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I have played a cleric of Sarenrae, actually this was my first character I created for PFS, It's now 8th level with the sun and healing domains. I initially created him back in september of 08. for the most part I have stuck with core rule book feats.
I have had fun playing this character. This character has done a good job healing buffing etc.
I guess what i am saying, is that I have found this cleric to be a good healer.
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So Ive been reading a few class guides for Cleric, and the one thing they agree on is that Cleric is NOT the healer class in Pathfinder. What is then?
The reason class guides say that the cleric isn't the healer isn't because of their lack of proficiency (they're actually very good at it), it's because being a healer is a suboptimal thing to specialize in. In short: The Cleric isn't a healer because he's more powerful than that.
So Ive been reading a few class guides for Cleric, and the one thing they agree on is that Cleric is NOT the healer class in Pathfinder. What is then?The reason class guides say that the cleric isn't the healer isn't because of their lack of proficiency (they're actually very good at it), it's because being a healer is a suboptimal thing to specialize in. In short: The Cleric isn't a healer because he's more powerful than that.
I'd say the Cleric's (or rather, any caster that can cast Cure spells) healing is some of the best, especially Positive Channeling being the only means of Area Healing for the longest time. When you throw in other classes that can do the same thing and then not have to compromise is when the Cleric goes down the toilet. In addition, half the time optimization is so good healing during combat becomes pointless, since the threat of combat is already over before people are in bad shape. And if they are, combat is over; by that point, it's after-combat, something which consumable healing items takes care of just as well as a healbot.
Also, if proficiencies are really that important, then any Cleric worth his salt and wants to be Mr. Battle Cleric should take a dip in Fighter (Tower Shield Cleric is scary-tankey) or some other strong Martial for proficiencies and other goodies, which as far as I'm concerned, is well worth the delayed spell/channel progression and a lack of a single 9th level spell slot (as far as I know).
Yes, yes, to Squirrel Dude, you listen! But, our Life Oracle is an amazingly ridiculous healer. I mean, wow! We saved up and bought ours a cloak of charisma +6, and if he's human, extra Spells Known at each level. The reason seems to be, and I find the term distasteful but it works, he can spam spells, such as status removal and buffs, as well as cures, with great proficiency. A cleric is much more than that. But you asked for a healer, and I say Life Oracle.
Just to throw that out there, his Spells per Day are; orisons/8/8/8/8/6/4 at level 12. It's pretty insane, but, all by himself with no teammates, he's nothing to write home about, he's just good at his job.
So Ive been reading a few class guides for Cleric, and the one thing they agree on is that Cleric is NOT the healer class in Pathfinder. What is then?The reason class guides say that the cleric isn't the healer isn't because of their lack of proficiency (they're actually very good at it), it's because being a healer is a suboptimal thing to specialize in. In short: The Cleric isn't a healer because he's more powerful than that.
Exactly. I've seen more than one cleric player who focused on healing to the exclusion of all else, and other players who expect the party cleric to be their personal healbot. It never hurts to remind people that Clerics have a lot more tactical options than "I heal" and "I ready action to heal someone once they're hurt."
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Yop. For example, a Battle Cleric can heal about 80% as well as a dedicated healbot cleric, and inflict nearly as much martial damage as a dedicated martial combatant. Plan the build right and your Cleric/Oracle can even do both at the same time. The battle Cleric helps take foes down sooner, so they inflict less damage, so less healing is required. This combination is usually much more effective than a dedicated healer.
On that same trend, here's someone who built a Life Oracle (the best healer!) who can fight back.
My vote is life oracle. The Elf/Half-elf(YAY DEVS!)/Aasmir FCB along with Life Link (Can't overstate how important that is) really makes the Life oracle the way to go.
I had never played a healer before in any edition of everyone's favorite game (and that going back almost 20 years now) and finally decided to play one in PFS. She's actually one of my favorite characters now, and her massive healing has been the sole reason we survived on at least two different scenarios. I have like 14 characters and I find myself going....I want to play her if she's in range, which is not something I really expected when I made the character.
Unfortunately, healing doesn't scale well compared to damage, as you climb levels. Killing or incapacitating the enemy in the fastest, most efficient manner, is the best way to reduce hitpoint damage. Clerics and Oracles are powerful casters that contribute more meaningfully as participants in combat, than if they use actions to heal.
The most effective healing in combat is done by Paladins. They can self-heal, including condition removal, as a swift action. Combine that with Shield Other for very effective hitpoint loss-reduction/healing.
Wands of CLW are the best out of combat healing tool. Many classes can use it, including characters with decent UMD. The one place where certain classes become required is condition removal. That is the primary place where Clerics can really shine. But, it's always a balance... how much you prepare for that.
the usefulness of a dedicated healer varies considerably based on your style of play... if your CRs tend to be around APL your best bet is usually to burn through encounters as quickly as possible and heal out of combat (where wands can handle a lot of the work); if, however, you tend to fight CRs above APL a dedicated healer might be a necessity (or at least close to it). i'm playing in a campaign right now where we regularly fight CRs 3-4 above APL (and occasionally more)- its not uncommon for us to be in a fight where a frontliner will lose more than 1/2 their hp in one round against an enemy that has too much hp for us to take down before it attacks again... the only way to survive that is to get a solid blast of healing before it acts again, and it's not uncommon for our healer to spend early rounds of combat casting a cure 3 or 4 and quick channeling (and lets not even talk about how important status removal can be when fighting above APL- some of those DCs against enemies' special attacks can be tough).
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Concerning a healer, I am in the middle of an Eyes of the Ten PFS game. Our party consists of a 12 level Inquisitor of Asmodeus, a 12 level Barbarian, a 12 level fighter archer, a 12 level druid/wizard mystic Theurge, a 12 level (6 rogue /6 ranger ) and my character, a 12 level Magus.
We have people who can use wands scrolls etc. We don't have a "dedicated" healer. someone with access to restoration raise dead, heal etc.
I can tell you, if we had a character with access to such spells things would be much easier.
Healers are very useful.
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I agree with a lot of the above posts. I enjoy playing Clerics and have for many years. Clerics are incredibly versatile. They can cure in a wide variety of circumstances, remove conditions, buff, self-buff, fight, scry, and solve problems.
If a Cleric leaves one spell slot of each level open each day, they have relatively rapid access to every single spell on the Cleric list. That is an often overlooked, but very powerful ability that simply isn't an option for other classes (besides Druid).
In-combat healing is not what they're best at. However, that is always an option if needs be. As Chengar suggested, no serious Cleric should go into combat with the goal of 'ready, set, Cure.' But, spontaneous Cures can be awesome if applied appropriately. If the party's best damage dealer goes down, a CMW can swing the battle back in your favor. Feats like Quick Channel can help your action economy with this too.
The Reach Spell feat should not be ignored. Tapping a BSF with Protection from Evil is nice and all, but casting a Reach Communal Protection from Evil is pure awesome. Reach Communal Resist Energy, Reach Plane Shift ("Fancy Shift") and, especially, Reach Breath of Life can swing the tide of a battle very quickly.
I think some people find it easy to rip on the class ('in combat healing is sub-optimal' etc.) because it's not incredibly obvious how to optimize it or min-max it, in comparison to other classes in PF. But how many nay-sayers would actually complain if one joined their party?
Barbarian is awesome. Barbarian + Cleric pal is nuts.
Elyas is right. Clerics make everything easier.
The cleric/oracle comparison is pretty much the same you find in a wizard/sorcerer. One is more spread out and in many but not always is more general. The other is forced to be more specialized.
I have played both types past 10th level in PFS. My barbarian/cleric is a towering brute that can buff his strength to insane levels (32 with raging, bull strength and righteous might). My life oracle is a delicate pacifist that mainly buffs but can make the tank nearly unkillable through Shield Other and can heal herself from single digits to close to full using channels in one round (channel+quick channel+fey foundling avg 81 pts).
I'll admit with my cleric he does feel clunky. Then sometimes my oracle seems almost insipid. But I guess they both work.
My Oracle is slated for Eyes of the Ten later this month. If you want to compare stats just look at my aliases. Given the lack of 12+ PFS content (especially with the S6 special being 1-11) I don't see many chances to play her coming up. I'm going to really miss playing this character.