Different styles of healers, lets hear em!

[Garthanos]

Well, no, actually you make the attacks, so Pacifist Healer certainly burns you there. All the spirit does is act as the point where range is calculated for Spirit powers, and LoE and LoS.

Feels like splitting hairs ...oh you summon the spirit and the damage is always described as being the spirit doing the damage and its from there position... but since they are your at-wills... its you doing the damage ... but ... I can almost see it from the characters pov he is manifesting and intimately connected to the spirit and would quite reasonably be fully guilt ridden even if the spirit is doing the attacks... true pacifist could have issues with his allies attacks unless he makes active attempts to convince them otherwise.

 

[On Puget Sound]

My wife is playing a level 5 dwarf cleric, and her healing is just plain crazy!
* At-Will sacred flame grants temp hp, which is not-quite-healing
* all cleric healing powers get +5 for WIS 20 and +1 for healer's brooch, so healing word is surge +1d6 +6 (or +12 with Beacon out)
*bard MC feat gives her a daily majestic word (surge +CHA and slide 1, beacon works but WIS bonus does not) on top of 2/encounter healing word.
*beacon of hope heals 11 surge-free hp to the whole party, AND adds 6 to all future healing
*consecrated ground heals (wis 5 + cha 2 + item 1) +1 = 9! surge-free healing to all bloodied party members in it, every round, and it can be moved around for the whole battle. Oh, and it hurts enemies. If the Beacon has been cast, make that 15 surge-free healing. The dragonborns in the party are very annoyed because they can't stay bloodied no matter how hard they try.

 

[DracoSuave]

Feels like splitting hairs ...oh you summon the spirit and the damage is always described as being the spirit doing the damage and its from there position... but since they are your at-wills... its you doing the damage ... but ... I can almost see it from the characters pov he is manifesting and intimately connected to the spirit and would quite reasonably be fully guilt ridden even if the spirit is doing the attacks... true pacifist could have issues with his allies attacks unless he makes active attempts to convince them otherwise.

Not at all, actually.

A beast companion attacks using its own stats, its own attack die, its own modifiers. It has its own basic attack, and is a creature for all intents and purposes. The beast companion is a creature, has attack powers, and:

Your beast companion is considered a creature and an ally and can be affected by powers. A cleric can heal it with healing word, a warlord can give it a melee basic attack with commander’s strike, and so forth. You and your beast companion are treated as separate creatures.

When you make an attack with a Beast power, the portion the beast does has nothing to do with you.

Contrast that with what Spirit powers do:

Spirit
You can use a spirit power only if your spirit companion is present in the encounter. If a spirit power includes “spirit” in its range, you determine line of sight and line of effect from your spirit companion’s space, which is the power’s origin square.

Spirits don't have any attacks, aren't considered seperate creatures, and every Spirit power uses -your- Implement to attack through. Which means you're making an attack with your implement by definition.

 

[Turtlejay]

My wife is playing a level 5 dwarf cleric, and her healing is just plain crazy!
* At-Will sacred flame grants temp hp, which is not-quite-healing
* all cleric healing powers get +5 for WIS 20 and +1 for healer's brooch, so healing word is surge +1d6 +6 (or +12 with Beacon out)
*bard MC feat gives her a daily majestic word (surge +CHA and slide 1, beacon works but WIS bonus does not) on top of 2/encounter healing word.
*beacon of hope heals 11 surge-free hp to the whole party, AND adds 6 to all future healing
*consecrated ground heals (wis 5 + cha 2 + item 1) +1 = 9! surge-free healing to all bloodied party members in it, every round, and it can be moved around for the whole battle. Oh, and it hurts enemies. If the Beacon has been cast, make that 15 surge-free healing. The dragonborns in the party are very annoyed because they can't stay bloodied no matter how hard they try.

Off topic, but I played a Dragonborn Paladin for awhile, and I was pretty clear about not wanting healing when I was just bloodied. Temp HP is fine (and I would have killed for an Artificer), but I think if a player doesn't want healing, don't give it to them. This goes for shifters, too.

Jay

 

[Garthanos]

After a shifter has shifted they shouldn't mind healing.

 

[Nifft]

I'll third the motion that Clerics are the most newbie-friendly heal-monsters.

The new at-will mentioned from Divine Power ("Astral Seal") also gets my thumbs up. Between that and either Sacred Flame or Gaze of Defiance, he'll always have something useful to contribute.

Cheers, -- N

 

[Garthanos]

Spirits don't have any attacks, aren't considered seperate creatures, and every Spirit power uses -your- Implement to attack through. Which means you're making an attack with your implement by definition.

According to all the fluffy evidence the spirits do have attacks....
and my totem strengthening them does not mean it is me attacking... but my inability to act in other fashions while they are attacking means I very wrapped up with the attack as I said I think I will agree that the pacifist does take a hit when there bonded spirit attacks.

And if I am commanding my wolf to attack I am being just as violent and am just as responsible ask your local paladin personality.... Of course playing a pacifist I as the player would be commanding the wolf to attack and the Character would be telling it not too... the wolf would be acting on my and the packs behalf in what it considered an appropriate fashion... and would interpret my forgiveness afterwards as approval of its disobedience.

Real life pacifists seem to get something out of procetilizing...perhaps they could have a power where if an ally under their influence chooses not to attack when they could have the pacifist gains hit points and so does the ally (at least temporary hit points).

 

[Herschel]

Taking a daily to passively boost healing isn't the same as simply having better healing.

True, but it's a healing power that's kind of fun and fairly effective. I just enjoy playing the Prescient Bard and would seem to be a good fit with the party. Bards are fairly easy to tweak in to solid healers and the Warlord heals too. Even building towards healing things like Jinx Shot are fun and useful.

I guess I think "dedicated healer" might not be quite right in this case as some thunder will be stolen by the Warlord.

 

[Erywin]

Thanks for all the ideas and suggestions, I will sit down with the guy on Sunday and see what he wants to play. When I was building up the Warlord I had a hard time trying to figure out how they are an effective healer, this Warlord in particular is an Inspiring Warlord. I agree that getting people to spend surges and not just dishing out HP is the way to go. But I will see what comes of it and post the results. Keep the ideas flowing.

Cheers,
E

 

[renau1g]

With a warlord you can take a feat to add CHA mod to inspiring word (which should help). An eladrin Taclord can add a feat to add INt mod to I.W.