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Non-Holy Healer?

RenathrasRenathras Member, Alpha Two
in General Discussion
Hi all. So just a question.

I'm a healer main in most every game I play. So I'm at a bit of a quandary here. Thought about this some before, and considering it some more now that Alpha 2 is getting closer.

I'd consider Cleric, what with being a healer main and all, but I'm not a fan of the "holy priest/churchy guy" aesthetic. I prefer more nature/Druid or knowledge/sciency based healers (like FF14's Scholar or Sage) or even spiritualist/Shaman, and at least what I've seen so far, Cleric seems overly...uh..."holy" aspected. In like...EVERYthing. Chstizing, holy spears and whips of holy fire and so on. To the point I can't squint hard enough to see it as something else. XD It somehow strikes me as more "smiting with the wrath of God" than FF14's White Mage, which is saying something considering how holy aspected THAT archetype is.

So I'm wondering what else there is.

Bard seems like it can do a decent amount of off-healing, even if most of it is through song choices, and has a few emergency spot heals or less efficient single target heals, and I do like buffing people, so that might work.

Summoner is still a giant question mark to me - CAN it heal/tank/buff/dps? Can it off-heal/tank/buff/dps? Will it be locked in, able to swap based on the situation, have to go to town and respec? - so I'm not sure if that will be more fitting or not. It was originally described as a sort of Swiss army knife class, a Fighter/Mage/Cleric multi-class from D&D sort of thing, but I'm curious if it still is or not, and it hasn't gotten a big reveal and seems to be a phase 2 or phase 3 of Alpha 2 thing.

Will there be a Tank or Fighter that has some healing options, or will those be self-healing/sustain only stuff? Will Cleric have some way to drop the over the top flashy holy smiting wrath of God stuff (without having to endure it for half the leveling experience to get subclassing unlocked)? Or should I just say to heck with it and go Bard? lol

Thanks for any insight. o/

Comments

  • pyrealpyreal Member, Warrior of Old, Alpha Two, Early Alpha Two
    I shall smite thee, heathen!
    With thine holy grenade thou offal shall be smote upon the bog whence your filthy ancestors crawleth!
  • nanfoodlenanfoodle Member, Founder, Kickstarter, Alpha Two, Early Alpha Two
    edited October 13
    You do get in High Fantasy Healers that follow evil God's, are also called Clerics? RP what you want. Join an evil religion as well.
  • keenowkeenow Member, Alpha Two
    Unfortunately I don't think you'll escape the holiness of healing in this game. There's class "augments" which have been described as the ability to flavor your spells a certain way, even visually, so there's perhaps a potential for you to flavor the visuals more druidic? But that seems like a later progression feature when you have money and resources and skill points to spend. So, yeah, enduring the godliness for at least half your leveling experience. Also one of the augments classifications is literally called "Religious augments" ^^;

    In your situation, I would say heck it! And go full Bard. Bard seems like it'll be a reliable necessary support class, you could probably spec your bard to err more towards healing, but maybe you'll find you like some of the other buffs as well? A good bard seems like it'll make or break groups, so, in my opinion, I think Bard will jive well with anyone who likes support roles.
  • OtrOtr Member, Alpha Two
    Holly tulnar :no_mouth:
  • SathragoSathrago Member, Alpha Two
    Summoner is supposed to be able to fulfill any role at any time, but specialize in a specific role later on to be on par with that roles normal filler or at least close enough that it doesnt make much a difference.

    Thats my understanding of how summoner will be. If you want something druidic cleric/summoner (shaman) might be the ticket depending on how they spin it. I believe they are going to have the spells and such recolored and changed enough that you feel like something aside from a cleric.

    not sure if you would be interested, but summoner/cleric seems to be necromancer, and a healing necromancer would be really cool imo. Honestly id suggest they change that from necromancer to Hemomancer or Blood Sage. Someone who manipulates life force to bolster allies, create bloody beasts to fight for them, and syphon the life of their enemies to heal their allies.

    At the end of the day though these are most likely placeholder names so dont take them too literally. the actual class system is just not made yet and seems to be only theoretical at this point.
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  • LodrigLodrig Member
    Several classes with Cleric secondary are likely to have some lesser healing capacity and lack a 'holy' theme.

    Mage/Cleric Acolyte - possibly more 'sage' themed
    Ranger/Cleric Soulbow - possibly druid/nature themed

    While the following are certainly of an unholy theme
    Rogue/Cleric Cultist
    Summoner/Cleric Necromancer
  • LodrigLodrig Member
    Sathrago wrote: »
    Summoner is supposed to be able to fulfill any role at any time, but specialize in a specific role later on to be on par with that roles normal filler or at least close enough that it doesnt make much a difference.

    I see no evidence for that and think it would be a frankly bad idea. I think Summoner fill a unique role that is all it's own, target saturation and that it's summons will likely cover Fighter/Tank/Ranger/Rogue like characteristics at most.
  • willsummonwillsummon Member, Alpha Two
    The Clerics of different races follow different "Gods". Also, the game will offer 8 main healer classes and 7 off-healer classes.

    That is plenty to choose from a roleplaying standpoint.

    Just for laughs, I am considering playing a tropical dwarf Cleric while wearing only a grass skirt. I plan to call him the "Partymancer". LOL!
  • ThevoicestHeVoIcEsThevoicestHeVoIcEs Member, Alpha Two
    edited October 14
    I have to say I was surprised NOT to find a druid like class on the 64 class table. There is the Shaman class, but atm we know so little about the extended classes, its hard to say whatever Shaman will meet your class fantasy expectations.
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    Blown past falling sands…
  • LodrigLodrig Member
    ThevoicestHeVoIcEs wrote: »
    I have to say I was surprised NOT to find a druid like class on the 64 class table. There is the Shaman class, but atm we know so little about the extended classes, its hard to say whatever Shaman will meet your class fantasy expectations.

    Probably saved for an expansion. That none of the classes are named Druid is too conspiquous to be just random.
  • DygzDygz Member, Braver of Worlds, Kickstarter, Alpha One, Alpha Two, Early Alpha Two
    By design, Augments will allow you to change the theme of your Cleric, but...
    Augments have not been implemented yet.
  • willsummonwillsummon Member, Alpha Two
    Lodrig wrote: »
    ThevoicestHeVoIcEs wrote: »
    I have to say I was surprised NOT to find a druid like class on the 64 class table. There is the Shaman class, but atm we know so little about the extended classes, its hard to say whatever Shaman will meet your class fantasy expectations.

    Probably saved for an expansion. That none of the classes are named Druid is too conspiquous to be just random.
    I agree. Something for an expansion. A shapeshifter would be better as an archetype than a single class.

    This would make things more interesting.

  • SathragoSathrago Member, Alpha Two
    Lodrig wrote: »
    Sathrago wrote: »
    Summoner is supposed to be able to fulfill any role at any time, but specialize in a specific role later on to be on par with that roles normal filler or at least close enough that it doesnt make much a difference.

    I see no evidence for that and think it would be a frankly bad idea. I think Summoner fill a unique role that is all it's own, target saturation and that it's summons will likely cover Fighter/Tank/Ranger/Rogue like characteristics at most.

    I mean, this is what steven described them as.

    just read the Q/A here.

    https://ashesofcreation.wiki/Summoner
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  • TyranthraxusTyranthraxus Member, Alpha Two
    Clerics will not be required to choose a religion. I'd asked about this in previous years in the Q&A's.

    Instead, Steven has likened them to "channelers of the Essence"; They are more about the Essence than any service to the gods.

    You should have plenty of room to fit in any RP you see fit.
  • RenathrasRenathras Member, Alpha Two
    keenow wrote: »
    In your situation, I would say heck it! And go full Bard. Bard seems like it'll be a reliable necessary support class, you could probably spec your bard to err more towards healing, but maybe you'll find you like some of the other buffs as well? A good bard seems like it'll make or break groups, so, in my opinion, I think Bard will jive well with anyone who likes support roles.

    Honestly, I am leaning this way. It's been ages since I played a game with a genuine Support role, I may enjoy that a lot. BRD seems like it will be useful in general, and if it can be a functional secondary healer for a party, that may be just the ticket.

    Either that or SMN, but until we actually get to see Summoner in action...while we've seen Bard, and it does look to be able to do support healing.
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