Healer
Miniature's Handbook p8

The healer first appeared in the Miniatures Handbook. Unfortunately, in a spell point system, most of the healer's powers become pretty pointless. If the character can cast true resurrection ten times per day with her spell points, then a power that allows them to cast the spell as a supernatural ability once per week is a little redundant. The changes I have made creates a character that is even better at healing than before, but at a price. Healers are now an order of spellcasters who aspire to a perfect state of being. To reach this state they follow the path of nonviolence and peace.

Game Rule Information

The following changes have been made to the powers and abilities of the Healer. Any published rules for the healer that do not directly contradict the contents of this page still apply.

Class Features

Alignment: Healers must be of good alignment. Because members of this class accrue exalted feats from first level, Healers have an aura of goodness about them, similar to the aura that surrounds a cleric who worships a good deity (see PHB p32).

Changes to Special Abilities: The following special powers of the Healer are no longer gained as the character rises in level: Skill Focus (Heal), Cleanse Paralysis, Cleanse Disease, Cleanse Fear, Cleanse Poison, Cleanse Blindness, Cleanse Spirit, Cleanse Petrification, New Limb, New Life.

Weapon and Armour Proficiency: I use the rules for Weapon Group Feats (UE p94). At first level the Healer gains the Basic Weapons feat. He is also proficient in light armour.

Ignore Spell Failure (Light Armour): The healer gains this feat as a bonus feat at first level.

Spellcasting: Healers cast nature magic in the same manner as druids. Healers do not need to prepare their spells in advance. Healers gain a number of spell points each level as shown in the Spell Point section. They use this total to cast their spells on a point-for-point basis. Healers with a high Wisdom score also gain bonus spell points that are added to this total. As a note, healers also use their Wisdom when calculating the DC of their spells. Healers gain access to orisons and 1st level spells at level one, 2nd level spells at level three and to each successive spell level at odd numbered level thereafter to a maximum of 9th level spells at level seventeen. Their caster level is equal to their class level.

Gaining Spells: Spells are taught by individual houses of healing from ancient texts. Spell lists between houses are almost identical. A few spells may have been added over the centuries but on the whole there are only so many ways to heal someone. Note the list of healer spells differs between campaigns. Players should check the appropriate campaign background to see what spells are on their list.

Sacred Vow: At 1st level the healer gains the feat Sacred Vow (Book of Exalted Deeds p45) as a bonus feat. This represents the character's acceptance into the order of the healers his and commitment to their ideals. From this level characters begin working toward their Vow of Nonviolence. They must try to practice Nonviolence as described on BoED p47 although they gain no benefits or penalties for so doing. Healers know that novices often falter, and healers are not censured for failing to live up to these ideals. Characters who feel they are ready may take the Vow of Nonviolence at any point they have a free feat slot available (including at first level if they are human). Once the feat is selected, however, they must abide by it. If the character has not taken the Vow of Nonviolence by eighth level he receives it as a bonus feat. If a healer willingly breaks the Vow of Nonviolence once they have taken the feat, then they are cast out of the order. They lose all benefits of the Vow of Nonviolence feat and may never again advance as a Healer. They retain any other class abilities already gained.

Healing Hands (Ex): From 1st level whenever a Healer casts a spell of the Healing subschool, that spell is maximised as if the healer had the Maximise Spell feat. The spell is still cast at the same level and the casting time is unchanged. Note this ability replaces the ability of the same name from p9 of the MHB. Also note that the amount of hit points healing spells restore have changed. See the section on Wounds and Healing for details.

Healing Training: At 2nd level the training of the healer is such that she gains a bonus to her heal skill that is equal to her class level. As her level improves so does this bonus. A 20th level healer would have +20 to her heal skill. Note that this ability replaces Skill Focus (Heal) as a bonus feat.

Subduing Strike: At 5th level the healer gains the feat Subduing Strike (BoED p46) as a bonus feat. If he already has this feat he may select a different one.

Vow of Nonviolence: At 8th level the healers have completed the first stage of their training. They are no longer novices and are accepted into the second circle of their order. If they have not already selected it, they now gain the feat Vow of Nonviolence (BoED p47). If the character already has this feat he may choose another. As soon as a character has the Vow of Nonviolence feat he must strictly abide by it, as described in the Book of Exalted Deeds.

From this level characters begin working toward their Vow of Peace. They must try to practice Peace as described on BoED p48 although they gain no benefits or penalties for so doing. Even enlightened healers of the second circle are not censured for falling short at this stage. Characters who feel they are ready may take the Vow of Peace at any point they have a free feat slot available. Once the feat is selected, however, they must abide by it. If the character has not taken the Vow of Peace by fourteenth level he receives it as a bonus feat. If a healer willingly breaks the Vow of Peace once he has taken the feat, then he is cast out of the order. He loses all benefits of the Vow of Nonviolence and Vow of Peace feats and may never again advance as a Healer. He retains any other class abilities already gained.

Sylvan Companion: Also at 8th level the healer's close relationship with nature is recognised, and the healer is granted a Sylvan companion. Female healers (who are also virgins) are normally granted a unicorn companion. Other healers may select a different sylvan companion of comparable power. The nature of this companion should be discussed between the GM and the player in advance of 8th level. The companion physically travels to the healer and remains with him. It does not appear in a flash of light from another plane, and neither does the healer have the power to summon or dismiss it at will. See the rules changes for the paladin's warhorse to see how this works.

Ranged Healing: At 11th level healers are able to affect any spell from the healing subschool as if it was under the effect of the Reach Spell metamagic feat (see Complete Divine p84). The spells is still cast at its normal level. This means that healers are able to cast any healing spell with a range of touch as a ray with a range of thirty feat.

Vow of Peace: At 14th level healers have completed the second stage of their training. They move beyond even the ranks of the enlightened and are accepted into the third and final circle of their order. If they have not already selected it, they now gain the feat Vow of Peace (BoED p48). If the character already has this feat he may choose another. As soon as a character has the Vow of Peace feat he must strictly abide by it, as described in the Book of Exalted Deeds. If a healer willingly breaks the Vow of Peace then they are cast out of the order. They lose all benefits of the Vow of Nonviolence and Vow of Peace feats and may never again advance as a Healer. They retain any other class abilities already gained.

Contingent Healing: At 17th level healers are able to cast their healing magic on a target before he is even wounded. This power functions like the contingency spell (PHB p213). The contingent spell can be no higher than one third the caster level of the healer. The healer sets the contingency when the spell is cast - for example, the subject may gain the benefits of a lesser restoration spell as soon as he is energy drained, or a cure moderate wounds spell as soon as he drops below half hit points. At 17th level the healer can have only one contingent spell in effect at any one time. For each level the healer gains beyond 17th he may have an additional contingent spell active. A 20th level healer could have up to four contingent spells active at anyone time. Contingent Healing spells expire when the conditions are met, or one day per caster level has passed.

Transcendence (Su): A healer who reaches 20th level moves beyond the third circle. He has followed the path of the healer to its conclusion and reached Transcendence. This power functions in the same way as the Monk's Perfect Self ability (see PHB p42).

Healer Spell List

The following is a stop-gap measure for the Michelmas 2004 campaign. I'm working on a more comprehensive list of spells. In the meantime - here are the spells that are available to the Healer.

0-Level Spells

• Create Water
• Cure Minor Wounds
• Deathwatch
• Detect Magic
• Detect Poison
• Light
• Purify Food and Drink
• Read Magic

1st Level Spells

• Bless Water
• Cure Light Wounds
• Goodberry
• Protection from Evil
• Remove Fear
• Remove Paralysis
• Sanctuary
• Speak with Animals
• Vigour, Lesser (Complete Divine)

See Also:

• Magic
• Nature Magic
• Spell Points
• Spell Failure
• Languages
• Wounds and Healing
• Healers of Iourn