Hello all. :)
So, some of my friends were considering doing some PFS after one of our campaigns ended (3 campaigns at once is enough thank you! XD), and I was kinda looking to get a character ready for then. Just to have on hand essentially.
I've never played PFS, and most of my experience is in heavily modified game play (Why does everyone have to make their game special and unique? XD), the thought of actually having a campaign with set limits... makes me feel a bit relieved.
I had 3 idea's I wanted to go with.
1) Healer, pure healing, all the healing and then more healing.
2) Don Quixote the Synthesist Summoner (He became the windmill! Get it? It's a joke about the number of attack synetheists ge- nevermind...)
3) The Mysterious Stranger Gunslinger from Fallout
I'm going with the Healer as my first option. I love healing. The first time I played an MMO, I fell in love with healing. The big brawny people can take the damage, the damagers can deal damage, the CCer's can prevent damage, but I LOVE filling the HP pools back up. :D
But, all too often in pen and paper RPGs, healing becomes less valuable than doing as much damage as possible to end the encounter faster, and that makes me sad.
So, I want to try and build a healer. But, Pathfinder seems to have the problem I mentioned above, healing is usually less valuable than damaging/CC. Both from throughput (How much can be healed at a time, generally not enough to match what's coming out), and in duration (Not very many worthwhile heals to cast...or just heals in general).
So, of the three healing classes, Cleric, Oracle and Paladin. Which can:
Heal the longest: Has the most access to various meaningful heals and healing abilities.
Heal the hardest: When someone takes a big hit, they can fix it.
Bridges the gap between the two the best: Because healing for big numbers is kinda pointless when you can only do it once, and healing forever is also pointless, if you can only heal so much each time.
I am willing to attack if needed, but generally as little as possible (Sometimes finishing off the last guy is the best option), but I'm seeking to be able to heal as much as possible. I would prefer to be doing as little "I plink with my crappy crossbow" as possible.
Also open to buffing, and debuffing for when no healing is needed.
And crappy crossbow/stabbing when no healing or anything else is needed. -_-
Which class would do this the best? What stats would be suggested? What feats would be optimal? What items should I build towards? :)
Other information: I generally find myself acting as party conscience pretty fast, not because I'm a nagger (... I can be), but because I generally can recognize that butchering the innkeeper to steal their Inn isn't the best option.
I also enjoy having a higher charisma/diplomacy, and as many skill points as possible. Partly because not all healing is the HP kind. :)
I was also hoping to try and play a Tiefling character I made a ways back, but they were Old, and would receive a -3 to physical stats as a result, not sure how detrimental this would be in PFS play. I liked the idea of a Good Tiefling character as a healer (Likely a follower of Sarenrae).
Any help would be appreciated. :)
(Sorry for how much is here, wanted to make sure that everything possibly needed was her- oh hey, the kitchen sink.)
I am liking my Oradin build quite a lot.
Life Oracle/Hospitalier Paladin combo.
Life Link and Shield Other let me spread damage around, which greatly multiplies the effectiveness of my seemingly endless Channels, healing spells, and Lay on Hands. Plus lots of buffing goodness and he's pretty good with a bow too.
-j
Welcome to the Society.
Unfortunately, I don't have any direct advice for making a healer, but wanted to point out a couple of things in your post as they relate to Society play.
First off, the synthesist archetype for summoners is not allowed in Society play.
Also, while you can make a character of any age from adult or older in Society play, the statistic modifiers are not used (neither bonuses nor penalties), so the age of your character won't actually matter other than role-playing.
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You can rule out your 2nd option, as the Synthesist Summoner is not legal in PFS play. Additionally, the Tiefling character could not have the Old template - benefits & detriments due to aging are not used in PFS. You should check out the Guide to Organized Play and the Additional Resources page to get a bit more information on the restrictions of PFS.
If you truly want to be a dedicated healer, then either Life Oracle or Life Oracle/Paladin is the best way to go. You will definitely need an Aegis of Recovery for yourself (probably multiple over time), Headband of Charisma and other items that buff channel/Lay on Hands that I'm less familiar with.
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+1 to the Hospitaler Pally idea. I've built a few on paper before, and the concept just makes me happy. The insane volume of extra healing you get from simply taking Extra Channel means topping off between encounters is easy-peasy.
Then again, maybe I'm missing something with Extra Channel increasing both your Channel Energy uses by 2 and Lay on Hands by 4 for the cost of one feat. Someone correct me if I'm applying that wrong.
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Definitely not a huge expert in the field, but a few thoughts:
Age penalties/bonuses aren't used in PFS. As I understand it, you can describe your character as being elderly, but there isn't any game effect to that.
I don't think anyone will ever object to having more healing at the table, but, depending on the scenario you end up playing, you might end up without a whole lot to do during combat. Early seasons are often notoriously easy, especially with a full table. Expanding into being a more general party support character focused on buffing would probably be a good idea, which leans more Cleric/Oracle and less Paladin.
I have a Witch, who I have a lot of fun playing, and I'd suggest adding it to your consideration. It isn't going to be as powerful at healing as a Cleric, but still has some good options. The Healing, Fortune, and Ward hexes will go a long way towards keeping your party alive and fighting. Keeping a CLW wand on hand should leave you adequately covering the party's needs, at least at low level. I'm sure others can point you towards Cleric and Oracle (Life mystery, community guardian archetype perhaps?) builds that work much along the same lines.
Huh, I thought Synthesists WERE allowed, well, screwed up there, ah well.
And I actually LIKE that she won't be getting the minuses and plusses. I didn't mind it for RP, and I don't mind not getting it, again, for RP.
I'd been looking at an Oradin, but was afraid their effectiveness wouldn't scale as well after a while (Both channel energy pools being less than they could be, etc.).
Hadn't heard of Aegis's, that's neat.
Extra channel applies to Channel energy only, it only gives Lay on Hands if you don't have a dedicated channel energy pool, and those must be used to channel (Hospitaler's can no longer convert LoH to Channel energy). So, only one. :/
Community guardian archetype? have not heard of that, gonna go take a peak...
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make sure to snag Fey foundling so you don't need to spend time healing yourself. An awesome con score and shield other can effectively double the healing of your channels.
Okay, couple quick questions before I go into actually building it.
1) Meditation Crystals (Adventurer's Armory)
Do they work with Oracle/Hospitaler channeling, or is that a Cleric to Paladin only thing?
It seems like it would work, and it was asked before elsewhere, but it wasn't answered.
2) Variant racials
Are they permitted in PFS? I looked, but didn't find anything about it (Likely looking in the wrong locations, I R bad at finsing things in PDF's online...), would a Tiefling be able to choose variant types of racials, and if so, can you choose a type of "Blooded" and then use variants there too?
3) Would melee or Ranged be better? I'm used to ranged, but a melee build would be tougher and better armored.
I've never played an AP, so am unsure how heavy combat can get.
4) This is more of a flavor question. In the initial character, she was old, but looked a bit younger (40's, rather than her equivalent 60's or so). No bonuses or anything. I would think it would be allowed, but while browsing the Ioun stones, I saw one that had a similar effect.
Also, I looked at the witch idea, but it's a bit more supporty, a bit less healy. Definitely setting it aside though, one of my friends who GMs for us kills a character every 2 to 3 sessions on average. Of course we have a lot of resses, but I'm getting sick of having my character ressed. It's been 4 times now...
1) Meditation Crystals (Adventurer's Armory)
Do they work with Oracle/Hospitaler channeling, or is that a Cleric to Paladin only thing?
It seems like it would work, and it was asked before elsewhere, but it wasn't answered.
Wait, those aren't in PFS are they. Going through the list of supported resources, and haven't spotted it.
Gah, I R teh stupids.
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link to the additional resources page which tells you what is legal to use or not for pfs.
Healing is much less important in society play than it is in home games. Pfs scenarios are designed to be played in four hour sessions. As long as you survive you are assumed to heal up between each game. Also, since group composition varies from game to game, you can never be sure there will be a "healer" at your table, so you will find many players are self sufficient. First level wands are also practically free, so everyone carries a cure light wand to heal between fights.
link to the additional resources page which tells you what is legal to use or not for pfs.
Healing is much less important in society play than it is in home games. Pfs scenarios are designed to be played in four hour sessions. As long as you survive you are assumed to heal up between each game. Also, since group composition varies from game to game, you can never be sure there will be a "healer" at your table, so you will find many players are self sufficient. First level wands are also practically free, so everyone carries a cure light wand to heal between fights.
I uh, I had that downloaded, and was looking through it, found it a few moments after posting. >_>
Why do I always find the answers right AFTER making a fool of myself?
Hmm, that would explain why Oradins are still good, even with the reduced healing that comes as a result of diluting it with that massive dip into Oracle/Paladin (Depending on perspective). They get reduced healing yes, but they get more... action economy? Is that the phrase? They can actually attack, and keep healing the party at the same time, interesting. Thank you.
Do you know the answer to the Meditation crystal question? :)
link to the additional resources page which tells you what is legal to use or not for pfs.
Healing is much less important in society play than it is in home games.
Let me second that. If you don't absolutely love playing a healer, then don't. In between combats people are largely going to heal up to full with wands of cure light wounds and infernal healing. If your group is stomping a scenario, you may have very little if anything to do.
I uh, I had that downloaded, and was looking through it, found it a few moments after posting. >_>
Do you know the answer to the Meditation crystal question? :)
Nope, lets find out. Ah 1...2....3.
CRUNCH.
Option 1: check the list
Step 1: google the meditation crystal. Its in adventurers armory.
Step 2: go to the additional resources page (which for some strange reason is not easily showing up on google today) and find adventurers armory.
Some lists of whats allowed are written as prohibitive, some are written as exclusive. You need to make sure you read the entry for the book carefully.
Pathfinder Player Companion: Adventurer's Armory
Only the 2nd printing of this book or the 1st printing augmented by the current errata (released 7/21/11) are legal for play in Pathfinder Society Organized Play.
Everything in this book is legal for play with the following exceptions: a pseudodragon is not legal for purchase unless you're a wizard with the Improved Familiar feat, elephants are never legal for play, and armored kilts are not legal.
Since the meditation crystal is in the book and isn';t the pseudodragon an elephant or an armored kilt, you're good.
Option 2
Check the archives of nethys. Their search thing is a little weird, so what you can do is google archives of nethys meditation crystal to get a link. Left of the Item name is a white circle with a funny X. Thats the glyph of the open road. Its a symbol for the society, and means its PFS legal.
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You can make a life oracle that can fight. I did one at first level, and a long spear is a ferocious weapon in the hands of someone with 18 strength. The character becomes a little MAD (multiple ability-score dependent) at that point, but it can be done. This Guide to reach clerics isn't directly applicable, but it contains a great deal of information that will work.
Here is a great collection of guides. Glean great info from them.
I find a healer that can do something else is very useful in PFS, and holding your own in a fight is very important. There are scenarios where a healer is literally a god-send, but then there are scenarios where using wands between encounters is plenty. An Oradin straddles that line well.
An angel-kin Aasimar is a powerful choice for this kind of build, and with the favored class bonus for Oracle (+1/2 level to the effects of one revelation), channeling positive energy can scale nicely.
Meditation Crystals, as pointed out, are allowed. But, I thought they only refreshed a ki point or use of lay on hands. Where is the other use implied?
BigNorseWolf's tutorial on how to use Additional Resources is incredibly good, and I hope it can be stickied in its own thread. Just wonderfully done, BNW.
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link to the additional resources page which tells you what is legal to use or not for pfs.
Healing is much less important in society play than it is in home games. Pfs scenarios are designed to be played in four hour sessions. As long as you survive you are assumed to heal up between each game. Also, since group composition varies from game to game, you can never be sure there will be a "healer" at your table, so you will find many players are self sufficient. First level wands are also practically free, so everyone carries a cure light wand to heal between fights.
I'm inclined to disagree with you. Okay early on sure everyone should buy a CLW wand and be self sufficient, both my characters do and I'll continue to do this as I build more. However if we have a dedicated healer in the party then great as I don't have to use the wand for the session saving me money/PP, but also consider a random group (fighter, barbarian, wizard and monk) the wizard probably has UMD but can easily roll a 1 and be unable to use the wand (or wands if he is rolling badly) for a scenario at which point no healing or more likely, wizards are squishy especially at low level, if the wizard goes down no one to wave the wand (yes I know potion in your pocket you tell the party to stick down your throat - how many low level characters have this?). In addition a wand of CLW is only so effective, the higher the tier/mission the more likely a CLW won't cover.
The core mechanics of the fame don't change because we stick Society on the end of the title. Healing is just as important (if not more so because the penalty for death is so much more acute when wealth by level is so carefully controlled compared to a home game)
If the wizard rolls a 1 with his wand, he switches wands with other people.
action economy really is important, and (when it comes to healing) nobody does that better than a pally. oradins are potent (and if you want a straight healer they're a great option), but a single-classed paladin can be great too... oradins are giving up caster levels and taking reduced channeling in order to improve the action economy of their heals (absorbing others' damage to swift heal themselves and healing multiple injured people with each channel). a (well built) paladin with a greatsword who charges into melee can absorb most of the damage just by being the one that the enemies attack- that way you preserve the huge benefits of swift action healing and are helping to end combat more quickly...
Is there anything preventing a paladin from carrying and using like 20 meditation crystals?
Seems awful cheap for something that recharges what is normally a limited resource.
EDIT: Ah, it's a channel focus, which uses up channel energy. Seems inefficient to burn channels for extra lay on hands.
-j
Meditation Crystals, as pointed out, are allowed. But, I thought they only refreshed a ki point or use of lay on hands. Where is the other use implied?
The same use, you channel an energy into it, you get a LoH. But it specifically mentions "Cleric" for the channeling, would other types of channelers work? Could a Pally be their own channeler? Either by multiclassing, archetypes, or by base class?
Is there anything preventing a paladin from carrying and using like 20 meditation crystals?
Seems awful cheap for something that recharges what is normally a limited resource.
EDIT: Ah, it's a channel focus, which uses up channel energy. Seems inefficient to burn channels for extra lay on hands.
-j
Unless you're a hospitaller, in which case you have a pool of Channel energy separate of your LoH. Or, an Oradin, which has up to two pools of it.
Even a base Paladin would find it advantageous, because the crystals hold a charge for a day.
If you have 6 spare LoH at the end of the day, you can channel energy 3 times into 3 different crystals, and the next day you have 3 extra charges of LoH to refill what you use throughout the day.
That's pretty potent.
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Thanks all for the various replies, they've been extremely helpful. :D
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Another option for a PFS healer is a cleric with very useful other abilities (the travel domain is one very good option).
My healbot cleric is useful and fun. Healing is often basically an insurance policy. Everybody is glad it is there and so you're pulling your weight even if you don't actually do much healing. But he also acts as a taxi service and has lots of generally useful spells prepared. Perception and diplomacy are always welcome at the table too.
Have more time to type now, was time-constrained before:
Ws re-reading the section on the Meditation crystal, and noticed something rather important:
"...Activating a focus is identical to channeling energy, but instead of directing the power outward, the cleric (or other appropriate character) directs it into the focus, expending one use of channel energy."
So yeah, anyone can channel into it. Wooo.
Which means I mis-read something before and wasted peoples time, booooo.
I also did some searching, and my question on Tieflings with variants and substituted racial traits is fine too (The problem with googling, is that if you don't know the WORDS for what you're looking for, you can't find it. Eventually you'll find the right words, but, that can take some time...)
Well, that's most of my questions right there.
Neat.
Thank you all for the help. :)
It's really easy to build a cleric that channels to heal and summons monsters for offense.
Much as I'd like to do that (WOOT! WHITE MAGE IT UP!), I am HORRIBLE at managing more than one character.
My Ranger frequently sends her animal companion off on missions like "Guard this building, nothing gets in" just so that I, as the player, don't have to control it, because I will do so horribly, and get it killed while accomplishing nothing more than taking 1-2 hits.
Yeah, that 1-2 hits is damn worthwhile compared to a PC, and as these are summons, not really callous. Still, I'm just bad at it. XD
Kinda makes me wish I could summon it, and have a better player control it for me, because this would be a great option, if I could pull it off.
God help me if I ever decide to play a Master Summoner. D:
Lesse, only question I had remaining really (not to say I've decided on what to play, but you all have given me more than enough food for thought :) ), was the flavor/appearance question.
4) This is more of a flavor question. In the initial character, she was old, but looked a bit younger (40's, rather than her equivalent 60's or so). No bonuses or anything. I would think it would be allowed, but while browsing the Ioun stones, I saw one that had a similar effect.
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"Much as I'd like to do that (WOOT! WHITE MAGE IT UP!), I am HORRIBLE at managing more than one character."
Technically the GM runs the summoned monster anyway. If you can communicate with it, you can tell it to do things. But the specific modes of attack, etc are actually up to the GM since the summoned monster is NOT under any kind of specific PC control.
Frequently, GMs will allow PCs to run their summoned monsters, but you are allowed to decline.
Properly built in PFS, pets are very overpowered. Especially since they are replaced for free if something DOES happen.
The point is that you don't have to be just a healbot. In fact, its much better to have some offensive capabilities as well. Think of it as proactive healing. Scenarios go much easier if you can kill NPCs quickly and reduce the number of actions they get off.
Yeah, I know, :(
It's something I ran into even in MMO's, and it always bugs me.
The point of a Healer, is first and foremost, to keep the party alive. If a Healer is unwilling to do non-healing methods of keeping the party alive (IE: Attacking), they're just as bad as not having a healer to begin with.
Generally, if you decide to be a Healer first and Foremost, to keep your party alive potentially at the cost of your own character, to build your character AROUND saving others.
Then it would be hypocritical as hell to not be open to attacking, or CCing as well. :(
"I'll help you stay alive, just as long as I don't need to do *BLANK*."
Technically the GM runs the summoned monster anyway. If you can communicate with it, you can tell it to do things. But the specific modes of attack, etc are actually up to the GM since the summoned monster is NOT under any kind of specific PC control.
Frequently, GMs will allow PCs to run their summoned monsters, but you are allowed to decline.
Properly built in PFS, pets are very overpowered. Especially since they are replaced for free if something DOES happen.
Reeeaaally. Now that is iiiinteresting. /Joker
Hmmm, would a GM likely play a Summoned creature as appropriately intelligent for what it is? A Summoned dog wouldn't be as smart as an Angel, and an Angel would be capable of advanced tactics and such.
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"Hmmm, would a GM likely play a Summoned creature as appropriately intelligent for what it is?"
I do. Animals behave like animals and genius INT outsiders fight like geniuses. Of course, the outsiders can talk to you as well. One key feature of this is lets say you summon an air elemental in a fight that has swarms. You need the auran language in order to tell the air elemental to use vortex to vacuum up the swarms because its not very smart and will by default probably try to slam them a couple of times first.
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There are other ways to play a cleric for offense besides summoning, while still being good at channeling.
I've got a buff focused cleric of Desna, with the Luck and Travel domains. I started him with 16 wis, 16 cha, and Selective Channeling, so he's a good healer, while tossing out spells like Bless and using his Luck domain power to help his allies take down baddies faster. And as a halfling, he has a favored class bonus that lets him get more uses per day of Bit of Luck. With 6 channels per day and a wand of Cure Light, he's a good healer, but it's only one of his two focuses in battle, not his primary focus.
Or you can go the battle cleric route and march up to the front lines with a weapon, but that's very MAD. At that point, you'd pretty much have to dump your int down to 7 and have no skill points, just to have the points to be productive at everything else. At that point, you're probably better off playing a paladin or the new warpriest (which I haven't looked at to know any details, so I could be wrong).
That's why summoning is very much superior hitting things with a mace. Leave that to warpriests and paladins. Some of the summons are crazy strong anyway. Elementals and celestial animals tear it up.
Takes hits for others, deals consistent damage over time, brings a variety of situational spells and abilities.
Yeah, summons are a good option.
Hmmm, choosing between Oradin, Paladin, or Healing cleric with Summoning.
Tough call...
Gonna have to think on it, thanks again all. I think that clears up all of my questions. :)
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A couple things - don't play a Merciful Healer - none of the mercy feats work for you and you'll regret not affecting undead.
Also consider magical lineage or wayang spell hunter for non-basic level cure spell - like cure serious or cure moderate - and take reach spell feat.
I like reach spell for oracles in general - because as a full round action you can add reach to the spells you know - like stabilize as a first level spell for 100ft +10ft per level (unless you use the trait for that in which case that is your 0 level, and your 1st level version is 400ft +40ft per level) - Reach communal resist energy is nice.
Clerics have to memorize their reach spells, but they can then add reach to immediate action spells like liberating command.
I know a reach rod will let you do 3 per day, but you have to hold it, and cast spells, and draw it (move action separate from moving), and they are heavy - being able to cast heal or buff spells on the fly at range can be very powerful. Also if you are a weapon using oracle - a weapon in one hand, a rod in the other give you no hand to cast with.
Plus the rod only allows one step, while the feat allows as many steps as you need (thus the long range stabilize above, or a cure moderate wounds spell at 180 feet as a 4th level spell (or 3rd if you chose it for your trait).
Just something to consider
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Frequently, GMs will allow PCs to run their summoned monsters, but you are allowed to decline.
Uh, no. Or, at least, expect massive table variation.
I've got far too much to do as a GM to play a summoned monster. You summoned it, you run it (with my having rarely exercised veto power if you try and have it do unreasonable things)
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Frequently, GMs will allow PCs to run their summoned monsters, but you are allowed to decline.
Uh, no. Or, at least, expect massive table variation.
I've got far too much to do as a GM to play a summoned monster. You summoned it, you run it (with my having rarely exercised veto power if you try and have it do unreasonable things)
Agreed. Besides, most players like being able to roll the attack rolls and damage for their own summoned critters, especially if they aren't taking attack rolls for their own PC.
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Hospitally Pally can heal and tank. It's really good.
But the best Healer is the Life oracle. You can also combine the two into a "Oradin".
The best tactics for a "healer' is to buff more than heal, but be the BEST healer when you need to heal.
If you're going to have that much channel energy might as well get a grayflame weapon.
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I main clerics typically but have played pathfinder for years.
Healing can not keep up with damage in pathfinder typically. Ontop of that problem you also fight status effects.
Typically in pathfinder a good chunk of healing comes after a fight in the form of a cure light wounds wand.
Channeling is a piss poor way to heal and should only be done in emergencies.
A support type typically focuses on preventing damage over healing it through midigations and resistances. Mixed with battle field control. Or will summon something to take a beating for your team. Summon HP is un important and needs no healing.
Now there is 1 healing build I can say stands out. The oracle/paladin build oradin. It offers mitigation through life link and swift action lay on hands healing to yourself. You are like a martyr.
Now if playing a paladin isn't your style you can try a evanglist cleric. Bardic performance and full cleric list is awesome for a support type players. It is my favorite.
Have you considered combining the Warrior of the Holy Light with the Hospitalier? Both are completely compatible, and WotHL adds some buffing and healing options to the paladin's repetior of LoH abilities, for when the HP are less of an issue than the effects. You also get more LOH/day. The trade here is that you lose spells (which are often a mute point for Pally's IMO) in favor of the near-constant buffs and enhanced LOH this class provides.
Regardless, you should definitely keep feats such as Extra Channel and Selective Channel, Versatile Channel (which may not be accessible unless you palladin "falls" for a couple levels then gets an attonement), Quick Channel and possibly Improved Channel on your list if you plan on going this route, as this will be your primary source of healing.
And if you do add in the WotHL archetype, also keep in mind Extra LOH, Extra Mercy, Greater Mercy, and Ultimate Mercy. This will grant you even more healing and allow you to buff the party to boot, not to mention the nifty ability to bring a dead ally back to life. Word of Healing, Reward of Life and Reward of Grace as well as Radiant charge can also provide a bit of a boost.
The nice thing about this combo is you are now the party healer and buffer. If you were willing to hamstring yourself for a few levels you can also do some decent damage (versatile Channeler). You can remove any condition, double-blast channel energy to bring the party to nearly full HP in one or two rounds, and revive your fallen in an emergency (even if you have to rest a day or two to regain enough LoH to do so).
I'm pretty sure there was even a feat or item which allowed you to maximize/empower your Channel Energy, though it may not be PFS legal.
We actually had campaign in which one of the characters was a pally of Pharasma (super anti-undead). He wore black skull-embossed armor and wielded a scythe, but we never lacked for healing (which was good, given that the Boss nearly KO'd the party 3 times, and we still lost 3 out of the 5 party members). He actually forwent some of the above-mentioned feats in order to take some more combat-oriented ones.
All said, he was effective at both dealing damage (though this was his minor role) and healing it, and was a great party buff alongside my bard (who was the only other character to survive).
Ah, and I just noticed that the maximized healing actually comes as the Pally capstone at lvl20. It's a long way to go, but if you get there that would make this build the best healer in the game, from what we calculated. (The DM was actually running an inverse of this build for the Boss. We survived mostly because he forgot to maximize his channel negative.)
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I would avoid lots of channel feats.
Selective and quick are the better of the trash.
2 praise worthy feats are divine intervention and sacred summons.
I speak from experience as I've tried the channeling feats before. Typically when you roll d6s you end up doing poorly. Wasting a standard to do a crap heal is bad action economy. This game action economy.
Consider that, excluding the lvl 20 capstone, this character can double-tap Channel energy for 16d6 with Quick Channeling for an average of 56hp.
Is this the most effective action? Not necessarily, but that can easily make up for the last hit on each and every ally that is in your channel radius. So unless your enemies are actually being smart and ganging up on one PC before moving to the next, it's usually enough to keep everyone in the fight.
If you need to target-heal a specific ally just LOH. If you took the Greater Mercy feat, one Quick Channel and one LOH for an ally that doesn't need a mercy heals 19d6 for an average of 70hp to that ally while still healing all other allies for 28hp. Given that, aside from most BBEGs, most enemies are not optimized for dmg this is usually more than enough to keep going even under substantial pressure.
That said, pick your best ones, probably sticking to Selective and Quick Channel (possibly getting Extra Channel if you are running out a lot). I would also take the same tact with the LoH feats, but listed all of them for your perusal. My preferences here would be Greater and Ultimate Mercy. If you happen to be constantly fighting the full gamut of afflictions or running out of LoH often, I would consider Extra Mercy and Extra LoH, but the remainder would not be among my preferences (different players, different play styles, though I think a lot of people on these forums min-max).
Divine Interference is also good, as it can turn that potential Crit into a miss, but it does require spells and is a quick way to run out of them. Not such a bad thing if you find you have more spells than you need or just don;t want to mess with them, but something to note before taking. (And it would not work with the WotHL archetype, as they loose spells altogether, so decide accordingly.)
I would argue, however, that Sacred Summons is largely wasted on any class that doesn't get at least 6th lvl spells, as the alignment subtype that the critters get doesn't make up for the fact that if you are limited to Summon Monster IV the HP, Atk, and Dmg is so outclassed by lvl 20 (and at allother levels proportionately by available Summon Monster X) that it might as well be watching on the sidelines as it will survive, at most, 1 or 2 hits (if you are lucky).
IE: trade standard action to summon creature that absorbs standard action from enemy. Net benefit: zero, as all other enemies can still attack you (assuming the enemy your summon targeted doesn't just ignore it and attack you anyway). If you were getting at least Summon Monster VI or better by lv 20, I'd say go for it, but otherwise not worth it IMO.
Remember the OP specified PFS, which is mostly lvl 1 to 11 play.
-j
Well, I'm about to admit to monumental stupidity. XD
I didn't notice the rule that you have to either own the books and have them with you, or have a printout from the PDF (With your name (Or someone's name?) on it, the "Purchased by thing across the top/bottom).
So, as mister Debt, and lost my last job can attest, I will be using Core Rulebook only. XD
Probably going to play a Iconic (Kyra maybe?) for the first few sessions at least.
Thanks everyone for all the input here, I learned a lot, and appreciate it. :)
Tangential unimportant note: Wait, why was this moved from the PFS area that I originally posted in, and WHEN did that happen? XD
+1 on DrDeth's suggestion of a hospitaler paladin (sacred servant also works). You'll want a wand of cure light wounds and a wand of lesser restoration. You can heal very well out of combat, you have amazing self healing in combat at the same time as being a full bab evil smiting holy terror.