Howto build a super-healer?

[Angellis_ater]

Hi! We are gearing up for a game in the Iron Kingdoms, a world known for its lethality. I am considering playing a Leader, and specifically one focused on healing. All classes are possible except Shaman and Artificer, and most races except Deva, Dragonborn, Warforged or Changelings are acceptable.

Do you have any suggestions on how to make a Healing-focused Leader? We start at lvl 1, but having an idea where to go build-wise for the next 4-5 levels would be nice too.

Right now I am considering a Dwarven Cleric with high Wisdom and general "laseriness" since Clerics get to add to the heal from lvl1. Help me optimize a superhealer for our group!

 

[Mentat55]

There are a bunch of new feats and powers in Divine Power, plus a new build called the Shielding Cleric, that really fulfill the "super healer" concept. Here is a quick level 11 dwarven cleric (gawd I love the Character Builder) with a heavy emphasis on healing:

====== Created Using Wizards of the Coast D&D Character Builder ======
Thorfin, level 6
Dwarf, Cleric

FINAL ABILITY SCORES
Str 10, Con 14, Dex 8, Int 12, Wis 19, Cha 17.

STARTING ABILITY SCORES
Str 10, Con 12, Dex 8, Int 12, Wis 16, Cha 16.


AC: 14 Fort: 15 Reflex: 14 Will: 19
HP: 51 Surges: 11 Surge Value: 12

TRAINED SKILLS
Religion +9, Insight +12, History +9, Heal +14

UNTRAINED SKILLS
Acrobatics +2, Arcana +4, Bluff +6, Diplomacy +6, Dungeoneering +9, Endurance +7, Intimidate +6, Nature +7, Perception +7, Stealth +2, Streetwise +6, Thievery +2, Athletics +3

FEATS
Cleric: Ritual Caster
Level 1: Pacifist Healer
Level 2: Defensive Healing Word
Level 4: Durable
Level 6: Combat Medic

POWERS
Channel Divinity: Healer's Mercy
Cleric at-will 1: Astral Seal
Cleric at-will 1: Sacred Flame
Cleric encounter 1: Exacting Utterance
Cleric daily 1: Astral Condemnation
Cleric utility 2: Life Transference
Cleric encounter 3: Astral Flare
Cleric daily 5: Consecrated Ground
Cleric utility 6: Cure Serious Wounds
========================================================

This cleric adds 1d6+7 HP to any of his healing powers (via Healer's Lore and Pacifist Healer). 4 times per encounter he can heal -- Healer's Mercy, Healing Word (2/encounter), and Life Transference. You have Cure Serious Wounds 1/day. And Astral Condemnation imposes a large, persistent damage penalty to a single target -- preventative healing

Disadvantages of this build: if you attack bloodied enemies you are stunned (Pacifist Healer), and you don't deal much direct damage. However, many of your powers disable foes, or reduce their defenses -- then your allies can take advantage.

 

[babinro]

This is actually a pretty simple build as there should be options at almost every level to compliment it. My campaign is mid paragon and my PC's cleric typically heals people pretty much by their bloodied value each healing word.

Paragon Path is Miracle Worker, that's pretty much a given.
Takes feats such as Healers Implement, Defensive Healing Word (which is amazing), restful healing, Extended Healing, Radiant Vessel. Versitile Channeler for Paladin's Divine Mettle is a really good choice as well.

What makes this build strong is that there is excellent healing combined with the ability to still make attacks unpunished.

At level 16 his Healing Word is close burst 15, surge +4d8+6, plus 2d6 if he hits something with a radiant power. In addition the target gains +4 to all defenses vs the next attack made against them.

He is also playing a Dwarf, but race isn't terribly essential to strong healing.
Utility spells like Cure Light Wounds and up are all nice though seldom needed except in emergencies.

Encounter Powers that grant saving throws, HP bonuses and the like are ideal, but you shouldn't feel forced to focus entirely on them. Feel free to get in the offense with some powers too.

Finally, there are lots of magical items that give some sort of benefit to healing or saving throws which you can keep an eye open for, such as Healer's Sash.

 

[Kzach]

I noticed Kalashtar aren't on the banned list.

If you're optimising, then Kalashtar are the way to go for a laser-healer.

 

[Prestidigitalis]

I'm a big fan of Shield the Fallen: FRPG, heroic tier feat, Dwarves only, +2 bonus to defenses and saves of adjacent allies who are bloodied, unconscious or helpless. Combine that with the features of a Holy Emissary (Divine Power Cleric PP) and the squares adjacent to a Dwarven Cleric become little islands of safety. And need I mention Consecrated Ground?

 

[Destil]

Hi! We are gearing up for a game in the Iron Kingdoms, a world known for its lethality. I am considering playing a Leader, and specifically one focused on healing.

A big part of what made Iron Kingdoms in 3E was lethal was the healing rules they used. You should check if your DM is converting any of these for 4E, as they would make a huge difference in the build.

It was pretty easy to abuse the 3E rules as they gave clerics a LOT of stuff in exchange for the healing restrictions. I think the level 3 cleric I had had like 3 extra bonus feats, the ability to channel domain spells and still had an absurdly high 'pain of healing' threshold (in the 80s, pain of healing was a limit on how much you could heal in a day before you started to get repercussions). There may also be issues healing someone of another faith if they're adapting, would be a good thing to know about before starting....

 

[Angellis_ater]

The GM isn't imposing any other restrictions on healing, but has warned us that we will be facing higher level opponents most of the time.

Also, while Khalashtar aren't on the list, I'm sure they might be as soon as the GM notices he forgot them

But, does anyone have suggestions on race? I was thinking Dwarf since it allows me to Minor Action heal myself.

 

[Thanee]

Longtooth Shifter also make awesome Clerics.

The regeneration ability is very nice with Life Transference.

Bye
Thanee

 

[Lord Ernie]

Assuming Kalashtar isn't allowed, you have a couple of options as to race. Assuming you want a race that boosts wisdom, what's left are Dwarf, Elf, Human, Deva, and the Shifters.

Dwarves are excellent because of their minor action second wind, which basically gives you an extra 1/4th of your HP every encounter; elves are fast, but the dexterity boost is wasted here, and mobility isn't really a requirement; the human's major strength, the extra at-will, can be valuable, but given that you want a focused healing build, it's not really what we're looking for; Deva's make better invokers than clerics, and again, the intelligence boost is wasted; the Longtooth Shifter makes for an excellent balanced cleric, which can be a powerful healer as well - not exactly focused, though.

I made an example of a level 6 Dwarf Healing Cleric who makes use of every good healer feat I could find. This is what most people think of when they hear 'healing cleric':

====== Created Using Wizards of the Coast D&D Character Builder ======
level 6
Dwarf, Cleric
Build: Shielding Cleric

FINAL ABILITY SCORES
Str 8, Con 14, Dex 10, Int 12, Wis 19, Cha 17.

STARTING ABILITY SCORES
Str 8, Con 12, Dex 10, Int 12, Wis 16, Cha 16.


AC: 20 Fort: 16 Reflex: 15 Will: 20
HP: 51 Surges: 9 Surge Value: 12

TRAINED SKILLS
Religion +9, Diplomacy +11, Insight +12, Heal +14

UNTRAINED SKILLS
Acrobatics +2, Arcana +4, Bluff +6, Dungeoneering +9, Endurance +6, History +4, Intimidate +6, Nature +7, Perception +7, Stealth +2, Streetwise +6, Thievery +2, Athletics +1

FEATS
Cleric: Ritual Caster
Level 1: Pacifist Healer
Level 2: Defensive Healing Word
Level 4: Power of Life
Level 6: Healer's Implement

POWERS
Channel Divinity: Healer's Mercy
Cleric at-will 1: Astral Seal
Cleric at-will 1: Sacred Flame
Cleric encounter 1: Exacting Utterance
Cleric daily 1: Moment of Glory
Cleric utility 2: Life Transference
Cleric encounter 3: Hymn of Resurgence
Cleric daily 5: Consecrated Ground
Cleric utility 6: Stream of Life

ITEMS
Ritual Book, Healer's Brooch +1, Symbol of Divinity +2, Healer's Chainmail +1
RITUALS
Gentle Repose
====== Copy to Clipboard and Press the Import Button on the Summary Tab ======

This guy's Healing Word heals for Surge Value + 3d6+11, and Astral Seal heals for 17 HP every time while giving anybody within 10 squares 3 THP; Moment of Glory hands out a sustainable DR5, which can pre-emptively heal a lot of damage, and the healing power of Consecrated Ground is well-known; Life Transference can save someone's bacon in a pinch, dealing 12 damage to you (which you can regain with second wind easily), and healing your ally for 32 HP; Stream of Life is my choice of Utility at level 6, because it's cheap on the action economy, and for every 5 damage you take, you heal someone else 23 HP - if you don't like taking ongoing damage, Spirit of Healing might be more to your tastes.

 

[Thanee]

Shifters do not need to divide their powers between STR and WIS.

It's a good idea to get Righteous Brand, of course, and it's generally useful to have an At-Will that does not provoke an OA. But you can totally focus on the WIS powers, of course.

DEX from the Elf is hardly wasted. You need DEX 15 for the decent armor specialization feats. This is an easy way to get there.

While generally great, I consider the Minor Action Second Wind Dwarves get not so good for Clerics, as they have plenty healing already, which is much more effective. You don't really want to waste your Healing Surges like that, and if you really need it, you can still do it as a Standard Action.

My own Elven Cleric rarely, if ever, uses Second Wind, but the party composition also plays a role here, of course. I also find the mobility quite useful regularily. And high Perception is always nice.

But most of the +WIS races will work well. I think Longtooth Shifters offer the most useful ability, though.

Level 4: Power of Life
Level 6: Healer's Implement

What do these do? Don't sound familiar to me right now.

Bye
Thanee