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View Full Version : Cleric Idea [3.5]



Noedig
2010-04-22, 09:59 PM
The campaign is Forgotten Realms and we will likely be doing Undermountain, because lets face it, its awesome.

So Im running a cleric in the game I have coming up, and wanted to do something a bit different. I normally healbot, with a bit of buffing, but I want to do a bit more blasting, as I feel that I don't contribute to actual killing.

Anyway, I want to play a race I've never done before and I'm leaning toward Fire Gensai. Cleric of Kossuth of course. Now the clerical restriction says I must pick Fire domain, but what other domain is worth picking up? Destruction? I dunno.

Secondly, I don't really like that an element as chaotic as fire has to have such a strict hierarchy. Thinking of RP-ing a CN who just barely follows the rules. That sounds reasonable enough, right?

Lastly, I'm shooting for elemental archon eventually, so any clerical build suggestions?

Pluto
2010-04-22, 10:11 PM
*Looks up Kossuth's domains*

Destruction is flat-out terrible. It's no good for anybody.

Renewal's fantastic at very low levels. Then it quickly goes very steeply downhill.

Suffering isn't great, but it comes into its own once level 6-9 spells come into the picture.

Wrath is just lackluster all around.

...these are all pretty grim.



I'd take Renewal at level 1 and use retraining (PHB2) or the Domain Substitution spell (CC) to swap over to Suffering at level 4. That way you get to milk Charm Person and the insta-heal abilities while they're relevant and switch to some more generally useful (if not unique) spells later on.

Eldariel
2010-04-22, 10:13 PM
Cleric tends to be better at melee smackdown than blastcasting; in fact, Cleric is one of the very best melee classes in the game easily capable of outfighting Fighters and Barbarians.

That said, compilations have been made on Cleric Damage Spells (though also, Cleric Save-or-Dies tend to be superior to their damage spells):
Turn Your Cleric Into A Warmage (http://web.archive.org/web/20080416122056/http://forums.gleemax.com/showthread.php?t=605481) may be of interest to you (once the web archive stops crying under traffic).

But yeah, Clerics can do...so much. It's a real pity to reduce them to healer role.

Noedig
2010-04-22, 10:33 PM
I see the renewal domain, and I hear what you're saying. that could be a lifesaver early on. My DM is cool with Sub Domain which is great cause I can switch to whatever necessary later on. Hell I could just memorize it like 3 times and have all the domains available to swap out.

And yes the save or die cleric spells are glorious. My current cleric is a Tymora Prot/Travel, who can buff himself to get a 28+ wis and do evil **** to people. I blinded one of those big nasty elder beholders. 3rd level spell.

Optimystik
2010-04-23, 06:11 AM
Destruction is flat-out terrible. It's no good for anybody.

That's a bit harsh. Disintegrate is always worthwhile (though you take longer to learn it), and you can cast it without material components. The inflict spells suck, but Shatter is a spell you'll usually want prepared. Harm, Earthquake and Implosion round out a decent list.

~LuckyBoneDice~
2010-04-23, 07:54 AM
I say pick an element that has a lot of damage-dealing spells (such as Storm, for instance) and simply excell at one element.

I personally suggest worshipping a deity from Frostburn, or one with both Winter and Cold, Focus on Cold spells, and use Divine Metamagic (Piercing Cold) and (Persistant) and you are kosher

Optimystik
2010-04-23, 07:57 AM
One of the best ways to be a cleric blaster in Faerun is to worship Akadi. You get a core domain trifecta - Air, Travel, and Trickery, three of the best ones.

JeminiZero
2010-04-23, 09:34 AM
Consider the Divine Magician ACF from Complete Mage (pg 33). Lose 1 domain, add a bunch of arcane spells of your choice to your cleric spell list.

Also consider Mother Cyst feat from Libris Mortis. Adds a bunch of reasonably offensive spells to your spell list.

Optimystik
2010-04-23, 10:39 AM
Consider the Divine Magician ACF from Complete Mage (pg 33). Lose 1 domain, add a bunch of arcane spells of your choice to your cleric spell list.

Caveat: They have to be necromancy, abjuration or divination.

Though there are plenty of goodies there to choose from, like Shivering Touch and Avasculate.

Pluto
2010-04-23, 10:45 AM
Consider the Divine Magician ACF from Complete Mage (pg 33). Lose 1 domain, add a bunch of arcane spells of your choice to your cleric spell list. Ooo! I forgot about that one. That's a really good call.

RagnaroksChosen
2010-04-23, 10:46 AM
could go Magic missle mage... by selecting the force domain.
its technicaly dragon material but.

Starbuck_II
2010-04-23, 11:02 AM
Anyway, I want to play a race I've never done before and I'm leaning toward Fire Gensai. Cleric of Kossuth of course. Now the clerical restriction says I must pick Fire domain, but what other domain is worth picking up?

Secondly, I don't really like that an element as chaotic as fire has to have such a strict hierarchy. Thinking of RP-ing a CN who just barely follows the rules. That sounds reasonable enough, right?

Lastly, I'm shooting for elemental archon eventually, so any clerical build suggestions?

Incarnum domain: Magic of Incarnum says every god has it.

~LuckyBoneDice~
2010-04-23, 11:04 AM
I say this:

Race: Lesser Fire Mephling (0 LA for a non-Outsider)
Class: Cloistered Cleric of Hel (Winter and Cold) 7/Domain Devoted Wizard (Fire) 3/Frost Mage 4/Mystic Theurge 6

Fire and Ice in one body

RagnaroksChosen
2010-04-23, 11:12 AM
actualy lucky bonedice has a good idea

cept i would do this

lesser fire genasi
cleric x (need fire domain)
Taking these feats in no particular order
Calimshon elementalist
Bloodline of fire
adn flame burst from complete mage.

+5 caster level with fire spells.

~LuckyBoneDice~
2010-04-23, 11:17 AM
actualy lucky bonedice has a good idea

cept i would do this

lesser fire genasi
cleric x (need fire domain)
Taking these feats in no particular order
Calimshon elementalist
Bloodline of fire
adn flame burst from complete mage.

+5 caster level with fire spells.

You essentially get Fire Domain with the Wizard. The idea is he is a master of both Fire and Ice

RagnaroksChosen
2010-04-23, 11:21 AM
You essentially get Fire Domain with the Wizard. The idea is he is a master of both Fire and Ice

err should have made my point cleerer i ment about the lesser race thing.

~LuckyBoneDice~
2010-04-23, 11:31 AM
err should have made my point cleerer i ment about the lesser race thing.

You have issues with the usage of Lesser Races?

RagnaroksChosen
2010-04-23, 11:42 AM
You have issues with the usage of Lesser Races?

no .... ignore i made reference to you... I was just sugesting using lesser genasi

~LuckyBoneDice~
2010-04-23, 11:43 AM
no .... ignore i made reference to you... I was just sugesting using lesser genasi

Thats what I meant. just a typo on my part

Noedig
2010-04-23, 04:52 PM
Thanks for all the replies. We had an issue with our fighter, so it looks like I'm going to be doing some primary melee action. Ive explained to the rest of the group how this might be a problem, what with me not being a fighter.

As it is now, I'll probably not be doing the all the blasting that I had intended. Probably more buff/save or die stuff.

Fortunately Kossuth's weapon is a freakin spiked chain!