Healer Build Suggestion

[lowfuel1]

I am looking to create a good 32 point build support Healing Cleric. I don't know anything about mapping out ability, skill and enhancement improvements. Anyone have a build suggestion they like (single or multiclass is fine but as of now I do not have FVS or Artificer but do have access to all races)?

[bigolbear]

The BEST healers in my opinion are those cute little halfling clerics..

Id recomend the folowing:
Race: halfling.
stats: 16 wis, 16 con, 14 charisma, 10+ str and if you have any spare points put them where you like. lvling stat points into wis.
skills: balance and concentration(maxed), positive tumble modifier - the heal skill is curently useless but you may wish to take it for flavour reasons.
feats: empower healing, least dragon mark of healing, lesser dragon mark of healing, greater dragon mark of healing maximise, empower, quicken.

gear: early on wear armour, late on wear robes. cary 'ardour' clickies to enhance your healing spells and eventualy you will want a superior potency 6 item, spend your pennies on wands and later on healing scrolls. make an effort to get both hvy fort item and +constitution items as well as false life items as this will increase your surviveability.

enhancements and prestige:
max out the life magic enhancements, max out divine healing line and extra turns, and take radiant servant prestige.
Divine healing line is for those situations where the people you need to heal are behind locked doors and your normal spells are 'blocked'.

Spell selection: (lessons on preventative healing)
deathward(lvl 4 spell) when fighting undead, neutralise poison when fighting scorps, resist energy for almost every quest (note dont be afraid to ask a paly or ranger, sorc or wis to cast these). Mass aid (lvl 3 spell) is your first effective mass healing spell - sure the hit points it gives are temporary but its very cost effective.

play style:
use your aura to heal your self and other back liners (typicaly casters). use bursts and aura between combats to top people back up to full - if they wont gather let them die, you'll be doing us all a favour. Use mass cures where possible.
The dragon marks operate on a seperate timer and all metamagics are applied to them for no cost so use them for those emergency moments when your other spells are on timer.

hotkeys:
make sure to put your healing magics on hotkeys that are easily reached. dotn be afraid to set hot keys for task bars other than your primary one. - reaction time is important for a cleric player.
use the F keys to slect party memebers.

non helaing spells: how to make your life easier.
use spells like command, sound burst, greater command to control the battle field so the party takes less damage - prevention is often cheaper on the mana than cure.

even if you are a dedicated healer, please remeber your here to have fun too - dont take people yelling at you, dont stand for disrespect and if resources were used let people know. Over time you will no doubt find meles and other casters that apreciate you and help with mana pots and such.

If all else fails.....
When the chips are down and all has gone to hell, clerics have some **** good nuking potential at higher lvls, blade barrier, comet fall, destruction, slay living, banishment and implosion are all devastating. The more you master the cleric class the less mana you end up spending on healing.

[lowfuel1]

for the build suggestion Bear, think I will give it a try

[Whesper]

The build above does not have toughness and getting dragonmarks on an already feat-starved class? Please.

I suggest going human, 18 wis (+5 level ups here), 14 con, 12 str, 14 cha. Feats: Empower healing, Toughness, Maximise, Empower, Quicken, Heighten. Last 2 feats either Evocation or Necromancy focuses.

You can grab +20% human healing amp from enhancements. If you do have monk class available, you could make an even more survivable cleric.

[PNellesen]

I suggest going human, 18 wis (+5 level ups here), 14 con, 12 str, 14 cha. Feats: Empower healing, Toughness, Maximise, Empower, Quicken, Heighten. Last 2 feats either Evocation or Necromancy focuses.

You can grab +20% human healing amp from enhancements. If you do have monk class available, you could make an even more survivable cleric.

I'd recommend those stats/feats as well for a pure caster/healer. I personally like more STR on my Cleric as opposed to CHA, but 12 STR is ok if you don't plan on doing much melee.