Healer character who isn't a cleric

[SteveC]

A bard with a Strength bonus, too? Will wonders never cease?

Well, the bard I'm playing now has Str 22, so it is certainly possible. He's more of a fighting character than a bard, but still...with the adds you can get to inspire courage, a singing bard can be quite a melee fighter and party buffer all in one...

--Steve

 

[kigmatzomat]

Dragon Shaman is also an interesting idea, but for any real healing, you need to be a bit higher level than I expect this game will be at for a long time

It's a decent healer if you get the aura that provides fast healing. It may be located in Dragon Magic rather than the PHBII. Iit provides Fast heal (aura rating) but won't heal you up to more than half hitpoints. (Meaning if your fighter has 50hp at full health, it won't do anything until he is at 24hp or lower.) Being able to get to half hitpoints in just a few minutes is a very nice thing. It basically results in autostabilization and, unlike the regenerate spells, it doesn't specify that it only applies to damage you take while in the aura.

 

[TracerBullet42]

A bard with a Strength bonus, too? Will wonders never cease?

Ahh, I miss Connor Murrow. My militant bard from an old Iron Kingdoms game...sniff, sniff.

Not only a strength bonus...but cleave!

 

[Zaruthustran]

The previously mentioned Dragon Shaman is a great choice, with good heals and good buffs. I also submit the Paladin for consideration. With Extra Turning and the right feats, you can buff and heal just fine.

Sacred Healing (the complete divine version) lets you give multi-round Fast Healing to all living creatures within 60'. This is a great feat for after combat, mass combat, rescue situations, and when fighting nonliving enemies.

 

[brehobit]

You loose your shield when you fling it to the ground.

Turns out that's also a good way to lose it....

 

[Drowbane]

Specifically, you'd probably want to be an Egoist (Psion specializing in Psychometabolism).
- Empathic Transfer (2nd level Psychometabolism power) lets you remove HP damage from others, and transfer it to yourself, at a 2-for-1 rate (e.g., take 8 hp of damage from your ally, and suffer 4 hp yourself).
- Body Adjustment (3rd level Psion power) lets you heal yourself.

Not the easiest way to do it, but you can do it.

The issue with psionics in general, given your stated intent for the character, is that you've got a lot of ways that you can buff yourself (not to mention a large number of ways to injure your opponents), but relatively few ways to buff other party members.

Or perhaps a Warforged Shaper with Psionic Repair Damage and around lvl 5 take Expanded Knowledge for Empathic Transfer...

 

[Jdvn1]

Mighty longbow works.

All right, you got me, you have a Bard tank.

 

[Herobizkit]

REALLY confuse your DM... Multiclass Bard with Paladin.

 

[drothgery]

Specifically, you'd probably want to be an Egoist (Psion specializing in Psychometabolism).
- Empathic Transfer (2nd level Psychometabolism power) lets you remove HP damage from others, and transfer it to yourself, at a 2-for-1 rate (e.g., take 8 hp of damage from your ally, and suffer 4 hp yourself).
- Body Adjustment (3rd level Psion power) lets you heal yourself.

Not the easiest way to do it, but you can do it.

If CPsi is in play, an Ardent with access to the Life Mantle gets Touch of Healing (1st level power, heals 2 HP/pp), Psionic Restoration, and Mend Wounds (6th level power, heals 5 HP/pp and does some other stuff).

 

[pawsplay]

Thanks to Complete Psionic, you can now play a psionic character who heals, either an Ardent, or another class using Expanded Knowledge.

Bards actually work well in the heal/buff role.

A wizard with a decent Wis could take Arcane Disciple and Sontaneous Healer, and work as a healer in a pinch, and could also use wands and staves with cure spells.

Mystic Theurge builds are good for buffing and healing. While lacking a single-classed character's solid punch, the sheer number of buffs available is staggering. And lagging a spell level or two behind is not a huge deal in terms of healing spells.

Cloistered Cleric (UA) might be fun for a change of pace.

Have you considered playing a weird cleric? Off the top of my head:

- cleric/rogue, mostly cleric (about 3:1), but a sneaky cleric of a chaotic deity
- one level of fighter, the rest in cleric, choosing an appropriate weapon or aesthetic (my personal favorite is the dashing knight, who looks like a paladin but tastes like a cleric)
- barbarian 1/cleric, some kind of tribal type guy
- the cleric detective, a character with the Knowlege domain who tends to begin sentences with phrases like, "It's elementary, my dear Lidda." Have him acquire and wear a lens of detection. Get a hand crossbow, and carry it inside a cloak or coat. Talk like Michael Caine.
- cleric of Zuokan, with Improved Unarmed Strike and the Mind domain, maybe headed for Sacred Fist, with psionic feats