OK, I wanted to write a more detailed entry on the PHII but I don't have the time at the moment so I'll just cut to the core of my comments, the (as I like to term them) the base classes:
(and once again I am at work and don't have my book library here so this is all by memory)
I am expectedly unimpressed by the four "new" base classes: the Knight, the Beguiller (illusionist/rogue), the Duskblade (fighter/mage) and the Dragon Shaman...except for the knight (which I see as a worthy alternate core class) the other three base classes are just glorified prestige classes: gestalts of two other base classes (the beguiler and duskblade) or another munchkin dragon class (dragon shaman)
but I digress, my largest gripe is WOTC's abandonment of the Healer class found in the Miniatures hardcover, where also the Favored Soul, War Mage, Marshal came from (which strangely, IMO, provided some of the best alternate base classes produced in D&D)
Up to PH-II I had not noticed (both in Dragon and WOTC's D&D web site, in all their articles and "second looks" of base classes) any supplements or additions to the Healer Class (and barely any references), a class I and my group use just as often, if not more than the Cleric (as in my experience a cleric is usually chosen for the abilities to heal or turn undead)
So I was looking forward to Healer material in the PH-II and was really POed to see that there is not a trace of the Healer in the book...the War Mage and Favored Soul have been reprinted in the "complete" series and they even included the Marshal, which has never been reprinted, but the Healer was omitted
could someone explain to me why WOTC-D&D has abandoned the Healer Class ?
Thanks,
Kalin
Thats really too bad, the healer class was a good idea, I really enjoyed the core classes in the miniatures handbook as well, not a bad one in the whole book.
Bella Sara Charter Superscriber
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Probably for the same reason they do everything these days...it was a money decision.
could someone explain to me why WOTC-D&D has abandoned the Healer Class ?Thanks,
Kalin
I'm trying to imagine the causal train between WotC wanting money and not including the healer in the PHB II and am drawing a blank. Care to elaborate? I guess I can build some relationships, but I'm not sure they make sense...
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Probably for the same reason they do everything these days...it was a money decision.
could someone explain to me why WOTC-D&D has abandoned the Healer Class ?Thanks,
Kalin
I'm trying to imagine the causal train between WotC wanting money and not including the healer in the PHB II and am drawing a blank. Care to elaborate? I guess I can build some relationships, but I'm not sure they make sense...
Sorry about that, I think I failed my Sarcasm Check when I wrote that....
could someone explain to me why WOTC-D&D has abandoned the Healer Class ?
Because any class that focusses on healing isn't very 'sexy' to the majority of gamers. I've never seen the Healer class but I get the sense that it's like a cleric but minus combat ability and offensive spells and plus healing/turning ability?
Because any class that focusses on healing isn't very 'sexy' to the majority of gamers. I've never seen the Healer class but I get the sense that it's like a cleric but minus combat ability and offensive spells and plus healing/turning ability?
could someone explain to me why WOTC-D&D has abandoned the Healer Class ?
off the top of my head (and all by memory, so I could be wrong):
The healer class is mostly healing, protection and misc spells (like light) that would help you, they get light armour but cannot wear metal (like a druid) and get simple weapon proficiency, and their attack bonus is average
the healer does not get the turn ability or domains but gets a complete spells list and does not need to follow a god (like a druid) as much as the force of life..there spells/day are more like a favoured soul than a cleric
the healer does get the ability to add their Cha bonus to all healing spells they cast (including the 0lv one, a cure minor wounds that could heal 5 HP with a Cha of 18!) skill focus healing, then a progression of "remove 1/day" abilities as they go up in level, such as: paralysis, poison, disease, fear, restoration, blindness, deafness, exorcism, regeneration, ressurection
the healer also gets a celestial unicorn mount mid level like a paladin and can use the heal skill as a free action
AND something that occured to me and not my players Healers make awefully good undead hunters :)
p.s. the augment healing feat also really supes up the Healer
I am expectedly unimpressed by the four "new" base classes: the Knight, the Beguiller (illusionist/rogue), the Duskblade (fighter/mage) and the Dragon Shaman...except for the knight (which I see as a worthy alternate core class) the other three base classes are just glorified prestige classes: gestalts of two other base classes (the beguiler and duskblade) or another munchkin dragon class (dragon shaman)
but I digress, my largest gripe is WOTC's abandonment of the Healer class found in the Miniatures hardcover, where also the Favored Soul, War Mage, Marshal came from (which strangely, IMO, provided some of the best alternate base classes produced in D&D)
Yeah, you're right about those base classes. There are core classes and prestiges classes now that seem to be doing the same sort of thing.
I was mildly annoyed by the omission of the healer class too. The book feels kind of incomplete as a result. Maybe it was dropped for space reasons or maybe the typesetter left out a section by accident?
* starts pondering ideas *
:)
Kalin, if you have any ideas to expand the healer's utility, you could always pitch them to Mike McArtor for class acts. (Good luck to you if you do!)Yes, do! I'd love to see a Class Act aimed at the healer. :)
I can have some stuff ready early-ish next week, but I have never submitted anything before, so I'll have to look around for the protocol then :)
..there spells/day are more like a favoured soul than a cleric
If I'm remembering correctly, I believe the Healer class was actually a nonspontaneous spell caster type. They have to memorize their spells just like a cleric.
Thanks for the kind words, Eric.
Along with the stuff Eric said, make sure you download and read submission guidelines. (note: that link goes directly to the pdf doc)
--John
If I'm remembering correctly, I believe the Healer class was actually a nonspontaneous spell caster type. They have to memorize their spells just like a cleric.
..there spells/day are more like a favoured soul than a cleric
yeah, I think you are right, but if I remember right (I don't have the book in front of me) the Healer doesn't really pray for spells, they have a full spell list given to them like some prestige classes and only need to meditate for an hour to restore their energies plus they can cast more spells per day, like a Favoured Soul...so it is more of a mix of the nonspontaneous and spontaneous rules...
as a house rule I also add healing/curing spells from other spell sources to their list, if they fill a hole in their spellcasting abilities the given list doesn't have..
Kalin
and thank you very much Mike and John for the encouragement, I just need to to organize my random thoughts on the Healer
OK, I wanted to write a more detailed entry on the PHII but I don't have the time at the moment so I'll just cut to the core of my comments, the (as I like to term them) the base classes:
(and once again I am at work and don't have my book library here so this is all by memory)
I am expectedly unimpressed by the four "new" base classes: the Knight, the Beguiller (illusionist/rogue), the Duskblade (fighter/mage) and the Dragon Shaman...except for the knight (which I see as a worthy alternate core class) the other three base classes are just glorified prestige classes: gestalts of two other base classes (the beguiler and duskblade) or another munchkin dragon class (dragon shaman)
but I digress, my largest gripe is WOTC's abandonment of the Healer class found in the Miniatures hardcover, where also the Favored Soul, War Mage, Marshal came from (which strangely, IMO, provided some of the best alternate base classes produced in D&D)
I somewhat agree with you though my likes and dislikes vary. The Beguiler seems all right in my book and the Duskblade is OK (though I'm going to have fun retooling the class in light of the fact that Elves are a dead civilization in my homebrew - so this is from some kind of lost dead art).
I really disliked the Knight. I mean these powers are so player centric. You make an NPC evil knight and force the players to do really stupid things because they have been challenged or some such and they are going to be either crying fowl or at least be royally miffed. At least that's the way things would go with my players. Its one thing to be charmed and another thing to be forced to fight by some kind of strange challenge that the players would probably normally scoff at. The whole class is like that. I really dislike classes (or anything else in the rules really) where one can't say 'What's Good for the Goose is Good for the Gander'.
On top of this I think the whole thing will get old real fast. Finally the Class is stepping on the Samurai's toes. I at least felt that the Samurai's ability to shake people did not feel quite so contrived. My players might buy that a powerful enough Samurai could force them into shaken condition even against their will. Fear is, after all, not really voluntary.
I despised the Dragon Shaman as well, except maybe as an NPC class for kobolds - in fact I'm totally bored of the endless stream of classes, races, etc. all centring around Dragons. Its overkill IMO and I think its taking some of the mystery and power that surrounds Dragons. I allow very little dragon fluff into my campaign except as it pertains to Kobolds. As far as I am concerned when a Dragon appears on the scene it should become the absolute focus - the world revolves around it.
In regards to the Healer - I liked the class a lot but I'm surprised you have played it. Pretty much everyone in my group agreed that it was better then the Cleric ... but no one will touch it with a 10' pole. All the healer does is heal and heal and heal some more. Amazing at it though.
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I am expectedly unimpressed by the four "new" base classes: the Knight, the Beguiller (illusionist/rogue), the Duskblade (fighter/mage) and the Dragon Shaman...except for the knight (which I see as a worthy alternate core class) the other three base classes are just glorified prestige classes: gestalts of two other base classes (the beguiler and duskblade) or another munchkin dragon class (dragon shaman)
but I digress, my largest gripe is WOTC's abandonment of the Healer class found in the Miniatures hardcover, where also the Favored Soul, War Mage, Marshal came from (which strangely, IMO, provided some of the best alternate base classes produced in D&D)
Yeah, you're right about those base classes. There are core classes and prestiges classes now that seem to be doing the same sort of thing.
I was mildly annoyed by the omission of the healer class too. The book feels kind of incomplete as a result. Maybe it was dropped for space reasons or maybe the typesetter left out a section by accident?
You mentioned it: couldn't be the reason for omitting the healer that he didn't make it into the complete series? Most of the complete base classes are described in PH II - so the healer's downfall might have been its omission in the complete series... ;-)
Günther
P.S.
I don't own the miniatures handbook: Is it worth buying without being interested in extended miniatures rules?
What about the marshal? I never heard about this base class.
I don't like new base classes- I find that they do the same things that the old base classes have been doing for years, albeit sexier and faster. Furthermore, as new base classes are foisted upon us all in new supplements, I find that they are doing their best to edge out prestige classes as well. It's almost as if the bad old days of kits are coming back...
::runs and hides behind wall o' asbestos::
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It's almost as if the bad old days of kits are coming back...
::runs and hides behind wall o' asbestos::
100% agreement.
I looked forward to the first prestige classes, I loved the possibility to flesh out campaign specific characters.But by now PrC grew a flood. Worse: I loved the new base classes: if you don't want to play a (magical) ranger, you choose a scout. Swashbuckler are a neat twist, I always longed for (fighters don't always rely on strength). Worst: having a look into PH II I couldn't tell a dusk blade anymore from a hex blade (both combine magic and blade fighting, what is their difference?).
The good thing is that nobody forces us to buy all these supplements. :-) And if you already have too many of them (as in my case), you either need players like mine who are very hesitant towards any change to their used form of D&D, or you need a lot of self control. ;-)
Greetings,
Günther