Author Topic: The Healer's Handbook (Akalsaris)  (Read 27872 times)

Offline Larkas

  • DnD Handbook Writer
  • **
  • Posts: 61
  • I'm new!
    • View Profile
The Healer's Handbook (Akalsaris)
« on: February 04, 2013, 10:26:45 AM »
---
EDITOR'S NOTE: This is a transcription of the original thread by Akalsaris, found here. I've also transcribed Pteryx's Healer spell list on the last post of this handbook.
---

The Healer's Handbook

I couldn't get a good image of the Healer from the Miniatures' Handbook, so here's a White Mage instead...

Index:
1. Introduction to the Healer
2. Class Abilities
3. Races and Feats
4. Prestige Classes and Items
5. Healer Spells
6. Sample Builds

Welcome to the Healer's handbook.  The healer is a class from the Miniatures' Handbook, so at the very least you'll need that book. Healers are designed as a support divine caster class.  Like the warmage and the dread necromancer, they have a small spell list, but they are prepared casters who know their entire spell list like a druid or cleric.

Useful links:
Alternate spell list for the Healer, including spell compendium spells (by Pteryx)

Last updated:
Jan 4, 2010 - started handbook
February 22, 2010 - updated with contributions from cru, Petryx, The_Mad_Linguist, snakeman830, and zionpopsickle
May 13, 2010 - updated with image, edited all sections for clarity
November 23, 2010 - updated all sections for clarity once more! Swapped out domain staffs for domain icons
« Last Edit: February 04, 2013, 12:43:19 PM by Larkas »

Offline Larkas

  • DnD Handbook Writer
  • **
  • Posts: 61
  • I'm new!
    • View Profile
Re: The Healer's Handbook (Akalsaris)
« Reply #1 on: February 04, 2013, 10:31:57 AM »
Why play a Healer?

1.  To be an excellent healer and status effect remover in low level games.  Before 7th level, druids and clerics haven't hit their stride. Both are still far more versatile, yes, but not much more powerful.  If you design yourself well, you'll do fine with the class up until then.

2.  You want to be useful to the party without over-shadowing them. If you're good at optimizing characters and your friends aren't, then this is both a challenge to your optimizing skills and a good way to put them in the spotlight. 

3. As a cohort or friendly NPC.  Many PCs want a cohort that supports the party in a fight, freeing up the main character to kick even more ass. Leadership is less likely to get banned by the DM if the cohort isn't in the spotlight. 

4. If your DM is using a tier-based system to rate classes and is providing support to weaker classes or banning clerics & druids, the Healer can fill the healing/support role well.  If the cleric is house-ruled to 24 PB and the Healer gets 36 PB, then the Healer will going to compare well, especially with Sanctified spells allowed.

5. You just want to try out something new for a game, and the Healer looked like fun to you.  Or you're a sucker for the underdogs like me.


Tough Love for the Healer

Let's get one thing off the table: Healers are inferior to clerics and druids.  Playing a healer is like being a bard -  you're playing a support player rather than Godzilla. 

Healing gets a pretty bad rep because damage and battlefield control spells are both easier to optimize and more effective at finishing an encounter. And the simple truth is that a dedicated healer is NOT necessary to a party.  However, if you're there on hand to cleanse fear, poison, level and ability drain, or any other effect, you're keeping the team going when otherwise everyone would be running around like a headless chicken. Think of it this way: if battlefield control is the key to winning at D&D, then you are playing a counter-battlefield control class.

And while a dedicated healer is not a necessary role, it still can be a useful one.  In a low-level game, healing in combat with the Healer is a pretty slick move - if your rogue just took 7 damage to the face and hit the floor, healing him for 1d8+7 is going to keep him in the fight, which means more actions for your side of the table and a very happy rogue. 

In some games, healing will remain effective the whole campaign. Sometimes the party and DM are both terrible optimizers, after all. However, most of the time healing stops scaling with in-combat damage around the mid-levels (5th-6th), and doesn't really recover until 11th level with Heal and later Mass Heal.  That's a significant chunk of gameplay.

For that reason, a well-played Healer should focus on utility spells and keeping the party free of battlefield control.  In the high levels, it depends on each campaign.  Sometimes a game is so lethal that the Healer might spend all of her time casting Heal and Revivify, and in other games she should be helping with countering and providing battlefield control and party buffing.  Get a good feel for the combat dynamics of your group and your DM, and your effectiveness as a team player will improve dramatically.

The Undead

Remember that [cure] spells hurt the living dead.  A healer can be a surprisingly good combatant against them.

Useful Books

You need Complete Minis for the Healer.  Book of Exalted Deeds adds a huge number of spells to the Healer's list, as well as the exalted feat chain.  Complete Divine and Complete Champion both have several useful prestige classes and feats.  Spell Compendium has several excellent spells like Revivify and the Vigor chain that it recommends adding to the Healer's list.

A Note on Tiers

According to JaronK's Tier list, the Healer is Tier 5, because its list is focused mainly on healing, and it doesn't even get some of the best healing spells.  That's fair enough, but once you add in the Book of Exalted Deeds, suddenly the Healer has access to damage-dealing, battlefield control, and utility spells as well.  Add in the Spell Compendium's recommended spells, and the Healer has the same healing and protection spells as the cleric and druid.  Then add some optimization with a domain icon or levels in Contemplative, and the Healer has 1-3 domain spell lists as well. With some or all of these combined, where does the Healer then fit on the list?

Offline Larkas

  • DnD Handbook Writer
  • **
  • Posts: 61
  • I'm new!
    • View Profile
Re: The Healer's Handbook (Akalsaris)
« Reply #2 on: February 04, 2013, 10:37:02 AM »
2. Class abilities

Depending on your campaign level you will either want a heavy investment in charisma or will want to keep it even with Con and Dex. 

Strength: This is a dump stat unless you use Sanctified spells.
Dexterity: Helps with AC, reflex saves, initiative, and ranged attacks.
Constitution: I rarely put less than a 14 in this stat.
Intelligence: Nice, but not necessary.
Wisdom: Your primary stat.  It's used for your spells/day and several class skills.
Charisma: It's used for your spell DCs, Healing Hands ability, and diplomacy/handle animal checks - but only a few spells on your list have a save DC, and Healing Hands is not very effective after the first few levels.  So levels 1-4 it's primary, then 5-20 it's secondary.  If you use Sanctified spells, then many of them require saving throws, and it's a good idea to keep this stat high.

Sample 32 PB: (Game for 4th level or lower)
Str 8
Dex 12 
Con 14 
Int 08
Wis 14 
Cha 18

Sample 32 PB: (Game for 5th level or higher without Sanctified spells)
Str 8
Dex 14 
Con 14 
Int 10
Wis 18 
Cha 10


The Class Outline:


Alignment:
Only good-aligned characters need apply.   

HD: A d8.

BAB: Same as the wizard.

Saves: Good in fort and will.

Skill points: 4/level.  Similar to the druid's skill list. The best skills are Diplomacy, Sense Motive, and Concentration. 

Weapons and armor: Only light armor and simple weapons, and can't upgrade armors because of RP vows. 

Spells: The list matches up well compared to a favored soul. Of special note are Gate and Calm Emotions, your two core offensive spells.  As a prepared caster with the normal progression, you don't require a full-round action to cast a metamagic spell. 

Healing Hands:  Add your charisma to each healing spell. This is great in a low level (1st-4th) game.  At higher levels, this becomes negligible as since damage will scale up faster than healing.

Skill Focus (Heal):
Long-term care is useful to deal with ability damage before lesser restoration, and poisons are typically a low-mid level threat.  If you took skill focus at 1st, you can take another feat, such as Weapon Finesse or Magic of the Land. 

Cleanse Paralysis (Su):
1/day Remove Paralysis as a SLA.  Same level as when clerics can cast Hold Person and when your party is likely to encounter ghouls.  A solid ability.

Cleanse Disease (Su):
1/day Remove Disease as a SLA.  Saves a mid-level spell slot. 

Cleanse Fear (Su): 1/day Remove Fear as a SLA.  You might as well carry a few scrolls of Remove Fear.

Cleanse Poison (Su): 1/day Neutralize Poison as a SLA. 

Effortless Healing (Ex): Your healing spells do not provoke attacks of opportunity. Nice!

Unicorn Companion (Ex): Unicorns are decent mini-healers and have utility abilities like Detect Evil and +21 on Jump checks, as well as constant Magic Circle Against Evil and a magic horn that works as a lance on a charge.  Most importantly, they save you actions spent on healing, or help with flanking, mobility, etc. 

12th level or higher companions:
Lammasu: It's like having a 7th level cleric on your side.   
Gynosphinx: A niche choice for a high DC Symbol spell each week, as well as legend lore.
Water naga: Invisibility and protection from energy are solid buffs to have on hand.

16th level or higher companions:
Androsphinx: The save DC for the Roar ability is too low to matter, and a 12 HD monster won't make a dent in most opponents.
Coatl: Very mobile, telepathic, and interesting spells. 

Cleanse Blindness (Su): 1/day Remove Blindness as a SLA. 

Cleanse Spirit (Su): 1/day Greater Restoration as a SLA, without the 500 experience cost - and as a spell-like ability, it's only a standard action instead of 10 minutes.  I like it!

Cleanse Petrification (Su): 1/day Stone to Flesh as a SLA. 

New Limb (Su): 1/day Regenerate as a SLA.  Casts as a standard action instead of 3 full rounds!

New Life (Su): 1/week True Resurrection as a SLA without the 25,000gp price tag, and as a standard action!  A solid and flavorful capstone ability. 

Break points:
1st: gets the Healer's most unique ability.
5th: gets a laundry list of minor abilities.
8th: gets a unicorn companion.
10th: gets Greater Restoration as a standard action with no experience cost.

Offline Larkas

  • DnD Handbook Writer
  • **
  • Posts: 61
  • I'm new!
    • View Profile
Re: The Healer's Handbook (Akalsaris)
« Reply #3 on: February 04, 2013, 10:46:58 AM »
3. Races

Anything with bonuses to wisdom and charisma is good. 

Human: A bonus feat and a skill.

Lesser Aasimar (RoF): +2 to Wisdom and Charisma with no LA .

Strongheart Halfling (FRCS): A bonus feat and halfling racial stuff.

Dragonwrought Kobold (RotD): A venerable dragonwrought kobold has +3 to all mental stats without losing physical stats, and is immune to lycanthropy, paralysis, and sleep effects.  Nice deal.


4. Feats

General Feats:

Dynamic Priest (Dragonlance: Legends of the Twins): Only available at 1st level, this feat sets Charisma as your primary stat for bonus spells/day, which makes the Healer dependent solely on Charisma. Thanks for reminding me about this feat Email!

Leadership: As broken on the Healer as any other class, I suppose.

Wild Cohort (Web): Grants an animal companion that doesn't advance as well as a druid's animal companion. Another one of those "good for almost any character" feats.


Metamagic/Item Creation feats

Reach Spell: Good at higher levels to use most of your healing and status effect removal abilities at range. +2 LA.

Extend Spell: Good with a number of buff spells and with Calm Emotions.

Quicken Spell: Actions are valuable - Quicken Spell helps you make the best use of them.

Scribe Scroll: Some of your spells are lower level than usual, so it's worthwhile to scribe them and save spell slots.


Book of Exalted Deeds feats

Sacred Vow: A prerequisite feat.

Vow of Nonviolence: +4 to the DC of your nondamaging spell - Calm Emotions.  RP requirements not to hurt people.  Considering how inept you are at hurting people, that's not much of a problem.

Vow of Peace: Requires Vow of Nonviolence, and gives a constant Calm Emotions effect as well as +6 AC, and weapons that hit you break. RP requirements to never hurt people. 

Vow of Poverty: Gives a ton of abilities and bonus feats, but you can't own anything.  This is worth the trouble on a cohort or low level character, but not so great past 10th level. 

Nymph's Kiss: If you take Vow of Poverty, this should be the first bonus feat you should select.

Vow of <foo>: The other vows aren't so hot, but you might as well keep taking them if you get bonus exalted feats from Vow of Poverty.


Healing Focused

Augment Healing (CD): Heal +2 HP/Spell level with healing spells. Nifty for low level healers, mediocre for mid-level, and bad for high level. 

Magic of the Land (RotW): Basically can add a +2HP/Spell Level kicker to any spell you cast on an ally - so you can cast Remove Paralysis and also throw in a 4HP heal, and just add +2HP to every cure spell you cast.  Since Healers get Knowledge (Nature) as a class skill they can qualify for this feat  easily.  If you take Skill Focus (Healing) as a feat at first level, you can take Magic of the Land at 2nd level.

However Magic of the Land is only usable in a natural setting.  You can get around this if a druid or ranger in your party can cast Acorn of Far Travel for you.  http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/fw/20040710a

Spontaneous Healer (CD): Take a feat to do what clerics do for free and spontaneously cast cure spells.  You can also get the same benefit from 5 levels in the combat medic prestige class. 

Mastery of Day and Night (Player's Guide to Eberron) Req: Knowledge(the Planes) 2 , Spellcraft 6, Maximize Spell, membership in manifest spellshapers.  Spontaneously Maximize any Cure or Inflict spell you cast with no spell level increase adjustment.

Touch of Healing (CC): A reserve feat that lets you heal somebody to half health without spending spell slots as long as you have a 2nd level healing spell prepared.  You might take it if you don't have ready access to wands of cure light wounds - which is often a more common situation than most CO members admit. 

Mitigate Suffering (CC): This heals ability damage for a short time.


Skill Trick: Healing Hands (Complete Scoundrel).  Heal some hit point damage when stabilizing an ally.

Offline Larkas

  • DnD Handbook Writer
  • **
  • Posts: 61
  • I'm new!
    • View Profile
Re: The Healer's Handbook (Akalsaris)
« Reply #4 on: February 04, 2013, 10:52:17 AM »
5. Prestige Classes

Combat Medic (HoB): Excellent for the party healer/status effect removal role.  Gives extra effects to healing spells - free Sancturary, saving throw bonuses, and +13 temporary HP on every healing spell.  Also gives spontaneous cure spells, and mobility/evasion. 

Healing Hand of Mishakal (DL: Orders of the Stars): From a 2nd-party sourcebook, this is another healing-focused PrC that a Healer auto-qualifies for at 5th level.  Gives Cha to healing (again), free empower and silent spell on healing, and no AOO's on healing at the same level as the healer would get the ability.  The Healing Hand requires an effective Vow of Nonviolence, so its best in combination with BoED.

Contemplative (CD): A solid PrC, and the right domains can get you spells that you really need.

Seeker of the Misty Isles (CD): Unfortunately race-restricted to elves and half-elves, but this has full casting advancement for 4 levels and grants the Travel domain at level 1 (adds a lot of mobility to the Healer), as well as 6 skills/level and good Fort/Ref saves. Loses a CL at 5th by the table, but good for a few levels or even more if one goes by text. One could enter with a Star Elf for +2 to Charisma. (Suggested by Menteith)

Disciple of Legend (CC): This prestige class is ready-made for cohorts (and includes a cautionary note to DMs on allowing that).  It's a good choice for a support caster like the Healer.  Loses 1 CL.

Paragnostic Disciple (CC): Good as a dip if you can afford the cross-class Knowledge (Arcana) ranks.

Radiant Servant of Pelor (CD):  The amount of juggling it takes for a healer to enter this PrC is not worth the effort. Leave it to the clerics.

Ruathar (RoTW): Easy to enter and has no down-sides, with good saves and skills.  Useful for qualifying for other PrCs and for filler levels.


Metaphysical Spellshaper: (Book of Erotic Fantasy, suggested by Tr011): I've heard this PrC mentioned a lot for the crazy metamagic tricks it can do.

Suggested by cru:

Moonspeaker (RoE): gives useless summoning stuff, few spells (e.g. invisibility), some wild shape, some shifter bonuses

High Elemental Binder (PGtE): requires 2 feats; 9/10 casting; gives elemental companions and self-buffs

Medani Prophet (DM): Grants divination bonuses and dm bonuses

Heir of Siberys:(ECS) Good if there is a specific dragonmark you want to focus on

Holt Warden: (CC) Needs a bit of wrangling to get into, it's a plant-focused PrC

Skypledged: (RoTW) A great raptoran-flavored PrC - access to a divine spellpool can greatly add to a Healer's diversity.


Healer Items

Wand of Cure Light Wounds: (DMG) the Old Standby for healers everywhere.

Amulet of Retributive Healing (MIC): 3/day heal yourself for as much as you healed an ally.  Helps spread the healing around, especially if somebody casts Shield Other on you.  Very cheap at 2,000gp.

Armband of Maximized Healing (MIC):
3/day your next healing spell of 6th level or lower is maximized.  Very cheap for the effect.  This can make in-combat healing worthwhile for another level or two.

Circlet of Solace (MIC): 3/day your next healing spell also grants +5 to various saving throws for 1 minute.  A great effect, and one that even works with very low level spells like cure light wounds.

Healing Belt (MIC): Best healing per gp ratio in the game.  750gp, and a +2 to your healing checks to boot.

Cloak of Resistance (DMG): Since part of your job is to remove effects like Hold Person and Stinking Cloud, you're useless if you can't do anything during your round because you failed your own roll! Healers already have high fort and will saves and good stats in Con, Dex, and Wisdom, so coupled with a cloak of resistance they should avoid save-or-suck spells.

Karma Beads (DMG): As a divine caster, Healers can seriously benefit from the unique +4 to CL from the Beads of Karma.  Especially considering that you get Heal at 11th and it caps at CL 15, and you get Mass Heal at 15th and it caps at CL 25. 

Suggested by The_Mad_Linguist:
Raiment of the Four (MIC 204): This item set gives some additional versatility by allowing you to swap spell slots to cast specific spells granted by the items.
Gloves of the Starry Sky: swap 3/day for magic missile
Goggles of the Golden Sun: swap 3/day for Fireball at set DC 14
Periapt of the Sullen Sea: swap 2/day for freedom of movement
Belt of the Wide Earth: swap 2/day for teleport


Domain Icon(Faiths of Eberron):
A Domain Icon holds all of the spells from a single cleric domain such as War or Healing, and you can sacrifice some of your own spell slots to cast spells from the staff at the same level or higher.  At higher levels this gives your character a lot of versatility for 10,000 gp.  Thanks cru!

Domain Icon:
(click to show/hide)

Domain Icons worth noting:
War: This one I like a lot.  It has some crowd control (blind, stun, blade barrier), some damage (flame strike, spiritual weapon), a good buff (magic vestment), and of course divine power, which lets you pretend you're a cleric for a little while. 

Balance (SpC): Very Healer-esque, one duplicated spell but a lot of crowd control and buffing.

Charm (SpC): Adds all of the utility of charm spells, plus a single buff (Good Hope).

Force (SpC): Adds a lot of battlefield control spells to your list. 

Sloth (SpC): You laugh, but it comes with a nice array of debuffs and mobility enhancers.

Liberation (SpC): A lot of overlap, but it does get you Dispel Magic, Greater and a couple of decent buffs.

Trickery: Just a lot of powerful spells here.
« Last Edit: February 04, 2013, 12:32:22 PM by Larkas »

Offline Larkas

  • DnD Handbook Writer
  • **
  • Posts: 61
  • I'm new!
    • View Profile
Re: The Healer's Handbook (Akalsaris)
« Reply #5 on: February 04, 2013, 10:59:58 AM »
6. Healer Spells:

Summary:
The Healer has a limited list, but as long as she has some metamagic feats it's easy to prepare useful spells for each level.  1st, 6th , 8th, and 9th levels are the strong points.  With the inclusion of a domain icon(see the items section above), or the Sanctified spells from the BoED, or the suggested spells from the Spell Compendium, the Healer's spell list becomes much more versatile and powerful.

Sanctified spells: these spells from the BoED are automatically added to all prepared casters' lists, which is VERY helpful for the Healer.

When casting these spells you generally take 1d2 Strength damage at the end of the spell's duration.  For this reason, a single level dip into Binder for Naberius (which grants ability damage healing/round) is a pretty sweet deal.  The addition of these spells bumps Healers up from T5 to a high T3 due to the hugely increased versatility.

Spell Compendium: The Spell Compendium's instructions for DMs are to add spells concerned with healing, removing afflictions, providing protections, and providing for needs, and to add higher level versions of spells that the Healer already knows, such as mass restoration.  These spells are based on those guidelines, which provide the class with the best protective and healing spells that the cleric and druid receive.

Alternate spell list for the Healer, including spell compendium spells (by Pteryx)

Spell Compendium spells (by Akal-Saris)
(click to show/hide)

Healer Spells
* = Sanctified spell

0-level:
Cure minor wounds: You could potentially heal about 4-6 HP with a single cure minor wounds and a high charisma. 
Deathwatch: normally a 1st level spell, and works as Detect Undead+Constructs as well as learning the hit point value of stuff.

1st level:

Bless Water: Holy water is underwhelming.
Cure Light Wounds: Your bread and butter healing spell.  At low levels, the healing from this along with your charisma bonus from Healing Hands should be enough to keep up with most opponents' damage to your allies.  Remember that it's also usable as a touch attack against undead!
Goodberry: If you can pre-cast this before an adventure it will work like having potions of cure minor wounds on hand.  I used to do that regularly in 2nd ed...good times!
Protection from Evil: Always useful, especially on a scroll.
Remove Fear: A great spell that's always worth packing in a scroll.
Remove Paralysis: Hey!  You get this 2 levels earlier than anyone else!  Which makes scrolls of it cheap enough to carry easily.
Sanctuary: The duration is generally too short until later on, when the save will be too low. 
Speak with Animals: Another spell that's best in a scroll.

*Twilight Luck: Won't make a difference.
*Divine Inspiration: A nifty short-duration +3 to attacks buff for your ally.  -1d2 Str.

2nd level:
Calm emotions: A fun spell to focus a character around if you're into that sort of thing.
Cure Moderate Wounds: A decent boost to cure light wounds.
Delay Poison: Good as a scroll.
Gentle Repose: Pretty useless.
Remove blindness/deafness: Good as a scroll.
Remove disease: Your 1/day cleanse should take care of this.
Lesser Restoration: Most healers' 2nd level list will be full of lesser restorations, especially if they cast sanctified spells.
Close wounds: If the spell compendium is in use, this changed to a 2nd level spell.  Excellent, excellent spell to keep an ally on his feet for another round.  Thanks for the reminder on the change, Zionpopsickle!
Metamagic: An extended sanctuary will last 6 rounds at this point, though with your d8 HPs you might as well take a few hits in a fight.

*Luminous Armor: the poor man's Mage Armor.  Gives +5 AC (+9 against melee) for hours/level.  -1d2 Str damage.
*Ayailla's Radiant Burst: Nice!  Gives a little AOE damage (good against swarms), and blinds opponents in a huge cone! (1d2 Str dmg)

3rd level:
Close wounds: The winner for this level, as immediate action heals are fun stuff.
Create food and water: Bland.
Cure serious wounds: I'd keep on casting cure moderate and save 3rd level slots for other spells.
Neutralize poison: Generally your 1/day Neutralize should keep the party covered.
Remove curse: Niche.
Restoration: You get this one earlier than anyone else! 
Status: Bland.
Metamagic: An extended Luminous Armor, or an extended Ayailla's Radiant Burst.
*Phieran's Resolve: Niche.
*Path of the Exalted: It's a "Okay DM, now where do we go?" spell.  The Abstinence cost is  easy since you don't even have any other Divination spells to abstain from yet!
*Telepathy Tap: Useless.
*Brilliant Emanation: Nice!  A short duration, huge AOE blind against evil foes. -1d3 Str.
*Hammer of Righteousness: A d6 or d8/level force damage spell with no damage cap!  It's not the best spell out there, but it's a solid pick for a little extra damage.  1d3 Str.
*Celestial Aspect: A long-lasting buff that's very flexible, especially giving a +1 Holy Sword or flight!  -1d3 Str.

4th level:
Cure Critical Wounds: Too little, too late for most in-combat healing.
Death ward: A nice spell for many situations.
Freedom of Movement: A great in-combat buff spell.
Mass Cure Light Wounds: Pffft.  If it can't keep up with the fireball damage, what's the point?
Panacea: My favorite spell of this level - it's like a mini-Heal.
Metamagic: Nothing leaps out at me here.
*Luminous Armor, Greater: Another +3 AC to Luminous Armor. Not great, but nice.  -1d3 Str.
*Sunmantle: It's like a Fire Shield lite. -1d4 Str.
*Diamond Spray: A cone of fireball damage at evil creatures that dazzles them.  You can cast it at all your opponents without harming your allies.  A 100g component though. 

5th level:
Atonement: Good for RP.
Break Enchantment: A good status effect remover.  Thumbs up.
Mass Cure moderate wounds: Pffft.
Raise Dead: Always nice to have.
Revivify: A good emergency spell. 
Stone to Flesh: Hey, you get it earlier than the wizards do! Still niche though.
True Seeing: A great utility and in-combat buff spell.
Metamagic: A lot of 5th level spells are utility, so this is a good level for metamagic.  An extended freedom of movement, luminous armor, or death ward, or quickened 1st level spell are all decent choices.
*Inquisition: This spell seems pretty evil to me.  Still, it has a lot of RP utility!  -1d3 Con.
*Curtain of Light: It's like a Wall of Fire that only hurts evil and undead. 
*Sicken Evil: It has a long duration, a decent range, and automatically hits nearby creatures, so think of this as a mobile -2 penalty on all attack rolls, weapon damage rolls, saving throws, skill checks, and ability checks for evil creatures. -1d4 Str dmg.

6th level:
Greater restoration: You get it a level earlier than clerics do! The long casting time and 500 xp cost are the  main drawbacks to this spell though - use your spell-like ability first if you have it!
Heal: ABOUT TIME.  This spell makes in-combat healing worthwhile again for the first time in 6 levels.  This can also work as a blast spell on undead in a pinch.
Heroes' Feast: A very good buff spell before heading into the dungeon.
Mass Cure Serious Wounds: Pffft. 
Regenerate: At least you have it.
Metamagic: This level is too awesome to waste on metamagic spells.  Seriously, I'd just prepare a single Heroes' Feast and then go full Heals for everybody.
*Exalted Raiment: It's a decent buff, but it doesn't match up to casting Heal.  Good synergy with sanctified spells though.  -1d4 Str.
*Valiant Steed: Oh good, a spell that binds a unicorn or pegasus to you for a year.  And the cleric can even cast it spontaneously to gain one of the Healer's best class features.  Still, there's something to be said for running around with 2 unicorns all the time, and the pegasus gives another in-class flight method. -1d3 Str drain after a year.
*Storm of Shards: Permanently blind every evil creature within 80ft (Fort negates), and up to 20d6 divine damage (Reflex half).  A nice dual threat spell!  1d3 Str drain.

7th level:
Mass cure critical wounds: Pffft.
Repulsion: One of the only battlefield control spells on the healer's list, this is actually a nifty spell.
Resurrection: Good to have, though expensive as hell
Metamagic: Perhaps an extended Heroes' Feast
*Cry of Ysgard: Get 4 bariaurs for a year. If you can't think of a use for 4 large-sized 9th level rangers, then you're not thinking hard enough.  -1d3 Str. drain.
*Constricting Chains: At first I wasn't impressed. A 7th level spell that does what a Tanglefoot Bag can do at 1st? But this has no save, doesn't give SR, automatically hits, deals damage over time, is very hard to break, messes up spellcasting, and hurts the creature when it tries to break free - so it's actually pretty kick ass! -1d3 Str drain.
*Rain of Embers: Eh, you have better things to do at this level than an AOE Flamestrike.
*Phoenix Fire: Okay, the image kicks ass, but level loss is really too harsh a price for this effect.
*Channel Celestial: OK, so this spell can break a game, but it requires a lot of DM interaction and is pretty confusing.  Best of luck! -1d3 Str, Dex.

8th level:
Discern location: You never get Scry, but you do get the best divination spell in the game.  If the DM isn't prepared, this spell can break a campaign.
Holy aura: Hey, an in-combat buff spell!  This is a great spell to start an encounter with.
Mass heal: A great in-combat healing and status removal spell, and you get it one level earlier than the cleric!
Metamagic: I could see a quickened Freedom of Movement here.
*Dragon Cloud: Whoa!  This is a powerful summon, and gives a free lightning bolt every 1d4 rounds, with a good duration to boot. -1d3 Con.
*Restore Soul's Treasure: Yeah, like this will ever come up in a game. 

9th level:
Foresight: This is good to have ready.
Gate: For some reason, Healers that stick it through to 17th level are rewarded by a spell that makes their fighter buddies redundant at the relatively low cost of 1,000 XP!  Keep in mind that it can be used as a plane shift spell without the XP cost, allowing Healers to become decent taxi cabs at high levels.
True resurrection: Nice to have, especially if you didn't stick with Healer for the capstone.
Metamagic: A quickened true seeing or Break Enchantment, or an Extended Dragon Cloud.
*Armageddon: Lose a level for an effect that's inferior to the Gate spell?  NO.
*Exalted Fury: Ugh, kill yourself to deal mediocre damage? Pass.
*Sanctify the Wicked: A save-or-die that costs you a character level.  I'd rather cast Gate 16 times.
*Channel Greater Celestial: See the previous iteration, and good luck!

Offline Larkas

  • DnD Handbook Writer
  • **
  • Posts: 61
  • I'm new!
    • View Profile
Re: The Healer's Handbook (Akalsaris)
« Reply #6 on: February 04, 2013, 11:53:34 AM »
7. Sample character builds

Healer 5/Combat Medic 5/Contemplative 10

Healer 8/Paragnostic Disciple 5/Contemplative 7

Healer 5/Disciple of Legend 3/Contemplative 10/Healer +2

Healer 8/Apostle of Peace 2/Contemplative 10

Healer 8/Apostle of Peace 10/Contemplative 2

Binder 1/Healer 5/Paragnostic Disciple 4/Contemplative 10

From cru:
Healer 7 / Skypledged 10 (with domain icon, animal domain) (could be reflavored to the Shifter with fly trait)
Healer 10 / Contemplative 1 / Skypledged 9
Healer 5 / Holt Warden 10 (needs access to plant domain to qualify; borrow one of the domain access items, then you can return it, Holt Warden 1 grants the domain): gives you heal at ECL 8
Healer 5 / Holt Warden 3 / Sor/Wiz 1 / Arcane Hierophant 10 / 1 xx
Healer 3 / Wiz 1 /MT2 / HW3 / AH10 / MT1


Sample cohort for a 6th level character:

Sera, LG Human Healer 4
Stats:
Str 8
Dex 12 
Con 14 
Int 10
Wis 17 
Cha 16

Skills: Concentration, Knowledge (Religion), Knowledge (Nature), Sense Motive, Diplomacy, Heal (gained with Nymph's Kiss)
Feats:
1st human: Sacred Vow
1st character: Vow of Poverty
1st exalted: Nymph's Kiss
2nd bonus: Skill Focus (Heal)
2nd exalted: Vow of Nonviolence
3rd char: Augment Healing
4th exalted: Vow of Peace

Special notes:
Heals 2d8+11 with a Cure Moderate Wounds, 1d8+9 with a Cure Light Wounds
DC 19 Calm Emotions (DC 17 Calm Emotions aura)
Diplomacy +18 (+2 Sacred Vow, +4 Nonviolence, +2 Nymph's Kiss, +3 Cha, +7 ranks)
AC 22

Sample 2nd level Healer for a one-shot game:

Adonis, LG Human Healer 2
Stats:
Str 8
Dex 12 
Con 14 
Int 08
Wis 14 
Cha 18

Skills: Concentration, Knowledge (Religion), Knowledge (Nature), either Heal or Diplomacy
Feats:
1st human: Imbued Healing
1st character: Skill Focus (Heal)
2nd bonus: Magic of the Land

Special notes:
Heals 1d8+10 with a Cure Light Wounds, 1+8 with a Cure Minor Wounds

Offline Larkas

  • DnD Handbook Writer
  • **
  • Posts: 61
  • I'm new!
    • View Profile
Re: The Healer's Handbook (Akalsaris)
« Reply #7 on: February 04, 2013, 11:56:26 AM »
A ready-made build to showcase a dedicated healer:

Goldmoon of the Que-shu
Human Healer 5/Healing Hand of Mishakel 5/Combat Medic 5/Contemplative 5

32 PB:
Str: 8
Dex: 12
Con: 14
Int: 10
Wis: 16
Cha: 16

Feats:
1: Sacred Vow
1: Vow of Poverty [Human]
1: Maximize Spell [Flaw]
1: Mastery of Day and Night [Flaw]
1: Nymph's Kiss [VoP]
2: Vow of Nonviolence [VoP]
2: SF: Heal
3: Magic of the Land
4: Vow of Peace [VoP]
6: Combat Casting
6: Nonlethal Spell [VoP]
8: Gift of Faith [VoP]
9: Dodge
10: Vow of Abstinence [VoP]
12: Augment Healing
12: Vow of Purity [VoP]
14: Vow of Obedience  [VoP]
15: Quicken Spell
16:  [VoP feat]
18:  [VoP feat]
18: Improved Initiative
20:  [VoP feat]

With Augment Healing, Mastery of Day and Night, and Magic of the Land, the build doesn't provoke AOO's for healing, each cure spell is auto-empowered and maximized, you can spontaneously cast cure spells like a cleric, each spell comes automatically attached with sanctuary, aid, and +5 to reflex saves, each spell heals +4 HP/spell level and an additional 2x your Cha in HP.

Now at ECL 15, a Close Wounds spell: Heals 1 creature as an immediate action for...
4+5 (maximized)
1d2+2 (empowered)
+4 (boosters)
+16 (charisma)
+13 THP (aid effect)
= +13 THP and 32 HP healed as an immediate action, with +5 to reflex saves and a DC 30 sanctuary effect

At ECL 15, a Mass Cure Serious Wounds: Heals 15 creatures for...
24+15 (maximized)
3d4+7 (empowered)
+24 (boosters)
+16 (charisma)
+13 THP (aid effect)
= +13 THP and 92 HP healed to 15 recipients, with +5 to reflex saves and a DC 30 sanctuary effect

Offline Larkas

  • DnD Handbook Writer
  • **
  • Posts: 61
  • I'm new!
    • View Profile
Re: The Healer's Handbook (Akalsaris)
« Reply #8 on: February 04, 2013, 12:07:47 PM »
The Healer from the Miniatures Handbook is rather wanting.  One obvious step to take in helping it is, of course, to revise (mostly expand, but there's some illogical things near the top) its spell list.  The Spell Compendium has this to say on the subject:

Quote from: Spell Compendium 3.5
Healer (Miniatures Handbook): Add spells concerned with healing, removing affliction, providing protections, and providing for needs. In particular, add higher-level versions of spells the healer can already cast, such as mass restoration.

It's noteworthy that the healer doesn't even have many of the core spells that do these things.  I tried to be a little better about it.

Sources: System Reference Document, Spell Compendium, Book of Exalted Deeds, Player's Handbook II, Complete Champion, Races of Eberron, Magic of Eberron, Dragon #302.

0-level: create water, cure minor wounds, dawn, deathwatch, detect magic, detect poison, foraging charm, light, mending, purify food and drink, read magic, resistance, virtue.

1st-level: bless water, conviction, cure light wounds, delay disease, endure elements, faith healing, foundation of stone, goodberry, healthful rest, invest light protection, lesser vigor, protection from evil, remove fear, remove paralysis, resurgence, sanctuary, shield of faith, spell flower, speak with animals, touch of jorasco.

2nd-level: benediction, body ward, calm emotions, close wounds, consecrate, cure moderate wounds, divine insight, divine protection, delay poison, ease pain, estanna's stew, false life, gentle repose, ghost touch armor, healing lorecall, protection from negative energy, protection from positive energy, remove addiction, remove nausea, remove blindness/deafness, remove disease, resist energy, shared healing, shield other, soul ward, stabilize, summon elysian thrush, lesser restoration.

3rd-level: antidragon aura, attune form, channelled divine shield, create food and water, crown of protection, cure serious wounds, energy aegis, heart's ease, invest moderate protection, magic circle against evil, magic vestment, mass conviction, mass lesser vigor, mass resist energy, neutralize poison, protection from energy, refreshment, remove curse, remove fatigue, restoration, safety, shield of warding, status, tiny hut, vigor.

4th-level: astral hospice, channelled divine health, convert wand, cure critical wounds, death ward, delay death, freedom of movement, greater resistance, healing spirit, mass cure light wounds, mass shield of faith, panacea, planar tolerance, positive energy aura, revenance, secure shelter, seed of life, sheltered vitality, stoneskin, sustain.

5th-level: atonement, aura of evasion, break enchantment, contingent energy resistance, dance of the unicorn, darts of life, greater status, greater vigor, healing circle, indomitability, invest heavy protection, life's grace, mass cure moderate wounds, mass sanctuary, raise dead, renewed vigor, revivify, stalwart pact, stone to flesh, true seeing, warding gems.

6th-level: energy immunity, greater restoration, heal, heroes' feast, mass cure serious wounds, regenerate, revive outsider, secure corpse, superior resistance, vigorous circle.

7th-level: energetic healing, fortunate fate, mage's magnificent mansion, mass cure critical wounds, mass restoration, rejuvenating light, renewal pact, repulsion, resurrection.

8th-level: death pact, holy aura, mass death ward, mass heal, protection from spells.

9th-level: foresight, pavilion of grandeur, prismatic sphere, true resurrection, sublime revelry, undeath's eternal foe.

I hope this is of use.  -- Pteryx