Help my cleric do damage

[Flame of Anor]

First let me state right off that this is not an optimization-heavy game, but I still like my characters to be pretty good. I'm not looking for the most esoteric things, as my DM requires to be able to see the source for anything, so "I heard about this feat on the internet and it's supposed to do this" isn't going to cut it. If there's an actual stat block on the internet, maybe. But he does allow Dragon material.

So, anyway, I have a dwarf cleric at 8th or 9th level (I haven't played him in a while, so I don't remember exactly). He's a pretty good buffer, both of others and himself, and his AC generally hovers somewhere around 30, depending on what spells he has going. So he's good at standing in the front line and getting attacked. But the problem is that he isn't good at attacking. His attack bonus is okay, but with a shield and all he's only doing 1d8+3. I know a better weapon is in order (he only has a +1 heavy mace now), but it's a campaign where we're defending a town on the frontier and there's a great scarcity of good weapons and gold, except what we get from our enemies.

So grant me your wisdom, please.

[Keld Denar]

If you pick up a non-magical club, you can cast Spikes on it (Cleric3, CDivine or SpC). That gives you an automatic +2 weapon with a doubled crit range that also adds your CL to damage. Doesn't matter if it's one handed or two, thats pretty nice. The Complete Divine version was hours/level, which was nice, but SpC nerfed it down to rounds/level. Nonmagical clubs are free...just pick up a stick off the ground and make with the righteous buttkickery.

Alternatively, if you have an arcane caster friend, have him prep a Greater Mighty Wallop (Wiz/Sorc3, Races of the Dargon). Offer to trade one of your slots for him casting that. It increases the damage die size of a weapon by 1 size per 4 CLs. At CL8, he'll bump your 1d8 mace up to 3d6, a boost of ~6 damage per hit. It lasts hours/level, so you only need to get it cast once. If you combine that with Righteous Might, the base damage increase to 4d6.

Finally, take Craft Magic Arms and Armor and craft a +1 Animated shield. Now you don't need to hold it, you don't have to worry about FINDING one, and you can now hold your mace in both hands to benefit maximally from Str and PA (assuming you have PA).

[tyckspoon]

First problem in doing damage: You're carrying a shield. If you want damage output, you will go two-handed. That's not really optional.

That said.. more information, d00d. What's your statline like? What sources are generally accepted at your table, and what will make your DM look at you sideways? Is your DM open to retraining, or are we just working with basically spell selection? (And if we are limited to mostly spell selection, we *really* need to know what books you can work with.) How many spells do you usually end up putting up per fight, and what are they? If you usually end up running 3-4, just swapping one of them for an offensive buff could make the difference.

[Morbis Meh]

Alright, what god does he worship for one, what are your domains for two, and finally are you in any prestige classes? If you can get into one that gives martial weapon prof then ditch the mace, grab a greatsword with an animated shield. Secondly ALWAYS prepare Divine Power and Righteous Might ( level 4 and 5 spells respectively). If you can by some sheer miracle pick up an extra domain try to get the spell domain from players guide to Faerun, then once you have access to lvl 6 spells prepare anyspell for your domain slot then use it to polymorph into a bad ass monstrous humanoid like a war troll. Your Str and Con will be through the roof in conjuction with Divine Power and Righteous Might not to mention you will be Huge.

[Tvtyrant]

At level 8 you have fourth level spells, and at level 9 you have 5th level spells. So you have some of the best self buffs on the planet already, as well as some DD spells.

4th level spells:
Divine Power
Inflict Critical Wounds

5th level spells:
Flame Strike
Righteous Might
Slay Living

The two bolded ones are the droids you are looking for. Flame Strike is a decent AoE spell, and Inflict Critical Wounds does more damage than you are currently doing and on a touch attack. Once you get to 6th level you get Harm, which is an amazing spell when you get it.

[Flame of Anor]

First problem in doing damage: You're carrying a shield. If you want damage output, you will go two-handed. That's not really optional.

That said.. more information, d00d. What's your statline like? What sources are generally accepted at your table, and what will make your DM look at you sideways? Is your DM open to retraining, or are we just working with basically spell selection? (And if we are limited to mostly spell selection, we *really* need to know what books you can work with.) How many spells do you usually end up putting up per fight, and what are they? If you usually end up running 3-4, just swapping one of them for an offensive buff could make the difference.

I know a shield isn't optimized for damage, but I'm trying to make a tank character who can do damage, not a damage-dealer who can take hits.

I'm not sure what you mean by statline. As for sources, it generally has to be official WotC material, though that includes Dragon magazine. Within official material, it basically just has to be something that I can show him on a page, whether it's physical, PDF, or an authoritative-looking website.


Alright, what god does he worship for one, what are your domains for two, and finally are you in any prestige classes? If you can get into one that gives martial weapon prof then ditch the mace, grab a greatsword with an animated shield. Secondly ALWAYS prepare Divine Power and Righteous Might ( level 4 and 5 spells respectively). If you can by some sheer miracle pick up an extra domain try to get the spell domain from players guide to Faerun, then once you have access to lvl 6 spells prepare anyspell for your domain slot then use it to polymorph into a bad ass monstrous humanoid like a war troll. Your Str and Con will be through the roof in conjuction with Divine Power and Righteous Might not to mention you will be Huge.

Moradin, Good and Earth, no PrCs as yet, though I'm open to the idea. Animated shield would be lovely, but I'm still in a campaign where I can't just buy awesome stuff with my thousands of GP. For one, average character wealth is in the three digits; for two, there are no high-level shops in the frontier town we're in. I do always prepare Divine Power and Righteous Might, though, and they help a lot.

[Big Fau]

Good and Earth, no PrCs as yet

That is a problem. None of the alignment domains are worth taking, and the Elemental domains are very lacking outside of specific campaigns. And PrCs are vital to a Cleric since you have no class features past 1st level.



Out of curiosity, what does the rest of your party look like? Depending on them, it may be more important for you to buff them instead of trying to deal damage yourself.

[Flame of Anor]

That is a problem. None of the alignment domains are worth taking, and the Elemental domains are very lacking outside of specific campaigns. And PrCs are vital to a Cleric since you have no class features past 1st level.

As I said, low optimization. It was more of a roleplay thing.

And I'd love to take a PrC, I just don't know which one's good.



Out of curiosity, what does the rest of your party look like? Depending on them, it may be more important for you to buff them instead of trying to deal damage yourself.

Well, it's not really one party. There are a lot of characters, and they go out in different combinations.

[Tyger]

Anoer one you might want to look at, spell wise, is Ice Axe from the Spell Compenium, if you have access to it. 2d12+1/2 CL damage isn't too shabby, but the real icing on the cake is that it makes your attacks all melee touch attacks, so you can pump up Power Attack without real penalty (which if you don't have, consider getting) if you are set in melee combat.

[Keld Denar]

Good PrCs for you, assuming you don't mind losing Turn Undead progression would include Church Inquisitor (CDivine) or Divine Oracle (CDivine). Sacred Exorcist is also pretty good, and progresses TU, which is nice. You are also pretty close to the level where you can take Contemplative (CDivine). Others that could be handy are Paragnostic Disciple (CChamp), and possibly Ordained Champion (depending on your feats and whether or not Moradin is Lawful enough that you're DM will relax the Heironeous/Hextor only clause).

Of them, only Ordained Champion is really martially oriented, and it does lose 2 spellcaster levels in 5 class levels.

Really, a cleric gets most of his combat prowass from his feats and spells. PrCs are mostly just icing on the cake.

Good isn't a bad domain. I like Holy Smite. If your whole party is good aligned, then Holy Smite is basically a double size Glitterdust spell with a little bit of damage tacked on it that avoids your allies like Mastery of Shaping does. Its fun! Holy Word and Holy Aura are also both VERY nice spells.

[Tvtyrant]

If your party is low op then a Prc might not be the way to go. It is definitely better, but your issue is direct damage. I would suggest dumping the shield and getting a two-hander; the bonus the shield gives to your AC is fairly marginal, and AC is a weak form of defense. Defense is better served by DR and miss chances, so things like a Ring of Blinking and Stone Skin. Earth Domain eventually gets you Iron Body, which gives you a lot of immunities and DR.

[Flame of Anor]

If your party is low op then a Prc might not be the way to go. It is definitely better, but your issue is direct damage. I would suggest dumping the shield and getting a two-hander; the bonus the shield gives to your AC is fairly marginal, and AC is a weak form of defense. Defense is better served by DR and miss chances, so things like a Ring of Blinking and Stone Skin. Earth Domain eventually gets you Iron Body, which gives you a lot of immunities and DR.

The shield is +2 and bites people, so I don't think I'm going to ditch it. Again, I can't get a Ring of Blinking, and where am I going to find 250 gp per encounter for Stoneskin?

[Tvtyrant]

The shield is +2 and bites people, so I don't think I'm going to ditch it. Again, I can't get a Ring of Blinking, and where am I going to find 250 gp per encounter for Stoneskin?

250 GP is tiny by the time you get Stoneskin if following WBL. And yes, I am aware of your current situation. At the present there really isn't much we can do besides tell you to grab a two-hander, since you have no access to new items.

Slightly outside the threads purpose, but if your defending a town you could always ring the thing in concentric circles of Stonewall. You have the ability to cast it and the material is really cheap.

[pilvento]

Get just 1 lvl dip in "warsmith" i think, dont know the exact name but i know you cand find it in races of the stone, you will lose 1caster lvl but you can add wisdom to dmg rolls when wielding a hammer :smallcool:

A friend of mine in my campaing is arround the same character concept, he conviced the DM to allow him to play the ordained champion PrC and the dip in warsmith as a single 6lvl prc "Forge Champion of Moradin" :smallcool:

[Greenish]

I'm not sure what you mean by statline.Your stats. Your attributes. Strength, Dexterity and so forth.

Blades of Blood is a 1st level spell from PHBII that can add a bit of damage on your attacks.

If you have BoED, and face undead/evil outsider often (and even if you don't, probably) casting Celestial Brilliance on your weapon or some other prop might help a tad. It lasts for nice day/level.

If you're really Good, there are the Sanctified Spells (also BoED) that are have some gems, though they deal ability damage after using them. Celestial Aspect, for example, can get you a +1 Holy (or Flaming) longsword for min/level.

[Rodimal]

Four words: Divine Might + Power Attack.

[Divide by Zero]

So grant me your wisdom, please.

I see what you did there.

[Hazzardevil]

The shield is +2 and bites people, so I don't think I'm going to ditch it. Again, I can't get a Ring of Blinking, and where am I going to find 250 gp per encounter for Stoneskin?

Is that shield the Lion's shield?

Anyway, I know squat about spells really, but knowing your feats is helpful.
Also, if you can try to take 4 levels in full BAB and castign prestige classes. I'm not ssaying find one, those are non-existent. Just find a group of prestige classes that grant fulL BAB and spellcasting at first level, dip, out and find another.

[Lonely Tylenol]

Is that shield the Lion's shield?

Anyway, I know squat about spells really, but knowing your feats is helpful.
Also, if you can try to take 4 levels in full BAB and castign prestige classes. I'm not ssaying find one, those are non-existent.

Sacred Exorcist (Complete Divine?) progresses both full BAB and spellcasting to 10, has relatively benign requirements (no feat requirement if I recall, needs casting ability for Dismissal or some other 5th-level Cleric spell, which the Cleric should already have; only the skill requirement is taxing) and I think even has better HD than a Cleric (D10?).

Agree about the feats, though; we're not expecting Divine Metamagic/Persistent Divine Power shenanigans, but do you at least have Power Attack, Divine Might, or the Devotion feats to let you expend turn uses for combat use? Travel Devotion lets you burn three turn uses to move up to your movement as a swift action, which means you can make two movement actions and an attack, or move and make a full attack.

[Flame of Anor]

Is that shield the Lion's shield?

Refluffed with a T-Rex head, but yes.


Just find a group of prestige classes that grant fulL BAB and spellcasting at first level, dip, out and find another.

It was my impression that the designers didn't put things like that at first levels exactly so as to defeat this method.


Sacred Exorcist (Complete Divine?) progresses both full BAB and spellcasting to 10, has relatively benign requirements (no feat requirement if I recall, needs casting ability for Dismissal or some other 5th-level Cleric spell, which the Cleric should already have; only the skill requirement is taxing) and I think even has better HD than a Cleric (D10?).

Agree about the feats, though; we're not expecting Divine Metamagic/Persistent Divine Power shenanigans, but do you at least have Power Attack, Divine Might, or the Devotion feats to let you expend turn uses for combat use? Travel Devotion lets you burn three turn uses to move up to your movement as a swift action, which means you can make two movement actions and an attack, or move and make a full attack.

My feats are mostly things that improve my AC, but I'm sure I could retrain the less useful ones.

[Mystral]

The thing with high AC is: If you are invulnerable, but no thread, people just won't attack you. So it would be really prudent to go to-handed. Maybe use an animated shield.

[Flame of Anor]

The thing with high AC is: If you are invulnerable, but no thread, people just won't attack you. So it would be really prudent to go to-handed. Maybe use an animated shield.

The thing with reading the previous posts is: you'll notice when people have suggested the same things already. :smallwink:

[Mystral]

Fine fine.

Another thing you might want to consider is the knowledge devotion, depending on your skills and the campaign you are playing. Even if you only have high Knowledge Arcana and Religion, it can help.

[Tengu_temp]

When you can't afford to cast Divine Power, consider Bull's Strength and/or Divine Favor. They're okay spells for their levels, though you probably want to cast them right before the battle, not during.

[Greenish]

Sacred Exorcist (Complete Divine?) progresses both full BAB and spellcasting to 10.Sacred Exorcist has medium BAB.

There's exactly one full BAB full divine casting PrC I can think of, and that one is pain to qualify for (though once you do, it's pretty sweet).


My feats are mostly things that improve my ACYou like to keep us guessing, eh? :smalltongue:

Well, Law Devotion can also be used to improve your attack bonus, that should help.

[Fineous Orlon]

Greater Magic Weapon is a great buff that starts to pay off at 8th level:

At 8th level, it will turn ANY weapon, even a +1 weapon, into a +2 weapon for 8 hours. Solid day of adventuring, there, without worrying about what to cast 'right before combat' or in the first round...

In the Player's Handbook, and the SRD.

[Rejakor]

Divine Favour, Righteous Might, Divine Power, Recitation, Righteous Wrath of the Faithful...

There are lots of buff spells that add to your damage.

Spikes, Brambles, and Ice Axe all give you a weapon that does some portion of CL as damage.

Power Attack + Ice Axe is a nice combo.

[Yuki Akuma]

If you want to deal damage, don't focus on having high AC.

Not that AC is any good at your level anyway.

[Fineous Orlon]

Divine Favour, Righteous Might, Divine Power, Recitation, Righteous Wrath of the Faithful...

There are lots of buff spells that add to your damage.

Spikes, Brambles, and Ice Axe all give you a weapon that does some portion of CL as damage.

Power Attack + Ice Axe is a nice combo.

RAW, yes.

However, since the Ice Axe is virtually weightless, and your strength does not add to its damage, some DMs might disallow Power Attack with Ice Axe, and not unreasonably.

Spikes and brambles modify a wooden weapon you already have, they do not give you a weapon. Pretty easy to arrange to have a wooden weapon, though....

[Fineous Orlon]

If you pick up a non-magical club, you can cast Spikes on it (Cleric3, CDivine or SpC). That gives you an automatic +2 weapon with a doubled crit range that also adds your CL to damage. Doesn't matter if it's one handed or two, thats pretty nice. The Complete Divine version was hours/level, which was nice, but SpC nerfed it down to rounds/level. Nonmagical clubs are free...just pick up a stick off the ground and make with the righteous buttkickery.

That would be an improvised weapon with a -4 to hit attached to it. Still, with Spikes or Brambles, and in a pinch, it would be fine.

The whole situation with the 'club is so easy to find and fashion it has no cost' and the 'chair leg is like a club and is an improvised weapon' example is a little odd.

The 'rounds per level' part of Spikes and Brambles is a pain.

[Rejakor]

Yeah, and some DMs might decide that being dropped into a stream washes away all your sorcerer's spell components, even the ones in his handy haversack that he bought special waterproof containers for.

Deciding that power attack doesn't work with what is essentially an axe that is normalized to CL as bonus damage not str mod as bonus damage is basically the same as hosing you for any other reason. There could be any number of in-world reasons why you could or couldn't add power attack to an ice axe, from the +1/2CL damage being the god making the clerics blows with the axe stronger as if he had strong muscles to any other reason.

Game mechanics aren't literally in the world, classes aren't professions, and alignments aren't straitjackets. There is a layer of abstraction in the world. That doesn't mean 'herp derp, rules don't matter, do what you want', but it does mean that trying to literally interpret the rules as happening in the game world with each 'attack' being one swing of a sword or whatever, is a pretty dumb way to do it.

[Lonely Tylenol]

My feats are mostly things that improve my AC, but I'm sure I could retrain the less useful ones.

I would retrain most AC boosters, not because I think you should de-prioritize AC, but because most AC-boosting feats themselves are bad. Dodge is a meager +1 to AC (which is not really make-or-break for you), and Shield Wall is a huge trap. If you really want to go the high AC route, there are better ways to do it--namely, more judicious applications of spells and enhancement bonuses (when they come to you; I'm playing a low-wealth game too, and I understand).

Not saying that you should commit to something so cheesy as Divine Metamagic + Persistent Spell (a three-feat investment which makes things like Divine Power 24-hour buffs at the expense of turning) in its stead, but if you have the scores for it, Power Attack and Divine Might are always good to have (in keeping with the "enemies get fewer attacks against you when they die quicker" mentality, of course, but they're also just generally higher quality than most AC-boosting feats).


Sacred Exorcist has medium BAB.

There's exactly one full BAB full divine casting PrC I can think of, and that one is pain to qualify for (though once you do, it's pretty sweet).

I guess that's what I get for posting from memory without any sourcebooks... Grumble grumble...

You'd need Divine Might to close this gap then.

[Divide by Zero]

That would be an improvised weapon with a -4 to hit attached to it. Still, with Spikes or Brambles, and in a pinch, it would be fine.

But a club has 0 cost, so as long as you're capable of making the DC 12 Craft check, you can just keep rolling for free to make it (takes 0 days and 0 gp).

[Fineous Orlon]

But a club has 0 cost, so as long as you're capable of making the DC 12 Craft check, you can just keep rolling for free to make it (takes 0 days and 0 gp).

In the PHB, the fastest craft check is daily, so that would be 1 day, 0 gold, and the check auto-succeeds.

[Fineous Orlon]

Yeah, and some DMs might decide that being dropped into a stream washes away all your sorcerer's spell components, even the ones in his handy haversack that he bought special waterproof containers for.

see, now, that would be UNreasonable. The Heward's should clearly protect the sorceror's components in that situation. Not what I was talking about AT ALL. If you are going inject reasonable into that particular discussion, then the sorceror should be familiar with how components in that world work, and be prepared.


Deciding that power attack doesn't work with what is essentially an axe that is normalized to CL as bonus damage not str mod as bonus damage is basically the same as hosing you for any other reason.

No, actually. It's realizing that power attack requires a minimum strength and cannot be used on light weapons, combined with realizing that the Ice Axe is described as 'virtually weightless, your strength modifier does not apply on damage rolls,' and it hits with a touch attack and can be wielded in one hand, so the Ice Axe is is A LOT like or parallel to a light weapon.

And, so yes, by looking at implications of the written rules, a DM could, not unreasonably, disallow Power Attack on Ice Axe.

It would not be RAW, but it would be pretty close.

Adding in, of course, that this is one more 'cleric trumps melee character' and yes, even more DMs might consider this.



Game mechanics aren't literally in the world, classes aren't professions, and alignments aren't straitjackets. There is a layer of abstraction in the world. That doesn't mean 'herp derp, rules don't matter, do what you want', but it does mean that trying to literally interpret the rules as happening in the game world with each 'attack' being one swing of a sword or whatever, is a pretty dumb way to do it.

Ignoring the insult, [thank you for that], it is an analysis that notices light weapons and the Ice Axe seem somewhat parallel in description, in the rules and mechanics.

[Flame of Anor]

These are all good suggestions, thanks.

[Greenish]

Not saying that you should commit to something so cheesy as Divine Metamagic + Persistent Spell (a three-feat investment which makes things like Divine Power 24-hour buffs at the expense of turning) in its stead, but if you have the scores for it, Power Attack and Divine Might are always good to have (in keeping with the "enemies get fewer attacks against you when they die quicker" mentality, of course, but they're also just generally higher quality than most AC-boosting feats).A simple spell combo for AC is Greater Luminous Armour (+8 armour bonus to AC, enemies attacking you in melee take -4 penalty) and Magic Vestments (which gives enhancement bonus to your armour bonus, and should thus stack with GLA).

Ideally, you'd add monk's belt for Wis to AC (you're not wearing actual armour, after all), but that doesn't sound like an option for you.

[Flame of Anor]

I don't think we're using BoED in this campaign, but that does sound like a cool spell.

[Uiriamu]

So grant me your wisdom, please.

*casts owl's wisdom*

[Yuki Akuma]

*casts owl's wisdom*

If he's a 9th level Cleric, he should already have a Periapt of Wisdom +4.

Try Wish, it stacks.

[Greenish]

If he's a 9th level Cleric, he should already have a Periapt of Wisdom +4.What with the average character wealth being in triple digits, he might not have that periapt.

[Flame of Anor]

What with the average character wealth being in triple digits, he might not have that periapt.

Alas, too true.

[Rejakor]

see, now, that would be UNreasonable. The Heward's should clearly protect the sorceror's components in that situation. Not what I was talking about AT ALL. If you are going inject reasonable into that particular discussion, then the sorceror should be familiar with how components in that world work, and be prepared.

The description of the handy haversack and bag of holding don't elaborate on what happens when they're immersed. From the 10 minutes of air rule, you can assume that air doesn't circulate through the bag on it's own, but it's kind of vague as to what 'place into' means, and water isn't air. For example, a water-jet could push on the top of the bag with significantly more force than the average person can muster.

And since you can reasonably assume that something living could exit the bag on it's own... water swirling about inside could indeed push something out.

It's an unclarified rules situation interpreted to the detriment of the player, and in an unlikely manner (ALL components etc). After looking at the Ice Axe spell, and the Power Attack feat, that's actually a bad example because what you are arguing for isn't just an unfavourable reading of an unclarified situation, it's against RAW.

Some people like to play fast and loose with RAW, but i'm of the firm opinion that as a DM if you are going to change RAW on the players, you need to a) inform them and b) change it as a houserule and consistently use that houserule thereafter(or until you change it again). Otherwise they don't know the rules they're playing under, which leads to gygaxian levels of 'it was always like that you should have asked' crap.


*snip*

Ignoring the insult, [thank you for that], it is an analysis that notices light weapons and the Ice Axe seem somewhat parallel in description, in the rules and mechanics.

That wasn't an insult, that was a clarification of what I didn't mean by saying that. To whit, that I didn't mean the rules should be ignored in favour of the player, or ignored ever. The rules should be the means by which random factors in the game are arbitrated, and if you ignore them, then you're just playing by magical tea party anyway, so why not just go the pure roleplaying route? Again, this doesn't mean rule 0 stops working.. it just has to work in either unclarified areas or via consistent houserules.

Now... putting aside, for the moment, that power attack not working with light weapons is much more easily explained as that the style of fighting with nearly all light weapons (rapiers, daggers, kusari-gamas) precludes the kind of movements required in order to power attack (heavy/committed chopping, stabbing, or slashing... you just can't do that with a dagger or a rapier, not without shattering the blade or getting very little penetration)... here are some rules quotes from the feat and the spell.


Effect: Battleaxe-shaped weapon of
swirling ice

Attacks with the ice axe are melee
touch attacks. The axe deals 2d12 points
of cold damage +1 point per two caster
levels (maximum +10) with a successful
hit.


Benefit

On your action, before making attack rolls for a round, you may choose to subtract a number from all melee attack rolls and add the same number to all melee damage rolls. This number may not exceed your base attack bonus. The penalty on attacks and bonus on damage apply until your next turn.

You can’t add the bonus from Power Attack to the damage dealt with a light weapon (except with unarmed strikes or natural weapon attacks), even though the penalty on attack rolls still applies.


The spell doesn't specify that it's a light weapon... in fact, it calls it 'battleaxe shaped' multiple times, which is a one-handed weapon. The Light Weapon entry doesn't mention weight as a determining factor for what is light and what isn't, either.

[Fineous Orlon]

Stuff.

Respond by PM or start another thread, please cease hijacking the original poster's thread with whatever attack my posts seem to merit.

[KingofMadCows]

Fist of Raziel from Book of Exalted Deeds grants full BAB and 9/10 CL. The requirements are not too bad but you have to be LG.

There's the Substitute Domain spell from Complete Champion that lets you swap one of your domains with another granted by your deity for one day. You can swap out Earth for Dwarf, which has more offensive spells.

[Flame of Anor]

Fist of Raziel from Book of Exalted Deeds grants full BAB and 9/10 CL. The requirements are not too bad but you have to be LG.

*checks BoED*

...I AM TAKING THIS CLASS



There's the Substitute Domain spell from Complete Champion that lets you swap one of your domains with another granted by your deity for one day. You can swap out Earth for Dwarf, which has more offensive spells.

Wait, Dwarf domain?

[Dr.Epic]

Inflict wound spells.

[KingofMadCows]

Wait, Dwarf domain?

1st level
Inflict Light Wounds
2nd level
Shatter
3rd level
Contagion
4th level
Inflict Critical Wounds
5th level
Circle of Doom
6th level
Harm
7th level
Disintegrate
8th level
Earthquake
9th level
Implosion

That gives you 3 direct damage spells and a debuff that you can cast.

[Flame of Anor]

1st level
Inflict Light Wounds
2nd level
Shatter
3rd level
Contagion
4th level
Inflict Critical Wounds
5th level
Circle of Doom
6th level
Harm
7th level
Disintegrate
8th level
Earthquake
9th level
Implosion

That gives you 3 direct damage spells and a debuff that you can cast.

Seriously? This is an awesome domain, where is it from?

[KingofMadCows]

Seriously? This is an awesome domain, where is it from?

That's what it says on the faerun wiki.

[riddles]

It's also in spell compendium.

if you can get your hands on races of stone, the dwarf cleric substitution levels are pretty good for a martial cleric:
d10 hd for 3 levels, proficiency with warhammers, a weapon specialisation effect when using warhammers. small bonuses and the sacrifice of (i think) 2 spell slots.

there is also a feat, which i think is in complete champion, that gives you bonus damage equal to the highest level war domain spell you have prepared. moradin has war iirc and you have, what, level 4 spells? that gives you +6 damage on each hit and maintains the flavour aspect you have going on at the moment.

fist of raziel is a great prc. check if your dm will let you take it. you might also want to look at this prc, which i've always wanted to play - the hammer of moradin.http://http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/ex/20040305a
it does stop your cleric spell progression though.

[Karoht]

Okay, I'm just starting a Pathfinder Campaign. I'm playing an Oracle, mostly for fluff and fun reasons.
18 Charisma, 14 Wisdom, 14 Con, 12 Str and Dex, 11 Int.
I'm level 1 currently.
My first level feats were Lightning Reflexes and Toughness.
DM made my character, please don't judge. But I do have a free 'respec' and under this DM a respec basically means I get to redraw the character.

With Oracles being mostly similar to Clerics, I thought I'd ask for some pointers here. Spell selection, feat selection, reshuffling my stats, etc.
Totally open to suggestions here, but I would rather like to stay an Oracle.
Also, I'm trying to remain healing oriented. And so far I'm the party face/diplomancer.

Any suggestions are welcome.

[Flame of Anor]

It's also in spell compendium.

if you can get your hands on races of stone, the dwarf cleric substitution levels are pretty good for a martial cleric:
d10 hd for 3 levels, proficiency with warhammers, a weapon specialisation effect when using warhammers. small bonuses and the sacrifice of (i think) 2 spell slots.

there is also a feat, which i think is in complete champion, that gives you bonus damage equal to the highest level war domain spell you have prepared. moradin has war iirc and you have, what, level 4 spells? that gives you +6 damage on each hit and maintains the flavour aspect you have going on at the moment.

fist of raziel is a great prc. check if your dm will let you take it. you might also want to look at this prc, which i've always wanted to play - the hammer of moradin.http://http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/ex/20040305a
it does stop your cleric spell progression though.

Ooh ooh so many cool suggestions :D

[Merellis]

Given the fact you're using the Good Domain, and the fact you're a cleric. You can use sanctified spells spontaneously, so a good few ones that dazzle, blind, or just do massive damage can do well for you as a frontliner.

I would also suggest one level of Church Inquisitor for the Inquisitor domain that you can either swap out for Knowledge Devotion, or keep for the +4 to Dispelling. Also gives you Detect Evil at will, so you can take a peek at enemies and know whether the Sanctified Spells will be useful or not.

Well, unless there is an errata saying a cleric can't spontaneously cast them any more.

[Niceman]

If a new person may chime in...

I don't think you need to redo your domains or feats. As far as I'm concerned there is no such thing as a useless feat and all the domains are very useful and help you guide your character in the way you want. I too had a cleric with the good domain, and while he was the heavy hitter of the group, he wasn't in combat all the time, and when his good spells came into play, that domain was a real blessing (no pun intended).

As for your combat effectiveness, many is the time it's not the amount of damage you dish out, but how you do it and making sure your opponent can't be as effective as he could be. So, don't forget combat maneuvers... a handy bull rush or grapple could make the difference, and he can't wail on someone with that big sword if you sunder it. Yah, you may not be knocking someone out in one shot, but that's not the only way to do things.

Especially since your resources are limited for new weapons and upgrades, don't forget cheap ways to improve. A shield spike and a handful of caltrops can be rude surprises. Beyond that, concentrate on creative ways to work with what you got. Definitely have spells to help out, like Righteous Might and such, but there's also Spiritual Hammer, your various bless and banes, summon monster spells. Even a few gallons of Create Water raining down on an opponent's head might be just enough of a distraction to turn the tide.

Sounds like you've got a great character regardless :) Have fun :)