Healer (from MHB): Is this a good class?

[SpiderMonkey]

Inspired by Nyaricus's topic about the Marshall.

What are your thoughts on the Healer?

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

While some folks insist no one would want to play a class focused on healing to the extent the Healer is, I actually know people who like that archetype. Having said that, I'd like the Healer to have more flexibility in abilities, including the ability to acquire other healing spells as they're published. I also would like the chance to swap out the unicorn for other companions -- I use WotC's unicorn god from BoED in my campaign, so it fits, but it won't in a lot of games.

They make good cohorts and NPCs, though.

 

[SpiderMonkey]

They make good cohorts and NPCs, though.

That's pretty much exactly what I said about the Marshall in Nyaricus's thread. Heh.

 

[FireLance]

I don't think it is good enough at healing. If it could spontaneously cast any spell on its spell list, like a warmage, dread necromancer of beguiler, I think it would make a better class.

 

[Dog Moon]

I don't think it is good enough at healing. If it could spontaneously cast any spell on its spell list, like a warmage, dread necromancer of beguiler, I think it would make a better class.

So if you decided to make it like that, would it become too powerful, or no considering that it is a healer instead of anything else?

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

So if you decided to make it like that, would it become too powerful, or no considering that it is a healer instead of anything else?

I think it would become a very viable class. The only danger is that, if it's significantly better at healing than a cleric, there might be people who feel compelled to play the less-versatile healer instead. (This is an issue in MMORPGs, for instance.)

 

[Particle_Man]

I have heard it referred to as the "girlfriend class", meaning a casual gamer (such as, for example, the girlfriend of a gamer that is not a hardcore gamer herself) that doesn't like being aggressive in combat so much but likes having something to do that people appreciate.

 

[Anson Caralya]

I think it would become a very viable class. The only danger is that, if it's significantly better at healing than a cleric, there might be people who feel compelled to play the less-versatile healer instead. (This is an issue in MMORPGs, for instance.)

My vote is no, because I think the designers were too worried about the issue above.

What does the healer give up? Medium and heavy armor, shields (even wooden ones), domain powers, a drop to the poor BAB, spontaneous casting of healing spells, and turning undead.

What does the healer gain? Slightly more spells at low level, 2 extra skill points on a slightly better list, a few special abilities related to healing spells, and a unicorn companion roughly on par with a ranger's animal companion.

I think giving up armor and shield OR turning undead would be a fair trade for the healer's powers. Losing everything listed above is just way too much. I would give them pure spontaneous casting based on Cha, make the animal companion progression equivalent to a druid's, and give them some evasion/movement abilities (maybe effortless healing at 4th level and further progression of that type every 4 levels). Maybe add Tumble and a few other skills to their list.

 

[WarlockLord]

They could use something to do besides heal. That could get boring after a while. The cleric is playable because he can do so much. The healer is kind of blah.


Note about boringness: I like the warlock, but sometimes, you get sick of blast blast blast.

 

[smootrk]

I wouldn't use the class. I think it is Cr@p, but then again, I am the type that redefines all clerics to almost individual base classes on a deity by deity basis (using the cleric and domains as a base to start with). Therefore, if there was a Deity solely focused on Healing, the class that I might design for the player might seem similar to the healer.

(btw, I don't design the 'clerics' in advance. More on-demand for players who express interest. I wing-it with npcs and standard clerics for npcs)