the Pact's Infernal origin. The Lord of Shades doesn't discriminate, but his servants are not always so open of mind.
Religion: The vastest majority of Eldritch Healers are followers of The Lord of Shades - simply because the god-entity's Mark is what has provided a few devils willing to provide a potentially great source of good in the world. The exceptions tend towards good-aligned deities that emphasize healing.
Background: Most, but not all Eldritch Healers are victims of The Lord of Shades' Mark, turned against their natural wills into his followers. They then proceed to a Pact with similarly-marked Infernals, that they may better advance his cause - or, almost as frequently, their own interests. (The Mark doesn't create a thrall of the cult - just a follower of the god-entity it spawned.)
Races: Eldritch Healers exist among every race which has followers of The Lord of Shades; however, there is a slight tendency towards Elven followers to take the pact, perhaps finding an elegance in its abilities, even compared against the magics that they often celebrate.
Other Classes: A Eldritch Healer who joins an adventuring party is someone to rely upon, who will keep people going through the long days of adventures. The unusual origin of their abilities can lead them to clash with Clerics and Healers, who draw their power more from faith, rather than incidental to it.
Role: Eldritch Healers are typically a healbot, but also tend to be decent party faces, since their abilities dominantly rely on Charisma.
GAME RULE INFORMATION
Eldritch Healers have the following game statistics.
Abilities: Charisma defines the Eldritch Healer more than any other single ability score, for it is what powers their supply of Enhancement Energy and a few of their class abilities. Constitution, Dexterity, Intelligence, and Wisdom all have their varying uses as well.
Alignment: Any.
Hit Die: d6.
Starting Age: As Barbarian; the Pact does not inherently require any specific level of learning.
Starting Gold: As Cleric.
Class Skills
The Eldritch Healer's class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Bluff (Cha), Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Gather Information (Cha), Handle Animal (Cha), Heal (Wis), Knowledge (arcana) (Int), Knowledge (religion) (Int), Knowledge (the planes) (Int), Profession (Wis), Sense Motive (Wis), Spellcraft (Int), Survival (Wis).
Skill Points at First Level: (4 + Int modifier) x 4
Skill Points at Each Additional Level: 4 + Int modifier
This is mostly in line with the Healer class, with a few extensions.
Healer
{table=head]Level|Base Attack Bonus|Fort Save|Ref Save|Will Save|Special|Enhancement Energy|Wave Shapes/Essences|Pact Boons|Invocations
1st|
+0|
+0|
+0|
+2|Healing Wave +1d6, Invocation (least)|
2|
1||
2
2nd|
+1|
+0|
+0|
+3|Aura of Protection|
3||
1|
3
3rd|
+1|
+1|
+1|
+3|Healing Wave +2d6|
3|
2||
4th|
+2|
+1|
+1|
+4|Self Recovery|
3|||
4
5th|
+2|
+1|
+1|
+4|Healing Wave +3d6|
4||
2|
6th|
+3|
+2|
+2|
+5|Invocation (Lesser)|
4|
3||
5
7th|
+3|
+2|
+2|
+5|Healing Wave +4d6|
4|||
8th|
+4|
+2|
+2|
+6| |
5||
3|
6
9th|
+4|
+3|
+3|
+6|Healing Wave +5d6|
5|
4||
10th|
+5|
+3|
+3|
+7| |
5|||
7
11th|
+5|
+3|
+3|
+7|Healing Wave +6d6, Invocation (greater)|
6||
4|
12th|
+6/+1|
+4|
+4|
+8| |
6|
5||
8
13th|
+6/+1|
+4|
+4|
+8|Healing Wave +7d6|
6|||
14th|
+7/+2|
+4|
+4|
+9| |
7||
5|
9
15th|
+7/+2|
+5|
+5|
+9|Healing Wave +8d6|
7|
6||
16th|
+8/+3|
+5|
+5|
+10|Invocation (Grand)|
7|||
10
17th|
+8/+3|
+5|
+5|
+10|Healing Wave +9d6|
8||
6|
18th|
+9/+4|
+6|
+6|
+11||
8|
7||
11
19th|
+9/+4|
+6|
+6|
+11|Healing Wave +10d6|
8|||
20th|
+10/+5|
+6|
+6|
+12|Class Ability|
10|
8|
7|
12[/table]
I'm not going to lie - that's a LOT of dead or near-dead levels. I'm trying to come up with fillers that feel right for a few of them, but pointedly, very few levels don't provide at least one new invocation of one of the three types.
We'll get to Enhancement Energy later. It was an attempt to try something a little new.
Class Features
All of the following are class features of the Eldritch Healer.
Weapon and Armor Proficiencies: A Eldritch Healer is proficient with simple bludgeoning weapons, plus the sap and whip. They are proficient with light armor and light shields.
A Eldritch Healer’s invocations use simpler motions than a Wizard’s spells; they may wear light armor without having to deal with an Arcane Spell Failure chance. They still suffer an Arcane Spell Failure chance when wearing medium or heavy armor, or any shield. A multiclass Eldritch Healer still incurs the normal arcane spell failure chance for arcane spells or invocations received from other classes.
Invocations (Sp): The Healer’s Pact allows a Eldritch Healer access to arcane power in a different sense than most; they do not prepare or cast spells like most arcane casters do. Instead, they possess a number of invocations borne of the arcane power they have received. They may use any invocations they know at-will (except for pact boons, which are always active), with the following qualifications:
A Eldritch Healer’s invocations are spell-like abilities, taking a standard action that provokes an attack of opportunity. They may use Concentration checks to invoke defensively or continue to invoke in spite of taking advantage, like a Wizard does with spells. Invocations are subject to spell resistance unless the description specifically states otherwise, and a Eldritch Healer’s caster level with their invocations is equal to their caster level.
The save DC for an invocation (if it allows a save) is equal to 10 + the equivalent spell level of the invocation (stated on its description) + the Warlock’s Charisma modifier. Unlike most spell-like abilities, a Eldritch Healer can benefit from metamagic feats (but only at the cost of Enhancement Points or through magic items; see Enhancement Points, below); they cannot benefit from the Spell Focus feat.
The four grades of invocations, in order of their relative power, are least, lesser, greater and grand. A Eldritch Healer begins play with knowledge of two least-grade invocations and one least-grade wave shape or wave essence invocation, as mentioned on the table above. As a Eldritch Healer gains levels, he learns new invocations, as shown on the table above. At any level when a Eldritch Healer learns a new invocation, he may also replace an invocation he already knows with another invocation of the same or a lower grade. At 6th level, a Eldritch Healer gains access to lesser invocations; at 11th level, a Eldritch Healer gains access to greater invocations and at 16th level the Eldritch Healer gains access to grand invocations.
Invocations are subject to Spell Failure Chance, unlike spell-like abilities. Eldritch Healers may qualify for some Prestige Classes like Arcane Casters.
For reference, the reason for calling them “Grand” is simply that “Dark” seemed inappropriate somehow. They're functionally equivalent.
Healing Wave (Sp): The most basic invocation a Eldritch Healer gains is their healing wave - arcane manipulation of positive energy capable of healing an ally’s wounds.
A healing wave affects a single target within a range of 25 feet plus 5 feet for every 2 caster levels. No attack roll or saving throw is necessary when using the ability. It heals 1d6 damage at 1st level, and increases in power for every two class levels in Eldritch Healer. The healing is capable of working on incorporeal creatures as a normal spell, and is treated as a first-level spell. It is subject to spell resistance, but is harmless. Metamagic feats cannot improve a healing wave, but feats that affect spell-like abilities also affect it.
When used against an undead target, healing wave deals damage instead of healing it. Doing so requires hitting the Undead using a ranged touch attack.
Enhancement Energy : A Eldritch Healer has enough arcane power running through their bodies to continuously power their invocations. However, they also have a little more, which can be used to get a little more power out of their abilities. A Eldritch Healer gains a supply of Enhancement Energy based on their class level, and a bonus amount equal to their Charisma modifier.
Enhancement energy is ‘invested’ into specific Invocations to enhance them in various ways - usually, in the form of the ability to apply a specific Metamagic feat to that Invocation, or to apply an Invocation-specific Augmentation to that Invocation. Augmentation options are provided in the text of the Invocation. Enhancing an Invocation with a Metamagic feat requires having that feat, and requires investing an amount of enhancement energy equal to how many levels that feat raises the spell’s effective level. Enhancing an Invocation with an Augmentation requires meeting a caster-level prerequisite, and then investing a specified amount of enhancement energy to apply that Augmentation.
You may change which Invocations your Enhancement Energy is invested in, or the benefits of those investments, by spending one hour in meditation.
Healing Wave cannot be modified using Enhancement Energy; however, Wave Shape and Wave Essence invocations might be so modified, thus affecting it in turn.
Enhancement Energy serves two purposes.
First, it's a way to make metamagic feats useful for invokers - allowing them access to a greater variety of ways to manipulate magic.
Second, its progression should provide at least a modest advantage to sticking with the class to higher levels, rather than dipping in it and moving on to other classes or prestige classes.
Note that at least one classic metamagic doesn't do much here: The nastier uses of Persistent Spell would only work on Invocations that have been converted to Pact Boons... Which are always-on anyways as implemented for this class. Many other ones are also functionally worthless.
Aura of Protection: At 2nd level, a Eldritch Healer kind of disappears into combat, becoming harder to notice enough to target with spells. A Eldritch Healer emanates a permanent aura that causes an effect identical to the Sanctuary spell, with a save DC equal to 10 + ½ the healer’s class level + the Eldritch Healer's Charisma modifier. Once an attacking creature succeeds on the saving throw, or is victim to a healer’s attack, the effect is suppressed for that creature for the next 24 hours.
It's a direct match to T.G. Oskar's Healer fix ability - and serves the exact same purpose. Forcing a will save provides a functional defense for at least some situations - and one that many opponents who would have a high chance of getting past armor will have a harder time getting past.
Watch out for AoEs.
Self Recovery: At 4th level, the inherent positive energy channeled through the Eldritch Healer’s pact can sustain them - slowly - in desperate circumstances. When they are disabled, or when they are at negative hit points but stabilized, they gain Fast Healing 1 until they reach 1 HP. If they are dead, this ability has no effect.
Notice that it only works when they are stabilized. Most characters who stabilize in negative HP recover over several hours - Eldritch Healers just get it at a compressed rate.
... I was running out of ideas when I wrote this, not going to lie - thus why there's so many blanks lower in the chart.
Eldritch Healers and Prestige Classes
A Eldritch Healer progresses in specific ways from Prestige Classes that grant “+1 level of existing arcane spellcasting class” or “+1 level of existing spellcasting class” on their table. Such increases improve the Eldritch Healer’s caster level, as well as their restoration rate with healing wave. They also gain Wave Shape/Essence, Pact Boons, and Invocations as if they had gained a level in Eldritch Healer.
Eldritch Healers count as an arcane class for Prestige Class prerequisites; however, they do not actually learn spells. If a prestige class requires the ability to cast spells of a certain level, the Eldritch Healer does not qualify for that class without an adaptation to make it mesh with Eldritch Healer, usually by switching the prerequisite to specific invocations or caster levels.
Pretty much the same boilerplate text, except with an implicit recommendation that you adapt existing prestige classes to offer Eldritch Healers new options.
---
Playing a Eldritch Healer
A Eldritch Healer's role is in their name; they keep their allies up and at their best, using their healing wave and other Invocations to keep their allies in tip-top shape. Unlike many other healing classes, they have little by way of buffs and other enhancmenets to use to pre-emptively cover people; they must react as much as act.
Most Marked Eldritch Healers go whole-hog into their ability, getting their mark Empowered, sacrificing their ability to deal lethal damage in favor of maximizing other abilities they have.
Combat
In a battle, a Eldritch Healer's most important resource, outside of their own actions, is their awareness of the positions of their allies, relative to the ranges and shapes they can manage with a healing wave. A Eldritch Healer often needs to signal allies to specific locations to maximize their ability to keep their allies up, while keeping themself out of immediate harm's way. They need to know what their enemies are capable of, to guide their allies out of harm's way.
Multiclassing and Gestalting
The most obvious multiclass and gestalt ideas for a Eldritch Healer - Warlock and Dragon Shaman - actually may be among the worst ideas for a Eldritch Healer, providing very slight increases to their array of available actions in return for consuming space from their various advancement mechanisms. In general, the best complement to a Eldritch Healer is the same exact things that are most useful for Warlocks and Dragon Shamen - namely, anything that vastly increases their array of available actions, particularly other light-armor classes like the Swordsage, Beguiler, and Bard.
Eldritch Healers in the World
Eldritch Healers, being mostly agents of the cult of The Lord of Shades, are mostly found helping to maintain the cult and its bases. In areas where the cult operates openly, they usually run hospital-type services at lower costs than surrounding temples - though they are vastly less able to cover many things common to traditional healers in many cases. Most Eldritch Healers who work like this learn a lot about mundane treatment methodss to supplement their techniques.
Eldritch Healers almost never reveal the initial source of their abilities, for numerous reasons. Organizing in any significant fashion other than in service to a temple is also rare, though within a temple, they often tend to clique up. In areas where the cult operates openly, Eldritch Healers tend to develop a distinctive outfit that all of them wear when in public - usually up-to-date with the regional fashions of the merchant classes. (They're a charisma class, dressing snappy comes naturally with the territory.)
Eldritch Healers in the Game
Eldritch Healers are most easily introduced alongside the Lord of Shades' cults - for in the default setting concepts, there are no Eldritch Healers who aren't also servants of the cult. This isn't because it's impossible for a Devil to offer a healing pact - it's simply that they probably wouldn't without a very specific reason. Indeed, even Marked Devils only do so for a very specific reason - albeit it is one on behalf of their God, rather than the advancement of the Nine Hells' objectives. Most Eldritch Healers will also be Marked, simply because bringing power to those who are sure to keep serving the cult are more valuable than those who could turn away. Exceptions do exist, though.
A handy excuse for exceptions is people who make a deal with the cult on some mutually advantageous basis - a Pact for a donation of some sort, for example. These would definitely NOT be the norm, though.
Eldritch Healers are usually nonviolent in nature - but that doesn't mean they do not tolerate violence, especially if it serves the purposes of the church... Or an adventuring party. Cult-aligned Eldritch Healers, even Marked ones, aren't restricted to working only with cultists - indeed, serving alongside others, particularly in the kinds of great feats common to adventurers, is considered a valid form of proselytizing - and a powerful source of bragging rights, an occasionally useful resource.
Adaptation
The most typical adaptation for a Eldritch Healer is to shuffle out The Lord Of Shades entirely, and shift it to a draconic, fey, or even celestial origin. A celestial who uses power to grant a permanent ability to a mortal - one the Celestial can't easily revoke - is taking a gamble on that mortal's ability to use it to do good. However, the power is one that is normally considered 'good' in most use. Naturally, a Celestial would only offer the Pact to someone who clearly pings on detect good.
Expanding the class by grabbing invocations from existing invoking classes is also feasible, particularly if you want to allow it a few ways to deal damage or battlefield control. Keep in mind, however, that the results should not obviate the Warlock, its direct inspiration.
Eldritch Healers and resource limits
(DMs, read this before bringing a Eldritch Healer into your game.)
A Eldritch Healer's healing wave is an unlimited healing resource. This can have a game-changing impact, in that one of the most basic resources that limits an adventurer's action time per day - their hit points, and healing spells used to restore them - can effectively cease to be when the Eldritch Healer has time to restore them. However, most groups that play with enough game-savviness as to even be considering bringing homebrew in will keep a deep-limit resource - a simple wand of cure light wounds, used by the Cleric or a Rogue with a decent Use Magic Device total - available at all times. A Eldritch Healer is strictly more expensive - a whole share of the party's wealth - than arming a more typical Cleric with said wands. Further, a Eldritch Healer is less versatile than the Cleric at everything else.
Nonetheless, their being highly capable at healing both in and out of combat can tweak encounters, reducing the natural risk by providing a solid, flexible source of in-combat healing. As always, a DM needs to measure how strong the effect is in actual play and keep it in mind while mapping encounters to ensure the party stays on their toes. In general, a party with a Eldritch Healer should be able to face about the same kinds of encounters as a comparable party that lacks one.
A sensible nerf for the Eldritch Healer, if a DM believes one is necessary, is simply to restrict Healing Wave to only work during combat encounters, or have a limited number of out-of-combat uses per day (3+Charisma, perhaps). This preserves their ability to keep the party alive in the pressure of battle, but keeps healing resources valuable.
The Eldritch Healer is targeted as a Tier 3 class - their primary role is valuable, while their Invocations grant them some non-combat options, allowing them to remain useful when the party is at full health. This is one reason that they are given plenty of other action options.
In general, Eldritch Healer is at its most broken when used as a dip. It's safer to accept if it's the core class behind a build, with most progression being in prestige classes related to it. If a DM wishes to encourage but not completely force the class not being used as a dip, consider requiring the Empowered Mark of Pactifistic Spellcasting - which makes many classes absolutely worthless, forcing an emphasis on classes that enhance the healing talents of the Eldritch Healer.
When I was first writing this class, I had this discussion, and wanted to lay the basics out for DM convenience.