Best arcane healer

[Megres]

Which of these three do you think can be the best arcane "healer" (i.e., a substitute for a divine spellcaster)?
1) Hedge Witch
2) Phoenix Bloodline Sorcerer
3) Unicorn Bloodline Sorcerer.

From my point of view, their respective pros are:
- the Hedge Witch has access to the Raise dead and Resurrection spells;
- the sorcerer has access to the greatest arcane repertoire.

[baggageboy]

- Bard is a pretty good option as well.

- Enlightened Bloodrager can do it though very slowly, but they do get access to all the wands and scrolls a druid could use of 4th level or lower (that is the older printing of enlightened Bloodrager). Also

- Nature bonded magus, you pick spells from the druid list.

- White Mage Arcanist can heal some

- Spell Sage Wizard can cast any cleric or druid spell, though it is expensive and limited to a certain number of times per day.

-Skald can do anything eventually of 6th level and lower via spell kenning.

I'm sure there are other options, but here are some to consider. The irony is that the Enlightened Bloodrager is actually pretty good if you have easy access to consumables. You can even reincarnation someone. Spell Sage is by far the most flexible option if you only need a healer for removing status effects/raising the dead.

Wands of CLW are cheap after a couple of levels so as long and someone in the party has that on their spell list, or a high UMD then you really don't have to sorry about healing hp. Status effects are really what you are looking to deal with.

Edit: Another interesting option, pact wizard with the healing patron.

[Lelomenia]

Purely for hit point recovery, I wouldn’t be surprised if arcane exemplar Omdura was the top option, assuming I read it correctly.

[Magda Luckbender]

I vote that Summoner is the best arcane 'healer'. Here's why:

1. Summoned creatures take damage otherwise directed at PCs. A 25 hp Summoned Monster that gets clobbered by monsters just absorbed 25+ hp that a PC didn't take, and thus doesn't need healed.
2. Higher level Summoners can summon multiple Bralani Azata, which can heal.
3. Summoners have a variety of other spells and techniques to mitigate incoming damage.

I'm not serious with this answer, so please don't strenuously object. Healing is not the same as Damage Mitigation, even if they have similar results. Summoner can probably mitigate more damage in combat than those other arcane healers can heal. Something to consider.

[avr]

Of those 3 a hedge witch with the healing patron gets the best selection of healing spells, and gets them on time rather than delayed.

[Melkiador]

The spirit summoner with a life spirit is a good hit point healer and can have a good UMD for what spells he doesn’t get from his spirit.

[Jeff Morse]

Phoenix with samsarian race

[The Toaster]

Alchemist (Chirurgeon) - gets Breath of Life as a 4th level extract - and with Poisoners Gloves they can hand them off to other players to use as an attack.

Barbarian player: “what’s my chance to hit a dead friend, if I charge across the room?”

[baggageboy]

I thought of a few more.

Antiquarian investigator, Questioner investigator, puppetmaster magus, blood arcanist Phoenix bloodline.

Any alchemist can qualify as an arcane caster given time.

[Meirril]

Take the Unicorn bloodline Sorcerer and make it a False Priest. At 9th level with a modest collection of scrolls you can substitute for a cleric.

And a special mention for Loremaster prestige class, when combined with secret of magical discipline feat taken multiple times. Of course you could take the Sorcerer above and dip 1 level of Loremaster to get access to the feat and continue as a sorcerer. With enough feats spent you'll never feel limited in spell selection.

[Michael Talley 759]

Megres wrote:

Which of these three do you think can be the best arcane "healer" (i.e., a substitute for a divine spellcaster)?

1) Hedge Witch
2) Phoenix Bloodline Sorcerer
3) Unicorn Bloodline Sorcerer.

From my point of view, their respective pros are:
- the Hedge Witch has access to the Raise dead and Resurrection spells;
- the sorcerer has access to the greatest arcane repertoire.

I've found an arcane Healer Archetype for Bards with the feats Skill Focus [Heal] and then going down the eldritch Heritage feats with the celestial Bloodline works really well for a healer character.

there are other choices as well A Bard with performance abilities as well as Channel Energy and trading Rounds of performance for cure spells is pretty nifty :)

[Megres]

I'll admit, I didn't realize there was such an "arcane healer fest".
Color me impressed.

My player is now pondering among the different options you helped me put on the table.

[VoodistMonk]

False Priest Sorcerer...