Best Healer

[crutchy]

Hi,

 

Which class provides best opportunity  to build both as a healer and to buff up various defences for party members? I am not referring to the set Companions but a new build from square 1. My leader is a Pally but not as a healer.

 

Many thanks

[PK htiw klaw eriF]

Cleric or Chanter.

[DreamWayfarer]

Hi,

 

Which class provides best opportunity to build both as a healer and to buff up various defences for party members? I am not referring to the set Companions but a new build from square 1. My leader is a Pally but not as a healer.

 

Many thanks

Well, the simple answer is priest, but a Paladin can do the job quite well, especialy a Darcozonni for buffing accuracy, a Shieldbearer for defenses, or a Kind Wayfarer built for some damage for the healing.

[crutchy]

Cleric or Chanter.

Cleric? Did you mean Cipher?

[DreamWayfarer]

 

 

Cleric or Chanter.

Cleric? Did you mean Cipher?

He/She means Priest.

[Faldorn]

If you are looking for a cast-oriented character, priest is the best choice (in my opinion). However, you need to activate every single buff manually, which of course helps in adapting to different combat situations. That means that in order to make best use of the priest, you have to micromanage him quite a lot.

 

If you like a support character that doesn't need that much attention, the chanter of course does have some nice options for buffing. These are much more limited in terms of adaptability, though. I usually just set up one or two offensive and one or two defensive "chants", pick one in a fight, and that's that. Since I haven't used a chanter in quite a while, I am not even sure if they explicitly have a pure healing spell (well, spell is not actually the correct term here, but you know...).

 

If I were you, I would definitly go for the priest.

Edited January 24, 2016 by Faldorn

[evilcat]

Priest.

You will get one very early in the game, he is good enought.

This is the best answear.

 

Other classes dont really come close to that (but have something else).

[PrimeJunta]

(1) Priest (2) Paladin .... (3) Druid

 

Priests have far and away the best healing and buff spells -- although note: if you play them right, you'll barely need the healing, as the buffs will stop you from getting damaged in the first place.

 

Paladin abilities are really fast and really punchy: a Lay On Hands will get a wounded party member to full strength, and a Reviving Exhortation will do the same for a knocked-out one. Priest heals and revives can affect multiple party members, but the effect isn't as powerful for each. So on balance and when played right... let me put it this way: I usually end up ditching the priest for the paladin.

 

Druids are fantastic all-rounders, and they have some highly useful healing spells as well, Moonwell for example. 

[Boeroer]

Anyone with high MIG and INT and low deflection can be a really good front-line healer if he puts on Shod-in-Faith boots.

[Planetus]

Priest is the go-to healer and buffer in the game.  Paladins can do some powerful spot-healing and a few nice buffs, but they don't have huge variability.  Chanters can do some nice buffing and damage, but they don't have a lot of options.  Chanters can do a little healing and a lot of damage/debuff, but only a little healing and a little buffing.

 

Druids... I think get ONE general healing spell (Moonwell, a nice one admittedly), ONE VERY SHORT SELF AOE healing spell (low level, Nature's Embrace?) and TWO buffing spell (Woodskin, not bad but not great, and Nature's Vigor, which I've never used).  Almost every spell druids get is damage with a side of debuff, and usually a small/medium AoE one as well.

[KDubya]

For me the best healer for the team is a Paladin, even better when you have two Paladins. Add in a Chanter with the AoE revive invocation and you have everything you need. Best of all everything is per encounter so you can use as often as you want.

 

Two Paladins and a Chanter gets me a solid melee frontline, two auras, four LoH, four FoD alpha strikes, four reinforcing exhortations, four liberating exhortations, two AoE Sacred Immolations, Chanter buffs and debuffs such as frighten the enemy, +25% damage lash, AoE fire and slash attack, AoE revive, useful summons.

 

To me a Priest is limited by spells per rest. I tend to hold off on using them and end up with lots of spells left over and a team suffering from health attrition. With Paladins and Chanters being entirely per encounter I have no need to hold back at all and can use every ability every fight.

[scottii]

priest probably has THE most healing/support spells.

[Boeroer]

Two paladins are really great for healing. They don't only have Lay on Hands, but also Healing Chain and Sacred Immolation later on - it does not only damage, it also heals your allies.

If you are a Kind Wayfarer you have other means of healing. If you are a Moon Godlike Kind Wayfarer you... just overegg the pudding.

[limaxophobiacq]

Many classes can heal (though priests are still probably the best at it) but for buffing defences you definately want a priest, the 'Prayer against' spells are lifesavers and with 3.0/white march will give you immunity to hostile effects.

Edited January 25, 2016 by limaxophobiacq

[Gfted1]

Have they added the ability to replenish Health in PoE? Or are you guys/gals referring to Endurance when you say "healing"?

[HawkSoft]

Have they added the ability to replenish Health in PoE? Or are you guys/gals referring to Endurance when you say "healing"?

Endurance.

 

Restoring health requires diverting a talent spot for Field Triage (?) or the self-help equivalent.

I like the system, there's only so much in the way of cuts and bruises a body can take before requiring proper rest.

[Boeroer]

You can also use Infuse with Vital Essence at the end of a fight to get back 50 health. Works with potions and spell. Or used to work - don't know if it still does.

[Mercbeast]

For me the best healer for the team is a Paladin, even better when you have two Paladins. Add in a Chanter with the AoE revive invocation and you have everything you need. Best of all everything is per encounter so you can use as often as you want.

 

Two Paladins and a Chanter gets me a solid melee frontline, two auras, four LoH, four FoD alpha strikes, four reinforcing exhortations, four liberating exhortations, two AoE Sacred Immolations, Chanter buffs and debuffs such as frighten the enemy, +25% damage lash, AoE fire and slash attack, AoE revive, useful summons.

 

To me a Priest is limited by spells per rest. I tend to hold off on using them and end up with lots of spells left over and a team suffering from health attrition. With Paladins and Chanters being entirely per encounter I have no need to hold back at all and can use every ability every fight.

 

With 3.0, the AI seems to be doing a reasonably good job of gauging encounter strength. I'm doing a run through right now with a skaen melee priest set to only heal, and another priest set to support. The healing priest heals when it needs to pretty reliably (dual stilletos help this, fast action times make a big difference) and the support priest only really throws buffs out when there are a lot of enemies present. It's not perfect and sometimes I cancel buffs because they are not needed, but its a far cry from having per rest abilities turned on and having the priest go through a full buff cycle for individual enemies ;p

[Elric Galad]

The point is : you usually don't need that much healing.

 

When you REALLY need healing, burning all you spell slot for AoE healing is invaluable, and radiance is ok for small battle. So priest is for me the best. What makes the break is the 7th level full health revive. Nothing comes close to this ro turn the tides in desperate battle.

 

That said, paladin has the best single target heal and revive, and they are per encounter so they are incredibly handy, especially coupled with a suicidal DPSer like pet or rogue. But don't expect the same potential as priest.

 

Druid moonwell deserves an honourable mention too. In my opinion, Druid + Pal is far enough if you don't want to bring a priest.

 

Finally, remember, you can always use scrolls and potions. Therefore, any character can turn into a powerful healer if you desperately need it.

Edited January 26, 2016 by Elric Galad