"Blank slate" healer

[IdentityCrisis]

I've often heard the complaint that no one wants to play the party healer, since they're not the ones getting most of the action and glory. I normally have no problem playing a support role (for some reason I've always been drawn to such characters anyway), but I still find myself reluctant to play the healer in most systems for an entirely differant reason: most systems tie healing power to some sort of mysticism. In D&D, both of the two classes that make effective healers (cleric and druid) seem bound to either religion (either god-worship or nature-worship) or to D&D's alignment system (which is extremely flawed).

Is there any effective healer class which doesn't come saddled with RP constraints? Sort of the divine caster equivalent of, say, a fighter? Note that I'm looking for classes that can heal about as well as the cleric or druid from level 1, and are available online without buying another book.

 

[Patryn of Elvenshae]

Bard? They aren't quite as good at it as the others, but they are decent at it - and can use pretty much any healing wand you'll care to employ (and even more if they max out UMD).

 

[IdentityCrisis]

Thanks, but the bard doesn't work. They don't get Cure Light Wounds until level 2 at the earliest, and even if they get it then they don't get enough spell slots to keep pace. As for the wands, I don't think they need UMD (since CLW is on their spell list anyway), but whether a 1st-level party could afford one is another matter.

 

[Patryn of Elvenshae]

As for the wands, I don't think they need UMD (since CLW is on their spell list anyway), but whether a 1st-level party could afford one is another matter.

They don't need UMD for CLW wands, but they would need it for the Vigor line of spells or some of the higher-level CXW spells.

 

[RisnDevil]

Try the Healer. It is in The Miniatures Handbook. I don't have it in front of me, but I don't think it had a large "mysticism" constraint. BUT, if you do choose it, it FORCES you to be pretty much NOTHING BUT a supporter. Not bad as an NPC cohort though!

 

[noeuphoria]

You could always just use the rules for having an godless priest. After all, what god you worship is largely relevant to role-playing anyway. Just choose 2 domains, and say they represent your character's specialization. Instead of praying in the morning, he meditates for an hour to center himself. Instead of casting spells, he manipulates the energy around him. If you wanted to have even more a "comes from within" type thing, you could base him on the favored soul, so he chooses cleric spells like a sorceror. No need to search a different mechanic when you can just alter the front end of how it appears in your world.

 

[kenobi65]

What noeuphoria said. Take Favored Soul, file off any details about a deity, and make sure you take all the healing spells. Bingo.

 

[Ahrimon]

There's also the generic caster class from unearthed arcana. You can have an arcane healer that way. Just call it a white mage.

 

[Arc]

If you're playing in a campaign where alignment isn't so cut and dried, consider Ur-Priest. You need to wait until 6th level before taking it, but the requirements aren't too steep, and if you pick up some fighter or wizard levels before it (wizard levels also count towards Ur-Priest CL), you can be very versitile. Of course, this all depends on getting around (or living with) the required alignment: Evil and required feat Spell Focus (Evil).

 

[Bauglir]

Try the Healer. It is in The Miniatures Handbook. I don't have it in front of me, but I don't think it had a large "mysticism" constraint. BUT, if you do choose it, it FORCES you to be pretty much NOTHING BUT a supporter. Not bad as an NPC cohort though!

Is it just me, or does the healer lack the cleric's ability to spontaneously cast healing spells?

Seems a little odd.