|
So I'm having three new players come in to replace old ones, and since they're level 12 (!!!) and brand new, I'm rolling up their characters for them. As DM I mostly just give advice to the rogue when he texts me at 1 AM trying to crunch the math between a punching dagger and a knife for his new knife master build, but I made a pretty kickass Monk, and a Barbarian who is a walking, swinging sack of HP.
But I'm sort of struggling to find good feats for the Cleric. Other than extra channel and channeled revival. What are some other cool feats for a healbot to be using?
P.S. please don't criticize making a new player a healbot. I know the follies involved.
There's a feat or trait that ties you to the First World, and gives you +2 hp/die when channelling positive energy. Not sure of the name.
==Aelryinth
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
Selective Channel is almost a requirement for the "healbot." Without it, you will be healing the enemy as much as your party. I'd also recommend the Oracle of Life instead of Cleric, as they are by far the best at this role (regardless of whether you consider this role a folly or not).
|
|
You should have something else to do, other than heal though.
Pathfinder is not WOW.Now, moving on. Selective Channel is a must feat, unless you like healing the enemy.
Ninja'd.
I hear your complaint, and decidedly ignore it on the grounds we have 9 people taking damage all the time and he can roleplay when he's not healing. If that doesn't work well enough, then I'll give him a better weapon.
For those of you wondering, domains are travel and repose.
If you're going for the classic cleric feel, give him Turn Undead. It will give them something unique that's not just healing others.
Selective Channeling and Quick Channel comes to mind.
Great Fortitude and Iron Will, to make sure the healbot won't be incapacitated in critical situation. Possibly Fleet to be able to move around quickly for light-armored cleric.
Depending upon the deity and spell selection: Glorious Heat is nice feat for fire-using clerics as an added benefit.
Certainly Selective Channeling, but I'm not sure life oracle is a good idea. If/when the player becomes more comfortable with the game and doing non-healbot things he can branch out a bit more through spell selection if he is a cleric. An Oracle will kind of be locked in. I guess OP could build a little alternate schtick into the oracle, though.
There's a feat or trait that ties you to the First World, and gives you +2 hp/die when channelling positive energy. Not sure of the name.
==Aelryinth
The closest thing I can recall is Fey Foundling but it helps being healed, not healing others.
|
All I am saying is, that in combat, there will be times in combat when you do not need to heal. You should have something to do during those times.
Consider worshiping a neutral god and taking the Versatile Channel feat.
It will give you options.
Also, if allowed, Aasimar make great channel focused PCs.
|
|
All I am saying is, that in combat, there will be times in combat when you do not need to heal. You should have something to do during those times.
Right now we're in a very very long dungeon, but he's allowed to use any core spells that he wants to print off of the SRD. I'm just building his feats around optimizing healing, and setting him up with appropriate spells to start. Because, as I said, with a group this large, there's a lot of damage being thrown around, so that'll be his primary focus.
All I am saying is, that in combat, there will be times in combat when you do not need to heal. You should have something to do during those times.
I always assumed that the intention for a cleric (even a PF cleric with medium armor) is that if they're not healing, they are perfectly capable of going into melee.
|
Wand Dancer is a little feat-intensive but gives more movement options for a cleric.
Prerequisite: Dex 13, Dodge, Mobility, Perform (dance) 5 ranks.
Benefit: When using a spell trigger item, you can move both before and after triggering the item, as long as the total distance moved is not greater than your speed. Choose one creature potentially affected by your spell trigger item. Your movement does not provoke attacks of opportunity from that creature only. You must move at least 5 feet before and after using your spell trigger item to utilize this feat.
And it does its regular job of acting like Spring Attack for some attack wands, too.
Heighten Spell. Empower Spell. Maximize Spell. Spell Penetration. Greater Spell Penetration.
Then use flame strike. If the enemy is dead, he's not hurting your friends. <Grin>
|
|
I would despise being that PC. Forced to do one thing only.
You can be a "healbot" with options, and there is no need to take away those options.
What happens when the enemies are not dealing hit point damage?
How will this character contribute when non-combat challenges arise?
How will this character feel about his contributions in combat?
How will other PCs feel about this character's contributions in combat?
These are important things to consider.
Sounds like a great concept for an NPC, GMPC or a cohort. Really dull PC concept.
As for options, I'd suggest the Restoration subdomain of the Healing domain. Remove certain conditions with a touch and the auto-Empowered cure spells is very nice.
Make two player groups. Nine players is insane, and breaks the game.
Four is ideal and five is managable.
Then have people make whatever characters they want.
Right now we're in a very very long dungeon, but he's allowed to use any core spells that he wants to print off of the SRD. I'm just building his feats around optimizing healing, and setting him up with appropriate spells to start. Because, as I said, with a group this large, there's a lot of damage being thrown around, so that'll be his primary focus.All I am saying is, that in combat, there will be times in combat when you do not need to heal. You should have something to do during those times.
I've always found that large groups take less damage, short of idiots stacking up in fireball or lighting bolt formation. Its easy to dogpile enemies when you have 9 guys, even if you adjust encounter to mitigate the situation (If you have a ton of mooks, they are little threat to the PCs, if you have a solo, or a small elite team they just get stomped on economy of action). You are much better off with a little bit of healing spread out through out the party than 1 guy who is really good at something that any cleric and almost half of the classes can do. A CHA of +2 and selective channel should be enough combat healing for most adventures. Anything else can be handled by the party pitching in on wands.
|
|
I am not even fighting you on the "healbot" thing.
I am just saying, a "healbot" with options, is a more useful, and fun PC.
Like I said, since Clerics get access to every spell their class can use, he can still prepare flame strike and whatnot. But based on the party's needs, his feats built around this are imperative.
What is the make up of this huge party? And what kind of player is the one picking this guy up like?
-James
(No archetypes, except for rogue) Knife Master (Rogue), Monk, Fighter, Antipaladin, Barbarian, Ranger, Illusionist Wizard, Druid, and the Cleric.
He doesn't have any established type since this is his first real game, not counting a terrible attempt at 1e done by a friend in which he played a non-lawful monk.
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
I would despise being that PC. Forced to do one thing only.
You seem to have a strong opinion on how people should enjoy the game.
I currently play a Healbot. In fact my character has yet to cause any damage to any foe. I buff, heal, and use feat's like antagonize to make my party members the best they can be. It's a lot of fun for me and the other players seem to enjoy it as well.
My character is a bit of a pacifist. He chronicles the party’s adventures and as far as he is concerned he is not a character in the story. He is an observer. The other characters are his muse and he does not want his muses to die or the story would end.
The character is not for everyone, but I'm having fun with it.
-MD
Versatile Channelling will give him a way of using those channels to harm the monsters but you will need Selective too!
This is why I ask about the player.
If he simply deciding how the player's PC is built, well, that is being forced to do something they may not want.So, what about that player?
This thread isn't about that players options.
You make a good point but it doesn't belong here.
|
|
Again to the questions about the player, he has no real experience. I'm building his character for him so that he's not overwhelmed with having to know all the rules and build a level 12 character from scratch. When he started talking with the other players about joining (which he did before speaking to me), he was sold on being a healer, which is why I feel his feats should be totally built around this.
(No archetypes, except for rogue) Knife Master (Rogue), Monk, Fighter, Antipaladin, Barbarian, Ranger, Illusionist Wizard, Druid, and the Cleric.He doesn't have any established type since this is his first real game, not counting a terrible attempt at 1e done by a friend in which he played a non-lawful monk.
1. Are all of those melee or are some ranged?
2. What alignment/deity are you considering to mesh with the Antipaladin, et al?
I would suggest things along the following:
A. In combat he heals, buffs, a few debuff/attacks (silence, hold person) and some sort of 'yay team' action.B. Invest him in CHA and diplomacy + sense motive. He can be the 'good cop' to the antipal, that may or may not invest in CHA skills overmuch.
This will give him actions in combat and a focus outside of it.
More than the cleric build I think you need to focus on deity choice for him and a long write up of that deity & beliefs to help him out with an easy focus.
I'd go with healing as one of the domains, even his low level healing spells will be felt. Also consider allowing a feat akin to augment healing from 3.5.. I think there might be a Paizo version that's similar.
-James
The ranger is playing archery for ranged, the Druid is still trying to find a balance between Wild Shape and his high-powered spells. The Antipaladin is Neutral Evil via fiat, the party doesn't have a deity they really fall in line with for several reasons based on the story, other than a modified Calistria as a joke for constant failed calls for divine intervention.
I do think I could toy around with his stats a little more. Everyone has pretty damn good stats except for the Int on the Monk and Barbarian.
|
"Extra Channel" has been a benefit to me and my party. It gives the cleric more flexibility in spell use. My cleric is a dwarf with 10 CHA, so those extra 2channels are important.
For what it's worth, I have found the "Mending" orison handy. The other characters' weapons were damaged, and I happened to have the spell.
So I'm having three new players come in to replace old ones, and since they're level 12 (!!!) and brand new, I'm rolling up their characters for them. As DM I mostly just give advice to the rogue when he texts me at 1 AM trying to crunch the math between a punching dagger and a knife for his new knife master build, but I made a pretty kickass Monk, and a Barbarian who is a walking, swinging sack of HP.
But I'm sort of struggling to find good feats for the Cleric. Other than extra channel and channeled revival. What are some other cool feats for a healbot to be using?
P.S. please don't criticize making a new player a healbot. I know the follies involved.
Firstly, I'm amazed that the community here doesn't have the imagination to see that a character that doesn't or can't do damage to things isn't fun.
I love playing "healbot" characters personally. It gives me other ways to play the game rather than how well I can kill things. I also completely agree that there is a serious lack of feats for healbot type characters. I've tossed around a few ideas here in the forums but have gotten very little feedback.
*gets off soapbox*
Things that are within the rules:
You might want to consider giving that character the Healing domain, since it will give all of his cure spells Empower.
Then, since the characters are level 12, you could grant him the "Healer's Touch" achievement feat, which maximizes the clerics healing spells.
Homebrew Stuff:
Another idea I had, was introducing a Metachannel feat, which allows the cleric to spontaneously apply metamagic feats to their channel, burning a number of 'turning' attempts equal to 1 + level adjustment of the metamagic feat.
Although I haven't sat down to write it up, it would be interesting to have a feat that gave distributed overhealing to other injured party members.
Possibly something like this:
1st – Selective channel
3rd – Extra channel
5th – Reach spell
7th – Heighten spell
9th – Channeled revival
11th – Echoing spell
13th – Spell perfection (heal)
15th – Preferred spell (heal)
And yes I know he's 12th but I was trying to plan ahead a little, at 13th level he can cast heal and echo it for another heal or memorize a reach heal in a 7th level slot for healing party members across the battlefield without going to them and then echoing it so he can do it again. At 15th level he can do the same kind of things spontaneously allowing him to free up those slots for other spells like buffs, attack, spells, etc. for times when the party just doesn't need the healing.
I'd also recommend the Oracle of Life instead of Cleric, as they are by far the best at this role (regardless of whether you consider this role a folly or not).
Actually, the Oracle of Life is the second best healer in the game behind the Clerical Archetype that I think is called Merciful Healer if I remember correctly.
|
|
So I'm having three new players come in to replace old ones, and since they're level 12 (!!!) and brand new, I'm rolling up their characters for them. As DM I mostly just give advice to the rogue when he texts me at 1 AM trying to crunch the math between a punching dagger and a knife for his new knife master build, but I made a pretty kickass Monk, and a Barbarian who is a walking, swinging sack of HP.
But I'm sort of struggling to find good feats for the Cleric. Other than extra channel and channeled revival. What are some other cool feats for a healbot to be using?
P.S. please don't criticize making a new player a healbot. I know the follies involved.
Firstly, I'm amazed that the community here doesn't have the imagination to see that a character that doesn't or can't do damage to things isn't fun.
I love playing "healbot" characters personally. It gives me other ways to play the game rather than how well I can kill things. I also completely agree that there is a serious lack of feats for healbot type characters. I've tossed around a few ideas here in the forums but have gotten very little feedback.
*gets off soapbox*
You are not that player.
The "Welcome to Pathfinder, now stand and heal" seems to be a poor introduction to the game. I am not advocating dealing damage, I am advocating additional options other than healing.If this was some asking about their own build, I would say, "have fun your own way". We are not talking about that. This is introducing a new player, and putting him in a situation that not all love.
By inserting the one feat, Versatile Channel, you can do that. Give that player some Channel Foci, and he will do great.
Spell chain and reach spell are nice. That way you can reach out and heal several of your allies, from a respectably safe distance.
|
if i were you, i would dip fighter. you get heavy armor profeciency, tower shields!!!!!! (most awesome thing a healer can use) 2 free feats and armor training.
i would easily give up 2 levels of cleric for tower shield profeciency, and the tower shield archetype of fighter is extremely powerful for this. i made a pacifist healer, he used a tower shield and heavy armor. with the cleric spell list and channel positive i was able to survive through things easier then every other character in the group. you sit in total cover moving into the fight to heal people, or use group buffs.
an extremeful powerful character. i think at level 1 i had scale + tower shield +3 dex and was the tank of the group. just make sure that you focus on your touch ac as much as your normal ac if you do this, because casters ignore your cover.
feats you would want for this character are:
dodge
mobility
shield specialization
*the feat that adds your shield to your touch ac, cant remember the name.*
selective channel
channeled revival<--- i love this feat!
If you allow 3.5 feats, i'd say Augment Healing. You can take it at 1st level and it adds +2 to healing spells per level of the spell. Other than that, a lot of charisma and extra channeling as well as selective channeling. then any metamagic feats that you'd find particularly useful.
Rod of Reach Spell is your friend, don't waste a Feat on it.
Why not bring the new players in at a lower level or run a different adventure altogether, and then tie it into this one?
|
|
Quick Channel can be quite useful if you have enough channels for it.
Combined with Selective Channel, you can heal everyone with channel as a swift action and still cast a mass heal/healing spell.
For reach spell, do what Stuart wrote and just get 1 or 2 rod of reach.
Heals bots don't need fanciful feats, so just grab Improve Initiative, toughness and maybe extra channel.
II will allow him to pull off a buff before combat starts and toughness can help, cos you need to stay alive in order to heal. More hp always helps.
Have him take the trait Dangerously Curious and the feat Skill Focus Use Magic Device. Then he can grab some fun wands for when he is not acting as a healbot.
Possibly also the Helpful trait, then he can use Aid Another and provide a +4 bonus instead of a +2 bonus. Have him in a flanking position too, and he is giving an ally a +6 bonus on attack rolls.
Or he can smack things with a mace or poke things with a longspear.
Quick Channel will let him channel energy and cast a spell in the same round. Pretty nifty. Extra Channel will be useful if you plan on doing that a lot.
Quick Channel can be quite useful if you have enough channels for it.
Combined with Selective Channel, you can heal everyone with channel as a swift action and still cast a mass heal/healing spell.
It's move action, not swift, but I agree that it's a good option when healing/damaging large group is required and doing it twice now is better than saving uses of channel energy for later.