Healer Rogues (or Roguish Healers)

[Atavar]

Hello Everyone,

I have a new player who wants to play a rogue, but the group really needs a healer (i.e. they have no cleric or druid or bard). What classes/prestige classes/options are there in WotC books (including Eberron) that would help to create a character that can do both and do them well?

Thanks,

Atavar

 

[FalcWP]

Rogue with ranks in Use Magic Device and a wand? Probably the simplest way. Other options might include:

-Cleric with the right domains and some rogue multiclassing
-Bard
-Artificer (Eberron) - trapfinding and the ability to make items that cure folks
-On a limited scale (as in, a couple times a day), a Halfling Rogue with the Mark of Healing (Eberron)

 

[nittanytbone]

Rogue 1/Cloistered Cleric X (USe the ABle Learner feat if available; otherwise just buy search and disable device cross class). The Trickery domain adds several roguish skills. You're just like a rogue, except better at... well, everything. If you don't like turn undead, consider the Church Inquisitor PrC (especially if Able Learner is not available).

Rogue 1/Druid X. Again, you're just like a rogue, except better at everything.

The Nymph's Kiss feat (BoED) will help your SP situation and has nice synergy with Charisma.

Rogue 1/Ranger 2 sticks closer to a classic rogue but can use a Wand of Cure Light Wounds for out of combat healing.

 

[Mistwell]

I agree that the easiest way is ranks and bonuses in Use Magic Device. Get some wands of Lesser Vigor or Cure Light Wounds (or both), or even scrolls, and have at it. In theory, you can even get a "Masterwork Tool: [Use Magic Device] - This well-made item is the perfect tool for the job. It grants a +2 circumstance bonus on [Use Magic Device] skill check."

I went with Ranger 1, with the Urban Ranger variant for using gather information to track individuals in a city (and a more rogue-like skill list). I could go Ranger 2 for the free two-weapon fighting or rapid shot, but it's not necessary. The single level of Ranger puts the Cure spells on your spell list, making wands easily usable without any use magic device check.

A cleric with the Trickery and Luck domains works pretty well. Travel might make sense as well.

A Swordsage from Tome of Battle: Book of Nine Swords could do it. They are rogue-ish, and can get sneak attack. With the right feats, they can add some healing maneuvers to their list.

 

[Deset Gled]

There are a number of sources that came out with "Divine Trickster" classes around the time 3.5 was released. At the time, I thought they were a little overpowered (since they don't have some of the drawbacks the Arcane Trickster class has), but compared to the stuff that has power crept out lately, they're generally not too bad.

Here's one that Rich Burlew (OotS guy) did: http://www.giantitp.com/Func0015.html I'd remove the Surprise the Dead ability, but I'm a RBDM like that.

 

[blargney the second]

Let him go rogue, and have the party buy a cleric in a box. Cure potions, condition-removing potions, Healing Belts, etc. It's not really even all that expensive.

 

[Nifft]

Let him play what he wants.
When enough PCs have died, someone will make a Cleric voluntarily.

Cheers, -- N

 

[avr]

In Eberron, halflings of whatever class can pick up the mark of healing. Trouble is, this steals a rogues feats, which are precious to him.

Other tricks - psionic classes can use a feat (Expanded Knowledge) to pick up Touch of Healing. Psionic rogue-ish classes include the Lurk (Complete Psion) & the Psionic Rogue which appeared in a Minds' Eye article on the Wizards website.

Useful items include eternal wands (ECS), which can carry bardic healing spells but can be used by any arcane spellcaster (you do have an arcane spellcaster in the group?).

And there's always the NPC healer fallback. If you're mostly playing in/near a city you don't even need the NPC travelling with the party.

Lastly, IME a player who has to play a cleric never, ever wants to. The DM should be able to work around the lack, I think.

 

[nittanytbone]

If the issue is simple HP healing, there are many ways around that:

Wands of CLW (750 GP for 50 charges, easily affordable by a level 2 party if they pool funds)
Healing Belt (up to 6d8/day for 750 GP)
Wands of Lesser Vigor (even more efficient than a CLW wand, but non-core and not on as many character's spell lists)

Remember, ANYONE with a spell on their class spell list can use the wand even if they don't have access to any spells yet. Thus, a level 1 paladin or ranger can use a wand of CLW, if your party has one of those.

I still maintain that a Rogue 1/Cloistered Cleric X will mop the floor with a straight rogue in nearly any situation (offense, defense, skill use, diplomacy, etc), especially if Spell Compendium is allowed, though. Players usually doubt that clerics are incredibly potent because they are rarely played to their full potential, but a well played cleric is truly an unstoppable engine of destruction.

 

[Darklone]

Rogue plus cleric with trickery domain going for the Nightsong infiltrator... or was it shadowbane? I think shadowbane. Complete Scoundrel or Adventurer. You won't need anything but good Int. Cleric class plus 6+int skill points per level.