Worthy Comparison: Cleric vs. Healer

[Brother Shatterstone]

Is the healer core class, WotC’s Miniature Handbook pg 9, a worthy compassion of the core cleric?

By worthy I mean is it equally balanced? Would you ever play a healer or would you simply take a cleric with healing domain? (Mechanics only, I've got no complains about the concept of the healer.)

 

[Crothian]

dpends on the focus of the game. Cleric is a really versatile class with theri seplls and all the options they get being a core class.

 

[Brother Shatterstone]

dpends on the focus of the game. Cleric is a really versatile class with theri seplls and all the options they get being a core class.

So would you favor the Clerics for most games then?

 

[MerricB]

The healer is not balanced from a heavy-combat interaction point of view.

Its powers are very much of the sort of "we keep the fighters going" rather than actually doing any harm to the enemy. Many players will find this frustrating.

The Healer does have good diplomatic skills, however.

The Healer is really designed for NPC use, or as the "girlfriend" class. That latter is not derogatory; instead it merely reflects that there are people out there (normally girlfriends of D&D players) who enjoy being with their partner during the game, but aren't actually interested in killing monsters and gaining treasure: it is the social experience they're interested in, which the Healer is a great class for.

Cheers!

 

[Crothian]

So would you favor the Clerics for most games then?

What I feel and read on these boards asa standard D&D game the Cleric is perfered.

 

[Psychic Warrior]

What does the Healer get? Understand that most people don't have the Miniatures Handbook. I have no idea what this class has over, say, a Cleric with the Healing Domain.

 

[Brother Shatterstone]

What does the Healer get? Understand that most people don't have the Miniatures Handbook. I have no idea what this class has over, say, a Cleric with the Healing Domain.

Once a day abilities like remove disease and paralyze all the way up to restoring life at level 20.

Less armor (light armor no shield), more skills 4/level, same hit points, same saves, wizard BAB progression, cha modifier added to healing spells, skill focus healing early on.

Unlike the cleric theirs no mention of spontaneous casting of heal spells, on speaking of spells they can't cast harmful spells. (healing and protection for the most part.)

 

[Psychic Warrior]

Given those I would say no, not balanced towards the cleric. Although, imo, the cleric is possibly the most powerful class in the core rules. I can't see anyone bothering to take it when you can just get a regular cleric with some appropriate domains. Restoring life at 20th level once per day isn't terribly impressive when a cleirc can do it 10 levels earlier via Raise Dead.

 

[Brother Shatterstone]

Restoring life at 20th level once per day isn't terribly impressive when a cleirc can do it 10 levels earlier via Raise Dead.

Well it is true res, but is the only weekly one... (I doubt its going to change your opinion, I just don’t want to give you less than all the facts.)

Edit: I'm an idiot, the healer also get a unicorn mount at 8th level.

 

[MerricB]

Given those I would say no, not balanced towards the cleric. Although, imo, the cleric is possibly the most powerful class in the core rules. I can't see anyone bothering to take it when you can just get a regular cleric with some appropriate domains. Restoring life at 20th level once per day isn't terribly impressive when a cleirc can do it 10 levels earlier via Raise Dead.

They also gain it as a spell - the 20th level ability is True Res 1/week as a spell-like ability. (IIRC)

Cheers!