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Da Pwnzlord
2009-08-06, 03:41 PM
Hi guys

I need help building a 6th level LG half elf Cleric. I'd like him to be martial combat based. (I believe the term is "CoDzilla"?) What spells should he prepare?

This is a NPC my brother is going to play. His character just died, and the DM is letting him play this guy while we scrape together enough money to get his old character rezzed.

Indeed.
2009-08-06, 03:58 PM
Any clarification on what books are allowed/disallowed?

Straight Cleric 20 in core is decent enough in melee with all the important buffs, but what I like for melee combat is Cleric 7/Prestige Paladin 3 (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/variant/classes/prestigiousCharacterClasses.htm#prestigePaladin)/Fist of Raziel (BoED) 10. This gets you near-full BAB and casting with a whole bunch of paladin-like goodies.

Siosilvar
2009-08-06, 04:08 PM
6th level? Divine Favor (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/divineFavor.htm) will put your attack bonus about on par with a fighter. Bull's Strength (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/bullsStrength.htm) will push your Strength past your average fighter's.

6th is one level short of Divine Power, which is rich with goodness.

vampire2948
2009-08-06, 04:10 PM
For 6th level just plain Cleric is perfectly strong enough to survive typical encounters.
You can be very good in melee combat through buffs and such, take relevant domains to combat which give buffs you like. [or whatever weapon your deity likes]

As for which spells exactly you should prepare...
You have up to 3rd level casting. So I'd suggest that these be ones you look at.

1st lvl
Magic Weapon [If you don't already have a +1 weapon]
Shield of Faith [More AC is good!]
Divine Favour [Better attack bonus and damage]

Other than those, bane, doom, hide from undead are all good choices. You'll be able to spontaneously cast healing spells, so you don't need to prepare those.

2nd lvl

Bear's Endurance and Bull's Strength might be good choices, giving you more Con and Str for short fights.
Align Weapon is nice for getting past DR, though you probably won't need it at this level.
Consecrate is awesome if you're going to be turning a lot of undead.
Hold Person and Spirtual Weapon have their uses.


3rd lvl
Dispel Magic [really useful if you don't have an arcane caster who knows/prepares it]
Magic Vestment [If you don't have +X armour or shield, this is useful]
Remove Curse / Disease. Kinda situational, but great if it comes up.
Searing Light - if you want to blast some undead a bit :)
Summon Monster III - free allies. yay!


Of course, those are just the core spells. There are lots of good choices in the non-core books, if you're using 'em. Take a look at Spell Compendium.

mcl01
2009-08-06, 04:12 PM
If you're also looking for some PrCs, Ordained Champion is very good for a melee cleric if you don't mind the lost CLs.

Eldariel
2009-08-06, 04:13 PM
Cleric 4/Church Inquisitor 10/Contemplative 6 works great. Cleric 4/Ordained Champion 5/Fist of Raziel (or Knight of the Raven) 10 is also good. Cleric 5/Divine Oracle 10/Divine Disciple 5 is nice. Cleric 5/Dweomerkeeper 10/Whatever 5 truly kicks ass. All classes are Complete Divine (Church Inquisitor, Contemplative, Divine Oracle), its Web Enhancement (Dweomerkeeper), Book of Exalted Deeds (Fist of Raziel), Expedition to Castle Ravenloft (Knight of the Raven), Complete Champion (Ordained Champion) or Player's Guide to Faerun (Divine Disciple).


Any Cleric-class makes for a fine combatant as long as it has full casting (Sacred Exorcist and Radiant Servant of Pelor are nice additions to the above list; note that practically all high-level Clerics want to go Contemplative 1 or 6 for extra Domains) thanks to Divine Power-spell, something you want to use Divine Metamagic [Complete Divine]: Persistent Spell [Complete Arcane] to keep them on 24/7 (combined with Extending them, they last 48 hours allowing you to keep two sets of buffs on constantly).

You can use Extra Turning or Nightsticks [Libris Mortis] to fuel the feat, and Beads of Karma [DMG], Ring of Enduring Arcana [Complete Mage] and generic caster level buffs to make sure you'll never get dispelled. If you want to be truly powerful, use Initiate of Mystra [PGtF], but that's a busted feat and I frankly can't recommend it with a good conscience due to power level concerns (although it takes ~level 11 to truly take over).


Oh yeah, note that Divine Power requires level 7 (spell level 4) to cast so until then, persist other spells (Divine Favor is a good one, for example, for before you can Quicken it). Also, persisting Mass Lesser Vigor (level 3 spell) is a very good idea as it means you don't need to heal AT ALL out of combat. Other than that, use Magic Vestment, Greater Magic Weapon and such spells as buffs you don't need to persist (especially with caster level buffs). You could even get Metamagic Rod of Chain Spell at some point to buff everyone with one spell slot.

Also few feats of interest to you:
Holy Warrior [Complete Champion] (for the damage buff)
Knowledge Devotion [Complete Champion] (for the attack buffs; only if you're a Cloistered Cleric)

vampire2948
2009-08-06, 04:16 PM
Why are you all suggesting builds going up that far. It is good info and all *scribbles down on notepad* but their cleric is only going to be one till they can get their party member raised.

And since the cleric could do that by buying a scroll and casting it on their dead friend... that'll be a round or two into the game.

Forbiddenwar
2009-08-06, 04:24 PM
What spells should he prepare?


Spiritual weapon. several times. nothing like being able to attack 15 times in a round.

Thespianus
2009-08-06, 04:35 PM
Also few feats of interest to you:
Holy Warrior [Complete Champion] (for the damage buff)
Knowledge Devotion [Complete Champion] (for the attack buffs; only if you're a Cloistered Cleric)

A fun combination is Cloistered Cleric, Knowledge Devotion, Divine Power, and Divine Insight (2nd level spell, gives you 5 + CL, max +15 on your next skill check).

At level 7, you could be looking at Full BAB (ie two attacks), tons of strength-bonus on your attacks and a solid +3 or even +4 to attack and damage from your Knowledge Devotion-feat.

Granted, well.. it's kinda cheesy. The Cloistered Cleric wasn't intended to be a BETTER melee character than the normal Cleric. ;)

Thespianus
2009-08-06, 04:38 PM
Spiritual weapon. several times. nothing like being able to attack 15 times in a round.

Combine with Divine Power to get full BAB , ie multiple attacks from the spiritual weapons. :) Use Twin Spell metamatic to get two Spiritual Weapons per casting. ;)

Probably not very effective.. .but fun! :)

Oh, and also, don't forget Power Attack for your melee Cleric.

Siosilvar
2009-08-06, 04:43 PM
Combine with Divine Power to get full BAB , ie multiple attacks from the spiritual weapons. :) Use Twin Spell metamatic to get two Spiritual Weapons per casting. ;)

Probably not very effective.. .but fun! :)

Oh, and also, don't forget Power Attack for your melee Cleric.

Divine Power is a 4th level spell and Twin Spell is a +3 metamagic, I believe. Both are a bit out of reach of a 6th-level character.

vampire2948
2009-08-06, 04:47 PM
Divine Power is a 4th level spell and Twin Spell is a +3 metamagic, I believe. Both are a bit out of reach of a 6th-level character.

He means divine favour. (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/divineFavor.htm)

Also - Twin Spell is indeed a +3 metamagic. But with divine metamagic rules, instead of expending a spell slot of +3 levels relative to that which you are casting - you merely expend a Turn (or Rebuke) undead attempt, and cast the spell at its regular level. Neat, huh?


Vampire2948,

Eldariel
2009-08-06, 05:08 PM
Why are you all suggesting builds going up that far. It is good info and all *scribbles down on notepad* but their cleric is only going to be one till they can get their party member raised.

And since the cleric could do that by buying a scroll and casting it on their dead friend... that'll be a round or two into the game.

No point in suggesting incomplete builds. As they are playable throughout the levels, you just take the build on the level you start at and work from there. Church Inquisitor or Ordained Champion already has two levels by this point.

Woodsman
2009-08-06, 05:26 PM
But with divine metamagic rules, instead of expending a spell slot of +3 levels relative to that which you are casting - you merely expend a Turn (or Rebuke) undead attempt, and cast the spell at its regular level. Neat, huh?


Vampire2948,

So that's how nightsticks work...

Thespianus
2009-08-07, 12:33 AM
Divine Power is a 4th level spell and Twin Spell is a +3 metamagic, I believe. Both are a bit out of reach of a 6th-level character.
Yeah, I forgot about Divine Power being a 4th level spell, I thought it was 3rd. My bad. Twin Spell was mainly provided as a joke for the "15 Spiritual Weapons"-suggestion, maybe I should have been clearer...