Pathfinder Player Companion: Healer's Handbook (PFRPG)

Healing for martials?

Then why wouldn't they just kill the cleric?!

Healing for martials?

Then why wouldn't they just kill the cleric?!

Fair point. I don't want the cleric to be outclassed in the healing arena. I would be keen on something that makes martials a bit more independent that isn't just UMD with a CLW wand or mass potions etc.

Just because every class gets a little healing power doesn't mean the cleric will be replaced or outclassed. They have other options then healing anyway. What we need is a non-caster healing class like a positive energy based kineticist element, a class that focuses on lay on hands and channel energy, or something like that anyway.

Healing for martials is partly already in place if you look at the barbarian's rage power Renewed Vigor. Does it help? Not really.

Still: I don't want to see all classes being able to do all other classes schtick.

I want the classes to stay different and make a difference, to contribute to the game with their different areas of "special".

I want to see mechanics which allow the cleric to expand his options during fights.

I'm tired of being reduced to the walking first aid kid (and don't gimme that crap about "doing damage is far better than healing in combat"; why then is everybody so upset if the cleric opts for something else during combat?) while there's so much more to be found in the repertoire of the cleric's (and oracle's) spell list.

Ruyan.

Thomas Seitz wrote:

Mythraine wrote:

I'd love to see more self-healing options for atheist/agnostic PC's. So far, the Rahadoum style stuff has been underwhelming.

I'm pretty sure that's the point Myth.

Now with white mage, there's the fact since you're burning a different form of magic (almost primal one might say), it's different enough to help with healing in some instances.

Adding in lay on hands for burning arcane reservoir, you might get a decent healer and a more than passing spell blaster together.

If so, then that is excellent.

It's purely speculation at this point.

But on the other hand, Owen reads these threads and it's well-known that he's open to feedback, which is why I always make a point of gushing my personal wishlists all over them. Sometimes things stick.

Gisher wrote:

Dragon78 wrote:

I think this might be another book where my expectations are getting a little to high and/or my imagination is just running wild.

I've been there.

Yeah I mean-WHOA.

Huh, so that's what you look like when you shave.

Not normally. I might have to sue that razor company.

Rysky wrote:

Gisher wrote:

Dragon78 wrote:

I think this might be another book where my expectations are getting a little to high and/or my imagination is just running wild.

I've been there.

Yeah I mean-WHOA.

Huh, so that's what you look like when you shave.

Not normally. I might have to sue that razor company.

Yeah, that... yeah...

Heck, even an ability that lets you negate the effects of a poison for 1 round per level, doesn't have to be consecutive, but used in 1 round increments.

Maybe an ability that grants you haste while you are poisoned.

Interesting. Currently you NEED a Cleric in an AP because only they get the status healing effects at proper levels.

Now I love Clerics, but some weirdos don't, so having another way to pump out the gallons of Lesser Restoration potions that AP PCs are forced to drink would be great. Helpful Halfling Bellflower people for example, or battle medic Rangers.

I know, I say the more classes with healing options the better.

It MUST be mine!

Shut up and take my money!

Why don't you give me your money, Spiral?

Also for non-divine healing ideas, maybe something for people to use Heal checks in combo with Godless Healing perhaps?

I hope at least one archetype will grant a class fast healing that is a constant effect, none of these x/day or x/rounds/minutes per level stuff.

If it was not mentioned yet, I would like to see something that boost the life oracle or shamans life link ability, instead of staling at 5 hp

Now I love Clerics, but some weirdos don't, so having another way to pump out the gallons of Lesser Restoration potions that AP PCs are forced to drink would be great.

I know, I say the more classes with healing options the better.

I think that's going to be the big issue for this one. Is it going to be a mostly for Clerics or the one that unofficially kills them off and makes even less people want to play the class.

Interesting, I wonder if they update the 3.5 feat that allowed a person to add their level or something to their healing spell.It has been a while since I have looked at Complete Divine.

Argument Healing which added x2 the spells level on all conjugation healing spells (which included Heal and Close Wounds)...was a great feat and also would love a feat like this in PF.

I'd love to have a few more condition-removal options for Occultists.

A couple of feats that lets a character get a new save vs a limited list of conditions x/day or once per combat.

I hope at least one archetype will grant a class fast healing that is a constant effect, none of these x/day or x/rounds/minutes per level stuff.

I sincerely doubt that we'll see anything like that.

I think that's going to be the big issue for this one. Is it going to be a mostly for Clerics or the one that unofficially kills them off and makes even less people want to play the class.

Well, honestly, if the only reason someone's playing a cleric is for the healing, then I think they should have more options, personally...though, of course, this is coming from someone who wouldn't touch the cleric with a ten foot pole. Though that has less to do with class features, mostly (minus prepared casting) and more to do thematics...

Anyways, yeah, while I hope clerics will have some good options as the archetypal healers, oracles (particularly Life oracles), shamans (particularly those with a Life spirit as their primary bond), paladins, mesmerists, spiritualists, kinetic chirurgeons, alchemists, occultists, and other such will also get some fun toys, as well as perhaps some classes with less healing such as druids, witches, etc. I'd personally love a sorcerer bloodline or archetype that gets some more healing, but I'm not expecting it...

If so, then that is excellent. I'm also holding out hope for self-healing options for martial characters. I have no idea how that would be done, and doubt it will be covered, but I can only hope!

A rage power that grants fast healing, or improved monk wholeness of body, or improved heal skill unlock for rogues, would certainly shake things up and take some of the weight off of the cleric player, allowing them to do something *other* than heal every single wound, every single round.

There are already arcane classes (bard, alchemist, witch) with cure light wounds, so an arcane necromancy or transmutation school healing spell wouldn't break the game or invalidate the cleric (since the bard already didn't do that).

There's a part of me that wants an old-school WoW style 'shadow priest' that inflicts necromantic / shadow damage, and then, vampiric touch-like, uses that stolen energy to heal themselves and their allies. 'Cause that would rock. Standard action, shadow blast the bugbear, draining it's life-energy. Swift action, redirect half off that stolen life-energy to the fighter that bugbear is meleeing. Damage dealer *and* second-rate healer, all at the same time, with no real out of combat 'healing between fights' options, because they've got to be killin' folk to generate healing energy. That could make a funky kineticist, actually, based on positive energy manipulation (a sort of positive energy draining infusion) or negative energy manipulation (perhaps with temporary hit points / false life buffs instead of actual healing?).

Considering a lot players who like to play clerics don't want to be heal bots, so giving healing options, even really good ones, to other classes will not invalidate a armor wearing, weapon wielding, full caster with two good saves;)

Uhm am I the only one that thinks we might use Godless Healing in an improved fashion some how in this book?

Uhm am I the only one that thinks we might use Godless Healing in an improved fashion some how in this book?

Possible.

Oooo and/or rules for transplanting/grafting fast healing or regenerative abilites from other creatures into your body.

Troll regeneration! But gain vulnerability to fire or acid.
Vampire regeneration! But gain vulnerability to sunlight or positive energy.
LINNORM regeneration! But you want to tear everything's f$%#ing head off.

But on the other hand, Owen reads these threads and it's well-known that he's open to feedback, which is why I always make a point of gushing my personal wishlists all over them. Sometimes things stick.

I do, and I am (thanks for noticing!).

I can't always include things people want for various reasons (ranging from timing to space to plans in other products to design philosophy), but I DO try to keep abreast of what people seem to be excited about.

Sooooo. Any chance of a stealth Cleric re-write? Similar to what has happened with the Fighter lately. Mainly for a way for Clerics to get Life Link, but also to bring some variety outside of spells. I'm not sure if they'd give up spells per day or domain spells or whatever, but just a nice list of options available to them. Perhaps ways for other healers to use them as well.

It's doubtful this would get in unless you already had something like this planned, but just throwing it out there.

Sooooo. Any chance of a stealth Cleric re-write? Similar to what has happened with the Fighter lately. Mainly for a way for Clerics to get Life Link, but also to bring some variety outside of spells. I'm not sure if they'd give up spells per day or domain spells or whatever, but just a nice list of options available to them. Perhaps ways for other healers to use them as well.

It's doubtful this would get in unless you already had something like this planned, but just throwing it out there.

As the guy who did the "Stealth Fighter" rewrites in both the Armor Master's Handbook and the Weapon Master's Handbook, I personally don't think the cleric can benefit much from any sort of new subsystems. They just don't have enough class features to get up or move around, and they're not a weak enough class to warrant power boosts.

What clerics (and potentially druids) need is a slight dial back in order to justify giving them more class features, and I don't think that you'll see that happen anywhere but in a "spiritual sequel" to Pathfinder Unchained. I don't think that's in the cards, so if you want more "updates" for old classes, the best thing you can do is convince all of the PF players you know to buy physical copies of Pathfinder Unchained.

But hey? What do I know about anything? I'm just a guy on the internet.

... "spiritual sequel" to Pathfinder Unchained...

Next to more Tian Xia and a Tian Xia AP, that´s something i would love to see. Perhaps i should start to consider giving those out to players i like.

Player Companions could be a good place for that actually.
Give us some unchained Tian Xia please! :D

This healing book also got me a bit curious after playing a warpriest.

LINNORM regeneration! But you want to tear everything's f#*#ing head off.

Ooh now THAT I like but it should relate more to horror rules. :)

Even if grafting a regenerating creature's body part will not grant you regeneration, the body part could still benefit from regeneration.

All I know is I like the horrific body horror of waking up and finding out your neck is now like 10 feet long. ;)

You probably would have found out as your head fell from the bed or something like that.

You probably would have found out as your head fell from the bed or something like that.

You are MUCH more coherent than I right after waking up.

I would love a feat like augment healing and more channel/lay on hand related feats as well.

How about a spell that can regrow limbs that comes online before I have the power to bring someone back from the dead from a pile of ash in a completely reformed body?

I believe that Regenerate comes online before True Resurrection or the Wish and Raise combo.

I am looking forward to this for a couple of my PCs, particularly my Oath of Charity halfling paladin.

Hayato Ken wrote:

You probably would have found out as your head fell from the bed or something like that.

You are MUCH more coherent than I right after waking up.

Same here Rysky. I mostly just wake up and wonder "Why am I not in that inn?"

Ashram wrote:

How about a spell that can regrow limbs that comes online before I have the power to bring someone back from the dead from a pile of ash in a completely reformed body?

I believe that Regenerate comes online before True Resurrection or the Wish and Raise combo.

Resurrection (not True) is enough to raise someone from a pinch of ash. Both it and Regenerate are Cleric 7, which is odd. If lost limbs actually happened outside GM fiat it would be problematic.

Maybe this book will have a "lesser regeneration" spell to restore one lost limb or organ.

Now if we only had something that would actually allow you to lose a limb every once and awhile. Its pretty rare anymore.

Val,

That's what vorpal weapons are for.

Vorpal weapons are fixable by Raise Dead, a level 5 spell.

Actually, that's the correct answer if you lose an arm and still have the limb but don't have access to level 7 cleric spells. Just kill amputee, attach the limb to the corpse, and raise him. You're out the material component, but other than that it's easier than restoring a limb to a living target. Which is weird.

Plausible,

No...it's not actually. You need the entire body and if someone carries off the head, you're kind of SOL.

Yeah, I'm assuming you've got the head to reattach. I'm just saying that suicide/death, some sewing, and then Raise Dead immediately after losing a limb (or head) is a lower level way to handle the problem than Regenerate.

Very true, but once head comes off, I've noticed it doesn't come back on without some effort.

A minor raise dead spell that works only on animals/vermin or any living creature with an intelligence of less then 3.

what about making heal even more viable as a skill, let them give temp hit points instead of actually healing. So you could use heal to bandage someone up lets say and they could get X temp hit points.

Could be done as such: Make a heal check to determine the status of an ally, you can then (with a healers kit) restore your level + Wis mod in temp hit points. These hit points last for a total of 15 minutes or until used up, the recipient cannot gain more than a 1/4 of their hit points in this way.

With the skill unlock for Heal

Rank 5: you can add +5 to the amount of temp hit points you heal
Rank 10: you can add +7 to the amount of temp hit points you heal
Rank 15: you can add +10 to the amount of temp hit points you heal
Rank 20: you can add +15 to the amount of temp hit points you heal

Has anyone thought of Contingent Cure Spells?
They would be one spell level delayed, last hours per level and activate the first time their target takes damage.

For example:
Contingent Cure Light Wounds

School conjuration (healing); Level bard 2, cleric 2, druid 2, paladin 2, ranger 3
Casting Time 1 standard action
Components V, S
Range touch
Target creature touched
Duration 1 hour/level
Saving Throw Will half (harmless); see text; Spell Resistance yes (harmless); see text
When laying your hand upon a living creature, you channel positive energy which stays with that creature until it becomes needed. The next time that creature takes damage, the positive energy bursts forth curing 1d8 points of damage + 1 point per caster level (maximum +5). Since undead are powered by negative energy, this spell deals damage to them instead of curing their wounds. An undead creature can apply spell resistance, and can attempt a Will save to take half damage.

This spell counts as a contingency spell for the purpose of having multiple contingent effects on a creature at the same time.

I like the contingent spells, I guess my only thought of why Divine magic never seems to change is because unlike Arcane it is granted by the gods and they don't "Experiment" with their spells.

Mind you the Arcane ones don't really have "other cool" abilities.

With several archetypes now able to get construct Familiars or construct Animal Companions, some new ways to heal/repair constructs would be nice.

Raltus,

I think that's why they gave that to Mesmerists IE touch treatments.

I still think that some more stuff for Godless Healing would be nice to see in this book.