Healbot

[sonofzeal]

Alright, so I'm needed to pinch-hit as a healing type in a friend's campaign. I'm currently playing a Vow-of-Peace Healer in another campaign and enjoying it, but this one's much more of a dungeon crawl, and hack-n-slash doesn't really mix with pacifism. So, I'm in need of ideas on how to do the healing thing, but here's the catch - I want the character to do it unusually. A straight Cleric or Druid has no appeal for me right now, I'm already playing a Healer, and I want something that's a change from the characters I've played before. Also, the character needs to be undead-friendly, as there's a lich of sorts in the party. ECL 12, all books.

EDIT - due to the plethora of awesome responses, I've decided to keep a running list of "different" healers.

Artificer
Bard
Binder + Buer
Crusader
Divine Mind
Egoist
Enlightened Spirit + Warlock cohort
Factotum
Potion Brewer
Sangehirn
Shadow Sun Ninja
"that funky druid variant with healing aura stuff"
UMD
Vampiric Weapon + trading
Warmage + Healing Domain

I've already told the DM I'm going with Binder, but I'm curious to see if there's any other crazy options out there. Any way to turn the Dread Necro's "Charnal Touch" into healing for living allies without a Vampiric Weapon?

[NEO|Phyte]

Crusader specializing in the maneuvers/stances that provide healing? Pretty sure they're even undead-friendly, as they don't use Positive Energy for the healing. It's widely known that the best form of healing is killing the bad guys before they do the damage rather than standing back to heal the damage, why not mix the two, eh?

[sonofzeal]

Crusader specializing in the maneuvers/stances that provide healing? Pretty sure they're even undead-friendly, as they don't use Positive Energy for the healing.

Heh, I thought of that too, and I could... but I've already done a character like that not too long ago, so I'm filing that above "another Healer with different feats" but below "Cloistered Cleric" on the list of options. It's a good idea, but I just can't get motivated about yet another martial adept right now.

[arguskos]

Play a wizard/cleric/mystic theurge who specializes in potion brewing. Proceed to brew LOTS of healing potions.

It's not optimal (or even very good) but it's certainly different. Anyway, I like playing them.

-argus

[Chronos]

My vote would be for Binder. With Buer bound, you can heal 1d8+10 damage every 5 rounds, without limit. Buer doesn't give you much other than healing, but at that level, you'll be able to bind two vestiges at once, so every day, you can pick some other set of abilities to also use.

The drawbacks are, first, you can't deliver healing in any larger a dose than that, so you won't be much use in those occasional situations where you absolutely must give someone 100 HP back right this moment. And second, I don't think there's any vestige that gives negative-energy abilities, so the lich-guy is on his own. Undead PC types usually arrange some other means of dealing with healing, though, such as the Dread Necromancer's charnel touch ability, and if nothing else, you could get a wand of Inflict Light Wounds or Lesser Vigor (yes, that works on undead) for that guy.

[sonofzeal]

My vote would be for Binder. With Buer bound, you can heal 1d8+10 damage every 5 rounds, without limit. Buer doesn't give you much other than healing, but at that level, you'll be able to bind two vestiges at once, so every day, you can pick some other set of abilities to also use.

The drawbacks are, first, you can't deliver healing in any larger a dose than that, so you won't be much use in those occasional situations where you absolutely must give someone 100 HP back right this moment. And second, I don't think there's any vestige that gives negative-energy abilities, so the lich-guy is on his own. Undead PC types usually arrange some other means of dealing with healing, though, such as the Dread Necromancer's charnel touch ability, and if nothing else, you could get a wand of Inflict Light Wounds or Lesser Vigor (yes, that works on undead) for that guy.

I'm liking the Buer-binder! It also saves me some work of coming up with a plothook for how he got into the dungeon, as Buer messes with memory. And at-will healing means never entering a fight at half health, which is a good thing. I like it!

Any suggestions on good secondary vestages?

[dman11235]

You could try my unconventional healer, I call it the S.S.Icanhealbetterthanahealer. Found in the sample builds section of my monk handbook. It heals better than a healer. It's a monk. It does use some martial adept levels.....but it's not a martial adept. THe focus is hardly maneuvers, those are really secondary. Primary, you are a battlefield control tank with a really mean punch and the ability to heal an average of 162+wis at will.

[Glyphic]

A well adapted Binder endsup being anything short of an arcanist. Try a few different things, find what works for you.

And if the undead fellow starts to annoy you, you can bind good old Tenebrous And try an rebuke him...

[Quirinus_Obsidian]

Good suggestions all, but if you want a "simple, quick 'n' easy to play and explain to the DM" specialized healer, there is a base class in the Miniatures Handbook that is called 'Healer'. get something with a decent WIS and a good CHA, and you are all set. Poor BAB, Good Fort and Will saves, d8 HD, decent skills, and a high number of spells. The spell list is limited; but highly effective. I went with a Pixie Healer with Reach spell, and it is all good. Does not qualify for Divine Metamagic; but that's okay.

Bah... nevermind. Guess the 'Box of Bandaids' is out this time ... =(

[SoD]

Play a sorcerer, or wizard, or whatever arcane caster takes your fancy, get 4 ranks in heal, and take the spontaneous healer from Complete Divine.

If you're starting at first level, then...well, I can't think of an arcane caster with heal in class, but it's doable by second level if you multiclass, or by fifth level if you don't.

[AmberVael]

Play a sorcerer, or wizard, or whatever arcane caster takes your fancy, get 4 ranks in heal, and take the spontaneous healer from Complete Divine.

If you're starting at first level, then...well, I can't think of an arcane caster with heal in class, but it's doable by second level if you multiclass, or by fifth level if you don't.

Can you tell me how your arcane caster got a Cure spell to qualify for that feat?
And why you're recommending that feat since you can only use it a number of times per day equal to wisdom modifier (which won't be too high for an arcane caster?)

[ShneekeyTheLost]

So I take it the obvious Cleric/Radiant Servant of Pelor with Spontanious Domain variant from PhB II is out?

How about a Warlock? Two ways to do this. Easiest is to pick up a Wand of Cure x Wounds. Take 10 on UMD checks means never failing to heal with it.

The more complicated method is to take the PrC Enlightened Spirit, along with the Leadership feat and a Warlock cohort. Transform Magic HIS invocations for unlimited healing.

[SoD]

Can you tell me how your arcane caster got a Cure spell to qualify for that feat?
And why you're recommending that feat since you can only use it a number of times per day equal to wisdom modifier (which won't be too high for an arcane caster?)

Simple. I was working from memory, and was confident eonugh in my beleif not to check the books, and thought the pre-reqs were: any non-evil and heal 4 ranks. And now I feel like an idiot

And it turns out I was complely wrong. Discard my suggestion. It doesn't work.

[Rei_Jin]

Step 1: Build a warmage

Step 2: Follow a god which will grant you the healing domain

Step 3: Take the Arcane Devotee feat, and select the Healing domain as your
domain of choice


Don't really need to do anything else

[Jack_Simth]

Take the Summon Elemental reserve feat (Complete Mage) and get the Vampiric weapon property (Magic Item Compendium) on a weapon. Hand weapon to an ally, summon elemental, have ally kill elemental with weapon. Repeat until that ally is healed. Then hand the vampiric weapon over to another injured ally; rinse and repeat until entire party is healed. Doesn't handle in-combat healing, though.

If you're a bit of a masochist, you could take Minor Shapeshift (also Complete Mage) instead, and have them hit you lightly, once per round (you want something with a low damage amount for this - a whip or dagger). Minor shapeshift grants temporary HP; attacking you with the vampiric weapon removes those temporary HP from you, and grant a portion of them as real healing to your ally.

Either method can be done with most Full Casters.

Edit:
And both methods can be used to heal the Lich in the party with no modification.

[Chronos]

Step 3: Take the Arcane Devotee feat, and select the Healing domain as your
domain of choice

First of all, the feat is Arcane Disciple, not Arcane Devotee. Second of all, the spells gained from Arcane Disciple can each be used only once per day, regardless of any other limits you have on your spellcasting.


dman, how does that healing monk work? Is it a martial maneuver you're using, a psiwar power, or something else? Your statblock there doesn't really explain it.

[Rei_Jin]

Well, I'm sorry but I'm at work and don't have access to my books. The spells (IIRC) are added to your list of class spells, which means that a Warmage should have access to them. The main requirement is that he has a high enough Wisdom to use them.

And if I'm wrong, and he can only cast them each once per day, then take spontaneous healer, and the reserve healing feat. Voila!

[Jack_Simth]

dman, how does that healing monk work? Is it a martial maneuver you're using, a psiwar power, or something else? Your statblock there doesn't really explain it.

Considering the Warshaper levels (fast healing), and the mention of Tomb-Tainted Soul on one of the members of the party doubling the healing rate, I'm guessing one of the feats or PrC's in there grants the ability to draw HP from yourself and give it to another and/or to deal negative energy damage to another to heal yourself.

Edit:
As an Ur-Priest, you could be casting 7th level spells (assuming a +7 Wisdom modifier) at ECL 12 (UA Savage Bard-5/Ur-Priest-7; and you could also do the Vampiric Dagger on the Summon Elemental reserve feat trick) for access to Heal and Harm. If you want to power it up a bit, make that a Savage Bard-5/Ur-Priest-2/Mystic Theurge(Savage Bard/Ur-Priest)-3/Sublime Chord-1/Mystic Thuerge(Ur-Priest/Sublime Chord)-X.

[D Knight]

Cleric 5 or 6 /Radient Servant of Palor the rest of the way and the capstone is really nice because it max and empowers for free so u do 150% healing each time u heal someone. also u get full caster progression and a better way to turn undead just stand in front of the lich and he should be fine. the only down side u have to burn a feat and match Palors' aligment to gain acess to the RSoP.

[dman11235]

Shadow Sun Ninja first level ability: Touch of the Shadow Sun. At will, you can use a standard action to perform a touch attack dealing your base unarmed+wis in negative energy (thus it heals undead and things with TTS). The next round, it's positive energy (thus healing living things).

The warshaper was there for reach and improved unarmed damage. That's pretty much it. I didn't even give it enough level for the fast healing. Or the reach, he just got +4 str/con. I'd actually advise getting rid of 4 IoDM levels from that for one more warshaper and then three Warhulk or something else that helps tripping/reach. Or a level of Crusader for Thicket of Blades. I can't believe I forgot that on that build, he can get it with the feats.

EDIT: While the RSoP is really nice for healing, and gives other things...for no real cost...you don't really need all 10 levels of it, since cure spells are about the worst healing method ever. Wands of cure light: fine, but in combat, you don't want to be using them. You'd probably be better off using a different PrC, but it's hardly a bad one. Just note that a persisted Mass lesser Vigor will grant FH 1 to the party. All day. And Vigorous Circle is FH 3 I believe.

[Irreverent Fool]

First of all, the feat is Arcane Disciple, not Arcane Devotee. Second of all, the spells gained from Arcane Disciple can each be used only once per day, regardless of any other limits you have on your spellcasting.

Can't you take spontaneous healing once you add the Healing Domain spells to your list?

[Eldariel]

Bard 9/Virtuoso 1/Sublime Chord 2/Virtuoso 8 with Healing Hymn [CC] and UMD (or Touch of Healing if you lack access to Wands) can be a decent healer, and gets Fascinate from Virtuoso so it isn't even a real loss. Artificer 20 would also be a fine healer, especially one of the Warforged variety who can heal himself with Infusions; craft Wands and Scrolls for the other purposes and you're set. And get a dedicated wright to craft while adventuring.

Warlock/Divine/Eldritch Disciple is also a fine option, Healing Blast heals all the living, UMD heals all the dead and I'm sure there are ways to deal negative energy damage with the Eldritch Blast.

[Treguard]

An artificer that has a hand-built Rod of Many Wands, cranking out a bunch of curative wands to fit in the rod? You could be like the Medic with his healing gun from TF2.

[jcsw]

An artificer that has a hand-built Rod of Many Wands, cranking out a bunch of curative wands to fit in the rod? You could be like the Medic with his healing gun from TF2.

Sadly, most of the cures are touch spells...

[Eldariel]

Bleh, an Artificer can Metamagic Wands. Reach Spell 'er up. Of course, Wands are for out-of-combat healing; in combat, you want Heal or nothing. The combat healing needs to be efficient enough to be worth an action (that is, at least to undo one of opponent's action; heal equal to the damage dealt).

[The Valiant Turtle]

It is possible to play a Psionic Healer (Egoist) as well, using Empathic Transfer and Body Adjustment. Using Empathic Transfer is a good way to get extra mileage out of cure wands as well. It's probably not the best possible healer, but you can contribute in other ways as well, since it's really just those two powers that you need.

There was also a Psionic Healer prestige class posted in the Minds Eye section of Wizards site as well, if you can dig it up.

I'm not sure if you would be able to heal the undead with this though, probably not, but there's no reason for the character to have any problems with undead.

[pasko77]

Bard.
They can do healing, you know.
You did not ask for optimality but for difference. :)

[Jack_Simth]

It is possible to play a Psionic Healer (Egoist) as well, using Empathic Transfer and Body Adjustment. Using Empathic Transfer is a good way to get extra mileage out of cure wands as well. It's probably not the best possible healer, but you can contribute in other ways as well, since it's really just those two powers that you need.

You want Vigor, not Body Adjustment. Vigor only gives temp HP, but it's a flat, predictable, 5 hp/pp; for a Psion/Wilder, at level 5 (minimum), it's 5 pp for 1d12 healing (average 6.5). After that, it's +1d12 for every 2 power points - average of +6.5 per 2 pp, or +3.25 per PP. Vigor is better for that, and is a lower-level power.

[sonofzeal]

You want Vigor, not Body Adjustment. Vigor only gives temp HP, but it's a flat, predictable, 5 hp/pp; for a Psion/Wilder, at level 5 (minimum), it's 5 pp for 1d12 healing (average 6.5). After that, it's +1d12 for every 2 power points - average of +6.5 per 2 pp, or +3.25 per PP. Vigor is better for that, and is a lower-level power.

Agreed, although DMs might object to Empathic Transfer out of temporary HP.

Raldor - do you mean the Sangehirn?

[The Valiant Turtle]

Agreed, although DMs might object to Empathic Transfer out of temporary HP.

Raldor - do you mean the Sangehirn?

That's the one. I Googled and re-read it. The DR and Fast Healing are pretty nice.

Regarding Vigor vs. Body Adjustment: Vigor is clearly superior, but there's a big difference between healing and temp HP. At least according to my understanding, temp HP cannot be used as healing.

Re-reading the powers I guess if you used Vigor before Emp. Transfer the feedback damage would hit the temp HP. With all the restrictions they put on Emp Transfer I thought they might have had it bypass temp HP as well, but I see they didn't. That will work well, especially outside of combat.