Newish Player Looking For Healer Build

[ccollins89]

Hi everyone!

So I am fairly new to Pathfinder and DnD as a whole and I'm really excited to jump in!
That being said I have offered to be the healer of my group and I'm getting a bit overwhelmed with all the different options and roads I can take.

I was hoping I could receive input from you guys on what build would be best for my party?

My party consists of 2 melee fighters, 1 ranged fighter, and a wizard plus myself.

I was looking at building and Oradin but I'm not sure, haha, like I said I'm new.

My character starts at lvl 10 with 62,000GP, of which I can spend up to 25% on a single item.

My stat roles were:
18
17
16
12
9
9

I can take races from advanced (11-20 RP)

I was looking at the Shabti, just looks like a cool race.


So yea, if anyone can give me input I would greatly appreciate it !!

[Florian]

In a 20 RP game, stop fooling around, pick Human and the Fey Creature template, the fey ancestry feat, Nature Oradin and have fun.

[Mehangel]

In a 20 RP game, stop fooling around, pick Human and the Half-Fey template, the fey ancestry feat, Nature Oradin and have fun.

When you say fey ancestry feat, do you mean the fey foundling (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/feats/general-feats/fey-foundling) feat?

[Geddy2112]

An Oradin is certainly one of the best healer builds around, and fine if you want to heal boatloads of HP. However, the best doctors know that prevention is the best medicine-the wounds you never heal are the easiest to cure. Even the oradin knows this, and does not just sit there waiting for other party members to get hurt.

Lots of classes can heal, but they contribute so much more. I do suggest some form of divine caster, or a buffer like a bard. Being able to heal is great, but don't pidgonhole yourself into the role. The party could benefit from a face, skillmonkey, and some other things.

[Florian]

When you say fey ancestry feat, do you mean the fey foundling (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/feats/general-feats/fey-foundling) feat?

Exactly that, yes.

[Florian]

Just fooling around a bit.

I use the Fey Creature template on a base Human as this (CR+1) equals a RP16+ race. Also, I like giving a new player some options to fool around with.

Base is Paladin 10 (Chosen One), based on archery and being a combat medic. Oracle dip is not needed because of high Dex. Familiar can deliver Lay of Hands if necessary

Stat spread including racials, template and 2x level up, Items not included:
Str 16, Dex 20, Con 12, Int 12, Wis 9, Cha 20.
Feats: Point-Blank Shot, Rapid Shot, Many Shot, Deadly Aim, Greater Mercy, Ultimate Mercy, Improved Familiar [b].
Skills should be Stealth, Survival and Diplomacy.
Favoured Class bonus should go to hp.

Equipment (rough): belt of physical perfection +2, headband of alluring charisma +2, comp. longbow +2, elven chainmail +2, cloak of resistance +3, couple of wands, notably cure light/moderate wounds, (lesser) restoration, adamantine arrows, phylactery of positive channeling, mercifull vambraces, stag's helm.

Reasoning behind this: Archery with a full BAB class is easy, no immediate system mastery necessary. Template and class give very high survivability, from extremely high saves, to fly, teleport and invisibility, as well as including evasion.
More than enough healing options, from lay on hands, shored up to combat-rezzing with ultimate mercy, to channel energy and the usual spells.

Roleplaying notes: You hail from the Greenbelt, also called Stolen Lands, a place where the boundaries grow thin. Your parents line hails from Brevoy, but some of the otherworldlyness of the First World (the Fey realms) has crept into your line and affects your being. You have seen it all, from simple bandits, to noble brevoyan swordmasters, from humble nature and comunities to the influence of the First World, and, on notable occasions when the stars where right, even the Dark Tapestry.
You pledged yourself to Erastil, Old Deadeyes, as you want to be the champion of the simple people, protecting them from the dangers you know are out there.

[ccollins89]

Feats: Point-Blank Shot, Rapid Shot, Many Shot, Deadly Aim, Greater Mercy, Ultimate Mercy, Improved Familiar [b].


This build is incredibly helpful and looks like a lot of fun!

Thanks so much for taking the time to go so in depth with me! I was curious as to how we get the Improved Familiar Feat however?

My party.... as much as we like to take preventative measures... takes a pretty nasty punch... just about all the time. Will this build give me the healing I need for a bunch of newbies like myself? =P


I've been reading a lot on the Oradin's Life Link combo, that looks pretty cool. Can anyone answer is there a maximum to how many links can be attached to one colleague? Is it one link per person or can one have multiple?

Thanks again everyone =D

[grarrrg]

Oracle dip is not needed because of high Dex.
Wrong Oradin (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?257365-PF-Oradin-Mini-Guide-Or-How-to-be-a-Healbot-minus-the-bot).


I've been reading a lot on the Oradin's Life Link combo, that looks pretty cool. Can anyone answer is there a maximum to how many links can be attached to one colleague? Is it one link per person or can one have multiple?

The intent is one bond per creature/person.

[Eldaran]

Florian is recommending the Chosen One (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/classes/core-classes/paladin/archetypes/paizo---paladin-archetypes/chosen-one-paladin-archetype) archetype for paladins, which gets an improved familiar. However I don't see how he equates the Fey Creature template to an 11-20 RP race. It's way more powerful than anything you're going to get from a race, no sane DM is going to count that as being equivalent.

[Cwymbran-San]

On a side note: if you want to be a healer (and are not already set for the Oradin) with awesome side abilities, i recommend the Vitalist (if Psionics are allowed in your campaign).

On top of superior HP-Management skills, you get a ton of nifty abilities and buffs. With the soulthief method you can even siphon away an enemies hp and heal your buddies while you are doing it.

[Florian]

@Eldaran:

Not 11-20 RP, specifically 16+ RP. That is because functionally they do the same. APL rises by 1.

@ccolins89:

As has been noted, the Improved Familiar feat, as well as the familiar itself, comes with the Chosen One archetype. Basically, you trade your Divine Bond class feature for it.
Good improved familiars have hands, can speak, can learn the use magical device skill and use the aforementioned wands for you. (and unlike a horse, they fit into any dungeon)

As for the Lifelink Oradin, I'm not to keen on it, because it doesn't scale well and is a ressource hog.
Resons for that opinion: First, you need levels in Oracle equal to the number of persons you want to link with. That stunts your ability to use lay on hands in equal measure. Second, 5hp are not that great, I'd even say nothing to write home about. OTOH, the more links you keep up, the harder the damage acrues on the paladin, outpacing your ability to heal it off, even if that is only a swift action. Lastly, your curse doesn't scale well (full oracle levels, half paladin levels) and you're mostly stuck with the drawbacks and not gain the better benefits.

If Lifelink, then via Variant Multiclassing VMC Oracle on a "devastator"-type of build, meaning twohander and Power Attack, as this is not so dependend on feats.
You gain Lifelink, it automatically scales with paladin levels, your curse upgrades faster and you don't stunt your lay on hands or spellcasting ability for it.

(Edit: as for the 5hp: A fireball at that level causes 10d6 damage (~35). Link with two other characters and be hit by it yourself, compare that to the 4d6 points of Lay on Hands a o2/p8 can heal. Bad deal. You'd need to invest in a ton of equipment like bracers of the merciful knight to upgrade LoH to a level that is competitiv enough to be en par with the damage, something that will garner only diminishing returns - and yes, you will be hit by the fireball, as a lifelink build is a bit more feat heavy, so archery is not an option)

Edit 2 and an afterthought to all that:
Before we go deeper into it, please accept that "in-combat healing" in Pathfinder is not really useful. Pathfinder is an aggressive game and "healing" is always outpaced be pure damage, with the one exception of the "heal" spell. If you have to chose between vanquishing an enemy or healing one of yours, then vanquishing the enemy is always preferable as that stops further incoming damage at the source. A noteable difference here are conditions that can stop your team-mates from dishing out the punishment without having too much to do with hit points at all.

Now there are a lot of good "healing" classes out there, with the Cleric class being the best known, followed by the Warpriest in sheer efficiency on that front.
What those can do is keeping hp up, but what they can't, unlike the Paladin, is simply removing conditions from the victim without spending additional prepared spells.

[ccollins89]

This is awesome,

There's one thing that I'm still confused about though. The Fey Template basically states it can be any alignment other that Lawful Good... which is what the Paladin MUST be.

My DM shut me down pretty hard on it too hahaha.

Any other ideas for character/race combos?

[Florian]

Tell your gm he's a spoilsport and enhance that with some golfclap. ;)

As for other race suggestions: Nearly too much. There're a lot of Str/Cha or Dex/Cha races in Pathfinder, so much so that this will be really hard.
At that point, we can take the time to really work on all the details, or younstick pick Human and be done with it.