Only Healer / Arcane in the group. Help please?

[Novea]

 

We have a new group starting for 3.5.  We have 4 almost brand new people and 3 'experts' playing (one being the DM).  Thus far we have a human rogue, halfling ranger, dwarf monk, human paladin, xxx fighter (not sure on race yet), and me.  Being the DM's lady, he asked me if I could fill in the blank spots.  My original character was a tinker gnome wizard.  Might I add that I've been designated the item creator of the crew as well.  Now I need to fill in the blanks for cleric and wizard.  We start at 3rd level.  No homebrew allowed (He's altering the gadgeteer's ring for me for the item creation) and no flaws allowed. 

My *thoughts* were to go Mystic Theurge.  Since there over half the group are newbies, we've been asked not to break the characters.  I need help making this an effective character that will keep us all from being killed.  My only 'requirement' is that I stay a form of gnome for story reasons and I'm still the item creator.

ANY help is appreciated!  Stats rolled:  18, 17, 17, 16, 16, 14  (I got lucky on the house rules rolls)

[Vicerious]

Arcane, divine, and item creation? Artificer (Eberron Campaign Setting) has everything you need!

[betrayor]

Also an Archivist(heroes of horror(,while he is a divine caster he can cast almost everything from any spell list,
another good idea would be to become an arcane hierophant(races of the wild) since it is surely better than just Mustic theurge......

[Novea]

Thank you!  Every campaign has either put me as the rogue, warlock or a pure cleric.  Our DM split the group into 3 parties (good, neutral and evil).  I play in all 3, so I get put where I'm needed.  This time it was for arcane and divine spellcasting.  I like both of those ideas.  I will show them to our DM and see what he thinks. 

[zugschef]

wizards can copy spells from any scroll into their spellbook and prepare the spell, no matter if it was originally divine.
just sayin'.

[betrayor]

wizards can copy spells from any scroll into their spellbook and prepare the spell, no matter if it was originally divine.
just sayin'.

Doesn't it have to be on their list?
I don't think that a wizard for example could take a cure light wound scroll copy into his spellbook and then use it as usual....

[zugschef]

wizards can copy spells from any scroll into their spellbook and prepare the spell, no matter if it was originally divine.
just sayin'.

Doesn't it have to be on their list?
I don't think that a wizard for example could take a cure light wound scroll copy into his spellbook and then use it as usual....

as a matter of fact, they can.

Spells Copied from Another’s Spellbook or a Scroll

 A wizard can also add a spell to her book whenever she encounters one on a magic scroll or in another wizard’s spellbook. No matter what the spell’s source, the wizard must first decipher the magical writing (see Arcane Magical Writings, above). Next, she must spend a day studying the spell. At the end of the day, she must make a Spellcraft check (DC 15 + spell’s level). A wizard who has specialized in a school of spells gains a +2 bonus on the Spellcraft check if the new spell is from her specialty school. She cannot, however, learn any spells from her prohibited schools. If the check succeeds, the wizard understands the spell and can copy it into her spellbook (see Writing a New Spell into a Spellbook, below). The process leaves a spellbook that was copied from unharmed, but a spell successfully copied from a magic scroll disappears from the parchment.

 If the check fails, the wizard cannot understand or copy the spell. She cannot attempt to learn or copy that spell again until she gains another rank in Spellcraft. A spell that was being copied from a scroll does not vanish from the scroll.

 In most cases, wizards charge a fee for the privilege of copying spells from their spellbooks. This fee is usually equal to the spell’s level × 50 gp.

[betrayor]

wizards can copy spells from any scroll into their spellbook and prepare the spell, no matter if it was originally divine.
just sayin'.

Doesn't it have to be on their list?
I don't think that a wizard for example could take a cure light wound scroll copy into his spellbook and then use it as usual....

as a matter of fact, they can.

Spells Copied from Another’s Spellbook or a Scroll

 A wizard can also add a spell to her book whenever she encounters one on a magic scroll or in another wizard’s spellbook. No matter what the spell’s source, the wizard must first decipher the magical writing (see Arcane Magical Writings, above). Next, she must spend a day studying the spell. At the end of the day, she must make a Spellcraft check (DC 15 + spell’s level). A wizard who has specialized in a school of spells gains a +2 bonus on the Spellcraft check if the new spell is from her specialty school. She cannot, however, learn any spells from her prohibited schools. If the check succeeds, the wizard understands the spell and can copy it into her spellbook (see Writing a New Spell into a Spellbook, below). The process leaves a spellbook that was copied from unharmed, but a spell successfully copied from a magic scroll disappears from the parchment.

 If the check fails, the wizard cannot understand or copy the spell. She cannot attempt to learn or copy that spell again until she gains another rank in Spellcraft. A spell that was being copied from a scroll does not vanish from the scroll.

 In most cases, wizards charge a fee for the privilege of copying spells from their spellbooks. This fee is usually equal to the spell’s level × 50 gp.

Lets take this conversation out of this topic since it is irrelevant,I will post a question in the correct forum....

[Nunkuruji]

Make them buy healing belts

[Novea]

I will probably do that period once we are allowed magic items at startup.  The only 'magic items' allowed were healing potions, and we made sure EVERYONE had a few of those.

[awaken_D_M_golem]

Wand of Cure Light Wounds, takes more dough
up front than a bunch of Potions of CLW.  But since
you're at level 3, good ahead and get a few more.
Cost benefit analysis = good enough.

[Jackinthegreen]

Out of combat healing can be done via wands of Lesser Vigor since it's more efficient than Cure Light Wounds.

But yeah, if you need to be the crafter then you're likely going artificer or some sort of combo.  Archivist/wizard going into Mystic Theurge can be quite effective.

[Novea]

Artificer won't be what I can use for this since I'm the *only* caster in the whole group.  Kinda irritated that our other experienced guy got irritated that he was asked to play a wizard.  Now he realizes we have no casters at all, he offered to play but with a sigh... meaning he's complain the whole campaign.

Archivist looks nice but having to find the spells.... that will be a hard thing to do in this world I believe.  My whole worry is me not being able to heal effectively being a 2 cleric / 1 wizard at first b/c you can't pick up a prestige before 7th level and that will make it a 3 cleric / 3 wizard at that point.

First game is on Saturday night & this is the first time *ever* that I haven't had a character not prepared beforehand.

[littha]

Artificer won't be what I can use for this since I'm the *only* caster in the whole group. 

That would be why you want an artificer, they can cover every casters role because you can have wands lying around everywhere. Basically as an artificer you can craft a wand/scroll/etc of any spell in existence. Thus you don't have to find them like a wizard or archivist would and if you want to you can carry around hundreds of wands or scrolls filled with obscure spells to perfectly cover any situation.

A well played Artificer = Batman. Always has exactly the right tool for the job.

[Jackinthegreen]

Talk to your DM about your concerns and see what can be done about the caster situation, especially about getting spells.  Ask if Precocious Apprentice might be too cheesy to get into Mystic Theurge with only Wizard 1/Cleric or Druid or Archivist 3.  You know how not to break it so it shouldn't be too much of a problem.  Although, if you go Druid then Arcane Heirophant would be better than MT as noted above.

If it wasn't for the lack of flaws I'd say try the Academic Priest feat from Dragonlance: Legends of the Twins if you were going Archivist.

Just how much healing will be expected though?  You might be able to get away with the Healer class from Miniatures Handbook on one side and Wizard on the other, but that'll limit your crafting abilities since the Healer's list doesn't have much of the fun stuff that is required to make items.

As Littha mentions though, Artificers can definitely fill in the void with wands and such, but it takes a lot of bookkeeping to get going.  Have you played an artificer before?

[Novea]

No, I've never played an Artificer.  That may be the reason why I'm a little leary of it.  I saw the infusion that could only heal constructs and freaked out a little.  I do like the buffs they can do, and I can heal off of scrolls and potions until 7th level... then I can make my own wands.

DM said I could play one, but he thought it was a prestige class until I pointed out the ebberon books.  Yes, I've been playing D&D for over a decade, but we were normally limited to the 'classic' books and the "complete ----" books.

[Tonymitsu]

No, I've never played an Artificer.  That may be the reason why I'm a little leary of it.  I saw the infusion that could only heal constructs and freaked out a little.  I do like the buffs they can do, and I can heal off of scrolls and potions until 7th level... then I can make my own wands.

DM said I could play one, but he thought it was a prestige class until I pointed out the ebberon books.  Yes, I've been playing D&D for over a decade, but we were normally limited to the 'classic' books and the "complete ----" books.

Artificer is one base class that's actually quite worthwhile to take to 20.  Don't let the specific nature of some infusions scare you off, artificers are Tier 1 for a good reason.  The only thing in D&D that even comes close to the power of spells is magic items.  And no one does magic items better than the Artificer.

I would definitely look at the Artificer handbook before diving into one though.  The biggest drawback to playing one is that they probably require more bookkeeping than the wizard, cleric, and druid combined.  If you can deal with it the payoff is totally worth the investment.

[littha]

The biggest drawback to playing one is that they probably require more bookkeeping than the wizard, cleric, and druid combined.  If you can deal with it the payoff is totally worth the investment.

My last artificer only had 3 spreadsheets. 

[Kasz]

The biggest drawback to playing one is that they probably require more bookkeeping than the wizard, cleric, and druid combined.  If you can deal with it the payoff is totally worth the investment.

My last artificer only had 3 spreadsheets. 

My Artificer's character sheet is a folder... a folder seperated out into individual sections, Six Sections. 
"Sheet", "Worn Equipment - Detailed", "Items in my belt of hidden pouches", "items in my handy haversack", "Scrolls / Wands / Schema & other spells", "Campaign notes/journal"
The haversack and hidden pouches make me Batman though, so it's worth it. 

An idea toward being the crafter & everycaster:
Binder 1, Wizard 3, Anima Mage.
Binders can be excellent healers and crafters depending on who you have bound... if you can bind the alien summoner then they're ridiculous... infinite alien unicorns = infinite healing. You're still a pretty solid straight up wizard... and you're really adaptable... more paperwork than your average wizard, less than your average artificer.

[betrayor]

The biggest drawback to playing one is that they probably require more bookkeeping than the wizard, cleric, and druid combined.  If you can deal with it the payoff is totally worth the investment.

My last artificer only had 3 spreadsheets. 

My Artificer's character sheet is a folder... a folder seperated out into individual sections, Six Sections. 
"Sheet", "Worn Equipment - Detailed", "Items in my belt of hidden pouches", "items in my handy haversack", "Scrolls / Wands / Schema & other spells", "Campaign notes/journal"
The haversack and hidden pouches make me Batman though, so it's worth it. 

An idea toward being the crafter & everycaster:
Binder 1, Wizard 3, Anima Mage.
Binders can be excellent healers and crafters depending on who you have bound... if you can bind the alien summoner then they're ridiculous... infinite alien unicorns = infinite healing. You're still a pretty solid straight up wizard... and you're really adaptable... more paperwork than your average wizard, less than your average artificer.

Do you even need binder 1?Couldn't you just take that feat and then get into Anima Mage without any binder levels?