Ok, Melee Cleric Suggestions?

[Amoren]

Alright, so. Basic premise, Ravenloft setting. Had a rogue character which I made under the pretense that the two other people with new characters joining were making a divine caster (or caster of some sort, every time the player has had a character in the group it's been a paladin or cleric) and a wizard respectively. Instead, the fact that they had changed their initial concepts and created a warlock (focusing on Eldritch Glaive) and monk/crescent moon ninja came to light. Realizing that we were very weak in the casting department, and very melee focused (with two squishes, me and the monk, and a full progression fighter and fallen palladin), I thought it might be best to switch the rogue and the DM suggested something divine.

After plucking between druid and cleric, I decided on cleric as the base class since the usual divine caster player has had two druid characters already (a kobold druid/sorcerer theurge, and a human beast master with a magebred tiger), and this way I could be more unique and not feel like I was copying his build by taking it in a radical direction from his Pelor healer focus.

So far my idea is to go with an Ordained Champion/Bone Knight build, picking up Divine Metamagic: Persist to fulfill my buffing role and then being a melee fighter/secondary tank. I originally thought to take Intuitive Attack, but since I'd likely want to wield a bone greatsword and floating shield that was likely made mute.

The current build idea: Human Cloistered Cleric 3-4/Church Inquisitor 1-2/Ordained Champion 2/Bone Knight 10/Ordained Champion 3, coming in at level 8.
Domains: War (Greatsword), Planning, Knowledge (swapped for devotion), Inquisition (traded for a fighter bonus feat via Ordained Champion), Undead (Ordained Champion).

Planned Feats: Able Learner, MM: Persist, DMM: Persist (3), Practiced Caster (6), Power Attack (Inquisition trade in), and from then on I'm not sure (Holy Warrior, maybe?).

So, how does this look so far? Any suggestions on how to tweak the build to make it a bit better? Or better ideas to help compliment the party? (I know I should probably go archer or spell focus cleric... But, I, I... I just can't. I just like smacking stuff!). Tricks in general for the cleric? Like which buffs I should persist on my party so I'm not hoarding all the good stuff to myself like Divine Power?

[Amoren]

Grah, just going to make it a separate post since I've already edited the above, twice. ~_~

Just glanced over Ordained Champion again, and am I correct in thinking that you can grab it at level 5? If so, would Cloistered Cleric 3/Church Inquisitor 1/Ordained Champion 2 (3 without fractional BAB)/Bone Knight X be better..?

Sorry for all the questions. It's my first time playing a cleric and I want to do it reasonably well. ^_^;

Edit: Question, can I use a fortifying bedroll to recover turning/rebuking attempts per day? I know I cannot use it to recover spell slots casted in the last 8 hours, but the idea of waking up 8 times during rest to spend 11+ turning attempts to persist a spell until the entire party is buffed up and ready sounds really nice.

[Runestar]

I am not familiar with bone knight, and not comfortable with multiclassing cleric enough to comment on the viability of said build.

That said, a pure cleric would do reasonably well as a melee character even without DMM.

http://www.dandwiki.com/wiki/Battle_Priest_(3.5e_Optimized_Character_Build)

Here is a stub for a basic battle-cleric build, though it seems to really come into place at 9th lv. I do like it as it seems rather simple and straightforward to play.

[Amoren]

I'm mostly concerned with the two caster level delays caused by Ordained Champion... But on the other hand, the stuff it gives seem really good... But as for Bone Knight, I definitely consider it worth it without question. Flavor aside, having many of the traits of an undead are just invaluable. Of course, there's also the issue of Cloistered Cleric over regular Cleric...

Edit: Also, for some reason the link goes to a dead page. I was able to track down the page though, and it does give me ideas (basically, another spell to keep track of). And, while that's awesome, Divine Favor is once again self only... I'm hoping to make my character more than a 'buff myself to obscene levels' kind of guy and more of a 'buff the party up to 11, then buff myself up to twelve' kind of guy. :P

[TroubleBrewing]

I've been building one myself over the past few weeks. I've got a thread devoted to the topic. Lemme dig it up for you.

On Gaining More Turn/Destroy/Rebuke Undead Attempts Than is Safe Or Reasonable (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=193093)

The build I'm using actually takes stuff from the Ravenloft campaign setting.

IMO, you're better off going straight Cleric than losing caster levels. There are very, very few bonuses good enough to justify losing a spellcasting level.

[Lateral]

Actually, as long as you can keep those caster levels, PRC out as much as possible. Cleric's got nothing worth staying in for other than spells.

[TroubleBrewing]

Well, yeah, but if you PrC into something that doesn't get those spells, then you're really not gaining anything.

Full casting PrC's aren't hard to find, though. Sacred Exorcist, Divine Oracle, Contemplative, and Church Inquisitor are all valid choices.

EDIT: Just read the "as long as you keep those caster levels" bit. I'm glad we agree on this. :smalltongue:

[Amoren]

Well, I still think Bone Knight is worth it - if only because it's really bad ass looking to have full blate and a greatsword made out of bone with a legion of undead at your back (controlling 80 HD of undead? I'll take that!). One caster level is probably worth it too in exchange for all the immunities, damage reduction, extra control undead and turning resistance... Especially since it's not limited (from what I can see) to nongood characters! A lawful good Bone Knight seems like it would be so much fun and a break to stereotypes!

As for Ordained Champion... My primary interest in it are Craft and Ride as class skills, allowing me to get into Bone Knight at a much earlier level as opposed to waiting till 9th to get my cross class skills up, and the fact that I could enter it at level 5. If there was another cleric prestige class which did this, I might consider dropping it (especially since the only real benefits I can see are bonus domain, trade domain powers for fighter bonus feats, spontaneous cast war domain spells to gain effects of holy warrior so long as I have any spells left, burn turn undead attempts to smite or use wisdom for attack and damage rolls, and +2 cl on war domain spells).

[Pigkappa]

I think that a lawful good character who tries to become similar to undeads is going to make a lot of dark powers check in Ravenloft. Especially with a legion of undead at your back.

Won't be lawful good for long, and maybe won't even be a playable character for long :(.

[Amoren]

I think that a lawful good character who tries to become similar to undeads is going to make a lot of dark powers check in Ravenloft. Especially with a legion of undead at your back.

Won't be lawful good for long, and maybe won't even be a playable character for long :(.

So far our DM seems to be very 'sparing' with the Dark Powers infusion checks. The only cases we've had to make a check were for a druid who shape shifted into a flesh raker and canibalized a recently deceased enemy, and the fighter who brutally sliced the above deceased enemy into several pieces for breaking her greatsword, and again for torturing and leaving a party member (who did deserve it) to die a slow death. She got two for the last one.

I could talk to him to see if creating undead would force him to make a check though, after all in the culture I was going to create for him there is nothing 'evil' about undead, and undead in their country have served useful roles as menial labor. xD

[Amoren]

So, doing some research to see how to create a cleric build to get Bone Knight before level six, I checked through a variety of books to try and find classes which continue cleric casting while granting Ride as a class skill (even if its only one level, since that would work with Able Learner).

What I found;

Mythic Exemplar, capable of entering at 6th level, loses first caster level.
Ordained Champion, capable of entering at 5th level, loses first caster level (and fourth).
Seeker of the Misty Isle, need to be an elf and ranged focus. Enter at 5th level but no lost caster level!
Warpriest, 5 BAB and loses first two levels of casting.

Iffy options;
Human Paragon, lose first caster level but gain whatever class skills I want.
Prestige Paladin, if allowed would be my best bet. A one level dip gives me paladin spells and cleric casting, but the two level dip and the Serenity feat is just a very tempting option...

So, with the fact that the only class which gives full (or at least the first level or two) cleric casting and the ride skill is only for elves (or via a class I don't think my DM will allow), are there any other options to gain Ride on the cleric list? Besides burning a feat on skill training, of course.

[Tyndmyr]

I would go human paragon. The bonus feat and +2 to stat of choice makes it worthwhile.