Optimisation Challenge: The Healer

[Agita]

This is a tricky one. Does Southern Magician actually turn Healer into an Arcane spellcasting class?

No.  Southern Magician would allow you to qualify for the class, but it wouldn't progress your spellcasting.  You would still get the cleric spells added to your list though^^

At level 10

Yep 

To be fair, it also gets some domain spells before that. Get lemons, make lemonade, yes?

I guess you could try Sandshaper. That gets its bonus spells known at first level, at which it doesn't advance casting anyway, so nothing lost...

[Havok4]

Sandshaper would actually work quite well I think, it has a fairly nice generalized list that would help fill in the weak points of the healer.

[ZombieGirl]

Id say a vigor/empathic transfer/hostile empathic transfer erudite especially if your GM allows the healing psionic powers from the mind's eye article. (power links make this even better )

[carnivore]

the actual goal of the OP,..... is to use the "Healer Class" from Miniatures Handbook

 

[ZombieGirl]

oh woops! i thought he meant healer as in the archetype, not literally xD my bad

*facepalms*

[Tshern]

oh woops! i thought he meant healer as in the archetype, not literally xD my bad

*facepalms*

Happens every time a thread like this emerges. Someone wants either to be a healer or play a Healer and at some point someone misunderstands. I am surprised it took over 20 posts this time.

[OblivionSmurf83]

To confirm, I certainly do not want to play a Healer. It just worried me that a class with 9th level spells was so... crap.

[Tshern]

To confirm, I certainly do not want to play a Healer. It just worried me that a class with 9th level spells was so... crap.

Well, wanting to see some optimisation done with the class anyway.

[awaken_D_M_golem]

You say Healer Class , I say Healer Archetype
HealerClass / HealerArchetype ... let's call the whole thing off.
 



Psychometabolism Discipline Erudite 7 / Healer 1 / PT 10 / Sangehirn 3 as top off.
retrain the bonus feat at level 9 to add in Mantled, pick Magic of course.
Use KellK and Ph00's interpretation of the Magic MGA. Qualifies Healer for PT.
Psiotheurgist  for the (healing)/(healing) crossover.
Recharge of course, to make it Healy-ER.
Twice Betrayer lite to work with Sang , up around Epic.
Needs a helpful Wizard and Archivist and even other Psi.

Basically a corner case, still can do most of the few Erudite goodies.

[Tshern]

What you say, however, doesn't affect the intent of the original poster.

[X-Codes]

To confirm, I certainly do not want to play a Healer. It just worried me that a class with 9th level spells was so... crap.

Hey... it spontaneously casts Gate.

[akalsaris]

I'll port over my healer's handbook at some point. I just hate dealing with porting guides whenever html issues come up.

Frankly, I think the easiest healer optimization is to allow the Book of Exalted Deeds, since IIRC that adds all of the Sanctified spells to a healer's list, as healer is a prepared caster. Sanctified spells add crowd control, mobility, damage, and some buffs for the healer, all things the spell list needs quite badly. Of course, having ways to recover ability damage make sanctified spells much better, so dipping Binder for Naberius isn't a bad choice then. Or simply loading up on 2nd level spell slots >.>

The next best optimization right after that is following Spell Compendium's recommendations for expanding the healer's spell list. At least 2 people have put together recommended lists that follow those instructions.

A build I put together to use some day:

(click to show/hide)

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

Some other sample builds from the handbook:

(click to show/hide)

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

[Amechra]

Off the top of my head...

1. Get Healing Lorecall added to your spell list somehow; this increases the usefulness of your Cure X Spells by a bit (they remove a couple of extra status conditions, which saves your important, higher level spell slots for better stuff).

2. Augment Healing and Magic of the Land both add +2 HP healed per spell level, each; 14 HP/Spell Level for Heal and Mass Heal is a bit better, I think.

3. Imbued Healing plus a Domain gained somehow (Planar Touchstone (That one place that gives a Domain) is a choice, as is Contemplative)) is nice, as you can dump a slight buff onto your healing spells.

4. Screw it, let us multiclass; dip into Bard, with the Healing Hymn ACF, to add your ranks in Perform to the amount healed.

Cure Light Wounds, Mass, from a Healer 19/Healing Hymn Bard 1 with 23 ranks in Heal and Perform, would heal 1d8+66+Charisma Modifier, remove one of the following: dazed, dazzled, fatigued, exhausted, nauseated, or sickened, and would apply a buff based of what Domain they grabbed... to 23 different people.

Seriously, it makes Cure Minor Wounds more effective; I would like to drop a Cantrip that heals 3+your ranks in Perform+your Charisma modifier, removes a status ailment, and buffs an ally, thank you very much.