Help me tank / heal for a 3 person party!

[AtlasDM]

My friends and I have just recently started a third-party adventure path in which we take on the role of evil characters serving Asmodeus. The party originally consisted of a human slayer (me), a half-drow ninja (ranged combat focus), a tielfling witch, and an oread war priest.

Last session our warpriest player didn't show, and isn't expected to return. My slayer died trying to prevent a TPK early in the session and I temporarily took control of the warpriest because the GM had his character sheet and I didn't want to sit idly while everyone else played.

Here's my dilemma: Our party will remain at three players indefinitely and we have no front line melee character or healer. In the interest of not scrapping the adventure path and starting a new one I want to try and fill both roles with my new character next week.

What's the best class to do this as an evil character? Warpriest? Antipaladin? Cleric? Multi-class?

Should we just load up the witch with wands and I play a melee character?

[VRMH]

AtlasDM wrote:

Should we just load up the witch with wands and I play a melee character?

Yes. Melee, or something that brings a melee presence with them (Summoner, or Necromancer for instance).

[Secret Wizard]

Antipaladin has amazing defenses but his healing power is rather low to nonexistant, depending on how you build him. I like going Dread Vanguard for the communal Fast Healing in that aspect.

Your Witch or Warpriest could take some healing duties but I see they don't care much about it.

You can always go Wild Shape-focused Druid, the Ranger is not a bad call either (Witchguard or Guide) as long as you pick Dwarf or Oread for movement speed on armor, and then there's a good Dwarf Bard.

But the best, the very best is the Scarred Witch Doctor.

[Iterman]

An Oracle with the Life Revelation works out pretty well in both the tanking and healing aspects since they have access to both life link and shield other. Both abilities centralize the damage on yourself, allowing you the ability to stay out of combat, if you wish, while still casting spells.

Scarred Witch Doctor can be quite nice as well.

[Pendagast]

ummm why not just continue to play the war priest if the player isn't coming back?

war priests are designed with healing and front lining in mind… they are after all the cleric/fighter hybrid?

but if you're going to scrap that, an oracle of bones you can treat yourself as undead :) very evilly. you can raise/control undead… and you can Prc into rage prophet with a little barbarian.

This KINDA gives you and anti paladin, but has access to heal spells.

[AtlasDM]

I thought about continuing to play the warpriest but if I do I will rebuild that character completely so it can be something I want to play. It's kinda lame picking up another person's character sheet and playing with it full time.

I like the concept of a druid, oracle/barbarian/rage prophet, or scarred witch doctor. It would make sense to add the character in because the party is currently dealing with a camp of NPCs best described as "wildlings".

Thanks for the suggestions, everyone. I'll talk to my GM and let you know how things go.

[Tinskin]

Iterman wrote:

An Oracle with the Life Revelation works out pretty well in both the tanking and healing aspects since they have access to both life link and shield other. Both abilities centralize the damage on yourself, allowing you the ability to stay out of combat, if you wish, while still casting spells.

I second this. Between shield other, life link, channel energy and my spells as long as my Life oracle is in the party killing any one of us with HP damage is not a viable option. If you do it right you can heal yourself very, very easily as a life oracle, and you don't need a high charisma to do it. If I were to do so I would grab power attack, furious focus and spend the rest of my feats on defense. Maybe vital strike as I wouldn't be making many full attacks, using my move action to channel or use energy body. It's not like my second attack would hit much anyway.

If they attack your allies most of the damage goes to you, and then you heal it. If they attack you... then that's what you wanted. Keep in mind that if you go this route you will be taking damage. A lot of damage. Amounts that would quickly kill anyone not able to rapidly pump out massive amounts of positive energy. Which you can do. If your DM would allow it pick up Fey Foundling as your first level feat. It makes a big difference.

Then you just need to find a reason as to why an evil character would be willing to use a combat style that is centered around taking that much pain for his allies...