My Tank has less AC and HP than my Damage Dealer - Help!

[Yorae]

So, I'm working on a Cleric gish sort that is intended to be a tank. I feel like I'm doing everything right, but I just can't make his defensive stats anything nearly as good as my previous character, a damage dealer who gained them more or less as a sidenote.

The new character is a Crusader/Cleric/RKV. The previous character was a Transmuter/Warblade/Abjurant Champion/JPM. Try as I might, it seems my tank is just squishier than my previous character. I think I can blame this mostly on a combination of (Draconic) Polymorph being quite powerful as well as the additional armor boost from Abjurant Champion. Mage Armor + Shield + a boatload of natural armor from polymorph wound up being quite a lot. Draconic Polymorph + Bite of the WereX were intended to make him hit hard (which they did), but they also gave him quite the constitution boost as well, having him end up with a lot of HP (more than the tank seems to be capable of getting).

I'm considering having the cleric use (Greater) Luminous armor instead of walking around in full plate, though making sure I always have some way to get rid of the strength damage will be annoying (and crippling, since he needs to be able to make those trip rolls), especially with the lower level version, when I don't have restoration yet. I considered persisting Holy Star later on in his career for and extra +6, but that's awfully late in the game and still doesn't make up the gap. And still doesn't make up the difference in hit points.

I could try shield of faith instead of Shield as well, but it just isn't as good, especially since it's CL-based bonus lags behind the flat bonus
provided by Shield. Using an actual shield seems like a poor option, since I need both hands to wield my tripping weapon and actual material shields seem to fairly well suck compared to magic effects anyway (seriously, a heavy steel shield is only a +2?).

So, what clerical spellcraft can I use to turn my tank into something more stalwart?

[Dr.Epic]

What are your stats? What's your con?

[Yorae]

What are your stats? What's your con?

Our stats our higher than normal in this game.
These are his base stats:

STR: 20
DEX: 18
CON: 20
INT: 11
WIS: 20
CHA: 18

Previous characters stats at level one were:

STR: 19
DEX: 20
CON: 18
INT: 20
WIS: 14
CHA: 10

However, Draconic polymorph gave him a con of 31. He turned out a bit tougher than I meant for him to be, but I'm hoping this new guy can approach those numbers, since that what he's actually intended for.

[Piggy Knowles]

Delay Death, Persistent Mass Lesser Vigor, and Persistent Channeled Divine Shield all go a long way toward making that Warblade's increased HP pretty meaningless.

Of course, if you're going RKV, you're probably more interested in DMM Quicken than DMM Persist. That makes it a little tougher, since spell slots aren't just growing on trees.

But in general, I find clerics are best when they focus on stacking resistances and immunities, rather than just trying to get as high an AC or HP total as possible. AC and HP help, but being immune to the attack in the first place is generally a lot more useful.

[Incriptus]

I'm considering having the cleric use (Greater) Luminous armor instead of walking around in full plate, though making sure I always have some way to get rid of the strength damage will be annoying (and crippling, since he needs to be able to make those trip rolls), especially with the lower level version, when I don't have restoration yet

Just a side note Rod of Bodily Restoration [and it's sister Orb of Mental Restoration] from the magic item compendium really work wonders. 3100 gold it's a steal

[Yorae]

Persistent Channeled Divine Shield is a neat idea and one I hadn't thought of.. seems like I'd need diehard or somesuch to benefit too much from delay death though.

[Godskook]

Seconding Delay Death as a viable method of 'tanking' damage. Just be sure to carry scrolls of revivify/revenance asap(and a relevant ally), to cover for the inevitable moment when you tank more damage than you can possibly heal before the spell runs out.

[dextercorvia]

I'm considering having the cleric use (Greater) Luminous armor instead of walking around in full plate, though making sure I always have some way to get rid of the strength damage will be annoying (and crippling, since he needs to be able to make those trip rolls), especially with the lower level version, when I don't have restoration yet.

The strength damage only happens at the end of the duration, and lesser restoration can take care of it. I'd use armor at the very low levels, and wait until you can extend a Luminous Armor for 8-10 hours before switching.

[Piggy Knowles]

seems like I'd need diehard or somesuch to benefit too much from delay death though.

Eh, Delay Death is pretty useful regardless of whether or not you have a way of staying awake - it basically gives you a 1 round per level extension on not dying from HP damage.

That being said, my favorite way to stay up and awake during a Delay Death is to sink some ranks into Autohypnosis. It's a DC 30 check (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/epic/skills.htm#autohypnosis) to continue to act normally at negative hit points. DC 30 is a little steep for cross-class skills at low levels, but it's Wisdom based and you get a synergy bonus with Concentration. Tack on an item or two, and this becomes eminently doable.

Between that and your "fast healing" from persistent Mass Less Vigor, you should be able to make actual hit point totals pretty much irrelevant.

[Psyren]

If it's Autohypnosis you want, and you have a feat to spare, Shape Soulmeld (Psion's Eyes (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/psm/20060217a)) gets you a +4 insight bonus and you can make the checks untrained.

[Yuki Akuma]

Edit: Wait I totally misread the first post, never mind.

[Yorae]

Between that and your "fast healing" from persistent Mass Less Vigor, you should be able to make actual hit point totals pretty much irrelevant.

Good point, forgot about the fast healing.

I can imagine the party's enemies being baffled when the tank just stands back up a couple rounds later.

[Randomguy]

Make sure to use magic vestment every day on your shield and armour.

[RndmNumGen]

Between that and your "fast healing" from persistent Mass Less Vigor, you should be able to make actual hit point totals pretty much irrelevant.

Massless Vigor? Is that made up of photons then? :smalltongue:

[Yorae]

Massless Vigor? Is that made up of photons then? :smalltongue:

Nope, that would be the luminous armor.

=p

[PlzBreakMyCmpAn]

Needs moar DMM persist and remember the polymorph errat