TLDR: I am joining a group that has no real main support; will my idea for the level 4 Life (Restoration) Shaman work alright, or are there obvious things I should correct?
I am a somewhat new player who hasn't played in months; before my group stalled out, I played a Reach Cleric to level 4 (with lots of help from the forum in creating it).
I am joining a group looking for a healer - I know full-time healer is not normally needed in Pathfinder, but I enjoy playing support and want to help. They are playing Strange Aeons and I have heard that campaign can be brutal. The Players Guide even recommended having a Cleric or similar. I am replacing their level 4 NPC Cleric.
**Mild Campaign Spoiler* Please no spoilers for the campaign but they did say they just escaped from the starting asylum, if that helps. **
I am trying to prepare as much as I can since I will not see the DM until game night next week. This group does not focus on min/max'ing so I am okay if my character isn't optimal as long as it isn't helpless.. I am open to helpful suggestions! I plan to stay pure Shaman to not overwhelm myself.
Other party members: Melee fighter, Monk/Oracle, Witch (DPS, not sure of type), Rogue (I believe melee oriented but not positive)
My dice rolls: 9, 11, 12, 13, 15, 16
I went with middle aged (-1 physical, +1 mental) to help round my stats better. I went Human, and the +2 racial trait went into Wisdom.
Level 4 Life (Restoration) Shaman:
Attributes
Str 8
Dex 10
Con 16 (ASI +1 here at level 4)
Int 13
Wis 18 (16 +2 from Human racial trait)
Cha 14
Feats Fey Foundling (Human bonus), Selective Channeling (lvl 1), Extra Hex-Shaman Chant (lvl 3)
Skills Heal, UMD, Spellcraft, Knowledge Nature/Planes/Religion
Traits Twitchy (from Campaign, +1 Ref +2 Init), Dangerously Curious (UMD as class skill, +1 UMD)
Hexes Evil Eye, Lifelink (from Life Spirit), Chant
Spells Command (from Human FCB), Cure Light Wounds x2, Protection from Evil, Cure Moderate Wounds x2, Resist Energy
Also from Restoration Spirit: Enlarge Person, Remove Sickness, Fog Cloud, Lesser Restoration
Will have Channel Positive Energy 3x per day
Weapon/Armor Sickle, Heavy Wooden Shield, Hide Armor - 16 AC total, 38HP
Familiar Weasel (+2 Ref, Protector Archetype)
My main concerns include:
Do the spell choices make sense? I am used to spontaneous Cures. Most of my support will probably be via Hexes/Spirits, but is 3x Channel/2x CLW/2x CMW sensible? I know most healing is out-of-combat but I will probably self-heal due to Lifelink, and I hear the encounters have been brutal.
I focused a bit in Con because I may be in melee and also because I plan to absorb damage via Lifelink. Next level, my Protector familiar with Fast Healing 1 will split some of it with me.
I kept Cha relatively decent since I want to Channel for group heals, and a decent number of Hexes/abilities key off of Cha
I plan to get more utility Hexes so did not get Healing Hex yet and instead plan to use Channel more often in case I get low while Lifelinking; that is why I took Selective Channel even though I only have a +2 Cha modifier. Excluding 2 targets/channel seemed worth it if I have to channel mid-combat but I will see if I can change it after the first session if it's not worth it.
I plan to sit near melee range to be in range to Hex/Chant, and also possibly lend flanking options. I don't plan to hit successfully so I am taking the ACP to attacks in exchange for the heavier shield - my Protector familiar can Bodyguard to help my AC, and I can try to fight defensively if I switch to my weapon. The upkeep seems about as bad as using a buckler and tracking my AC after casting a spell but I may be way out in left field with this thought process.
I keep hearing Haste is a fantastic spell so I kept Int at 13 with the idea that I can grab it from Lore Wandering Spirit: Arcane Enlightenment. Am I understanding that correctly?
Reflex saves seem frequent and they are poor for Shaman, so I went with Weasel familiar + Twitchy trait for a +3 total Ref bonus. Does this seem like a waste or could it be a decent benefit?
I do read about the importance of wands for buffs and out-of-combat healing. I am not sure how accessible stores are in this campaign, so does it make sense to invest in the Craft Wand feat, if materials are available enough? Or should I just go more into Extra Hex type feats?
Thank you for any feedback or help. If there are glaring issues, please feel free to point them out as well so I don't kill my new group.
One note on Familiar, Protector is nice for sharing damage, but might want to also look into Valet, for ease of delivering touch heals. For survival Life has FH/1 as you are already using, and for your Wandering Hex you could take Stone to give it DR also.
Healing Hex is handy with a bigger group, the 1/day per group member adds up fast.
Haste is handy and you can get it with Lore, also at L9 can grab Blessing of Fervor (off the Cleric list, using Favored Class Bonus), has a Haste like bonus and is a nice all around group buff.
Another option, since you are going for Mainly Healing (with channels) the Witch Doctor Archetype, that gives a Second Channeling Pool. Smaller Pool. but still 5 more channels/day (3+cha 1d6)
One note on Familiar, Protector is nice for sharing damage, but might want to also look into Valet, for ease of delivering touch heals. For survival Life has FH/1 as you are already using, and for your Wandering Hex you could take Stone to give it DR also.
Healing Hex is handy with a bigger group, the 1/day per group member adds up fast.
Haste is handy and you can get it with Lore, also at L9 can grab Blessing of Fervor (off the Cleric list, using Favored Class Bonus), has a Haste like bonus and is a nice all around group buff.
Another option, since you are going for Mainly Healing (with channels) the Witch Doctor Archetype, that gives a Second Channeling Pool. Smaller Pool. but still 5 more channels/day (3+cha 1d6)
Thank you for the reply! I think the DM would be okay with me switching to the more useful familiar archetype after the first session. I went with Protector originally to help offset Lifelink damage but I'm not sure how bad it will actually be yet (I guess it depends on how often party members get hit). I can see why the Valet archetype would be good with so many healing spells being Touch range.
It sounds like I should try grabbing Haste and Healing Hex. If I have Healing Hex, would it still be worth keeping 2x CLW and 2x CMW? Without Spontaneous casting for Cure spells, I'm worried about going into a fight without a heal ready besides a backup Channel.
Witch Doctor (and Speaker for the Past) looked really intriguing - honestly it seems like a better healer for this group, but I decided on Life-Restoration purely because it seems so different from my previous Cleric. If not for my only other character being a Cleric, I probably would have gone Witch Doctor.
At level 3, your familiar can make touch attacks for you. Use this to heal your party members in combat without having to physically run over there yourself. It's much easier to do this if you have a familiar that flies; weasels only have a movement speed of 20ft, so if you're not completely married to using a weasel, I'd recommend a flyer. Your reflex and fortitude saves are weak as a shaman, so maybe go with a Bat, Flying Fox. It gives +2 Fort saves and has a 60ft fly speed.
It's funny, I didn't even really consider using a flying familiar if I go the route of having my familiar deliver touch spells for me. I'll definitely have to keep that in mind also! It sounds very useful if my Shaman ends up using Move actions to Chant during the round.
Just be careful it is very expensive to replace a shaman familiar and without it, you will lose the ability to prepare new spells. Don't deliver touch spell into threatened areas if you can avoid it.
The protector is good not only because it allows you to take more damage from life link and shield other but it also gives you a second target of you channels make them much more effective as well.
I would see if the gm would allow you to use the original hex vulnerability. I had fun with that and the healing hex. Basically a spell that would allow you to heal a ally with healing hex 1 rd per level. They changed it to offensive only, but always felt that was a sad decision
Just be careful it is very expensive to replace a shaman familiar and without it, you will lose the ability to prepare new spells. Don't deliver touch spell into threatened areas if you can avoid it.
The protector is good not only because it allows you to take more damage from life link and shield other but it also gives you a second target of you channels make them much more effective as well.
My original idea in using the Protector archetype went along with these thoughts too - I forgot it was actually so expensive to replace a familiar, but I do like the idea of my familiar having Fast Healing 1. I just worry because amongst other things, the familiar loses Improved Evasion with the Protector archetype (I am guessing because it would be sitting on me most of the time, probably harder to dodge). I will discuss the more versatile familiar option, such as flying animals delivering touch spells, and the life-sharing Protector option with my DM on game night.
I will check with her regarding Hex Vulnerability as well but that one may be a harder pull. It would be amazing with Healing Hex for sure, though!
And I hear you regarding Ant Haul, PCScipio. I started making my character in Hero Lab since I was making it on my own and wanted to make sure I got the numbers/abilities right. Even with barely any gear and the shield/armor/sickle, my Shaman is almost beyond Medium Load.. yikes.
