3 Bloodlines For Healing With Sorcerers (in Pathfinder)

One of the most common complaints I've heard from players who favor arcane magic is that they dislike that arcane magic can't heal. While there are entire screeds that have been written on the subject of game balance, and keeping certain powers exclusive to certain classes, archetypes, or builds, that frustration still lingers. After all, it's magic... why is there something it can't do?

Well, for those who like to twist and mold things into new and unexpected forms, I figured I'd present the results I've had on this topic. Some of them may be familiar to you, and others strange, but this is what I've come across so far. Hopefully it helps ease some of these frustrations.

Also, if you enjoy this week's advice, you might also get a kick out of 5 Tips For Playing Better Sorcerers!

#1: The Celestial Bloodline

Can you stand before my fire?

This is both the most familiar method of getting healing from a sorcerer, and honestly the least impressive. The Celestial bloodline, which debuted in the original Core Rulebook, grants you Heavenly Fire as your first-level sorcerer bloodline power. It's a ranged touch attack that deal 1d4+1 per 2 sorcerer levels of damage to evil targets, and it heals that much damage for good targets.

At low levels, that can be a seriously potent ability. It's life-saving, in a lot of cases, and it allows your sorcerer to stay out of harm's way as long as they have good-aligned allies on the field. As a spell-like ability, it also triggers feats like Fast Healer, which can give it a little extra oomph, but overall it's pretty weak on its own. There are ways to boost it, such as the monster feats that empower spell-like abilities, but for a lot of players the reward simply isn't worth the investment it takes to jack it up to meaningful potential.

#2: The Unicorn Bloodline

Because a healing arcane caster really is a unicorn.

This bloodline, which dropped in Heroes of Golarion not all that long ago, this is the easiest way to play a healing sorcerer. Unicorn sorcerers get cure spells as part of their bloodline, and as a bonus they can randomly restore bonus hit points to allies they can see whenever they cast a spell. If no one is willing to step up and play a divine caster, then a unicorn-blooded sorcerer is a great, out-of-the-gate replacement as long as someone is comfortable being a healer and party buff for everyone else.

And, of course, adding in metamagic rods and a couple of feats to really juice your healing (Healer's Touch out of the Legacy of Fire Player's Guide comes to mind) can turn you into an absolute support monster.

#3: The Phoenix Bloodline

Hold still... this might sting a bit.

If you've been listening to the gossip round the Internet, you've likely heard of the trick to turn this damage-dealing bloodline into a party heal. But in case you didn't, I'll lay out just what makes the Phoenix bloodline from Heroes of Golarion so much fun.

Your bloodline arcana states that whenever you cast a spell that deals fire damage, you can instead choose to heal targets for half damage. So you could, in theory, drop a fireball on the party and mass heal them. Which, if you maximize and empower it, is going to stack some pretty impressive numbers in a big hurry. Especially if you have the ability to exclude certain squares from your area of effect spells.

What can really unlock your potential, though, is taking a Cross-Blooded sorcerer. Found in Ultimate Magic, a Cross-Blooded sorcerer lets you mesh together two bloodlines, gaining both arcana. By combining the Phoenix bloodline with the Elemental (Fire) bloodline, now you suddenly have access to a wide variety of spells that could all be turned into fire spells... including cantrips! So if Ray of Frost Fire is a great way to avoid spamming wands of Cure Light Wounds to heal up after a tough fight, then this might be just what you've been looking for at your table.

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That's all for this week's Crunch topic! For more of my work, check out my Vocal archive, and stop by the YouTube channel Dungeon Keeper Radio! Or if you'd like to read some of my books, like my sword and sorcery novel Crier's Knife, head over to My Amazon Author Page!

To stay on top of all my latest releases, follow me on Facebook, Tumblr, Twitter, and now on Pinterest as well! And if you'd like to help support me and my work, consider Buying Me A Ko-Fi or heading over to The Literary Mercenary's Patreon page to become a regular, monthly patron! Even a little bit of help can go a long way, trust me on that one.

The Mutant Sorcerer

Before we get started with this week's Unusual Character Concepts post, I wanted to take a moment to draw your attention over to the right side of your screen. You should see an ad for my sword and sorcery novel Crier's Knife.

If you're interested in seeing more of my fiction, keep an eye on that spot. Whenever I come out with a new book, that's where I'm going to put the cover and link. Since I've got something in the works right now, and I just finished my latest giveaway for Crier's Knife, I figured I'd give folks who hadn't read it yet a chance to grab a copy before the new release hits.

Anyway, on with this week's post...

No there's nothing weird in my family... nothing!

 

The boys had left with their heads held high, spears in hand, each bragging they were going to find the greater glory on the field. Only half of those who left returned, and none of them came back the same. Some were missing arms, hands, legs, or eyes... others had changed in ways that couldn't be seen from the outside. Until something happened.

Chase sat at the corner of the bar, hunched over a cup of spiced tea. He had his hat pulled low, and he kept his eyes down when people came in. Some nodded, or offered a hello, but no one came close. Until the outsiders arrived. Loud and crude, with the air of soldiers of fortune, they spent gold on anything they saw. Drink, food, and they even attempted to spend it on the girl waiting their table. She laughed as if it were a joke, but the strangers didn't care for that. They pulled her close, refusing to let her up. While they laughed and jibed, the air in the tavern grew thicker... like the closeness before a storm.

"Let loose," Chase said to the men. He hadn't gotten up from his seat, or turned to face them, but there was no one else he could have been talking to.

"Or what?" the captain of the little mob asked, rocking to his feet. He stormed across the boards, and grabbed Chase by his collar. "What are you going to do about it?"

There was a flash, and a boom as the air was split asunder. The captain stumbled back, clutching at his hand. He screamed like a gelded horse, the flesh of his sword hand charred black, smoke rising from the bones poking from the wound. Chase stood, turning to face them. The air was growing thick again, and sharp sparks split the air with the sound of cracking pebbles.

"That is what I'll do," he said, staring at the men with eyes that had seen the elemental wizards of Bardan-Brashen, and which carried the marks of the storm lords power in the old scars he'd brought home from that battle.

The Mutant Sorcerer

Sorcerers are generally thought of as the progeny of powerful bloodlines, whose magics manifest as the sorcerer grows and matures. Those whose ancestors once lay with dragons or djinni, or who have inherited the raw power of the elements, or the wild potential of unbound magic. There are some sorcerers, though, who have no such ancestors. Instead, they survived strange, uncanny events, walking away from them changed in ways that are hard to explain, and even harder to control.

They came out of the experience... mutated.

She could hear the voice of the stars... practically reach out and touch it.

 

Mutant sorcerers can be caused by any kind of exposure to powerful essences, whether that exposure was accidental or purposeful. Whether the character was a caravan guard accidentally exposed to a potent magical blast when her cargo was commandeered, a warrior who managed to withstand the spells of an archmage, a baby in the womb when their mother was swathed in the fell energies of a necromantic ritual, or someone who was the subject of unusual alchemical tests and trials, there are a hundred different ways a sorcerer may have acquired their mutation.

Just look into a comic book, and you'll find all sorts of inspiration.

The degree of mutation can be subtle, or it can be crazy, whatever makes you happy as a player. Someone with ice running through their veins might feel chill to the touch, their once black hair now shot through with blue-white streaks. Someone who died, went to hell, and was resurrected may have brought a little hellfire back with them, turning one of their eyes black and leaving a slow crust of red scales crawling up one arm. An apprentice who was caught in a blast when their master's tower exploded might find themselves filled with the raw potential of wild magic, but lacking the knowledge (or guidance) to actually control it. This might cause their hair, skin color, eye color, or a slew of other features to shift and change the more they dip into their weird admixture that now lives inside them.

Who Takes A Mutant In?

Mutant sorcerers may be even more unusual than traditional ones, lacking a pedigree to establish who you are or where your powers came from. You might find yourself shunned and feared, especially if your mutation gives you a strange or unsightly appearance in addition to powers others don't understand.

So another question you should ask is where do you go if your old life can no longer support you after your change? Do you withdraw into a monastery, attempting to find guidance and routine to help you control the power burning within you? Do you seek out an arcane school, risking a fate as a laboratory subject if it means they can help you... or cure you, if your mutation is something that has made it impossible to return to the life you had? Do you try to find others like you, who've survived terrible ordeals and found themselves changed by them?

Alternatively, do you turn to the renegades, rebels, and rogues of the world, hoping your powers may garner you a place among their ranks? Groups you might find in:

- 100 Mercenary Companies: Whether you can call down lightning, or breathe acid like a dragon, there are few free companies that would pass up the raw power of a sorcerer, any sorcerer, in their ranks.

- 100 Bandits: Whether you ride with the Darkskull, or count yourself among the Tin Men's ranks, might makes right in the world of highwaymen and robbers. A show of arcane force is often enough to stop resistance before it starts, making you a valuable member of any gang.

- 100 Pirates: Buccaneers and river ruffians need all the muscle they can muster, and a sorcerer (even a mutant with a disfiguring scar from the ordeal that empowered them) can be a potent weapon on the seas. Not only that, but a pirate's life might be the cause of your mutation, bringing you to cursed islands, ancient treasure hoards, or forcing you to fight denizens of the deep.

There are all kinds of twists and turns you can take with this particular concept. Just remember that you are limited only by the stats you roll up, and your imagination when it comes to who your sorcerer is, and what led them down this particular path.

 

Lastly, don't forget to check out my 5 Tips For Playing Better Sorcerers for additional inspiration!

Closing Links and Other Places You Can Find My Work

That's all for this installment of Unusual Character Concepts. Hopefully this one gave you something to chew over, whether you're a player, or a dungeon master.

For more of my work, check out my Vocal and Gamers archives, and stop by the YouTube channel Dungeon Keeper Radio. Or if you'd prefer to read some of my books, like my sword and sorcery novel Crier's Knife, then head over to My Amazon Author Page!

To stay on top of all my latest releases, follow me on Facebook, Tumblr, Twitter, and now Pinterest as well! To support my work, consider Buying Me a Ko-Fi, or heading to The Literary Mercenary's Patreon page to become a regular, monthly patron. That one helps ensure you get more Improved Initiative, and it means you'll get my regular, monthly giveaways as a bonus!

The Undead Feats Are Now Available From TPK's "Feats of Legend" Series!

I mentioned awhile back that I was working on the Feats of Legend series with TPK Games. The first one to bear my name is The Infernal Feats, and is already out like I mentioned a few weeks ago. However, the next one in the series has been released, and it's one that players and DMs alike will have a ball with.

What is it? The Undead Feats, of course.

You were expecting something less necrotic?

What's In The Book?

The latest installment in the Feats of Legend series has 22 feats, brought to you by myself, Brian Berg, and by Simon Peter Munoz (who runs the Creative Repository Blog, which you should check out if you haven't already). These feats are for characters who are undead, who hunt undead, or for characters who have access to the undead bloodline.

What do they do? Well, there are 22 feats, so there's a lot of nasty tricks in this book. You'll find feats that let you poison undead, feats that increase your knowledge of undead, and feats that allow you to hide from undead. You'll also find feats that increase undead creatures' natural armor, feats that allow the undead to gain fast healing whenever they kill a living foe, and even feats that allow the undead to resist their greatest bane; positive energy!

If you want to throw your players a curve ball, or if you're a player who wants to really make the most of your character's undead heritage, The Undead Feats is definitely a book you should have on your shelf.

As always, thanks for stopping by! If you want to make sure you don't miss any of my updates, then follow me on Facebook, Tumblr, and Twitter. If you'd like to help support my blog, then please stop by my Patreon page to become a patron today! Even as little as $1 a month can make a big difference.

How To Power Up Your Pathfinder Characters With The Eldritch Heritage Feats

One of the biggest differences between Pathfinder's sorcerers and those found in previous editions of Dungeons and Dragons was the idea of bloodline. In Dungeons and Dragons 3.0 and 3.5 sorcerers were assumed to be descended from an obscure magical lineage, which was most often draconic in nature, that allowed them to use magic spontaneously. Pathfinder decided to take that core concept and supercharge it, which is why we have dozens of different sources for where sorcerers' magic comes from. In addition to a specific heredity, though, sorcerers also gained bonus feats, bonus spells, bonus skills, and thematically appropriate bloodline powers around levels 1, 3, 5, 9, 15, and 20.

Mileage may vary.

What didn't change with sorcerers, though, is that they still have low hit points, and they still can't wear armor. This makes some bloodline powers, like the draconic bloodline's claws or the boreal bloodline's ability to give weapons the frost property for a number of rounds equal to 1/2 your sorcerer level, thematically appropriate but practically useless.

Unless, that is, you decide to give them to a more martially-inclined class.

Eldritch Heritage

The eldritch heritage feats (eldritch heritage, improved eldritch heritage, and greater eldritch heritage, on pages 149 and 152 of Ultimate Magic respectively) allow any character, regardless of class to gain bloodline powers. If you take all three feats (which will require playing till at least 17th level), then you can gain up to the 15th level powers from any single bloodline.

So what good does that do me?

So you get a minor feature of the sorcerer class, big deal, right? Well, as with any other mechanical trick you need to look at all your options in order to come up with a long-term goal that will make your character more effective.

For example, let's say you wanted to utilize the most basic power of the serpentine bloodline (Advanced Player's Guide 139). This power gives you fangs that you can use as a natural weapon to deal 1d4 points of damage, and to deliver a poison which does constitution damage, and whose save is equal to 10 + 1/2 your sorcerer level + your constitution modifier. The fangs are eventually considered magical for overcoming DR, and your poison grows more potent the more levels you gain. This kind of ability isn't that big of a deal for a sorcerer, but what if you gave that ability to a barbarian with the brutal pugilist archetype, who also had abilities like Raging Grapple? Perhaps a wrestler from Sargava whose ropy muscles are ideal for wrapping around enemies before sinking his fangs into their necks, quickly draining their constitutions and leaving them unable to continue the fight?

There are dozens of combinations of class and powers you can create to boost your mechanical performance, as well as adding intriguing elements to your character's backstory. For example, a Kellid fighter with an eldritch heritage from the nanite bloodline (Pathfinder Player Companion: People of The River) gains powerful bonuses from the nanotechnology living inside of him, but did that same heritage get him cast out from his tribe for bearing the mark of the machines? A druid with the verdant bloodline gains a useful ability to disarm or trip enemies using a 15-foot vine, bonuses against sleep and poison, along with being treated as if they're wearing a ring of sustenance, which would give the character an otherworldliness as she snacks on fresh air and sunlight. A philosophical assassin who comes from the starsoul bloodline would be able to use gas weapons without risking harm to himself, or he could exist in a void such as the space inside a bag of holding without problem (which would allow companions, or even bestial familiars, to carry the assassin past human guards to infiltrate a target's home base).

Cautions and Costs

Nothing comes for free, and the eldritch heritage feats are no exception. They require you to take skill focus in the skill associated with a bloodline, and they have a steadily increasing charisma requirement that can be problematic for some class combinations. So you need to keep in mind that the bigger the power you want from the bloodline, the higher your charisma will have to be, and the more feat slots you'll need to take up.

All right, let's break this down...

Put another way, if you want to get the most bang for your buck out of these feats you should look for low-power ones that will naturally grow with your character level (the serpentine bloodline's poison is a perfect example of a power you get with one feat, but which keeps growing as your character level advances), or to combine them with classes that get other benefits from having a high charisma.

For example, a paladin with infernal heritage is both intriguing as hell (so to speak), and it provides a nice dovetail. Paladins gain a huge number of benefits from having a high charisma, and the infernal heritage provides the paladin with a debuff touch attack, poison and fire resistance, and if you make it all the way to 17th level, you can gain the ability to call down hellfire or to grow devil wings and fly. So if you're going to be using your charisma (swashbucklers, Mysterious Stranger gunslingers, oracles, bards, and any other dashing character classes... including sorcerers who want more bloodline powers), then you're already on the right path.

Half-elves are also a swanky choice, as you get that free skill focus feat out of the deal.

These feats won't be ideal for all classes/builds, and they won't be ideal for every campaign. For example, you might take rakshasa heritage to increase your bluff, but if most of your game is spent slogging through zombie fights then you aren't going to find that silver tongue very useful. If you take a fire heritage, but find yourself fighting demons at the Worldwound, then you're going to have an impossible time making those powers punch through your opponent's resistances.

Now that you've had your warnings, go forth, and create terrible combinations where your character's parents are more than just a convenient reason to adventure in the name of revenge!

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