[PF] Cleric or Paladin a better fit

[Kirti]

I'm getting set to play in a new inner sea campaign that my friends and I are starting up in Pathfinder. I have the following character concept in mind, but I am torn between the appropriate class (Paladin or Cleric).

Concept
When it was discovered that I was a bastard son of a high ranking official, I was inducted into a temple of Iomedae (deity up for change) to be removed from the limelight of society. I grew up in the temple becoming an accomplished cleric/paladin (we're starting the campaign at level 5). A dispute in the temple between a high ranking paladin and some of the leadership escalated into the 'Massacre of ...' (name still in the works) where most of the temple's inhabitants were murdered.

Although severely injured, I was one of the few that survived. I was found unconscious and having suffered a severed concussion. My motivations are really to reestablish the presence of Iomedae's servants and to seek our the paladin/anti-paladin that was the cause of the massacre.

I've been toying with a twist of having the massacre end with Iomedae (or a high ranking cleric/paladin) intervening by imprisoning the anti-paladin within my character's being. So, under certain conditions, the anti-paladin would be able to assert control over my actions or manifest himself in my body.

Role
I'm looking for a character who can be competent in melee and buff the party or debuff the enemy. I don't have to be pulling high damage/round, but I don't exactly want to be a standing pile of HP either. Being durable and having enough attack bonus to be able to land hits is important. To summarize:

Buff party
Debuff party
Durable (doesn't have to stand the line, but can't crumble if someone attacks)
Attack Precision (Have enough +hit to hit with some regularity)

Questions

Given the content above, do you folks have any thoughts on playing a cleric vs. paladin? I'm guessing that the concept can be easily applied to both classes.

In your experience, which one is more consistently capable of fulfilling the role I defined above?

Regardless of mechanical viability, have you found the cleric or paladin to be significantly more fun than the other in your games?


Other
Also, any tips or feedback on the concept would be much appreciated!

[Bovine Colonel]

I'd say Cleric is a better fit. Paladin isn't much of a buffer/debuffer, and once Cleric hits level 7 they get Divine Power (read: The Buff Spell for melee clerics). A decent Constitution and perhaps the Toughness feat gives you the HP you're looking for, a Cloak of Resistance helps you with saves (though you can't really compete with a Paladin here), and it goes without saying that Cleric spells are good for buffing and debuffing.

The Antipaladin would, in my opinion, require a different character sheet entirely. Your race, your physical stats, his everything else.

[Acanous]

Cleric is better for Buffing. Debuffing is more of an Arcane caster thing, but a Cleric gets more control spells than a paladin. The Paladin, however, could cart around some items (Thunderstones, Tanglefoot bags, Smokesticks, Caltrops) and use them about as effectively as the debuff spells clerics DO get.

Clerics are more powerful and will be able to fulfil multiple roles in your party.
Paladins, in my opinion, are more fun to play. Notably because they require more thought and roleplay in order to make effective, which usually leads to a more noteworthy character.
This is not to say that a Cleric can't be thoughtful and noteworthy, but it's a *Requisite* for Paladins (Otherwise you will suck and die).

In terms of story, Cleric would fit more if you were gunning for more of a Retribution angle, and Paladin would be better suited for Atonement (If it really was the Paladin's fault, and not some twisted Xanatos gambit).

If you go Paladin, I strongly suggest you meet the Skill and Feat prerequisites for Blackguard. DMs love it when you do that, even if you never end up falling. It gives them a strong hint that you're willing to consider it seriously, which will generally influence the DM to prepare less of a hack and slash, more of an introspective campaign. (Expect the bad guys to be more willing to negotiate, and attempt to turn you rather than just fight to the death)

[grarrrg]

Why not do both?
Inquisitor (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/classes/base-classes/inquisitor) to the rescue!
Start with a Cleric base (HP/Bab), reduce the casting, and increase the Skills.

More casting than a Paladin, more Melee usefulness than a Cleric.
Your Judgement can be changed on the fly to suit the situation (to-hit, damage, DR, Fast healing, etc...)
You still get Domain powers, just not the Domain spells.
And at 5th level you get Bane for an attack/damage boost when you want it (it's almost like Smiting!)

[Stormageddon]

Why not do both?
Inquisitor (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/classes/base-classes/inquisitor) to the rescue!
Start with a Cleric base (HP/Bab), reduce the casting, and increase the Skills.

More casting than a Paladin, more Melee usefulness than a Cleric.
Your Judgement can be changed on the fly to suit the situation (to-hit, damage, DR, Fast healing, etc...)
You still get Domain powers, just not the Domain spells.
And at 5th level you get Bane for an attack/damage boost when you want it (it's almost like Smiting!)

I agree. The Inquisitor gives you every thing you want to be able to do, and matches the whole hunter of your church's enemies things.

[Kirti]

Thanks for the input! I'm not quite sure why I didn't even look at the Inquisitor class. It's a good mix of the skills of a rogue, durability of a fighter, and the versatility in buffing as a cleric. And to top it all off, they bring in the teamwork feats to make combat a more cooperative experience.

I have a feeling that I let the APG picture influence me into thinking it was a ranged class :smallredface:.

[grarrrg]

I have a feeling that I let the APG picture influence me into thinking it was a ranged class :smallredface:.

Well, note that they are NOT proficient with Martial Weapons.
They only get Simple, "ranged", and Deity's Favored. Which if you stick with Iomedae you get Longsword, which is one of the better ones.