Worthy Comparison: Cleric vs. Healer

[Psychic Warrior]

Even True Res without having to spend the XP on it still would make this a weak version of the cleric. The lack of any kind of offensive spells might make the class a challenge to play (for me personally a very boring one as you'd end up on the sidelines - even trying to get into a melee to help your friend becomes problematical without some heavier armour) but I can't see it standing up to any of the other classes in a straight fight.

 

[Glyfair]

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.)

Don't forget the celestial unicorn as a companion (with options for celestial version of the lamassu, gynosphinx, water naga, androsphinx and couatl at higher levels).

 

[JoeBlank]

Unlike the cleric theirs no mention of spontaneous casting of heal spells

This is the part that concerns me. If you are going to call a class the Healer, at least make them the best at healing. Because they lack spontaneous casting of Cure X spells, the cleric is still a better healer, at least of hit point damage, which is the most common type of healing needed.

 

[Thanee]

If I were to build a class like that, it would look similar to the Warmage, I think. Not the spell list (or other specifics), of course, just the general idea.

Bye
Thanee

 

[Gez]

Healers don't get much spells that aren't healing spells on their spell list... And they don't cast less spells per day than clerics.

And since they add their Cha bonus to the number of hit point their healing spells cure, and, from level 7 on, do not provoke AoO anymore for casting healing spells, they're not so bad. Come on, a cure minor wounds healing 5 hp instead of 1 (assuming Charisma 18) ? That's as good as a first-level cleric casting CLW.

(You could as well extrapolate from the warmage feat Extra Edge and adapt it to the healer, adding +1+1/4 healer level in addition to the +Cha bonus. A level 8 healer with 16 Cha healing 1d8+11 hp with a cure light wounds may not have to wish she could spontaneously convert spells, after all.)

Their mount (celestial unicorn by default) provide them with increased mobility and a modicum of fighting power (the mount being able to fight) -- and extra healing power.

 

[Eridanis]

We have a healer NPC in our party, and she's quite suboptimal compared to the cleric. If I adapted the class for my game, I would probably play with ideas like allowing the character to spontaneously cast any spell from their list from the Conj (Healing) school - maybe once/day for every three character levels, or something like that. IT would take a abit of work.

Also necessary for a good build is the Augment Healing feat from Comp Divine - +2hp per spell level when you cast it.