Nobody wants to play the Healer, but, we know, everyone needs a Healer.

Of all supportive abilities available in RPG, Healing is the master. 

That’s why there is a much more specific role dedicated to a Healer instead of a ‘Charmer’ or ‘Stunner’ (in fact, the last two mentioned do not even ‘exist’ as ‘official’ terms in the game).

To play a Healer, you must be selfless most of the time. Other roles, like Tanks, have healing abilities but it’s more for self-use rather than for support. As the Healer, a majority of your spells and abilities restore hit points. So always save a spell slot for healing spells, especially three of the most important ones: Cure Wounds, Healing Word, and Healing Spirit.

Let’s get on with the builds.

Note: Since this is a Healer Build discussion, we won’t be discussing what Healing spells to choose since a lot of things will get redundant. The only spells we’ll be discussing here are the important ones that are core to the build. If you think you need a deeper discussion, the link to the YouTube guide will be provided for you.

Extra Note: All of the builds presented do not consider the role-playing aspect of the game. It’s just pure number crunching and combat.

5. Min/Max Munchking’s Ultimate Healer Build

Our first entry is from Min/Max Munchking’ channel where he discusses the ‘Ultimate Healer Build’.

So, this build will combine 3 levels of Druid and 17 of Cleric, choosing the Circle of the Shepherd and the Life Domain subclasses, respectively.

Mathematically, I think Min/Max just broke the record with this build. The amount of healing that can be done round per round by this character is absurd.

Let’s analyze why below.

So, to build this character, you need to prioritize your Wisdom score during character creation, and, according to him, the Firbolg race fits the bill because it’s one of the few races that gives a +2 to Wisdom. Everything else about the Firbolg will just be icing on the cake.

When choosing your Level 1 class, instead of choosing the Cleric, start with the Druid solely for the reason that it starts with more skills. Then prioritize leveling it up to 3 so that you can get the Circle of the Shepherd subclass. The reason why Level 3 is the goal is because of its subclass feature which passively boosts all kinds of healing by a small amount. This feature is the Spirit Totem, specifically, the unicorn spirit.

Then the goal here is to make the following combo your bread-and-butter: Unicorn Spirit Totem + Healing Spirit.

Note: Healing Spirit is a Tier-2 Druid spell that can be accessed at Level 3.

Side Note: Unless your DM rules it out, don’t suggest anything to him regarding Healing Spirit because the spell is probably the most broken healing spell in all of DND 5e. This is according to almost all DND forum discussions. In fact, a lot of DM’s either ban this or heavily nerf it before the sessions start.

Okay, let’s proceed.

After reaching 3 levels in Druid, you will multiclass into Cleric for the rest of your career.

I will not discuss the specifics of your Cleric spell choices any further. That will be on you. I will only let you know this very important core healing combo: Healing Spirit + Unicorn Spirit Totem + Disciple of Life.

Disciple of Life can be accessed when you choose the Life Domain (which you should). And this is why I agree that this build is probably the ultimate healer in all of DND.

Here’s the breakdown:

1. Healing Spirit heals one creature for 1d6 hit points per round (Take note that it doesn’t cost any action to be healed, you must only move or stay inside the spirit’s space).

2. Once your Healing Spirit activates, make sure the character your healing is also within your Unicorn Spirit Totem’s aura so that it can benefit from extra healing equal to your Druid level (which is 3). So, the 1d6 healing becomes 1d6+3 all the time.

3. Now comes the game-breaking third element which is the extra healing from Disciple of Life. The feature adds a bonus to every healing spell equal to 2+the spell’s level. Healing Spirit is a Level-2 spell. So, that’s a +4.

So, imagine, in one turn, a character can receive a whopping 1d6+3+4 healing round per round without costing any action on anyone's part. This is way more powerful and efficient than any Cure Wounds combined since Healing Spirit lasts for 10 rounds in a single casting.

Final note.

As a Dungeon Master myself, I won’t allow this in my table. The only way I will allow this is when I nerf Healing Spirit, like giving it 1 HP and 10 AC for its duration.

If you want to view the video for much more detail, here’s the link: 

4. Min/Max Munchking’s Uber Healing Summon Meister

The second entry is primarily a summoner but with the combination of the Shepherd Druid and Life Cleric, it’s still a formidable secondary healer that controls the flow of combat.

Unlike the first entry, this build focuses on Druid levels with a single dip of Life Cleric solely for the Disciple of Life feature. That feature plus Unicorn spirit, as you already know by now, is why this build will still be a very formidable healer. Just always remember that as long as you have the spells Cure Wounds, Healing Word, and Goodberry, you can always prevent allies from dying.

So, unlike the entry before this, Healing Spirit can’t be used in this build. It’s because the spell is a concentration spell and we need our concentration to use Summon spells.

Loxodon is the race of choice for this build for two reasons: +2 to Constitution and Natural Armor feature that uses Constitution to determine AC.

Since a summoner will need high Constitution to succeed on Concentration checks to maintain its spells, the +2 is a no-brainer and the Constitution as Armor Class greatly helps in preventing damage.

Since this is a Healer Build discussion (and not a Summoner build), we’ll be focusing on how to play this one as a Healer.

You’re primarily a summoner, so your job is to control the battlefield with your summons. But as a healer, you only have 3 spells and each has a specific moment to use.

Since your 3 healing spells do not heal as much, they will only be used for emergencies, specifically when an ally is about to die or just dropped unconscious.

Before any combat begins, be sure you have conjured Goodberries and have distributed it among your allies because each one of them potentially heals for 23 hit points a-piece if they eat it within your unicorn aura.

Next, always save a slot for Healing Word. As a bonus action spell that has a range of 60 feet, this is your instant ‘defibrillator’ whenever an ally drops unconscious. And because of your optimized features, Healing Word can add a +22 potential bonus to its healing.

To conclude, the only way for you to be a functioning healer is to save up your low-level spell slots for healing spells, while you use your higher level ones to conjure summons.

Here’s the link to the video for more in-depth discussion: 

3. Nerdarchy’s Ultimate Heal Bot

When I watched their video the first time, I thought ‘Heal Bot’ meant a character that dishes out a lot of healing. But then mid-way, I realized that they are creating an actual robot that heals.

If you compare this build to the first two showcased above, this one will be overshadowed in comparison to their raw power. But there’s a silver lining to all of these, this build is viable for Adventurer’s League play (unlike most of the builds here) and this build can deliver in terms of utility.

Note: This build is not beginner friendly.

This build is a Warforged Artificer that maximizes Intelligence and Constitution for optimum spellcasting with decent Charisma and Wisdom since it will be multiclassing to Sorcerer and Cleric along the way.

You will play this build as a healer since you will be choosing Alchemist as your subclass. So, make sure all your spells and features chosen optimize towards the role. As a reminder, it is good that you will choose the Sanctuary spell so that being attacked will be the least of your concerns when running across the battlefield healing allies.

As you progress to Level 3 Alchemist, skip the class for a bit and take 1 level of Cleric and 3 in Sorcerer.

One level of Cleric for the simple reason of the Life Domain’s Disciple of Life feature which adds a little boost to all your healing spells.

Then the reason why you will be taking three levels of Sorcerer is because you will be needing Metamagic to access Distant Spell and Subtle spell (although take note that metamagicking your healing spells should not be your bread-and-butter but only for emergencies since you will only have 3 Sorcerer points to use).

Although any Sorcerer subclass will do, it will be more helpful and thematic if you choose Divine Soul. Plus, its features are very useful for healers.

If you need a much more detailed discussion, here’s the link to the video: 

2. Min/Max Munchking’s Blasting Healer Sorlock

This fourth healer build is much more interesting and potent because your role as a healer is mixed with that of a blaster and you will see how powerful your blasts are.

This build effectively combines the Charisma casting of the Warlock and the Sorcerer. This means that you are a backline powerhouse of a healer that can effectively cast double versions of your single-target spells through the Twinned Metamagic. When you’re not healing, you are spamming your Eldritch Blasts empowered by Agonizing Blast.

To effectively build this, choose an Aasimar as your race with Protector as a subrace. This is because the subrace has a once-per-day feature that effectively boosts all your damage equal to your character level. So, we’re looking at a potential bonus of +20 round-per-round.

To start, choose a Hexblade Warlock and stop at Level 2 once you get your Invocations since you only need Agonizing Blast, honestly. Then, for the rest of your career you will be leveling your Divine Soul Sorcerer and focus your spells just for healing and support.

As a healer, your job is to heal. And being a Divine Soul allows you to efficiently heal more because you can always use your Twinned Metamagic to cast twin versions of your single-target healings. So, we’re not just looking at twin Healing Words here. We’re also looking at twin Heals, twin Death Wards, twin Revivify, and twin Raise Dead.

And as a blaster, you will be dealing serious damage. Your Agonizing Blast invocation alone gives you a +5 bonus, with another +5 from Hexblade’s Curse, and a whopping +20 from your Aasimar’s Radiant Soul trait. And this is just from a single Eldritch Blast.

If you need further discussion about this build, the link’s here: 

1. RPG’ Daily’s Optimized Cleric

The last entry is none other than an optimized Cleric of the Life Domain, which I think is the master of all healers.

This one is a classic, and the key to playing this build is to optimize your spell selection since the Life Domain will really maximize all of your healing, especially when you reach Supreme Healing at Level 17.

The advantage of a Life Cleric that goes beyond Level 1 (which is usually done by multiclassing healers) is they have access to a constant healing Channel Divinity, Preserve Life, which is an area of effect healing that heals a total of 5x your Cleric level. So, we’re looking at a potential of 100 points at Level 20.

To maximize your build, always prepare all kinds of healing and restoration spells every day. Here are the most important spells: Cure Wounds, Healing Word, Mass Healing Word, Prayer of Healing, Lesser Restoration, Greater Restoration, Heal, and Mass Heal.

Since you are not a damage-dealer version of a Cleric, a good way to increase your damage output in battle is to prepare Spiritual Weapon and Spirit Guardian. These two alone are more than enough as your bread-and-butter damage-dealers since they last 10 rounds per casting. At least you can attack three times in every round when you’re not healing.

 For more details, check the link here: 

Conclusion

And that’s the Top 5 Healer Builds.

Always remember that the reward in playing a healer is not on the number of enemies slain but on the number of allies protected from death.

Do you think there are other better builds out there? Drop your answer in the comments.

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