Joining new game, need healer but..

[Val666]

Hello everyone :v

I will join a new campaign soon and tried to go for the healer of the party but...I don't want to play a pure caster. I mean, I'd like to heal with a spell-like ability kind of thing or something like that Dx. Maybe be useful for combat OR tracking. I don't like playing casters that much but if needed to fulfill what I need I may take those. Just wondering what you guys have in mind.

Starting lvl 1. I may ask for any material so go wild :v

[CashanDraven]

If anything is allowed, look into Spheres of Power, and the Life sphere. IT allows you to apply temp HP for a buffer for free, but also allows you to drop solid heals for spell points, as well as repair ability damage several levels earlier.

There are also several talents that boost your healing by an extra dice for each one you have.

And since you're also wanting to do something other than that, you could look into the Incanter class, the sphere's wizard essentially. They gain a huge amount of bonus magical talents, and allow you to pick up several extra sphere's and their respective talents.

Personally, I'd recommend the Destruction sphere and the Life sphere. You have a solid combat ability and a solid healing ability. This is just the bare bones for the book but just my two cents.

[Extra Anchovies]

Is this Pathfinder, or is it 3.5? If it's Pathfinder, play an Oradin (Paladin/Oracle multiclass build). Paladin (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/classes/core-classes/paladin)s are the best self-healers, able to restore huge piles of hit points to themselves via Lay oh Hands (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/classes/core-classes/paladin#TOC-Lay-On-Hands-Su-) (plus the Tiefling favored class bonus (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/classes/core-classes/paladin#TOC-Favored-Class-Bonuses) and the Fey Foundling (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/feats/general-feats/fey-foundling) feat).

So that's your self-healing, but how do you turn that into healing others? With a few levels of Oracle (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/classes/base-classes/oracle) with the Life (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/classes/base-classes/oracle/mysteries/paizo---oracle-mysteries/life) mystery, selecting Life Link as your first-level revelation. Life Link transfers damage from a bonded ally to you (one bond per oracle level, standard action to bond with a new target, bonds last indefinitely). Since the damage transfer is automatic, and healing yourself is a swift action, you can soak damage from the rest of the party, heal yourself, and still have a move+standard or full-round action available. Also try to pick up a pair of Boots of the Earth for unlimited out-of-combat healing:

Boots of the Earth:
These sturdy leather dwarven boots have soles made of thick gray marble. As a move action, the wearer can plant her feet and draw strength from the earth, gaining fast healing 1 and a + 4 bonus to CMD to resist bullrush, reposition, and trip combat maneuver attempts. These effects end if the wearer moves or is moved, knocked prone, or rendered unconscious.
Price 5,000 GP
Alternately, if you want more Paladin levels, you could go Oracle 1 into Paladin, and make your Life Link bond with the squishiest party member. Once you're out of combat, put on those Boots of the Earth and switch your bond between party members to heal them all up.

If it's 3.5... there isn't much, really. Play a Dread Necromancer and have the whole party take tomb-tainted soul, or just rely on wands of cure light wounds or lesser vigor (which have the best gp/hp ratio in the game).


If anything is allowed, look into Spheres of Power

This is also possible, but Spheres of Power hasn't even been released yet so I don't think most DMs will be using it in their games. Also, the full rules aren't available for free, unlike those of Paizo's Pathfinder non-setting material (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/) and the D&D core rules (http://www.d20srd.org/). Also, "anything is allowed" usually doesn't extend to third-party content that isn't freely available.

[Darkweave31]

Take a look at this guide (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?55951-A-Player-s-Guide-to-Healing-%28And-why-you-will-be-Just-Fine-without-a-Cleric-to-heal%29) first and consider whether or not you REALLY need a healer for your campaign. Talk to your DM about the concerns and see if you can come to some sort of agreement on availability of healing items.

After that you could try a ranger for your combat and tracking plus a little bit of divine magic on the side so you can easily use wands for healing.

I'm a fan of the A-game paladin (http://community.wizards.com/content/forum-topic/3407376) though it requires a little relaxing/refluffing of roleplay obligations, but I think the final result of the inspiring knight-leader (what I feel the paladin aught to be) trumps that.

Both of those use a little bit of spell casting. If that's too much then you might be able to get away with a crusader. I'm not as familiar, but many devoted spirit maneuvers have some sort of healing component.



Now, if it's the bookkeeping that turns you off to full casters, you might be able to ask your DM for the spontaneous divine caster variant. I use it a lot since it makes domain choices more important, really differentiates clerics of one god from others, and spontaneous casting is much easier to keep track of for me. It's generally considered a step down in power, but that's fine when you consider how strong cleric and druid are already. Then it's basically like having several SLAs with a daily pool to use them from.

[Geddy2112]

Play anything that has CLW on their spell list, even if they don't get it right away and just get a wand. Problem solved. Ranger is a minimal spellcaster but still can use the wand without UMD. Alchemist can just make potions/extracts but still focus on damage dealing and such.

Or go rogue and juice UMD.

[Hiro Quester]

Or play a bard. Then you have the heal spells on your list, and can use wands for healing spells. But you have so many non-healer roles open to you.

[Mehangel]

Another thing you could do is play a Martial Initiator class such as a Warder and take the Silver Crane Discipline, you can then heal allies every other round in combat, if so desired without the use of actual spells..

[Val666]

Thanks everyone for the replies so far! by the way this is 3.5 :smallbiggrin::smallbiggrin:

[Red Fel]

Thanks everyone for the replies so far! by the way this is 3.5 :smallbiggrin::smallbiggrin:

That's very helpful information to know. Because of that...


Another thing you could do is play a Martial Initiator class such as a Warder and take the Silver Crane Discipline, you can then heal allies every other round in combat, if so desired without the use of actual spells..

Take this one's advice, but in 3.5 - that would be the Crusader class from Tome of Battle. Devoted Spirit maneuvers offer very action-efficient combat healing.

That said, as others have mentioned, most campaigns don't necessarily need a dedicated healer, certainly not a combat healer - a lot of what you need can be gotten from items and judicious wand usage. (See the guide Darkweave linked.) Certainly, you should never feel pressured to take on a party role you don't want to play. Nobody should be forced to be the healbot. Decide whether that's what you want, and then decide how you want to do it.

[Petrocorus]

Hello everyone :v

I will join a new campaign soon and tried to go for the healer of the party but...I don't want to play a pure caster. I mean, I'd like to heal with a spell-like ability kind of thing or something like that Dx. Maybe be useful for combat OR tracking. I don't like playing casters that much but if needed to fulfill what I need I may take those. Just wondering what you guys have in mind.

Starting lvl 1. I may ask for any material so go wild :v

A Dragon Shaman has unlimited automatic healing while not being a caster or a dedicated healer.

Alternatively, you can play a combat Cleric / Spontaneous Cleric / Favoured Soul, dedicated to combat with a small list of spell you use regularly and use the Touch of Healing reserve feat for unlimited out of combat healing. This work also with a Paladin or a Bard build. Or any Arcane Caster who can access Silver Pyromancer. Or you can simply persist Mass Lesser Vigor with a metamagic rod and be done with it.

I also second Red Fel's proposition of using Crusader.

[Ruethgar]

I made a character for healing by melee damage done. It uses a one level dip in Vitalist which could be problematic if PF if strictly off the table. It then used the Sculpt Self feat to have unarmed attacks with the Wrathful Healing enchant(could just be purchased and avoid Dragon Magazine but I liked the inherent ability sort of thing), also get a few of the healing maneuvers whether through class, feats, items or more Sculpt Self usage. Other than that it just pumped unarmed ability. Whirling Frenzy Spirit Lion Totem Dashing Step Brawler Barbarion is a good dip. Moon Warded Ranger 2 for Wis to AC and keep full BaB and light armor. Superior Unarmed Attack, Snap Kick, Circle Kick, Kensai Fighter variant for Ward Cestus and some attack and damage boosts as well as feats. All in all not very versatile, and I haven't been able to test it much, but definitely not the typical caster healer. Plus you can non-leathal punch people out of combat to heal them lol.

I will post a Lvl one build when I get back to my comp.

[justiceforall]

I also second Red Fel's proposition of using Crusader.

Likewise.

You can also gain the same ability with any character (plus a single level of fighter at 2nd) by taking Martial Study at level 2 and Martial Stance at level 3 to heal your allies by hitting things.

[Darkweave31]

Both of those use a little bit of spell casting. If that's too much then you might be able to get away with a crusader. I'm not as familiar, but many devoted spirit maneuvers have some sort of healing component.


Take this one's advice, but in 3.5 - that would be the Crusader class from Tome of Battle. Devoted Spirit maneuvers offer very action-efficient combat healing.


I also second Red Fel's proposition of using Crusader.


Likewise.

It's like being reverse ninja'd... or maybe Kender'd :smalltongue:

But yes, crusader is fun, but it also has a slightly wonky maneuver recharge/available mechanic. In the maneuvers readied column there are 2 numbers. The first is the maneuvers you have available to you for the encounter and the second is the initial maneuvers you randomly have at the start of the encounter and whenever your maneuvers refresh. Each turn you pick up another random maneuver until you either have access to or have used all your readied maneuvers, then they refresh.

I would recommend making a small deck of cards for each maneuver you know and a separate one for stances. When you enter a stance, just keep that card face up on the table so you can keep track of it. For maneuvers, take whichever maneuver cards you have readied and make a smaller deck. At level one, your maneuvers readied reads 5(2), so your readied deck has 5 cards. Shuffle it and draw 2 (the number in parenthesis) at the beginning of an encounter. These are the maneuvers you can use immediately. Next turn, draw another random maneuver. When you use a maneuver, put it off to the side (not back into the readied deck). Repeat this until you have no cards left in the readied deck. When you start a turn with no cards in the readied deck, take the cards in your hand and the cards you've put off to the side, reshuffle them, then pick 2. Then repeat the cycle until the encounter ends.

Hopefully that was more helpful than confusing, I got a little too long winded.

[Extra Anchovies]

But yes, crusader is fun, but it also has a slightly wonky maneuver recharge/available mechanic.

Wonky? I think you mean wonderfully abusable for the purpose of infinite-action builds (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?256950-3-5-The-Stuffy-Doll-Vs-the-Playground-(V-1-V-28)&p=13949379#post13949379).

[Petrocorus]

It's like being reverse ninja'd... or maybe Kender'd :smalltongue:

Oh my... you've been kender'd indeed, by me. All my apologies.



I would recommend making a small deck of cards for each maneuver you know and a separate one for stances. ...Then repeat the cycle until the encounter ends.

I second this, that's the simplest way to deal with the maneuvers granted of the Crusader.
And the maneuvers cards are here (http://archive.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/we/20061225a).


Wonky? I think you mean wonderfully abusable for the purpose of infinite-action builds (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?256950-3-5-The-Stuffy-Doll-Vs-the-Playground-(V-1-V-28)&p=13949379#post13949379).
There is also the D2 Crusader for infinite damages (that no DM would allow) and the Idiot Crusader (http://brilliantgameologists.com/boards/index.php?topic=8218.0) (that may be allowed).

[Janthkin]

My plan for the next time I need to include healing as an option is a Paladin (or Cleric/Paladin) with Sacred Healing from Complete Divine. Spending Turn attempts for mass Fast Healing 3 is an okay option that won't burn spell slots, and doesn't require the character to focus on an otherwise boring task; you can still manage most other Paladin builds (though a Sorcadin gish build would suffer from taking 4 levels of Paladin to get to Turn Undead). I'll also immediately admit that there are more interesting ways to spend Turning attempts.

[Segev]

Crusader is a good option; I will offer alternatives just for variety.

Warlock/cleric can go into the Eldrich Theurge PrC, and pick up Healing Blast. This transforms their Eldrich Blast damage into healing. With an Eldrich Glaive, this becomes a sickeningly good amount of healing in a single round.

Alternatively, druids are quite competent healers. Lesser Vigor heals the most hp of any low-level healing spell, and Goodberry allows you to prepare one or more days ahead of time for some not-inconsiderable healing. Druids also are very easy to play as something other than a "pure caster," since they have tools to be front-line combatants, competent mages, decent travelling companions for rogues, and to be a miniature party in their own right, depending on your level of optimization and your goals.

(Druids also have the advantage ove being fully Core, with "Lessor Vigor" being a spell compendium spell that doesn't usually get banned.)

There are also ways to play straight-up clerics as more fighter-types. They have the spells to buff for it. One of my favorite theoretical builds is a cleric 7/War Hulk 10 that uses Righteous Might to hulk out and swing around a spiked chain to hit everybody in reach with every attack (at a Divine Power-granted full BAB worth of attacks); outside of combat, or when not hulked out, he's able to be a competent healer.

Finally, a bard can use a CLW wand for incidental healing, and a rogue can use any magic item if he builds his UMD up for it.

[Petrocorus]

My plan for the next time I need to include healing as an option is a Paladin (or Cleric/Paladin) with Sacred Healing from Complete Divine. Spending Turn attempts for mass Fast Healing 3 is an okay option that won't burn spell slots, and doesn't require the character to focus on an otherwise boring task; you can still manage most other Paladin builds (though a Sorcadin gish build would suffer from taking 4 levels of Paladin to get to Turn Undead). I'll also immediately admit that there are more interesting ways to spend Turning attempts.
Depending on the starting level, Sorcadin can "lay on hands" by choosing the Hoard Life spell (RotD) and the Touch of Healing reserve feat (CC).
Or with Domain Access ACF (Alteration, Chastity, Competition, Endurance, Patience).

Unless you have a really high Charisma, Sacred Healing is limited (15 hp with Cha 18) and it cost a full-round action, which make it an out of combat healing anyway.



Warlock/cleric can go into the Eldrich Theurge PrC, and pick up Healing Blast. This transforms their Eldrich Blast damage into healing. With an Eldrich Glaive, this becomes a sickeningly good amount of healing in a single round.

Oh, that's a good one! Except this is the Eldritch Disciple PrC from CM.

[Segev]

Oh, that's a good one! Except this is the Eldritch Disciple PrC from CM.

I always screw up that PrC's name. >_< I even thought, as I was typing that, "I hope I got it right this time."

Ah well. I'm AFB, is my main defense. ^^;

[Ferronach]

I don't know if you have considered an artificer?
They are not strictly speaking a caster.

They have awesome UMD, can enhance their scrolls and wands, buff themselves and party members and will pretty much always have the right equipment for the job at hand.