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Temotei
2010-05-03, 04:06 PM
What are your favorite races to play as a classic cleric with?

Alternatively, just say your favorite race in general. I'm not looking for optimization here.

The Rose Dragon
2010-05-03, 04:08 PM
Non-optimization, it's Tiefling and Aasimar. Preferably Tiefling for good clerics and Aasimar for evil ones. Optimized, I'd probably go with Gold Dwarves (the ones that have a minus to dexterity instead of charisma). Or human. Either way works.

Optimystik
2010-05-03, 04:11 PM
Normally: Illumian - because they don't get Precocious Apprentice, that Improved Krau can solve a lot of headaches.

Optimized: Lesser Aasimar - very little contest there.

Prime Gouda: Anthropomorphic Bat

GenPol
2010-05-03, 04:14 PM
Second Choice
Humans: I dunno, I like humans. I like the element of starting out as an average every day person and rising up to become great, rather than starting powerful and magical, and becoming more magical and special.

First Choice
Kobolds: What else? By far the most badass lizard man thing I know. And they don't have body oder issues like Trogs.

Divide by Zero
2010-05-03, 04:16 PM
Pretty much all my casters are either humans, kobolds, or goblins. Every other race I like has a level adjustment, so I usually save them for other builds.

arguskos
2010-05-03, 05:16 PM
Best race: AnthroBat.
Favorite Race: Lumi. Why yes, I do use a race with LA/RHD, and IT IS AWESOME. :smallbiggrin:

Vizzerdrix
2010-05-03, 05:36 PM
Hmm... Winged Strongheart Halfling would have to be my favorite.

TroubleBrewing
2010-05-03, 05:42 PM
I prefer human clerics, just on principle. I did play an interesting minotaur cleric once, but the only reason it worked was my DM's lack of understanding regarding the LA rules. :smallannoyed:

As far as optimization goes, it's definitely anthrobat (check Savage Species). +6 wis, fly speed, small size, +0 LA? Sold.

Pluto
2010-05-03, 06:16 PM
I love the Phrenic template and the Kenku. I've used each for good results on Clositered Clerics. Combining them would probably be all sorts of fun.


But Aasimar would be my normal choice. The ability boosts are in just the right places and the weapon proficiencies are nice, if not necessary, for group- or self-buffers.

And the Azurin sub levels are pretty slick with Incarnum spells and feats, even without abusing them for doubled turn attempts.

Goldfly
2010-05-03, 06:57 PM
Depends. Gestalt Cleric/Incarnum, I'm fond of Azurins, even if they aren't the most optimized choice. Ignoring Anthropomorphic bats, I'm going to go along with everyone else and say Aasimar, and if you don't mind the charisma penalty, Warforged can be fun as well.
My favorite Cleric race: Hellbred.
My favorite races in general: Killoren, Thri-kreen, and Changeling . Killoren are fun, due to immoratlity(age-wise), and the whole nature thing. Thrikrenn because, well, 4 arms, naturally psionic +30 racial jump bonus, and general awesomeness. Changelings are fun cause of all the situations they can get into.

Optimystik
2010-05-03, 07:18 PM
Just reiterating the point I made in my first post - AnthroBat is not "optimization," it is munchkinry, and you would deserve having to deflect your DM's entire bookshelf from midair for even suggesting it as your cleric unless the game is so high-power that such things don't matter anyway.

But I mentioned it for completeness' sake.

Doc Roc
2010-05-03, 07:20 PM
Dragonborn ________

senrath
2010-05-03, 07:54 PM
I'm rather fond of Hellbred, myself. Of course, I'm kinda fond of them for pretty much anything.

balistafreak
2010-05-03, 08:05 PM
Venerable Corpsecrafted Spellstiched Necropolitan. I believe I've referred this race choice at least a dozen times now, it's simply that sweet...

... until someone casts Disintegrate at you and you instantly die, but other than that... :smalltongue:

Maximum of 21 base wisdom, physical stat bonuses to mitigate the Venerable losses, +4 to initiative, SLAs up to 6th level and save bonuses, and you're an undead, which brings up all sorts of roleplaying goodness. Undead clerics are always interesting characters - I loved the idea of Zombie Jesus.

However, the reading on Spellstitched will probably have you kicked in the head by an angry DM. Someone has to spend the hojillion XP it takes to Spellstich you, and while you can simply say it happened millenia ago (you're an undead! you're immortal!)... well, let's just say you should be careful with your Spellstiched SLAs. Picking Heal is cool. Picking some sort of blasty fixed damage spell/save-or-die to achieve offensive capability way beyond your measly 1st level body is not.

erikun
2010-05-03, 11:00 PM
I typically play human clerics, mainly because most of my characters are clerics and most of the deities I find interesting are humancentric. Dwarves also make nice clerics, although lousy turners. Gnomes are also good, although a bit better as druids thanks to wildshape.

Others have already covered Lesser Aasimar (+2 Wis, +2 Cha) optimization and AnthroBat cheese.

gbprime
2010-05-03, 11:12 PM
Human or Gold Dwarf, honestly.

Though we did play a campaign a while back that the DM made heavily drow-centric. So he declared that a +2 level adjustment or less could be ignored. So naturally I chose a Volodni cleric. :smallamused:

Kylarra
2010-05-03, 11:15 PM
Beguiler. . .

what? I like cute things. :smallcool:

Biffoniacus_Furiou
2010-05-03, 11:49 PM
Human, because they get to worship the best deity (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/ex/20041203a).

Tauric Human + Lammasu for high-level/cheesy play. Note that upon gaining Cleric 1 you gain two domains, in addition to the two you get from the Lammasu racial spellcasting. Something like Cloistered Cleric 1/ Divine Oracle 2/ Contemplative 10 works out rather well, especially if you can buy off that pesky level adjustment. For ultimate cheese, get those racial hit dice level-drained away, you'll keep the 7th level racial spellcasting and all the other racial abilities for only the +3 LA of the Tauric template.

Set
2010-05-04, 07:52 AM
I always pick Human.

But the 3.0 pre-nerf Vanara from Oriental Adventures was neat (for the wis bonus), before Lesser Aasimar, Gold Dwarves, etc. came along.

A Raptoran Cleric abusing the Air Domain and their racial sub levels to call in Air Elementals could be interesting, but it really doesn't 'get good' (i.e. broken) until 7th level.

A Dragonborn/Spellscale/Kobold Cleric using Dragonfire Channeling (Dragon Magic) also has potential. (A Human can do it as well, blowing their bonus feat on Dragontouched, and choosing their 'breath weapon' for channeling purposes, while the other choices are stuck with the default Fire.)

A Warforged Cleric is worth it, if only for the Warforged Domain, which allows Rebuke/Command of constructs. Outside of Eberron, this isn't that hot, but in a setting with a bunch of variant Homonculi and Warforged, it can rock to have your own Commanded flunkies. (And if the Maug, from one of the Monster Manuals, are available, just look out!) Again, a Human can do this, by worshipping Onatar (or the Sovereign Seven in general) and taking the Warforged Domain from his portfolio, instead of having to be a Warforged in service to the Becoming God or the Lord of Blades. For that matter, in Eberron, an *Adept* could take the Warforged Domain and do this.

A Drow Cleric (particularly lesser, to avoid LA) can be handy if combined with the Drow of the Underdark Spider-Rebuke option. A 1st level lesser Drow Cleric with this option and Improved Turning as her 1st level feat choice counts as a 6th level Cleric for Rebuke/Command limits on spiders, and could thus have a pair of 3 HD Spider Swarms as her pets. (I mentioned that to the author and he said that was very much unintended, but hey, if he's not your GM, go for it!) You can also rebuke Monstrous Spiders, but assembling a swarm of smaller ones would probably be easier at low level.

Stack up some other items that grant effective levels for Turning purposes, such as an Amulet of Turning, and you can have quite the assortment of gumbies under your command. On the WotC boards, there is a comprehensive Turning guide that lists a few other options, as well, for those who have undead rebuke command and / or access to the Air, Earth, Fire, Water, Plant, Cold, Slime/Ooze, Warforged, Scalykind, Spiders, etc. domains. Obad-Hai is probably your go-to god for stacking these puppies up (via Contemplative, Divine Disciple, etc.), as he allows negative energy channeling neutral or neutral evil clerics, as well as access to the Air, Earth, Fire, Plant and Water domains, as well as Scalykind and Slime, if your GM allows Sean Reynolds updated Greyhawk Domains. (http://www.seankreynolds.com/rpgfiles/we/greyhawkdeities.html)

Back in ye olde days (1st and 2nd edition), I'd play the occasional elven or halfling or gnomish cleric, just to play Clerics of fun gods like Aerdrie Faenya, Arvoreen the Defender or Flandal Steelskin, but these days, it's pretty much human all the way.