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Lately I've gotten the itch to play a character whose specialty is healing, since every party needs that, but I've got one problem: I don't want the character to be an ordained priest type like a Cleric, Paladin, Oracle or Druid. I've asked this question on these boards before, wondering if something like the Chirurgeon Alchemist or White Mage Arcanist would be a viable substitute, and the answer I got was a resounding NO.
So...how DO I play an effective healer without playing a religious character? In case folks are curious, I'm angling to play the character in Skull and Shackles, using the Ship's Surgeon campaign trait.
You convince your GM to play some alternate wound system that makes Heal useful for something other than autopsy checks. 9/10, that's all I see Heal used for. The other 1/10 is identifying the poison on someone to decide whether they need to burn a casting to neutralize it.
It's not the best option but you could definitely go with the kinetic chirurgeon. It'll even mean you can stay thematic and pick water as your element.
I think the healing bombs of the alchemist are okay for HP healing.
The issue is those off-healers usually don't get the status removal. And that's the main part of a healer. Cure light wounds wands are a staple to keep the party going during a day.
I think the healing bombs of the alchemist are okay for HP healing.
The issue is those off-healers usually don't get the status removal. And that's the main part of a healer. Cure light wounds wands are a staple to keep the party going during a day.
That is actually one cool thing about kinetic chirurgeon. They get paladin mercies.
Witch can also be a viable option with the correct archetype (Hedge Witch). With some buffing hexe, you can make a great character.
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A Healing Patron Witch is more doctor than priest. Their medical instructor isn't from around here, but they're an instructor not someone bestowing power. The Hedge Witch Archetype also helps with this, but it's the Patron you really need (for the Restoration spells).
So...yeah, I'd go with that. It doesn't need to be super buff or defense oriented beyond the Patron and maybe the archetype, either. An offensive Witch doing the standard stuff like Slumber, Misfortune, and Evil Eye is very possible, and you can still pretty readily be the group's main healer.
There is always White Mage from the arcanist but they are secondary healers at best.
Human (or half-human races) shamans could be an option since the talk to spirits instead of being ordained... But are still divine in nature.
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I agree with Clerics, Oracle, Paladins and so son, dont have to be ordained.
I would say Investigators could be like a Medic-forense kind of guy. You can give your "Drugs" to other, and some of these stuff has the CLW or CMW, and also you would have heal ...
Also the Ranger has Divine spells available at 4th level, so I guess you could have him healing, but that would be waaaay sup-optimal, but you could i guess.
Plus some UMD you could do something valuable.
Also remember that the "Band Aid" is a thing of the past, you can have a very nice Cleric withouth having to be the Band aid.
If it is for Lore purpose, you can have a Divine caster that is not a Priest, it is not mandatory to do so ... so I dont know...
Regards.-
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Witches and shamans can be decent healing spell casting healers (hedge witches and especially herbal witches are very solid at that imo), and alchemists/investigators can do it from a more "scientific" perspective. Actually, alchemists make pretty good pharmaceutics, since there are a lot of alchemical items that give large bonuses to overcome status effects, and alchemists can manufacture them pretty quickly. Here is a list with some of the things you can make with alchemy.
Sure, antiplague might not be as good as cure disease in a dungeon, but when your you need to bring an epidemic under control, being able to produce multiple doses of antiplague quickly - on top of your standard infusions - can make a big difference.
Here is your problem...
Doctor is a Profession, they do what a Magical Class dose over a longer time.
Doctors can stop the effects of an Illnesses, then eventually cure it.
Magic cures it instantly, but you need to have the correct spell.
Alternatively, if your GM will allow you to use the playtest version, they're working on a Medic class for Path of War that would fit your concept perfectly.
I've asked this question on these boards before, wondering if something like the Chirurgeon Alchemist or White Mage Arcanist would be a viable substitute, and the answer I got was a resounding NO.
I cannot edit my post anymore, so I will have to reply one more time - I have yet to see a party fail because an alchemist, arcanist or a witch was not providing sufficient healing. Sure, more is better, but I think a 6+ level caster with features and a spell list that lend themselves to curing spells is okay. Yes, you can supplement that healing with items, but you should still be okay if the rest of the group works well.
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I've asked this question on these boards before, wondering if something like the Chirurgeon Alchemist or White Mage Arcanist would be a viable substitute, and the answer I got was a resounding NO.I cannot edit my post anymore, so I will have to reply one more time - I have yet to see a party fail because an alchemist, arcanist or a witch was not providing sufficient healing. Sure, more is better, but I think a 6+ level caster with features and a spell list that lend themselves to curing spells is okay. Yes, you can supplement that healing with items, but you should still be okay if the rest of the group works well.
Well, as others have said, the big issue is apparently that healing hit point damage is actually secondary in battle to removing status effects on your teammates, which is apparently the purview of divine spellcasters.
I'm starting to like the idea of a hedge witch type from the suggestions here, though. It meshes well with the "self-taught doctor" image I'm going for...
I've asked this question on these boards before, wondering if something like the Chirurgeon Alchemist or White Mage Arcanist would be a viable substitute, and the answer I got was a resounding NO.I cannot edit my post anymore, so I will have to reply one more time - I have yet to see a party fail because an alchemist, arcanist or a witch was not providing sufficient healing. Sure, more is better, but I think a 6+ level caster with features and a spell list that lend themselves to curing spells is okay. Yes, you can supplement that healing with items, but you should still be okay if the rest of the group works well.Well, as others have said, the big issue is apparently that healing hit point damage is actually secondary in battle to removing status effects on your teammates, which is apparently the purview of divine spellcasters.
I'm starting to like the idea of a hedge witch type from the suggestions here, though. It meshes well with the "self-taught doctor" image I'm going for...
In that case, I would go with the Herb Witch archetype. It can't convert its spells into spontaneous cures like the Hedge Witch archetype can but it is much better at condition removal which is far more important in combat.
In that case, I would go with the Herb Witch archetype. It can't convert its spells into spontaneous cures like the Hedge Witch archetype can but it is much better at condition removal which is far more important in combat.
You can actually combine the Herb Witch and Hedge Witch archetypes, if you want to, since they don't replace the same class features.
In that case, I would go with the Herb Witch archetype. It can't convert its spells into spontaneous cures like the Hedge Witch archetype can but it is much better at condition removal which is far more important in combat.You can actually combine the Herb Witch and Hedge Witch archetypes, if you want to, since they don't replace the same class features.
You can but you really shouldn't. The Hedge Witch's Empathic Healing ability is very redundant if you have the Herb Witch's remedies.
What'd be a good familiar, by the by? Parrot seems kind of obvious...
Familiars that boost your initiative like the Greensting Scorpion are always good.
Familiar for a Hedge With? Obviously a hedgehog!
It's a familiar, it's smarter than some people, consider it a person that really wants to do things you tell it to do.
Rabbit, for initiative, and for the jokes involving emergency rations.Would rabbits work on a ship? They don't like to be held, need plenty of space to run and don't get along well with children or other small animals (like Fishguts' beloved chickens, for example).
You can get a monkey, the extra hands will be helpful - especially if you go for an assist-oriented familiar like a valet (the familiar archetype, I mean).
Alchemists and investigators get some options to remove statuses, but I agree, a witch with the healing patron is perhaps even good at that (other patrons, not so much). If you are going for skulls and shackles, though, some of the other patrons strike me as quite thematic :P.
By the way, am I reading it right that the alchemy bonus from an alchemist VMC stacks with the witch's cauldron hex bonus and with the valet familiar's cooperative crafting? This could result in some pretty insane bonuses to crafting alchemical items or potions.
Oracle of life does not have to be anything remotely resembling a priest. You could be a natural conduit for positive energy. While the spells you cast are of divine type there is no need for religiousness for oracles.
I would also check a psychic, who had some access to healing spells.
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I've used the heal skill along with delay pain and (later) regerate to remove my (PC) organs to entertain a demon and gain her favor.
I've saved a fresh lvl 1 pfs group with having a good heal skill to keep our hps up.
My current cleric is antagonistic with his diety. He chooses to be a pawn of abadar for the greater good. He was chosen and barely knows anything about religion, prefering to continue his passion, healing (the skill) and saving people as best he can.
Idk, play the character you want. Class barely matters.
The only healer we had in Serpent Skull was an alchemist. Cure extracts and heal wands were all we did and we beat the AP.
If you want to use no magic or magic like stuff?? Then I think you'll have a real tough time. Heal skill only gets you so far.
Though to be honest, i'm in the process of making up a 'surgeon' style half-orc Alchemist, going for a Jekyll/Hyde concept for Giantslayer. He's focusing a lot on the Heal skill... but we'll have an oracle around too.