Tower Shield Desert Dwarf Cleric [3.5]

[Volos]

I'm building a cleric for a Sandstorm Campaign set a level 5. I've decided to be a Badlands Dwarf, as they are one of the better choices for a varraint race wtihin such a setting. The god he worships is Ra (LN), which according to the DM gives him access to the Fire, Sun, Nobility, and Summer domains. The DM has hinted that rebuking undead is allowed without being a completely evil cleric. I think what he meant by that was that I could rebuike mummies and the like while being LN and still be seen as a decent fellow by the common folk.

Being that this is a desert campaign, I don't want to get caught wearing alot of metal when the heat goes up. I've been looking into alternate types of armor, and I haven't had alot of luck as of yet. I want to take advantage of the fact that I am a Dwarf. I was thinking of taking Tower Shield Proficiency so that I could use the Tower Shield to get full cover from most baddies. This DM's particular strategy is to rush the casters with poweful melee combatants and to rain ranged death upon the other members of the party. I could take Combat Casting, but it seems like a Tower Shield would be more effective.

So I need help choosing my armor (and related feats if need be) and I need to know if a Tower Shield would prevent me from casting my spells. From what I have read from the PHB it seems like I could just give up my attacks for the round to get full cover from my foes. No one can threaten me and I can cast my spells without worry.

The game is at 5th level, with one flaw allowed. I am a Badlands Dwarf, and I'd like to remain safe while casting and safe from melee attackers. Is the tower shield the way to go? And what should I take for my other two feats?

[Varil]

Wouldn't endure elements fix this? Granted, that's a first level slot gone every day but...

[Coidzor]

Well, using the tower shield for cover precludes you from having line of effect to cast at people, so be aware of that.

And from the way it's phrased, the way one takes cover behind it would seem to preclude casting a standard action spell and then using it for cover...

[Volos]

Endure elements only helps up to 140 degrees, which is the fourth lowest heat rating one might experience in a desert. And endure elements doesn't keep one's armor from heating up and dealing damage in the same way a heat metal spell would.

So forget the tower shield, how would I boost my AC without wearing metal or taking a level dip into Monk?

[Aurenthal]

look in the races of the wild book, there are a few materials wood-like that should help you

[Coidzor]

An alternative is to only go out at night when traveling and have darkvision throughout the party as well as at least one party member with a source of burrow.

I don't believe blended quartz counts as metal, and I know dragon hide isn't. Towershield proficiency can be traded for exotic shield proficiency and an extreme shield getting grabbed.

I believe any sort of fire resistance will negate most of the problems with heat levels as well, right?

[Darrin]

I don't believe blended quartz counts as metal, and I know dragon hide isn't. Towershield proficiency can be traded for exotic shield proficiency and an extreme shield getting grabbed.


Blended Quartz means "blended with iron", so yeah, it's still metal.

Masterwork Darkleaf (A&EG, Eberron Campaign Sourcebook) is probably what you're looking for. Almost identical to mithral (+1 Max Dex, -3 ACP, lighter weight category), but cheaper: +750/2250/3000 GP.



I believe any sort of fire resistance will negate most of the problems with heat levels as well, right?

There are a couple special materials in Magic of Faerun that provide fire resistance:

Dlarun, fire resistance 2, +2000 GP for armor (might be a copy/paste error, since Dlarun weapons do frost damage and can never be combined with fire effects).

Fever Iron, fire resistance 2, +2000 GP for armor.

Gold, acid and fire resistance 2, +5000 GP for armor.

A dragoncraft armor/shield (Draconomicon p. 117) is non-metal and can provide fire resistance 5. More expensive that mithral, though: +3000/6000/11000 GP. No price is listed for a shield, but I would assume a shield would cost the same as light armor... I think about 3153 GP for a light shield, 3157 GP for a heavy shield.

You can also pick up fire resistance 5 with a single feat: Touchstone (Sandstorm version) linked to the Salt Statuary gives you the Improved Heat Endurance feat (without the prereqs).