Need help with support character

[Val666]

Hello everyone c: A friend asked me to join a game and the party needs a face/support/healer character. I'm not very good at face so I'll stick with the heal and support. The thing is this game is maximun tier 3 classes with 3 classes max (including prestige) per build. I have 25 point buy or 17, 15, 13, 12, 10, 8 stat array. Access to all printed books, 1st party material and dungeon and dragon magazines. I'd like to focus on charisma (even if I'm not the party face) but any stat needed for a good support build will be welcome c: Thanks everyone!

[xyianth]

I have a few questions:
What do you mean by support? Do you mean party buffs and enemy debuffs, or battlefield control effects, or jack of all trades skillmonkey?
What level range are you playing in? Do you want to be supporting/healing right from level 1? What level do you expect to be when the campaign ends?
Are magic wands sufficient to cover healing or do want to be healing in combat?
Is the party undead? (or tomb-tainted)

Answers to these will help narrow down your character concept.

[thecrimsondawn]

First thing to think about is where your healing is coming from. If this is 3.5 I can recommend Heroes of Horror books Archivist class. While it is not CHA based, and you can only pick Cleric spells at level up, you can add divine spells from scrolls from any class into your spellbook. This includes Paladin spells. When you are able to use 4th level spells, you will have access with a little bit of gold, hyper powerful support spells and self buff spells. The support options are nearly game breaking, but hey - that is 3.5 for ya.

If you want a CHA based healing class, the only thing I can think of is Favored Soul off the top of my head. Dont bother trying to take any spells that require a save tho, as those go off of Wisdom for them. Still, they are the sorcs of the divine casters, having a limited spell list, and a sizable number of spells to toss around.

Cleric is not a bad option either. Due to the large domain options, you can make a powerful healer + undead slayer with little effort.


As far as your stats go, If you want to go CHA, my guess is you want to add CHA to either your saves or as much as you can get away with? Check out the X to Y page you can find by googling. It will give you easy reference to everything you need if this is the case.

[xyianth]

Archivist, Cleric, and Favored Soul are all above tier 3 though. The restrictions are no tier 1 or 2 classes.

[Rubik]

What level are you starting at?

I would suggest a bardsader build, myself, with some focus on devoted spirit and white raven. In-fight healing via strikes and stances (and outside-of-combat healing with the occasional wand), and plenty of bardic support through songs and spells.

[xyianth]

Bardsader is probably one of the better options.

If you wanted to bring more healing and passive buffs you could try a hellreaver build:
race: silverbrow human
25pt: 16 str, 11 dex, 14 con, 10 int, 10 wis, 10 cha
alignment: lawful good
build: crusader 4/binder 2/hellreaver 2/crusader +2/hellreaver +6/crusader +2/hellreaver +2
feats: stone power[1], extra granted maneuver[h], draconic aura(senses)[3], draconic aura(resistance)[6], shape soulmeld(shedu crown), double draconic aura[12], open least chakra(crown)[15], mindsight[18]
maneuvers(* = readied): douse the flames, vanguard strike, charging minotaur, crusader's strike-[10]>revitalizing strike-[18]>rallying strike*, stone bones-[4]>stone vise*, mountain hammer[3]*, divine surge[9]*, white raven tactics[17]*
stances: bolstering voice, martial spirit, aura of perfect order
bind naberius to mitigate ability damage

aura of perfect order helps deal with skill challenges outside combat, you have effectively at-will healing in and out of combat as a swift action, decent maneuvers, 2x buff auras, and 100' mindsight
use a greatsword and heavy armor for decent damage and AC. Hellreaver abilities boost defenses, damage, and prevent teleports.


For something completely different:
race: silverbrow human
25pt: 8 str, 16 dex, 14 con, 10 int, 13 wis, 10 cha
alignment: chaotic good
build: warlock 4/unarmed swordsage 1/shadow sun ninja 5/warlock +10
feats: weapon finesse[1], combat reflexes[h], draconic aura(senses)[3], blend into shadows[6], darkstalker[9], staggering strike[12], craven[15], scribe scroll[18]
invocations: summon swarm->beguiling influence, baleful utterance, eldritch glaive, the dead walk, voracious dispelling, flee the scene, chilling tentacles, nightmares made real
maneuvers: cloak of deception, rabid wolf strike, sudden leap, mountain hammer, moment of perfect mind, mighty throw, emerald razor, strength draining strike
stances: child of shadow, assassin's stance

use wands/scrolls for healing/buffs; invocations provide battlefield control/utility; main tactic is to hide in plain sight as a swift action then attack to trigger sneak attack and light within darkness. (produces a friendly 60' AoE blindness effect)
use the dead walk to make an undead pet, then use touch of the shadow sun to heal it with negative energy then heal allies with positive energy (free at-will healing)

[Val666]

Yesterday my Dm told us the only book we don't have access to is tome of battle :c so bardsader is out of question.
To answer Xyianth questions:


What do you mean by support? Do you mean party buffs and enemy debuffs, or battlefield control effects, or jack of all trades skillmonkey?

I don't like jack of all trades skill monkey, buffs and healing will be the thing. Some battlefield control would be good too.


What level range are you playing in? Do you want to be supporting/healing right from level 1? What level do you expect to be when the campaign ends?

Currently the party is higher level than 1 (4 or 5 I susppect) but gm told me to make a level 1 character. I would like to heal/support early and I expect going epic.


Are magic wands sufficient to cover healing or do want to be healing in combat?
Is the party undead? (or tomb-tainted)

I don't like wands and they are alive.

[Rubik]

If bardsader is out, I would suggest a beguiler with UMD and a few healing and BFC wands. Pick any two of the following PrCs: prestige bard, sand shaper, and rainbow servant. Your spell list will improve dramatically. Also, see about the Mother Cyst feat and other ways of vastly improving your spell list, such as bloodlines.

[nedz]

A Bardadin would work.

Most Bardadin builds have only two levels of Paladin (of Freedom - obviously) but if you went for 4 levels you could use your Turn Undead usages to power Healing Devotion. Really though all you need to fulfil the out of combat healing needs are Wands of CLW or Lesser Vigor. They are cheap and release your spell slots for more interesting spells.

The PrC limit is a bit poor for this concept since Bardadins normally use 2-3 PrCs in a reasonable build.

Another option could be based around a Beguiler.
Human Beguiler 5 / Divine Oracle 1 / Beguiler +3 / Combat Medic 5 / Beguiler +7
Feats: Educated [1] Arcane Disciple (Healing) [1] Skill Focus (Know-Rel) [3] Combat Casting [6] Dodge [9]

Divine Oracle has Heal as a class skill as well as giving you the Oracle domain. Delaying Beguiler 7 by one level, with a full casting PrC, allows you to spend your Advanced Learning on a 4th level spell, e.g. Shadow Conjuration. A couple more levels of Divine Oracle could replace some of the Beguiler levels if you want Evasion though you probably should take Insightful Reflexes or your Reflex save will be poor.

More picks of Arcane Disciple are hard to beat and you can drop Combat Medic if you are not intent on in combat healing — using Wands for this. If you do drop Combat Medic then you won't need Combat Casting or Dodge.

Whilst you could spend your Beguiler skill points on stealth type skill, Beguiler has lots of Face skills if you prefer. It also has UMD to round out your options.

[xyianth]

Without tome of battle, in combat healing is mostly a waste of actions and out of combat healing is best handled by cheap wands. That said, there are still a few options on the table:

The aura tank option is still viable by switching to paladin instead of crusader:
race: silverbrow human
25pt: 16 str, 10 dex, 14 con, 14 wis, 8 int, 9 cha
build: paladin 4/binder 2/hellreaver 10/binder +4
feats: power attack[1], protection devotion[1], serenity[3], extra turning[4*], draconic aura(senses)[6], draconic aura(resistance)[9], double draconic aura[12], mage slayer[15], pierce magical protection[18], improved binding[18*]

As others have mentioned, bardadin and beguiler/rainbow servant builds are also viable. (The beguiler/rainbow servant is probably the strongest option)

You could also try an educated|mantled wilder/anarchic initiate build that focuses on touch of healing, astral construct, concealing amphora, and energy wall, with bestow power recharges and vigor+share pain+psicrystal tricks. I'm guessing that psionics are also not available though since DMs that ban ToB for being overpowered(it's not) tend to also ban psionics for the same reason.(also not overpowered)

And lastly, you could just go dragonfire adept 1/dragon shaman 1/dragonfire adept +18 with entangling exhalation, slow breath, and the vigor aura. You would have plenty of control and utility effects while having a decent fast healing aura.

[Val666]

Uhm ok so the party looks like this: Shuriken fighter, Rogue, Warlock, Barbarian, Ranger and a Bard may join too so, which character do you think would be good for this group? remember, tier 3 or lower <_<

[xyianth]

Well, it looks like your party is full of damage dealing classes, but lacking in general utility magic. As a result, I'm going to change my recommendation a bit.

Just as a warning: this build will have very little offense and is extremely squishy. The tier 3 and lower restriction is excessively limiting to the divine support role, so I couldn't really find a way around this problem. It will however be capable of lots of healing and buffing, in addition to some good utility magic.

race: silverbrow human
stat array: 8 str, 13 dex, 15 con, 10 int, 12 wis, 17 cha (this is way more than 25pt buy, hopefully this was intentional)
alignment: any good
worship: io
build: shugenja 5/singer of concordance 10/sacred exorcist 5
feats: heighten spell[1], versatile spellcaster[h], touch of healing[3], clap of thunder[6], draconic aura(senses)[9], draconic aura(resistance)[12], double draconic aura[15], protection devotion[18]
bonus domain: magic or travel is probably best
make your elemental focus(water) and be a member of the order of the impenetrable crucible
As a final note: see if you can get your DM to change the abilities of singer of concordance to be based off of charisma instead of wisdom.


If you want more offense in the mid-late game, you can instead go with this build:
race: human
stat array: 12 str, 13 dex, 15 con, 10 int, 8 wis, 17 cha
alignment: any good
worship: heironeous
build: shugenja 8/sacred exorcist 2/contemplative 10
feats: heighten spell[1], extend spell[h], touch of healing[3], clap of thunder[6], persist spell[9], divine metamagic(persist), holy warrior[15], knowledge devotion[18]
make your elemental focus(water) and be a member of the order of the impenetrable crucible
bonus domains: war, glory
persist divine power, (holy sword and/or righteous might)
use items to get extra turn undead attempts to fuel persist (i.e. reliquary holy symbol, nightsticks, etc...)


The biggest problem with these builds is the complete lack of armor proficiency. Your party will need to protect you a bit until you can afford bracers of armor to shore up your AC. If you can create/buy custom magic items, getting a command word item of magic missile at CL 3 is probably enough offense that you can swap clap of thunder for mother cyst and then swap all but necrotic empowerment out for additional spells known.

As far as spell selection goes: make sure to grab sleep at 1st level (trade it for silent image later) and cure light wounds, glitterdust, haste, dispel magic, restoration, control winds, and heal as they become available. These will be your main spells in addition to those you get from your order.(greater magic weapon, dismissal, death ward, etc...) Don't bother with any of the healing spells beyond cure light wounds until you get heal. Cure light wounds is only needed to fuel touch of healing.(which heals hp based on your highest available slot level thanks to heighten spell)