In an upcoming campaign I've decided to take up the role of healer. I personally believe that in-combat healing is a necessary evil at times, and that the ability to cast spells like cure disease/poison, remove curse, breath of life, and restoration are all life-savers when needed.
After thinking on it, I've come up with a character concept. I want to play a Priest (tome of shadows) who follows the sky goddess, Syhana (Scarred Lands). She's the demigoddess of the sky, happiness, and fey creatures. Her domains are Air, Fey (Charm), and Rainbow. I don't really have a substitute for Rainbow, so I'm running with Air & Charm.
With these two domains in mind, plus Knowledge from the priest, it wouldn't be hard to build a bard-like character who used his music to bring happiness to the world. Building this character could be as simple as taking ranks in Perform, or more integrated than that. I'd love some suggestions.
Campaign Notes:
Stats - 18, 16, 16, 16, 10, 10 (rolled)
Starting Level - 7
Materials - Core, Most 3.5 (no cheese)
Anyone who doesn't have access to the Priest class, it's basically the cloistered cleric from the unearthed arcana (d6 HD, poor BAB, 6 skills, lore)
For race I was considering Human, Half-Orc, or Halfling. Gnome would be difficult to do because of the setting, and I've never liked Elves (half-elves are fine).
Any suggestions you guys have for building a minstrel/bard from the priest would be fantastic.
The priest gets the ability to spontaneously cast spells from one of their three domains OR cure/inflict wounds, as a cleric. Now, the priest gets 2 domain slots at each level, and of the three domains I'm choosing (Air, Charm, Knowledge) charm is probably the most powerful in terms of spells.
Now, is it worth simply preparing Air/Knowledge spells and then having charm spells available to spontaneously cast as the need arises? After all, when the need DOES arise I'll want them ready, but the charm/enchantment spells tend towards situational use, and you can't spontaneously convert domain spells.
Or is it a better idea to grab the spontaneous cure wounds line and keep my charm spells in the domain slots?
My thinking is that the spontaneous charm isn't a bad deal, since most of the spells are on par with when a wizard would get them. Charm monster & Heroism are a level behind (5th & 4th, respectively), but both are powerful spells and worth it even a level later (Charm Monster even benefits from the higher DC).
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These ideas can be used in conjunction with any cleric and will boost healing and versatility without sacrificing any thing you mention in your post but a domain power.
Look at the cleric alternative class feature from Dungeonscape called Divine Restoration. You give up one domain power (not domain spells) and can spontaneously cast lesser restoration, restoration, and greater restoration.
Another idea is the Healing Pool alternate class feature from Complete Champion, which you give up a 4th level spell slot and get a pool of positive energy which can be used to heal, or harm if used against undead, a total number of points equal to 5 x (divine caster level +1).
for an 9th level cleric, that is a pool of 50pts that you can heal in one round, or spread it over several rounds or combats as you see fit.
Hope this helped.
That would actually come in quite handy as both an in-combat heal and an after-the-fact heal for the whole party.
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That would actually come in quite handy as both an in-combat heal and an after-the-fact heal for the whole party.
Exactly. My daughter used the Healing pool ability in the Second darkness campaign and I can say that if a DM allows it, it should be a no brainer for any cleric, expecially a dedicated healing one.
We finished the 2nd Darkness AP this past sunday, and her 16th level healing pool was 80pts. That saved our rogue when he was creamed by a team of 3 vrocks.