Healer

The Healer is a player character. While the concept of a healer is ubiquitous, parts of the healer’s game, such as the quest, are based on Greek legends. Nethack says of them:

       I swear by Apollo the physician, and Aesculapius, and Health,
       and All-heal, and all the gods and goddesses, that, according
       to my ability and judgment, I will keep this Oath and this
       stipulation -- to reckon him who taught me this Art equally dear
       to me as my parents, to share my substance with him, and relieve
       his necessities if required; to look upon his offspring in the
       same footing as my own brothers, and to teach them this art, if
       they shall wish to learn it, without fee or stipulation; and
       that by precept, lecture, and every other mode of instruction,
       I will impart a knowledge of the Art to my own sons, and those
       of my teachers, and to disciples bound by a stipulation and oath
       according to the law of medicine, but to none others.  I will
       follow that system of regimen which, according to my ability and
       judgment, I consider for the benefit of my patients, and abstain
       from whatever is deleterious and mischievous.  [...]
               [ Hippocrates' Oath, translated by Francis Adams ]

       PHYSICIAN, n.  One upon whom we set our hopes when ill and our
       dogs when well.
               [ The Devil's Dictionary, by Ambrose Bierce ]

Strategy

• Although healers have excellent HP growth, their fighting skills are very poor. A well trained pet can quickly surpass its owner in battle prowess.
• Their starting scalpel is a very poor weapon, and it is a good idea to replace it with the first noncursed elven dagger they find, then later with a unicorn horn (with which they can achieve Expert skill).
• Because healers start with a large quantity of gold, it is possible to purchase a lot of protection from the Minetown’s priest if they avoid gaining experience. A skilled (or lucky) player can loot Sokoban and reach Minetown’s temple without landing a single blow.
• When a healer reaches about level three, he can reliably cast stone to flesh, which can convert boulders into huge chunks of meat. Without the threat of starvation, players can adopt a very cautious and slow playing style with no penalty. Stone to flesh can also convert rocks into meatballs, which work like miniature tripe rations for training pets.
• Applying a stethoscope to a monster will reveal its armour class, which in turn will give some idea of whether it has any enchanted armour. For example, if a dwarf in the Gnomish Mines has AC 4 or less, it probably has either a dwarvish mithril coat or at least one enchanted piece of armour. This strategy is not exclusive to healers, but they are the only class to start with a stethoscope.
• The Healer's quest nemesis, the Cyclops, can be tough if you attempt to fight him hand to hand while he is wielding the Staff of Aesculapius. Fortunately, he is vulnerable to wands of sleep or death.

Starting Equipment

1001 to 2000 gold pieces

• a +0 scalpel
• an uncursed +1 pair of leather gloves
• 5 to 10 uncursed apples
• a blessed spellbook of healing
• a blessed spellbook of extra healing
• a blessed spellbook of stone to flesh
• 4 potions of healing
• 4 potions of extra healing
• wand of sleep (4 to 8 charges)
• an uncursed stethoscope
• 4% chance of uncursed oil lamp

(Equipment copied from invt-343.txt.)

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