Healing Isn't Exactly Easy When You're Undead, Sort of...

[Rasman]

Maybe I'm just having a moment of 'durrrrrrrrr' or something, I'm not exactly sure, but I can not, for the life of me, find a way for my Dhampir Bard to heal himself at level 1. I know that once he gets 750 gold that he'll be able to try and find a Wand of Inflict Light Wounds, that I know. I'm just stumped as to how I'm going to keep the party cleric from healing me to death. Potions 'work' but I can only afford one at level 1.

Thoughts, Playgrounders?

[JusticeZero]

The Cleric should be aware of your "condition". Stay out of the way of channeling and have the Cleric memorize an Inflict or two for you until you can get the wand. Alternately, there are Cleric builds that flip the party to using Negative then bomb things with negative energy channels. Also, if CLW is on your list, you might be able to get the GM to allow you to swap it for ILW.

[Rasman]

Well, RP wise he probably won't since this is for a Ravenloft game. I'm sure it will come up eventually, but it's not something he will really talk about much since in this world, it's kind of a big deal. I'm also not yet sure how him casting Inflict Spells might affect him in terms of Power Checks because of how the Dark Powers work, thus I'm not really sure if he'd be willing to do that or not. Lastly, the DM is being kind of restrictive for this game since his last one was VERY open, so if it's not on my list, then it's not on my list.

I have found a feat from the Advanced Races Guide that let's me heal for half from Negative and Positive Energy, but I'd like to avoid taking it if possible since I'm kind of strapped for feats since I'm a bard and get no bonus feats.

[Spore]

Your character knows its problems. It is kind of powergamey but you could introduce a friendly NPC cleric capable of spontaneously inflicting wounds and able to brew potions for you (for the usual price of course). I know running back every second combat is bad and you really have a problem but if you choose "rich parents" and stock up on potions that way you may survive until your wand and UMD skill is high enough. Another very un-elegant way to get access to inflict wounds is to multiclass into Inquisitor or Bones Oracle on Lv 2 (and get the Speak with Dead revelation, your Diplomacy should be decent enough to get some info).

[Rasman]

Your character knows its problems. It is kind of powergamey but you could introduce a friendly NPC cleric capable of spontaneously inflicting wounds and able to brew potions for you (for the usual price of course). I know running back every second combat is bad and you really have a problem but if you choose "rich parents" and stock up on potions that way you may survive until your wand and UMD skill is high enough. Another very un-elegant way to get access to inflict wounds is to multiclass into Inquisitor or Bones Oracle on Lv 2 (and get the Speak with Dead revelation, your Diplomacy should be decent enough to get some info).

I'm really trying to not be as powergamey as possible because of my last game with this DM...it was, well...out of control because of one particular wizard who flagrantly cheated...

With this game being in Ravenloft, multiclassing will be a little hard as well.

I have been thinking about the Rich Parents trait, though, since it actually fits my background that I made before I ran into this problem. I would actually be able to afford a wand right out of the gate with that trait. The only thing I don't like about this is that it is a one time boon that could be put to better use elsewhere.

[Spore]

I have been thinking about the Rich Parents trait, though, since it actually fits my background that I made before I ran into this problem. I would actually be able to afford a wand right out of the gate with that trait. The only thing I don't like about this is that it is a one time boon that could be put to better use elsewhere.

Yeah but that wand easily lasts you until level 4-7, depending on your XP chart. Problem is activating it (because a critical failure means no healing for a whole day so anything above 10% failure chance is out of the question). Cha 18 + 1 rank + Skill Focus nets you 11 in that skill. So while the idea is great you actually have to reroll so often that you are bound to roll a 1 at least once a day.

Then again I feel that Ravenloft is the perfect setting to offer classes to inflict wounds. My tip would be to work this out with the DM. I know it's not good advise but I am at a loss of words.