10 Underrated Healer Options in Dungeons & Dragons

In a Dungeons and Dragons game, healers aren’t always essential, as the nature of the campaign may not require their services. However, having one in your group can prove beneficial. Beyond healing party members, healers often possess a range of helpful abilities that aid the team in ways beyond just recovery. The role of a healer can take on many forms depending on the class and subclass you select. While clerics are often the first choice for healers due to their versatile options, they aren’t the only class suitable for this role.

In the role of a healer, your goal is to minimize harm, bolster your teammates, and manage groups of opponents, all while providing healing services. Clerics are excellent for this task, yet there are alternative characters that offer an exciting playstyle and surprising effectiveness in their healing capabilities. Remember, each character has unique strengths and weaknesses, similar to any role within a party, but experimenting with different builds can make TTRPG gameplay more enjoyable.

10. A Thief Rogue with the Healer Feat

Indeed, an offbeat decision, yet not unworkable. Compared to other classes, this build won’t offer the same degree of defense or support. But, in a magic-less campaign, it could prove an excellent choice for healing. You’ll benefit from Fast Hands as a Thief, enabling you to stabilize someone with a Healer’s Kit as a bonus action. With a consistent stockpile of Healer’s Kits and health potions, you can at least keep your teammates awake and combat-ready.

In an ideal scenario, consider adding additional classes or using abilities such as Magic Initiate to acquire spells that offer supportive capabilities, which is where a Rogue falls short when functioning as a healer. It’s not essential to have support options, especially if there’s a Bard or another caster in your party, since you can inflict reasonable damage just by being a Rogue. In essence, your crowd control could be seen as taking out enemies, ensuring the safety of your allies from attacks. Regardless of how you weave it into the narrative, Rogue healers make for an entertaining and distinctive choice.

9. An Artillerist Artificer

It’s possible that one might assume the Alchemist subclass would be the preferred choice for a healer among Artificers. However, Artillerist stands out by providing more support options rather than focusing solely on healing abilities like Cure Wounds. Despite this, the Artillerist still has access to a spell list with numerous healing spells, and at the third level, you’ll receive an Eldritch Cannon, which can be quite overpowered. Additionally, you have the ability to relocate the cannon each turn, thus altering its area of effect.

As an enthusiast, I wholeheartedly recommend incorporating the Protector Eldritch Cannon into your character build. This weapon grants 1d8 temporary hit points, augmented by your Intelligence modifier, not just to itself, but also to all nearby creatures within a 10-foot radius. At level 15, you gain the power to summon two cannons simultaneously, and they can be identical or different types. On top of that, you and your allies within 10 feet of the cannon receive half-cover, offering valuable protection. By pairing the Eldritch Cannon with conventional healing abilities and the Artificer’s damage-dealing prowess, you create a formidable healer for your team!

8. A Theurgy Wizard

In this game scenario, whether you can effectively play the healer role depends on if your Dungeon Master permits content from the “Unearthed Arcana” supplement in the campaign. This character functions like a blend of a Wizard and a Cleric. At second level, you select a domain which grants you access to Cleric spells from that domain, categorizing them as Wizard spells for your character. For a healing-focused character, I’d suggest choosing the Life domain because it not only makes an effective healer but also offers powerful healing and damage dealing capabilities. Additionally, this choice provides you with access to Wizard class abilities and the Channel Divinity ability tied to your chosen domain.

Beyond these advantages, you possess the unique ability to acquire additional magical abilities by transcribing them into your grimoire when you have the necessary resources. Wizards are versatile casters, so choosing the Theurgy subclass empowers you to become a potent healer capable of revitalizing health, shielding allies, and dominating the battlefield with formidable spells. In essence, it offers the perfect blend of power and healing capabilities.

7. A Way of Mercy Monk

Perhaps you’re considering attacking your allies to revive them, but that isn’t quite how the Way of Mercy Monk operates. Instead, you can utilize your Ki points to heal your allies rather than causing harm to enemies. However, if you require a bit more necrotic damage in your attacks and have spare Ki, the subclass allows for this as well.

At the sixth level, you acquire Physician’s Touch, an enhancement for your Hands of Healing skill. This skill allows you to utilize Ki energy for healing, and it also grants you the power to eliminate afflictions such as blindness, deafness, paralysis, poisoning, or stunned status from the being you are healing. As a significant boost at level 17, you gain Hand of Ultimate Mercy. By spending five Ki points, you can revive a creature that has perished within the past 24 hours. In essence, these abilities make for an effective healer character, combining healing capabilities with the fighting agility and mobility typical of a monk.

6. A College of Glamour Bard

One less recognized Bard choice is the College of Glamour, which focuses on enchantment and aid for allies. As early as third level, you receive Mantle of Inspiration, enabling you to employ Bardic Inspiration to bestow temporary hit points upon companions, while also granting them an opportunity to move without provoking an attack of opportunity. Additionally, the College of Glamour offers abilities that make Bards an exceptional choice for support roles, such as Song of Rest and healing spells like Cure Wounds and Greater Restoration.

You acquire skills that provide a decent level of assistance for managing Non-Player Characters (NPCs) or opponents. Enthralling Display allows you to captivate NPCs who hear your voice and fail a resistance check; they will subsequently impede anyone who confronts you. Mantle of Command enables you to utilize Command as an additional action, which can be advantageous when dealing with numerous enemies simultaneously. Lastly, Unyielding Command offers an engaging method for making enemies expend their attacks on you if they fail a resistance check. If no other targets are within range or view to attack, then the attack is essentially wasted.

5. A College of Lore Bard

Afterward comes the traditional specialization for the College of Lore among Bards. As a Bard from the College of Lore, you possess inherent support abilities such as Song of Rest and Bardic Inspiration. Unlike the College of Glamour, the College of Lore Bard is primarily focused on spellcasting. Additionally, the College of Lore offers more opportunities to gain proficiencies, providing additional value for skill checks, which is always a beneficial addition.

You have the ability to learn additional magical secrets, which function as Bard spells without adding to the number of spells you can know at your current level. These can be useful for expanding your healing or support abilities, though you could also opt for damage spells if you prefer. However, remember that vanquishing enemies reduces their threat to your party, making it a beneficial choice for any healer.

4. A Circle of Dreams Druid

In simpler terms, the Circle of Dreams Druid offers an alternative healing role compared to Clerics, providing a unique twist if you’re accustomed to playing Clerics. This character class provides standard healing spells like Cure Wounds, Healing Word, and Goodberry from their spell list. Additionally, Druids offer a variety of support spells, such as Enhance Ability, Barkskin, and Freedom of Movement, which can add depth to your roleplaying experience by incorporating nature-based elements.

After reaching the second level, you gain access to the Circle of Dreams abilities. At this stage, you’ll find Balm of the Summer Court, an ability that restores health according to your Druid level. As you progress, you’ll acquire skills like Hidden Paths and Walker in Dreams, which offer a good degree of mobility. These skills can prove handy when you need to get near a party member to cast a spell requiring touch. Altogether, these abilities make for an effective healer.

3. A Celestial Warlock

A Celestial Warlock is someone who forms a bond with a benevolent entity, granting them powerful healing abilities. Through this agreement, they can utilize common healing spells such as Cure Wounds, Lesser Restoration, and Revivify. Additionally, they gain Light and Sacred Flames as additional cantrips at the initial level, along with Healing Light – a bonus action that enables the healing of a creature within 60 feet. This setup provides an excellent foundation for a healer.

In time, you’ll be able to boost your influence when casting Radiant or Fire spells using your Charisma score. At level 10, you’ll acquire Celestial Resistance, granting temporary hit points not just to you but also to your companions as well. Overall, the Celestial Warlock package is robust and allows for damage dealing too. Among healing options, the Celestial Warlock ranks among the most powerful choices, though Warlocks may not typically be associated with healing roles.

2. A Circle of the Shepherd Druid

druids are effective healers due to their abilities such as Goodberry spell and Wild Shape for additional health points. At first sight, Circle of the Shepherd may not appear as a powerful healing option compared to other druid subclasses, given its focus on summoning creatures and communicating with beasts and fey. However, the Unicorn Spirit Totem significantly enhances this subclass’s healing potential.

At level 2, you acquire Spirit Totems, allowing you to select and summon specific types. These spiritual entities can be called upon within a distance of 60 feet from you, enabling you to strategically decide where the advantage provided by the Unicorn Spirit is most needed. A significant perk is that whenever you utilize a spell slot to heal a creature, either near or far from the Spirit, every eligible creature within its range recovers hit points equivalent to your Druid level. The Spirit Totems persist for just one minute, but with careful planning, you can significantly revive your party’s health during this time.

1. A Divine Soul Sorcerer

Divine Soul Sorcerers are granted the ability to use Metamagic, a significant advantage for healers. The feature of Twinning is particularly valuable because it allows you to cast two healing spells from a single spell slot. Additionally, Empowered Healing enables you to boost the healing power of an ally by using sorcery points. Lastly, Favored by the Gods offers the chance to reroll a saving throw or attack roll, which can turn the tide of battle and prevent your character from being knocked out.

Essentially, this character functions similarly to a Wizard specialized in Theurgy, as they have the ability to learn spells from either the Sorcerer or Cleric spell list. While they share similarities in healing capabilities and damage dealing, the Sorcerer offers additional flexibility with their sorcery points, enhancing their support role. Yet, both are capable of casting Fireball, an exciting choice for any caster.

As a dedicated fan, I find myself often bewildered by the multitude of options in Dungeons and Dragons, particularly when choosing a class. With the potential addition of more subclasses specializing in healing in 2025, the decision-making process can feel daunting. Yet, this vast array of choices also conceals hidden treasures that could fill roles I never considered before – roles that might just become my new favorite.

2025-02-02 06:11