Opinion of Healer Class

[Viktyr Gehrig]

I want to start off by saying, the one that out right insulted me, is a dick in general, and the DM did say something to him about it and said he'd talk to him later. I play in another game with the DM (where he isn't the DM), and he can play really well, and strategize better than most. I just think DMing isn't his strong suit.

There seems to be two things at work here. First, he's having a hard time judging the CR of his encounters-- which is a difficult art in any version of the game-- and second he prefers tough fights that require tactical skills and game mastery that the other players may not possess. I can't tell if it's only you and your one friend who object to the difficulty level of the campaign, or the whole group, so I don't know if his refusal to accommodate you is an issue or not.

If it's only the one player being a jerk to you, I can understand why you'd want to stick with it.

Viktyr, the Favored Soul/Divine Oracle combo sounds good, but I have a couple of questions about it. I know in PHB2 there is a variant of the class that allows you to give an ally or yourself temporary hit points when effected by a spell you cast. The only downside is that you don't gain weapon focus as a class ability. Which ability (weapon focus or granting temp HP) do you think is better?

Granting temporary HP, definitely. It's not your job to deal damage. It's your job to keep the rest of the party dealing damage. Temporary hit points are almost as good as keeping the party from getting hit in the first place.

The ability to grant temporary hit points to everyone affected by a spell at level 12 is very tempting, and I'm not sure how it compares to the immunity to surprise. Mass bull's strength followed by an augmented summon monster is nice, but summon monster followed by prayer plus 9 temporary hit points for everyone, including the summoned monsters?

Another class to consider is the Celestial Mystic from Book of Exalted Deeds. At 10th level, they grant Fast Healing 2 to any living being within 10 feet, including themselves. That's infinite healing as long as everyone survives the combat-- and as long as you're within 30 feet of them, they'll automatically stabilize and start to recover.

 

[blargney the second]

There's a PrC in one of the Fiend Folios - I think it's called Hellbreaker. They get 1/rnd swift action healing, which makes them surprisingly effective healers. They can also bring the pain quite nicely.

 

[airwalkrr]

First of all based on your description of the group, I am not surprised that the previous cleric quit the game. It sounds like the DM is a bit of a bastard.

Second of all, I'll address your actual question. I have had the unique experience of seeing a healer played from level 1 all the way to level 21 (no prestige class) in the same campaign. It was a campaign I ran, the Age of Worms adventure path from Dungeon magazine (aka the best AP ever!). Based on my experience, I would have to say that the Healer is an interesting class to say the least. Since I was allowing other sourcebooks in the campaign like the Spell Compendium, I worked with the player to add some extra spells to the healer's spell list to keep the character competitive. The player also had access to a number of feats from other sources. So it wasn't the pure healer class, but it was reasonably similar.

Overall I would say the healer is mid-tier on power-level. It is definitely limited in the role it can take in the party, although that role can still vary considerably depending on how the player chooses to play the character. The healer especially branches out once it receives its companion. While the companions the healer can choose from are quite thematic, they can still pack an impressive offensive punch to add to the group, allowing the healer to be both an aggressor and healer at the same time. In this respect, from level 7 onward, the healer is a very different character. So in the campaign you describe, you would have access to a fairly impressive companion which would allow you to take an offensive role while still keeping your party members alive and free from debilitating conditions.

Ultimately, I don't think you have a winning option here though. It seems this particular DM has a sadistic streak and I recommend trying to find another game. The fact that the other players were complaining about you being a sucky healer is not points in the group's favor. Obviously they aren't very good team players either. It wouldn't surprise me if the DM wasn't the only reason the previous cleric left.

 

[Dandu]

Healer by default is tier 4. Good at its specialty. Not good at its not-specialty.

 

[airwalkrr]

Healer by default is tier 4. Good at its specialty. Not good at its not-specialty.

Assuming everyone uses the same definition of the word "tier" as you do, that's probably correct. I was speaking in general terms. Taken in a vacuum (i.e. healer + core rules only), the healer isn't quite as powerful as a dedicated high-level cleric or wizard, but isn't as weak as a linear-progression class like the fighter.

 

[Dandu]

I'm using the definition of tier from the tier thread by JaronK, where I believe he mentioned that he considers the Healer as a tier 4 class.

 

[Viktyr Gehrig]

Taken in a vacuum (i.e. healer + core rules only), the healer isn't quite as powerful as a dedicated high-level cleric or wizard, but isn't as weak as a linear-progression class like the fighter.

That's the problem. The Healer isn't as good at healing as a Cleric dedicated to the purpose, and that's the only thing the Healer can do. The Warmage, is very good at throwing direct damage spells; if the Healer had the same ability to cast any spell from its spell list at any time, it would at least be as good within its specialty as the Cleric and Favored Soul.

 

[Petey7]

I'm going to talk to the DM tomorrow, or today technically, about letting me do the character. I noticed that dragon aura had a prerequisite of being level 3, so to make sure it would work I decided to be human and take combat casting at level 15, but I'll be doing it as recommended in terms of most other stuff.

The problem with my cleric, is I designed it for fighting. As my status (or what ever you call it on here) suggest, I prefer martial classes, but decided to do cleric so that I could heal outside of battle, and because I had never played as one before. I didn't realize that most people in the group would automatically think cleric = dedicated healer. I mean, I know that that is a common way to play them, but still.

I just had a couple more questions. What do y'all think of the Etheral Jaunt spell? It seems like a good way to safely get from one side of a battle field to another quickly atleast once. Also, any opinion on Celestrial Armor?

And thank you all again for the help with this character and the info on the healer class.

 

[Dandu]

Just don't take Combat Casting. Ever.

Ethereal Jaunt and Celestial Armor are probably decent.

Oh, and look in the Complete Champion for a feat called Touch of Healing. As long as you have a 2nd level or higher healing spell available to cast, it lets you heal someone up to half their full HP for free. Out of combat healing, of course, but pretty good.

Or you could pull some cheese and Divine Metamagic Persist Mass Lesser Vigor to grant fast healing 1 to everyone all day.

That's really pushing it, though.

 

[Petey7]

Let me see if I understand the Touch of Healing feat. Lets say I have Cure Serious Wounds, Mass. Instead of using, say, Cure Serious (not the mass version) on a single person who's hp less than 50% of there full hp, I can heal just heal 21 (7*3) HP instead without lossing that a spell for that day. And when casting healing spells, like the Cure X Wounds spells, I do as if I were one level higher.

Is all that right?