Healing and Offensive magic build

[Stryyke]

3.5 ECL 9 Monster campaign. All 1st party sources are ok, and 3rd party sources need to be approved on a case by case basis. Monster must be able to communicate. Low to medium optimization group. All forms of dragons are out because of game context. Pixies and druids are out because of rarity. All forms of Psi are explicitly forbidden until ECL 14.

Party Composition
Troll: fighter
Bugbear: barb
Demon: Warrior Bard
I don't know what race: Paladin
1 other that hasn't made her character

Of course everyone is going to say to just buy healing items, but in this particular instance, assume that isn't viable ($$$). I'm mostly looking for a good offensive spell caster that has some healing to offer the group. Straight Cleric seems to be the most obvious, but you know me. I hate having to take mundane classes. That's just a personal thing.

I'm personally open to anything, but my DM thinks I'm trying work the system to be awesome. In reality, I'm just trying different things. So something that isn't too exploitable (to keep my DM off my back), but is interesting.

[TheFurith]

With a relatively unoptimized group I think you could get away with theurging favored soul and battle sorcerer. That'd be obviously hard to exploit on the surface if you're just picking up damage and healing spells.

Dragon Magazine #327 had a race called a Diabolus. Basically a hippy demon. It has a tail attack with some pretty amazing synergy with Venomfire. Energy substitution as necessary. I'd go sonic, because sonic tail venom is total nonsense.

It's different, it's suboptimal, and it can do whatever you need it to do.

[weckar]

An Eldritch Disciple build? Very Blasty-Healy.

[Thurbane]

Archivist can be both heal-y and blast-y.

It can theoretically pick up most spells in the game through one means or another.

The main drawback is that it's casting is MAD, basing bonus spells/day off Wis, and everything else off Int. Illumian can swap Dex or Str for bonus spells, if you want to dump Wis. Since it seems everyone is going monstrous races, I'm sure you could find a beat with good Int and Wis boosts, if you can eat up the lost caster levels.

Alternatively, you could also go Favored Soul/Warmage/Mystic Theurge. With Versatile Spellcaster, you don't need to dip more than one level in Warmage, either.

[ATHATH]

Maybe something with Nosomatic Chirurgeon? Perhaps your DM can waive the "Halfling" requirement.

[Hackulator]

How is someone playing a troll fighter? A level 1 troll fighter is ECL 12.

I'd say play an ECL 10 Drider cleric if someone has an ECL 12 troll.

[Stryyke]

How is someone playing a troll fighter? A level 1 troll fighter is ECL 12.

I'd say play an ECL 10 Drider cleric if someone has an ECL 12 troll.

He's actually half-troll.

[Hackulator]

He's actually half-troll.

Ah, that makes more sense.

I still might ask if there was some what you could play the Drider with a level you had to buy off or something, it's pretty perfect for what you want.

[Stryyke]

Ah, that makes more sense.

I still might ask if there was some what you could play the Drider with a level you had to buy off or something, it's pretty perfect for what you want.

That could be interesting, since I wouldn't have to take any class levels. When it says casts as a 6th level cleric, does that mean 6th level spells, or 3rd level spells (as a cleric at lvl 6 would have)? I'm guessing the latter, but I want to be sure. Also, if I were to opt to not take a class at all, and just take further monster HD, would my magic levels increase at the same rate as a cleric?

The biggest issue may be getting my DM to accept those monstrous stats! Nothing below a +2!

[nedz]

It depends what you mean by Offensive magic but Warmage with Arcane Disciple (Healing) will give you a secondary healer.
Alternatively Beguiler or Dread Necromancer.

If you like a Druid, which isn't a Druid, then there is always Spirit Shaman — which might fit in with the monster theme.

[Stryyke]

I'm a little confused by the domain mechanic. If I went Drider cleric with Travel and Destruction domains, would I still have access to all clerical spells? Or would my spell list be restricted just to those spells in the domains? I've never played a cleric.

[Hackulator]

I'm a little confused by the domain mechanic. If I went Drider cleric with Travel and Destruction domains, would I still have access to all clerical spells? Or would my spell list be restricted just to those spells in the domains? I've never played a cleric.

You act like a 6th level cleric, so the exact spell casing of a 6th level cleric, 3rd level spells max, you get domain slots just like any cleric. If you want to increase cleric level, you'd need to take cleric, increasing HD wouldn't necessarily do that. Your DM could of course rule that it would, but that would be a somewhat unbalanced ruling.

[Gildedragon]

Wizard with Natural Spell + Spell Guard + War Weaver.

You can make most of your buffs into shareable spells that heal a bit
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Alternatively: Kobold Sorcerer into the above... no need to use dragon type cheese. Just pick an elemental theme (may I suggest electric) for the blasting and rain down destruction on your enemies and blessings (from a limited list) to your allies

Alt Alt: Binder. There's a couple vestiges that help heal and a few blasty ones