Retooling the Healer (Heal it! ~ Heal it! ~ No one wants to be defeated!)

T.G. Oskar · 11-28-2009, 04:24 AM

Ladies and gentlemen! Childrens of all ages! Eldritch abominations and outsiders too!! ...Well, Undead and violent creeps aren't welcome this time...

This time, I present to you a class that felt like it ain't had no sunshine. Remember the time? When that pretty young thing called in-combat healing existed? (...If it existed at all?) When magic was only black or white? Perhaps not. However, I will tell a nice story. Don't worry, I'll be brief. It is the story of the class that felt it got to be there. A class that dreamt of "I wanna be there where you are", that sublime pedestal where Wizards and Clerics stand? But, alas, the Optimizers, those people who decide what goes and what comes, dismissed it. "Beat it", said the optimizers, "you can't win". "Leave me alone", said others: they weren't satisfied with how it was built. The fellow Tier 5 classes tried to cheer the little class up, saying "they don't care about us". And for a moment, it was true.

But...hey, things change. Monk got retooled the first. It was done better, beefier...who knows, maybe unbreakable. Ninja came next, and albeit UMD haunted it, it became a surprising thriller. Next, that smooth criminal that I am saw the Warmage, and said "we're gonna rock with you!". Then, that little class, forgotten by its peers, went to me and told me "do I deserve one more chance?". And hey, that little class did deserve one more chance. I told that class "you are not alone. Give in to me. I'll simply gonna tweak with just a little bit of you."

We're almost there, don't leave already!

Now, that class left in the closet has been released.

I expect that you read it, and you can tell to that little and forgotten class "I just can't stop loving you. The way you make me feel is special".

I wanna be startin' something. Something new, refreshing. Take those Tier 5 classes out of oblivion, or at least grant them some attention. See if this works or this doesn't. I hope this works, but hey, if it doesn't, it can be fixed a bit more. You know, don't stop 'til you got enough.

Who is it?

Well...this is it. Heaven can wait.

It's time to heal the world...
This may not make sense; this is intentional. Kudos to whom gets the reference :P
HEALER

"Flesh wounds heal on their own, but the scars of war can't be healed only with time. I can only hope I can heal those..."

MAKING A HEALER (or, what has changed and what hasn't)

Spoiler

Class Skills: The healer’s class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Handle Animal (Cha), Heal (Wis), Knowledge (nature) (Int), Knowledge (religion) (Int), Knowledge (the planes) (Int), Profession (Wis), Sense Motive (Wis), Spellcraft (Int) and Survival (Wis)
Skill Points at 1st Level: (4 + Int modifier) x 4.
Skill Points at Each Additional Level: 4 + Int modifier.

Spoiler

Hit Die: d6.

Level	Base Attack Bonus	Fort Save	Ref Save	Will Save	Special	0lvl	1st	2nd	3rd	4th	5th	6th	7th	8th	9th
1st	+0	+0	+0	+2	Healer's blessing, submission strike	5	3	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
2nd	+1	+0	+0	+3	Aura of protection	6	4	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
3rd	+1	+1	+1	+3	Advanced learning	6	5	3	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
4th	+2	+1	+1	+4	Healing hands (damage)	6	6	4	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
5th	+2	+1	+1	+4	Boundless healing (healing spells)	6	6	5	3	-	-	-	-	-	-
6th	+3	+2	+2	+5	Extension of blessing +1	6	6	5	4	-	-	-	-	-	-
7th	+3	+2	+2	+5	Advanced learning, extension of life	6	6	6	5	3	-	-	-	-	-
8th	+4	+2	+2	+6	Healing hands (status)	6	6	6	5	4	-	-	-	-	-
9th	+4	+3	+3	+6	Boundless hand (touch spells)	6	6	6	6	5	3	-	-	-	-
10th	+5	+3	+3	+7	Improved healer's blessing	6	6	6	6	5	4	-	-	-	-
11th	+5	+3	+3	+7	Advanced learning	6	6	6	6	6	5	3	-	-	-
12th	+6/+1	+4	+4	+8	Extension of blessing +2	6	6	6	6	6	5	4	-	-	-
13th	+6/+1	+4	+4	+8	Boundless hand (wide area spells)	6	6	6	6	6	6	5	3	-	-
14th	+7/+2	+4	+5	+9		6	6	6	6	6	6	5	4	-	-
15th	+7/+2	+5	+5	+9	Advanced learning	6	6	6	6	6	6	6	5	3	-
16th	+8/+3	+5	+5	+10		6	6	6	6	6	6	6	5	4	-
17th	+8/+3	+5	+5	+10	Retributive healing	6	6	6	6	6	6	6	6	5	3
18th	+9/+4	+6	+6	+11	Extension of blessing +3	6	6	6	6	6	6	6	6	6	4
19th	+9/+4	+6	+6	+11	Advanced learning	6	6	6	6	6	6	6	6	6	5
20th	+10/+5	+6	+6	+12	Benediction	6	6	6	6	6	6	6	6	6	6

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Class Features
All of the following are class features of the healer.
Weapon and Armor Proficiencies: A healer is proficient with all simple bludgeoning weapons. Healers are proficient with medium armor and light shields.

Spoiler

Submission Strike (Ex): A healer, while understanding the need for violence in certain occasions, prefers to subdue her opponents instead. A healer may choose to deal non-lethal damage with any weapon she uses (normally bludgeoning weapons, but the ability extends to any weapons with which she gains proficiency) without the penalty to attack rolls for executing the action.

Spoiler

Spells: A healer casts divine spells, which are drawn from the healer spell list below. She can cast any spell she knows without preparing it ahead of time. When a healer gains access to a new spell list, she automatically learns all the spells for the level listed on the healer’s spell list. Essentially, her spell list is the same as her spells known list. Healers also have the option of adding to their existing spell list through their advanced learning ability as they increase in level (see below).
To cast a spell, a healer must have a Charisma score equal to at least 10 + the spell level. The Difficulty Class for a saving throw against a healer’s spell is 10 + the spell level + the healer’s Charisma modifier. Like other spellcasters, a healer can cast only a certain number of spells of each spell level per day. Her base daily spell allotment is given on Table: The Healer. In addition, she receives bonus spells per day if she has a high Charisma score.
As noted above, a healer need not prepare her spells in advance. She can cast any spell she knows at any time, assuming she has not yet used up her allotment of spells per day for the spell’s level.

Spoiler

Healer’s Blessing (Su): A healer devotes to seal the wounds provoked by battle, as well as the maladies and ailments often resulting from war. More often than not, the wounds refuse to heal completely, serving mostly as a temporary remedy than a full remedy, and even more often, the endurance provided by her becomes insufficient in the face of greater odds. To combat this situation, the healer reinforces her devotion to remedy wounds to reinforce her abilities.
At 1st level, whenever a healer casts a spell that heals hit point damage directly (and not by methods such as fast healing), she may add her Wisdom modifier times her class level, divided by two, to the amount of healing provided by the spell. In case this ability affects multiple times, the effect works only once. This bonus healing is added at the end, and thus is never affected by metamagic. This ability only applies only to spells that she casts from her healer’s spell slots, not from those she may have by virtue of levels in another class.

Spoiler

Aura of Protection (Su): At 2nd level, a healer’s devotion protects her from surrounding violence. So as long as she remains true to her cause, enemies will feel a supernatural aversion to harm her. A healer emanates a permanent aura that causes an effect identical to the Sanctuary spell, with a save DC equal to 10 + ½ the healer’s class level + the healer’s Wis modifier. Once an attacking creature succeeds on the saving throw, or is victim to a healer’s attack, the effect is suppressed for the creature for the next 24 hours.

Spoiler

Advanced Learning: At 3rd level and every four levels after that, a healer can add a new spell to her list, representing the result of personal study and experimentation. The spell must be a cleric or druid spell of the abjuration, conjuration (healing) or transmutation schools, and of a level no higher than that of the highest spell level the healer already knows. Once a new spell is selected, it is forever added to that healer’s spell list and can be cast just like any other spell on the healer’s list.

Spoiler

Healing Hands (Su): At 4th level, a healer’s devotion to her craft allows her to manipulate a personal pool of positive energy, which allows her to heal wounds of creatures even when she has expended all of her magical power. As she progresses, her skill at healing directly with positive energy improves.
At 4th level, a healer gains the ability to heal the wounds of living creatures (her own or those of others) by touch. Each day she can heal a number of points of damage equal to twice her class level times her Charisma bonus. She can choose to divide her healing among multiple recipients, and she doesn’t have to use it all at once. Alternatively, she may use any or all of this ability to deal damage to undead creatures. Using this ability in this way requires a successful melee touch attack that does not provoke attacks of opportunity.
Beginning at 8th level, the healer can choose to spend some of the healing bestowed by this ability to remove other harmful conditions affecting the target. To remove each ability, a healer must have a minimum requisite amount of ranks in the Heal skill.
5 points: ability damage (10 ranks), daze (8 ranks), fatigue (10 ranks), sicken (10 ranks), slow (10 ranks)
10 points: ability drain (14 ranks), exhaustion (14 ranks), nausea (14 ranks), paralysis (10 ranks), poison (14 ranks), stun (10 ranks)
20 points: blind (12 ranks), deaf (12 ranks), disease (12 ranks), energy drain (14 ranks), petrify (18 ranks)
A healer can remove a condition (or more than one condition) and heal damage with the same touch, so as long as she expends the required number of points.

Spoiler

Boundless Healing (Su): At 5th level, a healer seeks to surpass the limitations that hinder her abilities. She learns to unleash her healing powers upon a distance. Any spell cast by the healer that restores hit points and has a range of touch has its range extended to close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels). The spell does not need to be a conjuration (healing) spell, but it must be capable of restoring hit point damage to the creature without causing damage to a secondary creature.
At 9th level, any spell cast by the healer that grants any kind of bonus to an ability score, attack rolls, damage rolls, armor class, saving throws or skill checks and has a range of touch has its range increased to close.
At 13th level, any spell that restores hit points or that provides any kind of bonus to an ability score, attack roll, damage roll, armor class, saving throw or skill check and affects multiple creatures has its maximum ranges doubled. Treat this ability as if using the Widen Spell metamagic feat, including and not limited to the maximum distance between targets, except that you don't use a higher level spell slot and there is no increase in casting time.
This ability only applies only to spells that she casts from her healer’s spell slots, not from those she may have by virtue of levels in another class.

Spoiler

Extension of Blessing (Su): A healer isn’t exclusively devoted to restore the health of the wounded, but also to prevent the wounds from happening in first instance, preferably without resorting to personal violence. As she learns to improve her healing ability, she learns to improve her protective spells and even her enhancement spells.
At 6th level, any spell cast by a healer that grants any kind of bonus to attack rolls, damage rolls, Armor Class, saving throws or skill checks has its base bonus increased by one. This increase affects any bonus provided by the spell if there is more than one. A healer cannot apply this bonus increment to any bonus towards ability scores, even if increasing ability scores provides an increase in the aforementioned parameters. At 12th level and again at 18th level, this increment in bonus increases by one. This ability only applies only to spells that she casts from her healer’s spell slots, not from those she may have by virtue of levels in another class.

Spoiler

Extension of Life (Su): At 7th level, a healer learns to hold excess positive energy from her healing spells in the target, which work to immediately fresh wounds. Whenever a spell cast by the healer that restores hit points to a creature heals up to the creature’s maximum amount of hit points, the excess points are turned into temporary hit points, which last for an amount of rounds equal to the healer's class level. A creature must be healed of a wound of at least half the creature’s Hit Dice in order to be affected by this ability. This ability only applies only to spells that she casts from her healer’s spell slots, not from those she may have by virtue of levels in another class.

Spoiler

Improved Healer’s Blessing (Su): At 10th level, a healer further improves her healing abilities. She adds half her class level as bonus dice to any spell affected by the healer’s blessing class ability, of the same die size. If the spell does not use dice, then this ability does not affect it.

Spoiler

Retributive Healing (Su): At 17th level, a healer learns the outstanding ability to heal wounds at a moment's notice, from small and single to masses of fatally wounded allies. Her ability to do so is reflexive in nature, and allows her a great deal of manipulation on her craft.

Once per round, as an immediate action that does not provoke attacks of opportunity, a healer may use a conjuration (healing) spell or expend points from her Healing Hands ability whenever an enemy injures an ally, or herself. The ally must be within close range, and the healer must decide whether to activate the ability or not once the result of the damage is known. A healer may use any conjuration (healing) spell she knows that affects a single target and that lasts no longer than a full-round action, or expend as many points of her Healing Hands ability as she desires. She may also choose to use a conjuration (healing) spell that affects multiple creatures, but with two conditions: the attack must affect more than one ally, and only the injured allies receive the benefit (so if an ally within range of the spell was not injured, the spell has no effect on him or her). For conjuration (healing) spells, the effects of Healer's Blessing, Improved Healer's Blessing and Extension of Life apply.

Spoiler

Benediction (Su): At 20th level, a healer’s devotion allows her to defy even death itself. She can manipulate her reserves of positive energy to restore life to the fallen, at the extent of her own lifeforce.
To use this ability, a healer must have at least 40 points in her healing hands ability available to use. By expending all points of this ability, a healer is capable of reviving all fallen allies within 30 ft. Treat this ability as if a true resurrection spell, except that the healer requires no diamonds (as usual for a supernatural ability) and gains a negative level per each creature she revives in this way. These negative levels remain for 24 hours, and cannot be removed by any means. At the end of the 24-hour period, she recovers her lost levels as normal.

Spoiler

Wait...it's over already? We dealt with some of the things that make healing bad. Healing has a bigger range, heals more, heals definitely more, and provides temporary hit points to your hit points. By now, healing should be attractive. Healing hands doesn't get that benefit, sure, but it doesn't mean it shouldn't be attractive. However, if you're a healer, what happens when your healed people die?

Simple, you use this. This would be the theoretical equivalent of an Epic Spell exclusive to the Healer, where you get a free, once per day super-resurrection ability. Let's see how it works:

First, you get revived. That's cool.

Second, it's True Resurrection. True. Ressu. Frickin'. Rection. Which means no loss of level or permanent Con, regardless of how much time has the corpse spent dead, or the condition. Just uttering the names should be enough.

Third, it requires no costly diamonds. Just an expenditure of points from the Healing Hands pool.

Fourth, it's a supernatural ability. Yes, supernatural. No spell-like ability. That means it can't be enhanced with the spell-like ability enhancers, but it *can* be enhanced with the supernatural ones. Also, it provokes no attacks of opportunity. So, you can be pretty much in midst of combat and you can revive your allies as if nothing had happened.

The only catch? A negative level per each resurrection. Those are temporary levels, and you never risk the chance of losing them. This is one heavy blow for such a powerful capstone, but reasonable, in the sense that someone has to pay for such an insanely strong power. But, it should not penalize you.

As it stands, it assures one free "get out of TPK" card, no questions asked, with the catch of being weakened for the day because of this. If you're a healer, this should be the most potent healing ability you can have. I declined for the Warmage capstone, since it makes sense for them to have metamagic reductions for greater power (in terms of damage). A Healer, on the other hand, wants the power to prevent deaths, and this looks like the kind of thing.

As usual, please comment on the class. You can say whatever you desire so as long as it's class related or class ability related. Whether that sucks and doesn't deserve to see the light or day, or that it's the best thing since sliced bread/other exciting things. As usual, I as humble servant shall answer to the best of my capabilities and deal with your concerns, much like I've done for the other three retoolings.

Oh, and the spells? Look below.

T.G. Oskar · 11-28-2009, 05:12 AM

Healer Spell List
0—create water, cure minor wounds, deathwatch, detect magic, detect poison, guidance*, light, mending, purify food and drink, read magic, resistance*, virtue*
1st—bless*, bless water, blessed aim*, calm animals*, conviction*, cure light wounds, endure elements*, goodberry, halt animal*, healthful rest*, incite*, inhibit*, lesser vigor*, longstrider*, omen of peril*, protection from chaos*, protection from evil, protection from law*, remove fear, remove paralysis, resurgence*, sanctuary, shield of faith*, whelm*
2nd— aid*, barkskin*, bear’s endurance*, bull’s strength*, calm emotions*, cure moderate wounds, close wounds, delay poison, divine protection*, eagle’s splendor*, enthrall*, gentle repose, halt undead*, healing lorecall*, lesser restoration, lesser spell immunity*, make whole*, owl’s wisdom*, protection from negative energy*, remove blindness/deafness, remove disease, resist energy*, shield other*, status, whelming blast*
3rd—create food and water, cure serious wounds, dispel magic*, grace*, hold person*, inevitable defeat*, magic vestment*, mantle of chaos*, mantle of good*, mantle of law*, mass aid*, mass conviction*, mass lesser vigor*, mass resist energy*, mass resurgence*, neutralize poison, prayer*, protection from energy*, remove curse, restoration, vigor*, wind wall*
4th—contingent energy resistance*, cure critical wounds, death ward, delay death, freedom of movement, greater resistance, last breath*, mass aid*, mass cure light wounds, mass shield of faith*, panacea, positive energy aura*, recitation*, reincarnate*, rejuvenation cocoon*, revenance*, sheltered vitality*, spell immunity*, wall of chaos*, wall of good*, wall of law*
5th—atonement, break enchantment, dance of the unicorn*, divine agility*, greater vigor*, mass cure moderate wounds, mass whelm*, raise dead, revivify, spell resistance*, stalwart pact*, stoneskin*, stone to flesh, true seeing
6th—energy immunity*, greater dispel magic*, greater restoration, heal, heroes’ feast, hold monster*, mass bear’s endurance*, mass bull’s strength*, mass cure serious wounds, mass eagle’s splendor*, mass owl’s wisdom*, rejection*,revive outsider*, superior resistance*, vigorous circle*, regenerate, repel wood*, tortoise shell*
7th—aura of vitality*, mass cure critical wounds, mass hold person*, mass restoration*, mass spell resistance*, overwhelm*, renewal pact*, repulsion, resurrection
8th—antimagic field*, cloak of chaos*, death pact*, discern location, greater spell immunity*, holy aura , mass death ward*, mass heal, repel metal or stone*, shield of law*
9th—antipathy*, foresight, mass hold monster*, sympathy*, true resurrection, unyielding roots*
*: spells not on the original Healer list.

Spoiler

aethernox · 11-28-2009, 06:55 AM

I... like it.

I mean, I'm not sure if you've fixed all of healing's inherent troubles, but at least you've made a character that can truly heal well. You've included the wonderful spontaneous specialist casting, which I approve of entirely.

I'm of the opinion that it needs some offensive actions via spells, if only because not having the option whatsoever could become crippling in some circumstances.

Advanced Learning can do some very interesting things, to say the least. I'm not sure how it impacts the class as a whole, however.

Anonymouswizard · 11-28-2009, 07:29 AM

I never saw the original healer, but I've liked what you did with the warmage. Maybe give it an ability to do something else, but as It stands, it should do its job.

EdroGrimshell · 11-28-2009, 10:18 AM

I had something where a healer could drain the life of an opponent and store for healing their allies later.

Also, dreamscarred press has a class that connects multiple people and allows healing from one to be transfered to others. Sort of like the War Weaver's eldritch tapestry.

zagan · 11-28-2009, 11:27 AM

An excellent retooling, a few thing:

Adding an example for Improved Healer’s Blessing might be nice just to make thing clear.
If I understand right a 10th level healer casting Cure ligh wound would roll 6d8 instead of 1d8 (+5 + bonus from Healer's blessing of course)

Giving them something a 14, 16 and 17 migh be nice even if it's small. (Yes, I know they get a caster level, but still)
Fast healing would be nice, that way if they're target they last longer and it allow them to conserve spell or Healing hands for other.
Fast healing for Half their wisdom modifier perhaps ?

No real idea for the other level, a bonus to some skill like heal, diplomacy and handle animal perhaps ?

Apart from that as i said great job.

Siosilvar · 11-28-2009, 12:38 PM

Typo in Healer's Blessing: "Divided by half" is the same thing as "multiplied by two".

Temotei · 11-28-2009, 02:01 PM

Interesting. I only have to say that level 16 and level 17 are both dead, with only spells per day being added to the character. That's really boring. Perhaps just a bonus feat, if only to fill it with something.

Also, maybe you could improve submission strike later on to do extra nonlethal damage, similarly to the merciful weapon ability. It wouldn't be much, certainly, but still.

There were a few grammar errors, but right now, I'm feeling really lazy, so I might come back and point them all out later. For now, don't worry about it--they're not too bad. Certainly much, much better than a lot of other things that have been posted.

Cute_Riolu · 11-28-2009, 02:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Siosilvar

Typo in Healer's Blessing: "Divided by half" is the same thing as "multiplied by two".

I was going to mention that too. Blasted ninjas.

Violet Octopus · 11-28-2009, 03:31 PM

I like this a lot (and I loved that you made a fix for the warmage).

At 14th and 16th level the healer gets access to a new spell level. Only 17 really needs something.

Perhaps it could do with a few offensive nondamaging spells. From a flavour point of view it's important to incapacitate an enemy so they don't hurt more people while you're healing the already-injured. Bands of Steel comes to mind, but balance-wise you might want to give nonlethal damage spells instead of save or sucks. I don't know.

Temotei · 11-28-2009, 03:42 PM

Glitter!

Dust, that is.

T.G. Oskar · 11-28-2009, 06:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by aethernox

I... like it.

I mean, I'm not sure if you've fixed all of healing's inherent troubles, but at least you've made a character that can truly heal well. You've included the wonderful spontaneous specialist casting, which I approve of entirely.

I'm of the opinion that it needs some offensive actions via spells, if only because not having the option whatsoever could become crippling in some circumstances.

Advanced Learning can do some very interesting things, to say the least. I'm not sure how it impacts the class as a whole, however.

Well, fixing healing so it can work as intended is difficult. The proper healing method would be turn all healing spells into swift action spells, but that would mean they would run out of spells fast and they'd be without actions to do. Still, it's considerately better than another kind of healer, even a Cleric.

It's hard to add offensive actions without overloading the class. Certainly, there are three dead levels around, but it's pretty difficult to add a truly offensive action. Perhaps I could count with the Whelm line, but that...works a bit different.

Advanced Learning's impact is roughly the same as the ability on the Warmage, Beguiler or Dread Necromancer: it allows a slight customization of the spell list. Choosing from both Cleric and Druid means you get a pretty different, yet considerable list, and expanding to Abjuration and Transmutation means you can choose from a quite diverse selection, including most staple spells of the Cleric. For example, Divine Power and Righteous Might are both Cleric Transmutation spells. Shapechange is a Transmutation spell. While it may seem like powerful spells for a Healer, consider the fact that they have little to no offensive actions, so you can safely add them and it won't do much impact. However, if you wish to add a different kind of spell, such as another buff (Deific Bastion, Divine Retribution), you can add them. The impact will really depend on which spells you choose, and how well you know the spell list of the Cleric or the Druid.

Quote:

Originally Posted by EdroGrimshell

I had something where a healer could drain the life of an opponent and store for healing their allies later.

Also, dreamscarred press has a class that connects multiple people and allows healing from one to be transfered to others. Sort of like the War Weaver's eldritch tapestry.

Draining life usually is considered a less than moral act, so as a class ability it would seem odd. However, I do recall there's a spell floating around in one of the books (Eberron's Forge of War, I recall; spell is called Manifest Life) that does the same thing. Oddly enough, it's a Paladin spell so it's...weird. Adding such a mechanic would be a bit difficult to introduce, as it has to be pretty early and the first levels are quite overloaded. I will think of that, though.

As for the tapestry-like ability...you can work War Weaver to do the same. Will take some power of your Healer, but in the end it would provide a pretty solid benefit. So I don't consider it very important, given that by the time you get the mass versions of Cure X Wounds, you'll heal quite a lot more than doing the tapestry (and the overload in healing points, by that moment, turns into temporary hit points which is a bit more effective).

Quote:

Originally Posted by zagan

An excellent retooling, a few thing:

Adding an example for Improved Healer’s Blessing might be nice just to make thing clear.
If I understand right a 10th level healer casting Cure ligh wound would roll 6d8 instead of 1d8 (+5 + bonus from Healer's blessing of course)

Giving them something a 14, 16 and 17 migh be nice even if it's small. (Yes, I know they get a caster level, but still)
Fast healing would be nice, that way if they're target they last longer and it allow them to conserve spell or Healing hands for other.
Fast healing for Half their wisdom modifier perhaps ?

No real idea for the other level, a bonus to some skill like heal, diplomacy and handle animal perhaps ?

Apart from that as i said great job.

For the first: it works as you intend. Consider that the main difference between Cure X Wounds spells is 1d8 + an increase in static cap of 5 per spell level, except on Mass CXW spells in which the dynamic dice reset. By definition and based on the original spells (without the class ability), the increase in average HP would be of around 9.5 HP per class level, and for Mass spells somewhat different. This is intentional, as it makes even the weakest of spells quite better, but it won't defeat Heal any time (and the bigger the HP restored, the bigger the chances are that you get temp. Hit Points).

As for the second: most of the class progressions are based on mathematical progressions. For example: Healer's Blessing and Imp. Healer's Blessing are on the first level, and then halfway through the class. Extension of Blessing increases every 6 levels. Advanced Learning increases every 4 levels. Healing Hands' next increase is 4 levels after, and the ability was meant to increase originally every 4 levels but as it stands it works quite well.

As they stand, 14th level would fall within Extension of Life, and 16th level would fall with Healing Hands. 17th is prime and it would imply an ability that could be reasonably good at that point. I don't intend on filling the class with goodies, but I can understand the dissonance on class abilities. The proposed idea of fast healing, however, has a slight difficulty: it makes Vigor spells pretty much useless (although they'll give a great service, that I can concede) once you reach 14th level (which would fit with the idea of Extension of Life). I'll think about it, but it should be something that won't compete with the strongest Vigor spell on equal grounds (considering Vigorous Circle is acquired only 2 levels before).

Now...if Extension of Life were to improve Vigor spells, that could be reasonable enough.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Siosilvar

Typo in Healer's Blessing: "Divided by half" is the same thing as "multiplied by two".

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cariyaga

I was going to mention that too. Blasted ninjas.

I noticed that just now. Big brain fart there. However, I'll fix it as it should be.

Which reminded me...I had to update something on the Warmage (which I did once I checked that out)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Temotei221

Interesting. I only have to say that level 16 and level 17 are both dead, with only spells per day being added to the character. That's really boring. Perhaps just a bonus feat, if only to fill it with something.

Also, maybe you could improve submission strike later on to do extra nonlethal damage, similarly to the merciful weapon ability. It wouldn't be much, certainly, but still.

There were a few grammar errors, but right now, I'm feeling really lazy, so I might come back and point them all out later. For now, don't worry about it--they're not too bad. Certainly much, much better than a lot of other things that have been posted.

First and foremost: grammar errors? I feel...appalled. Most people say I have a pretty solid grammar; perhaps too solid. I write this at night, and alone, even though I write it on Word (and pretty much transplant from it). The opening post was meant to refer to something else, so it may have intentional grammar errors.

Level 16th is a new spell level added, and it's 8th level, which holds some insanely good buffs. So I wouldn't say it's boring. Plus, Death Pact: most people would kill the Spirit Shaman because they have an ability like that.

And I admit it: level 17th is boring. It's meant to be boring. Difficult to work with prime numbers that won't get a nice further progression.

Merciful equivalent property for Submission Strike? I'd think about it, but it's pretty well loaded: I should make space in one of the Advanced Learning spots. They are...kinda boring too :P

Quote:

Originally Posted by Violet Octopus

I like this a lot (and I loved that you made a fix for the warmage).

At 14th and 16th level the healer gets access to a new spell level. Only 17 really needs something.

Perhaps it could do with a few offensive nondamaging spells. From a flavour point of view it's important to incapacitate an enemy so they don't hurt more people while you're healing the already-injured. Bands of Steel comes to mind, but balance-wise you might want to give nonlethal damage spells instead of save or sucks. I don't know.

Even levels except for 20 also get spell slots, and they get something (at times, something nice even!). That, along with the above statement, means 14th and 16th are actually better to work with than 17th.

As for offensive non-damaging spells...it's a tad difficult. So far, the only "offensive" spells they got are repulsion spells, which don't actually offend or anything. The only spells that come to mind are the Whelm line (and I'm surprised they aren't so bad for a Healer), but the problem is that it would involve opening yet another book for the Healer to draw with, and while it has a massive justification, it would imply justifying the entrance of other spells and that reduces the impact of Advanced Learning a bit. Even though Whelm is Enchantment.

Still, I could do well with a list of what would you consider good non-damaging offensive spells on the Cleric/Druid spell list from either Spell Compendium or Player's Handbook (since Complete Divine and Miniatures Handbook were subsumed into SpC) I could think of adding them, but most of the things I saw were pretty damaging.

--

In conclusion:
--I could use more ideas, or at least a mathematical progression, of an offensive action that could benefit the Healer without making it feel overloaded.
--14th and 16th could get something good, but considering that they work within the Extension of Life and Healing Hands parameters, or that are just so good that they deserve to be there. No Wishes or Gate, please.

For everyone that gave thanks, I give thanks back. Healer was a tad difficult considering it was meant not to be a powerful warrior, but rather the kind of class that few people would dare to play. It could certainly use some form of reasonable offensive, though (even I have to admit that)

aethernox · 11-28-2009, 06:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by T.G. Oskar

Well, fixing healing so it can work as intended is difficult. The proper healing method would be turn all healing spells into swift action spells, but that would mean they would run out of spells fast and they'd be without actions to do. Still, it's considerately better than another kind of healer, even a Cleric.

Yes, I would certainly think so. It's quite admirable that you devoted this effort to a class based on an inherently flawed mechanic, and made some playable out of it. Purely defensive characters aren't my cup of tea, of course, so I'm not sure if I will ever get a chance to play one. It certainly looks nice to say the least.

Quote:

Originally Posted by T.G. Oskar

It's hard to add offensive actions without overloading the class. Certainly, there are three dead levels around, but it's pretty difficult to add a truly offensive action. Perhaps I could count with the Whelm line, but that...works a bit different.

Understandably. Personally, I would do it via spells, even if it involved a stretch as far as adding Unicorn Arrow because it's thematic.

Quote:

Originally Posted by T.G. Oskar

Advanced Learning's impact is roughly the same as the ability on the Warmage, Beguiler or Dread Necromancer: it allows a slight customization of the spell list. Choosing from both Cleric and Druid means you get a pretty different, yet considerable list, and expanding to Abjuration and Transmutation means you can choose from a quite diverse selection, including most staple spells of the Cleric. For example, Divine Power and Righteous Might are both Cleric Transmutation spells. Shapechange is a Transmutation spell. While it may seem like powerful spells for a Healer, consider the fact that they have little to no offensive actions, so you can safely add them and it won't do much impact. However, if you wish to add a different kind of spell, such as another buff (Deific Bastion, Divine Retribution), you can add them. The impact will really depend on which spells you choose, and how well you know the spell list of the Cleric or the Druid.

Yes, but the lists of those classes offer slightly different options. It's a subtle note, admittedly.

Like many stupidly written cleric buffs, Divine Power is actually
Evocation. Shapechange was admittedly the first spell that came to mind when I saw the ninth level slot AL.

Temotei · 11-28-2009, 07:45 PM

Quote:

First and foremost: grammar errors? I feel...appalled. Most people say I have a pretty solid grammar; perhaps too solid. I write this at night, and alone, even though I write it on Word (and pretty much transplant from it). The opening post was meant to refer to something else, so it may have intentional grammar errors.

Level 16th is a new spell level added, and it's 8th level, which holds some insanely good buffs. So I wouldn't say it's boring. Plus, Death Pact: most people would kill the Spirit Shaman because they have an ability like that.

And I admit it: level 17th is boring. It's meant to be boring. Difficult to work with prime numbers that won't get a nice further progression.

Merciful equivalent property for Submission Strike? I'd think about it, but it's pretty well loaded: I should make space in one of the Advanced Learning spots. They are...kinda boring too :P

The grammar errors are very little things, like this: "This ability only applies only to spells that..." So not bad, and far better than I expected, honestly.

I'll admit that I missed the 8th level spells being added. So 16th level is good. But...yeah...17th is really boring. I trust in your ability to make some cool ability to make up for the less than awesome levels, though, because this class has some pretty attractive abilities.

Nice job.

T.G. Oskar · 11-29-2009, 06:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by aethernox

Yes, I would certainly think so. It's quite admirable that you devoted this effort to a class based on an inherently flawed mechanic, and made some playable out of it. Purely defensive characters aren't my cup of tea, of course, so I'm not sure if I will ever get a chance to play one. It certainly looks nice to say the least.

I understand that most people actually won't play it, but I present it as a choice nonetheless. I want to present a class that presents healing as a viable option, and not the task of a wand of 750 GP (since both CLW and Lesser Vigor cost that amount...) Since the healing boosters only apply to spells cast via the Healer's spell slots, the Healer can only become better at healing, even if it uses that lowly CLW spell.

Quote:

Understandably. Personally, I would do it via spells, even if it involved a stretch as far as adding Unicorn Arrow because it's thematic.

Well...the Unicorn is absent (and I intend to make it absent, though I *might* consider an ACF that returns the unicorn for...say...Healing Hands?

Thing is, some of the best non-lethal offensive spells are either the realm of Book of Exalted Deeds or Player's Handbook II. However, given how people are suggesting more offensive options, I'll have to make the distinction and add at least the Whelm line (since all those spells are Enchantment spells)

Quote:

Yes, but the lists of those classes offer slightly different options. It's a subtle note, admittedly.

Like many stupidly written cleric buffs, Divine Power is actually
Evocation. Shapechange was admittedly the first spell that came to mind when I saw the ninth level slot AL.

I noticed that, as a double take. DP is completely nuts as an Evocation spell, considering it grants an Enhancement bonus, which is usually the realm of Transmutation.

Righteous Might, tho, is Transmutation. Gate is Conjuration (creation or calling)

And yes, I also thought of Shapechange.

The idea behind Advanced Learning was always to prize the character that knew the good spells and chose them at the right time, as well as to make the spontaneous specialist spell lists different. However, it must conform to the class thematic. The original Warmage added only Evocation, since most people thought of it only as "the class with the blasty spells". WotC failed on realizing the better blasty spells are Conjuration, and that Contingency, Wind Wall and a few other spells are Evocation too. Thus, that had to be fixed (which I did on my Warmage retooling). When I dealt with the Healer, it had to follow a similar thematic, and with the experiences of the retooled Warmage, I chose for Abjuration (most protective and repelling spells are there), Conjuration (for healing spells), and Transmutation (for the bulk of the buffs) Finally, it's the best method to add new material for the spontaneous spellcaster lists (that they could think of...), as they are quite limited in scope.

While it may seem too subtle of a difference, a good player that chooses to become a Healer may find himself with five pretty strong spells. There are lots of good Cleric/Druid spells to fill those.

As for more examples: consider they have access to the Druid list as well. Recall the Bite of X spells? They're all Transmutation spells...;)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Temotei221

The grammar errors are very little things, like this: "This ability only applies only to spells that..." So not bad, and far better than I expected, honestly.

I'll admit that I missed the 8th level spells being added. So 16th level is good. But...yeah...17th is really boring. I trust in your ability to make some cool ability to make up for the less than awesome levels, though, because this class has some pretty attractive abilities.

Nice job.

As I said, I find it better to add an ability at level 14 or 16 rather than 17 because I can tie it up thematically with the other existing abilities. Adding something like a bonus feat is aesthetically unpleasing, pretty words to say "it's an obvious patch". By that level, a spellcaster already has 9th level spells (unless it's spontaneous), and class abilities (that don't progress exponentially as spells do) need to be considerably strong. Level 17th has those two difficulties, since the acquired ability should not be better than the capstone but not as flimsy as the abilities acquired earlier.

But I can trust to find a method that works. I'd, honestly, would love to add an expansion to the Aura of Protection ability, but the progression would seem stilted if it were expanded at level 17 (and not on an even level, or a mathematical progression; although, they would have a mathematical relationship if you know what I mean).

Eurus · 11-29-2009, 01:46 PM

Very impressive, but I admit that I was sort of hoping to see a Death By Awesome ability in there somewhere.

brujon · 11-30-2009, 09:11 PM

You asked for ideas as for offensive class abilities... Why not a heal-bomb ? When you have more than twice your regular HP, you explode in a brilliant positive energy explosion... Why not make that a class ability? Offensive heal on living creatures... That sounds nice :D

Bergor Terraf · 11-30-2009, 10:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by EdroGrimshell

I had something where a healer could drain the life of an opponent and store for healing their allies later.

One way to do it that would still be acceptable : "passive life drain". Each time a living being loses HP in a violent manner, if it's within a certain distance of the healer, he regains 1/2/3 HP in his Healing Hands pool.

Quote:

Originally Posted by T.G. Oskar

I could use more ideas, or at least a mathematical progression, of an offensive action that could benefit the Healer without making it feel overloaded.

One not give the class a few spells that incapacitate an opponent, a kind of proactive approch to the "Do no harm" saying?

And finally, another idea I think could be great to add a little spontaneity : "Shield". Has a swift action, the healer can spend HP from his Healing Hands pool to give damage reduction to an ally against a single attack. Start with a ratio of 3HP spent for 1damage reduction (or even 2 for 1) and increase it once in a while.

PS: Great job! I might atually play this class someday.

Insanealien · 12-01-2009, 01:47 AM

I really like this. If my group ever gets round to playing another gestalt game, I think I'll combine this with Warblade. That combo would be a better Paladin than a Paladin.

T.G. Oskar · 12-01-2009, 03:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Eurus

Very impressive, but I admit that I was sort of hoping to see a Death By Awesome ability in there somewhere.

Well...it's a Healer. It can't kill out of sheer awesomeness.

Now, reviving by sheer awesomeness? That can be provided!

Quote:

Originally Posted by brujon

You asked for ideas as for offensive class abilities... Why not a heal-bomb ? When you have more than twice your regular HP, you explode in a brilliant positive energy explosion... Why not make that a class ability? Offensive heal on living creatures... That sounds nice :D

That would be a risky endeavor. You'll be actually fighting against your own partners, most of them more than willing to cleave an enemy in half, to agree to your proposal and leave them doing nothing while you saturate with healing. Furthermore, it implies you'd be the only one doing "damage", aside from other spellcasters working with hindering or debuffing outside of HP.

Finally...HP scales at very uneven ways. You can expect that of most humanoid creatures with class abilities, but when you reach the d12 creatures, you're pretty much screwed on that point.

While overhealing could be a smart way to defeat an opponent, it requires too much in practice for it to work, and most of the time it implies using Gate, or somehow making a bubble out of the Positive Energy Plane as the main method. One false step, and the plan could be ruined.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bergor Terraf

One way to do it that would still be acceptable : "passive life drain". Each time a living being loses HP in a violent manner, if it's within a certain distance of the healer, he regains 1/2/3 HP in his Healing Hands pool.

That would be a nice way to work up as an aura, but it still wouldn't count as an offensive act for the Healer. Interesting point, even considering it has a progression that's pretty suspicious (it looks like a 4th Ed. progression)

Quote:

One not give the class a few spells that incapacitate an opponent, a kind of proactive approch to the "Do no harm" saying?

Actually, I had someone that recommended the same thing. Going all the way to place Hold spells, since they would serve as non-offensive deterrents (as well as the Whelm line to aid on the lack of properly "offensive" spells and attacks). Given that Halt spells are pretty much available since Core, it's a good method to work up some offense.

Also, Healers *can* decide to do harm, if they believe it works to prevent more harm. Their spells won't aid with that (much), but they still can take a weapon and give a good whacking or two.

Quote:

And finally, another idea I think could be great to add a little spontaneity : "Shield". Has a swift action, the healer can spend HP from his Healing Hands pool to give damage reduction to an ally against a single attack. Start with a ratio of 3HP spent for 1damage reduction (or even 2 for 1) and increase it once in a while.

PS: Great job! I might atually play this class someday.

That is an interesting way to look at it, reminds me of "Invest X Protection" spells that grant some Damage Reduction along with healing. Technically, temporary Hit Points work like a form of "damage reduction", as they are wasted before normal hit points, Extending that ability with some method of protection would be nice, but by the time it would be worthwhile DR already falters, compared to energy resistance and spell-based resistance which remains strong.

I still need to work on the right idea, but I will tackle either 14th, 16th or 17th level at one moment. On the meanwhile...I'll go and probably add some more spells to the spell list. Mmmm...Hold spells...

Also, thanks for the cheers everyone!

zagan · 12-01-2009, 05:11 AM

I add another idea for an ability you might like.

How about some retributive healing, when they use a conjuration(healing) spell or their healing hand on an allie they also regain a a percentage of hit point themselves say 1/4.

That way they can spent more time healing the other instead of themselves.

T.G. Oskar · 12-01-2009, 05:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by zagan

I add another idea for an ability you might like.

How about some retributive healing, when they use a conjuration(healing) spell or their healing hand on an allie they also regain a a percentage of hit point themselves say 1/4.

That way they can spent more time healing the other instead of themselves.

Retributive healing looks pretty nice, but it requires being too low a level to actually work well. An Amulet of Retributive Healing, which is a simple 2000 gp trinket, offers that ability since 6th level. 6th level offers Extension of Blessing, which is quite powerful if you look at it, and makes retributive healing look pale in comparison. Besides, you can heal with other abilities, and by the time you get Mass Cure X Wounds, you can participate of the healing as well. That is...if they decide to hit you. Remember you have an aura that grants you effective, permanent Sanctuary, so you're not probably going to get hit that much, particularly on low-Will monsters.

However, that *did* inspired an idea. Something that could act as both an extension of Healing Hands, Extension of Life, and could solve a slight problem that the Healer has. How about...:

Retributive Healing (Su): At 17th level, a healer learns the outstanding ability to heal wounds at a moment's notice, from small and single to masses of fatally wounded allies. Her ability to do so is reflexive in nature, and allows her a great deal of manipulation on her craft.

Once per round, as an immediate action that does not provoke attacks of opportunity, a healer may use a conjuration (healing) spell or expend points from her Healing Hands ability whenever an enemy injures an ally, or herself. The ally must be within close range, and the healer must decide whether to activate the ability or not once the result of the damage is known. A healer may use any conjuration (healing) spell she knows that affects a single target, or expend as many points of her Healing Hands ability as she desires. She may also choose to use a conjuration (healing) spell that affects multiple creatures, but with two conditions: the attack must affect more than one ally, and only the injured allies receive the benefit (so if an ally within range of the spell was not injured, the spell has no effect on him or her). For conjuration (healing) spells, the effects of Healer's Blessing, Improved Healer's Blessing and Extension of Life apply.

Thoughts? Concerns? It's pretty powerful, but consider it *is* a 17th level spell, and it doesn't beat the capstone not even by a mile(stone)...

zagan · 12-01-2009, 07:16 AM

I'm glad I've inspired something, and yes the ability seem nice it allow the healer to use their swift action for something (well immediate but it replace the swift action of the next round so it's the same thing).

deuxhero · 12-01-2009, 01:46 PM

Move lesser restoration to 1st level (as Paladin).

Zeta Kai · 12-01-2009, 02:12 PM

1) You have a peculiar number of Michael Jackson references. I count one in the thread title, & at least a dozen more in the preamble alone. Curious...

2) The class seems pretty good. It's not how I would go about building a healbot class, & it seems to have the potential to do a lot more than just heal, but I don't count either of those as bad thing necessarily.

Starbuck_II · 12-01-2009, 02:57 PM

I see a Meatloaf reference, "Well...this is it. Heaven can wait."

They have no light armor proficiency listed. It says meduim armor and light shields...

Spontaneous casting? This was major issue of original Healer. They lacked it so a good fix.

Interesting: so as long as healer no attack someone she has sanctaury spell active (normally attacking anyone ends it against everyone).

I like that they can actually heal better than the cleric now.

Belobog · 12-01-2009, 07:08 PM

I just wanted to congratulate you on this. It's a rare talent to create something that could be called a masterpiece, and I wanted to make sure you know that it's appreciated for what it is.

And the class is nice, too.

Roderick_BR · 12-01-2009, 09:10 PM

I LOVE THIS DOCTOR!

I like it, a lot

If you're bound to band-aid duty, you should do it WELL. And basing some stuff on the warmage/dread necromaber/beguiler, gave him the boost he needed.

Hey, a suggestion: Give him the ability to use Healing hands along others spells. This way he can cast a buff or dispell a weakening effect, and be able to heal some HP as well, so his actions are better used.

For the ressurrection effect, you should add a limit to risen allies, distance, number, and number of rounds they've been dead. Else, the group gets free-ressurrection. Even with the negative-level penalty, it's still a LOT strong. And that can quickly be cured with some less-expensive restoration spells.

T.G. Oskar · 12-01-2009, 10:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by zagan

I'm glad I've inspired something, and yes the ability seem nice it allow the healer to use their swift action for something (well immediate but it replace the swift action of the next round so it's the same thing).

They barely have swift action abilities (considering that some of the spells do have them), so it's pretty reasonable enough. Furthermore, it counters the trouble that spontaneous spellcasters have of being unable to Quicken spells without some aid. This is an ingrained method of healing when necessary, even though it's quite late in their progression (and even then, it's balanced for the level).

Quote:

Originally Posted by deuxhero

Move lesser restoration to 1st level (as Paladin).

Hmm...good point. They could use Restoration faster than usual. After all, they do get to use some healing spells earlier...

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zeta Kai

1) You have a peculiar number of Michael Jackson references. I count one in the thread title, & at least a dozen more in the preamble alone. Curious...

You're absolutely right. The thread subtitle is making reference to the few first lines of "Beat It" (much like the Warmage subtitle made reference to Doctor Strangelove).

The preamble is mostly composed of some of the singles released through the discography of MJ. Some are given (Thriller, Smooth Criminal, Beat It), some are a bit more obscure and also album titles (Unbreakable, This is It), some are oddly fitting (Heal the World, aka "We are the World! We are the Children!"), and some cleverly hidden (It Ain't Had No Sunshine, Young Pretty Thing, Remember the Time)

For the actual amount of MJ references, look in here.

Quote:

2) The class seems pretty good. It's not how I would go about building a healbot class, & it seems to have the potential to do a lot more than just heal, but I don't count either of those as bad thing necessarily.

Well, not everyone has the same idea on classes devoted to healing. I dealt with some of the problems of healing (specifically how weak they are compared to direct damage classes), but there are other points to address. So far, this is as much as I can work while allowing optimization to happen and improve the class. You can still use some of the tricks to make healing effective, and even make some use of the ones that were meant to make healing more attractive but didn't.

Also, it has a bit of potential already added. After all, it can buff quite as well as healing, and Extension of Blessing already makes buffs far better than their Cleric or Druid counterparts. A +1 may not seem as much, but given how the system works, that +1 can turn into +5 pretty easily.

But yeah, it could do a bit more. It all depends on how you work with it. It should work effectively out of the box, but you can mod it and make it better.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Starbuck_II

I see a Meatloaf reference, "Well...this is it. Heaven can wait."

They have no light armor proficiency listed. It says meduim armor and light shields...

Spontaneous casting? This was major issue of original Healer. They lacked it so a good fix.

Interesting: so as long as healer no attack someone she has sanctaury spell active (normally attacking anyone ends it against everyone).

I like that they can actually heal better than the cleric now.

1) It's more like "I apparently added a reference to a completely different thing while adding two references of the same person".

2) Blame it on my laziness. I should correct that. But, it's usually easy to deal with: if you have proficiency in medium armor, it is expected that you have proficiency on light armor.

3) Yup, spontaneous specialist casting. It fits the theme, considering they could serve as a counterpart to the Warmage. Which is odd, given that they experimented with different methods of Divine and Arcane casting, and they neglected the Healer on that one...

4) Yep. It's important for them until they get the ranged healing class ability, since they're expected to move through the battlefield, and Mobility just doesn't seem to work (much less being a clear target). This is an improved Sanctuary, however, given that it's meant to have a higher saving throw DC; it is reasonable to think said aura is discriminating as well. This makes the Healer capable of fighting without much trouble, given that they can choose their target and contribute to the fight without worrying about losing their defensive ability.

5) That...is actually the idea. Clerics aren't necessarily full-time healers unless you want them to be. Bards tend to be better healers because they can get one spell per spell level, and use the rest for the right spells. Or better, wands. I wanted to face that, so that having a wand of Cure Light Wounds would seem like a bad choice in comparison. It's not a bad idea to have one with a Healer, but in the end, the slots should be much more important...

Quote:

Originally Posted by Belobog

I just wanted to congratulate you on this. It's a rare talent to create something that could be called a masterpiece, and I wanted to make sure you know that it's appreciated for what it is.

And the class is nice, too.

That's...well...I mean...

Mind if you wait for a second? I think my ego is about to take a flight... Gotta catch it and teach it some humility before it lifts higher ;)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Roderick_BR

I LOVE THIS DOCTOR!

I like it, a lot If you're bound to band-aid duty, you should do it WELL. And basing some stuff on the warmage/dread necromaber/beguiler, gave him the boost he needed.

Hey, a suggestion: Give him the ability to use Healing hands along others spells. This way he can cast a buff or dispell a weakening effect, and be able to heal some HP as well, so his actions are better used.

For the ressurrection effect, you should add a limit to risen allies, distance, number, and number of rounds they've been dead. Else, the group gets free-ressurrection. Even with the negative-level penalty, it's still a LOT strong. And that can quickly be cured with some less-expensive restoration spells.

Heh... Perhaps it would be lovelier with a cohort, a Guard's Box of Time Travel, and a Thundering Screwdriver ;)

I actually thought of that, perhaps as an enhancement to Healing Hands. In fact, for a moment, I thought about mixing Healer's Blessing and Healing Hands, as in making the pool enhance your healing spells. Maybe I'll revise it and add it later on.

The capstone actually has something I'm not sure if you've noticed. While the negative levels are temporary (and meant to prevent the Healer from losing its hard-earned XP), they can't be restored by any means during the time they are in effect, much like a Good character holding an Unholy weapon. That's meant to prevent spells such as Miracle, Wish, or Greater Restoration undo the effect. So, it's quite a double-edge ability, since if you heal an amount of people equal to your character level, you...die. And perhaps turn into a Wight. And negative level penalties are pretty painful. So, the negative level is the penalty the Healer gets for such a potent revival effect. Aside from that, it is intentional to have a 1/day free resurrection at 20th level; which is why it fits as a capstone.

Also, it's limited to 30 ft. So it's not like you can revive the entire world. Besides, even the original Healer gets that kind of free resurrection, even if it's pretty limited in scope (which is why it falters as a capstone) And finally, if your Healing Hands pool is less than 40, you're unable to use that ability for the day. It has already three restrictions, and the most important one is meant to make people think about resurrecting people at will. It builds on self-sacrifice and gift-giving, though.

TheLogman · 12-01-2009, 10:52 PM

I read the Healer class when it first came out and was immensely disappointed.

I saw this thread title and though: "Better healing? If I was doing such a thing, I'd let the Healer heal more people at a greater distance, and for more dice."

I can see from my reading of it that you've included all of that plus some great expansions of the spell list and some nice abilities.

Very nice job.