Help generating a fun buff/healer bot

[ramrod]

Hi guys!

A player in my group is bowing out at the end of this part of he campaign, unfortunate he was playing the cleric. I have decided to take this role on myself, the party essentially commanding him in macro for but deciding the minutia (chosen spells etc) myself.

I'd rather not just pick straight cleric for this role but will if there are genuine grounds for it. If I'm going to be playing a role myself I'd prefer something more original (I have played plenty of clerics before).

Any suggestions for something that would be easy to manage whilst providing healing and buffing?

Starting at 9th level, 2 feats /flaws permitted, generous wealth allotment and happy to consider +1 level adj races. Same as the group.

Thanks in advance!

[ramrod]

Oh, all books are open :D

[Dayaz]

Is this 3.5 or 3.p? If 3.p, is the pathfinder Psionics allowed?

[ramrod]

3.5 psionic would be allowed although it is the one aspect of d and d that I have little experience with or haven't read up.

Not a problem though, if you have a psionic it would be a good time for me to brush up on a new aspect :)

[ramrod]

I prefer not to dip into pathfinder, unless it is for a single feat or something. Single feats are easy, rereading entire books or altering understanding of rules is a pain.

[OldTrees1]

Paladin of the Ruby Sorceress
Dvati [LA +1](Dragon Compendium 1) Cleric 3/ Crusader 1/ Prestige Paladin 1/ Ruby Knight Vindicator 4
Feat: Mounted Combat @1st, Touch of Healing @3rd, Battle Blessing @6th, other feats are open

Style:
You have Martial Spirit or Iron Guard's Glare, and White Raven Tactics as buffs
You have 1 swift action cure spell, 2 move actions, and 2 maneuvers/touches of healing per round.
You are 3 caster levels behind(+1 LA, Crusader 1, Ruby Knight 1). However you can still use the Delay Death spells in emergencies. Your 3 healing effects per round can easily revive someone that is under the Delay Death effect.



Warning: Do not use on Expedition to Castle Ravenloft. Everyone stayed healed but the loss of caster levels meant no Death Ward in the Vampire's castle.

[Fouredged Sword]

Well, I like to run Fitzgerald the indecisive Archivist in such situations. He is a high int, low cha, low wis archivist who the party gets to travel with. He is cowardly, his spells are easy to resist, and he refuses to engage in combat if at all possible. He is easy to convince to prep any requested spells though.

[ramrod]

Thank you for your suggestions. That rkv might be something I might experiment with in the near future, I've always wanted to play one and a new campaign that I'll be playing in personally is starting shortly! :)

In the end I went with a cleric 3/warlock 2/eldritch disciple 5 in a necropolitan (for kicks, I've never seen one played and because it fits thematically with where they will meet him). It is rather powerful when it wants to be but I'll mostly be at the back throwing buffs around with ranged heals, will be only dishing damage when it is needed.

I have seen dm npcs played effectively and read up on a few ideas. I didn't overly like the idea of it myself originally. However even if he party finds another player I may keep it in unless someone desperately wishes to play a healing class.

There are a LOT of interesting story elements in expedition to castle Greyhawk that the players would never know. With this character in the background he can provide some sort of narrative that reveals this without giving future plots or useful information away (thinking of doing this in a vision/memory recall type way, perhaps before being a necropolitan he was here and sees memories whilst there... Will see how it goes)