Cleric help 3.5

[RavagerofFells]

I need help with Healing cleric Im going the cleric of pelor... so I need everything to know about them what feats domains, main stats rotation

[robertbevan]

could you be a little more specific? are you making a cleric from scratch? at level 1? or... i don't know. your request seems very open ended.

[RavagerofFells]

At Lvl 2 .... doesn't see how that changes anything.. I need future references to

[Vladislav]

1. Google "Cleric Handbook".
2. ?????
3. PROFIT!!

[RavagerofFells]

Hmmm if I posted here without googling. Then I would be dumb... they are just not straight to the healing point

[INoKnowNames]

I'll try to be nice.

Are you starting an existing character at level 2? Or are you building a character at level 2, and planning for the future?

Has your race been decided? What about stats?

Is Healing what you want your focus to be? Or do you intend to do other things and just be very good at healing?*

*this point needs emphasis. Most people don't really believe much of healing. That it can easily be done out of combat, and that there are more prudent actions that can be taken in combat. And the arguments can get kinda icky...

If you want to heal, though, more power to you. I personally enjoy both supporting people and being supportive.

[Kazyan]

If you just want to the be the healiest healer to ever heal, there is actually a Healer class. It's considered...high-maintenance, though.

[INoKnowNames]

If you just want to the be the healiest healer to ever heal, there is actually a Healer class. It's considered...high-maintenance, though.

If all someone cares about is Full HP, then I'd agree. But I'd still vote Cleric, if only because you still have access to Buffs for when you need something to do while everyone's at Full Health. And Utility Spells. And Turn Undead's awesome.

[RavagerofFells]

What would u guys go .. if u want to heal and support

[INoKnowNames]

What would u guys go .. if u want to heal and support

Any chance you can answer the questions I gave you before? It would help a lot to figuring out what you could do.

[Gavinfoxx]

Read these:

http://www.minmaxboards.com/index.php?topic=2710

http://brilliantgameologists.com/boards/index.php?topic=420.0

[Kazyan]

What would u guys go .. if u want to heal and support

Cleric is hard. Really hard. And if you're asking how to build a cleric, you're going to have a hard time with it the first time around.

Easier? Play a Bard, take healing spells when you can, and use the Healing Hymn alternate class feature (you lose Fascinate, which rarely sees play). HH adds your ranks in Perform to all healing rolls while you sing it. So you get better at healing, and everyone else gets better at healing. Be sure to take Melodic Casting as soon as possible, so you can also heal while you sing. When you're not doing that, use Inspire Courage. There are all sorts of guides for optimizing that and turning everyone into your best friends. Finally, check out the Bard handbook for spells, and pick the ones you think would be best for support.

The more complex option? Beguiler 6, then prestige into Rainbow Servant, but take the Arcane Disciple (Healing) feat beforehand. You need lots of Int and Wis for this. Arance Dsiciple adds healing spells that you cast spontaneously--less bookeeping for you--and Beguiler specializes in enchantment and illusion. Those are two of the big support schools. Once you max out Rainbow Servant, you get cast the entire Cleric list, without preparing anything, like a sorcerer. It's a very powerful build, though; careful not to anger the DM.

[RavagerofFells]

1 existing
2 Dwarf
3 very good at healing and some tricks up the sleeve
4 I want to heal and do combat spells or melee buffs

[LanSlyde]

Well, its not much, but going on what little you have said, I would suggest picking up Imbued Healing (Complete Champion) and eventually PrC into Raident Servent of Pelor (Complete Divine). You might also read through this post for ideas.
http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=244520

Aside from that you should really just look through the books and fine spells that suit your tastes. I mean, clerics get TONS of spells. There is no single spell that's your bread and butter.

[Gavinfoxx]

Existing character, eh?

Please tell us your feats, stats, and domains.

[sonofzeal]

What would u guys go .. if u want to heal and support
A Cleric, Druid, Bard, Ranger, Paladin, or Rogue with UMD can all use "Wands of Cure Light Wounds". That's your healing needs basically covered.

What do you mean by "support"? Clerics get a lot of great defensive buffs. Bards can improve a party's offence nicely. Wizards can debuff or otherwise limit enemies, thereby making allies more effective by contrast.

Druids get a nice mix, so I might go for that. My advice is simply to play like a nature-themed mage rather than Wildshaping and trying to bite faces off. Summon Nature's Ally is your friend, and there's a feat "Ashbound" that doubles the duration and gives your summons +3 on attack rolls - I'd suggest picking this up as quickly as possible and then using summons regularly. You'll get a good assortment of buffs, your summons can do various things to support your teammates (flanking bonuses, Aid Another, provide distraction, etc), and you'll generally be a highly effective character even if you never engage in melee.

[Gavinfoxx]

The problem is, as best as I can tell, the character is already a Dwarf Cleric 1 of Pelor, and is already in play.

Getting that information from this guy was like pulling teeth, though.

And if you want to heal with an existing cleric, have everyone put together their money to get a Wand of Lesser Vigor, and heal outside of combat.

[RavagerofFells]

Alright u guys made me change my mind...... I really want to a melee User cleric... with healing mixed in so can y'all help me with that.. also prcs would be nice

Existing meaning creating a cleric right now and need help incase we are on the same page

[INoKnowNames]

Depending on how much of the actual butt kicking you wanted to do, I'd be warry of Radiant Servant, if only because of your reduced Hit Points during the class. No one likes that.

But if you want to be focused on a Battle Capable Cleric, Healing/Buffing/Fighting, there are lots of ways, good and evil, to do so, and if you want to be good, then Radiant Servant is pretty natural.

I hate the Charisma Penalty on a Cleric. Turn Undead has so many uses... but if you're a Dwarf, at least you've got higher Constitution.

When thinking about stats, as a Spell Caster, no matter what else you do, your Spell Casting Stat comes first. Do anything and everything you can to get a Wisdom of Over 9000.

If you intend to get into the Melee alot, you'll want your next highest to be Constitution for sure. Otherwise, you can let it be simply decent, so long as it is decent. Living is good; you never want a Bad Constitution. Similarly, though less so, Strength gets such comments.

If you aren't taking Cloistered Cleric levels, then that Heavy Armor Proficiency may as well be used, and if you do, then you don't have to worry about Dexterity at all. Though that would mean you won't be making much use of Two Weapon Fighting or Ranged Combat.

Intelligence is usually the Cleric's Dumpstat. A positive score is good, since there are some skills that are worth it, but unless you're playing a Skill Monkey, you don't need to worry about that.

.... I feel like I should recommend the Ruby Knight Vindicator, if you can convince your Dm to let it apply to Pelor under a different color. Pretty awesome class for both combat and spellcasting. Though it adds the complicatedness of a Cleric to that of a Martial Adept...

*edit* A Melee Cleric? I'd definitely want to ask if TOB's on the table.

[Gavinfoxx]

Okay... if you are going to be changing your character completely... swapping out for a new character, or building a character from scratch

You need to tell us QUITE A FEW THINGS.

1.) What books are in play, as well as what online sources you have access to
2.) What is the point buy or rolling system or stat array
3.) What level your new character will be starting at
4.) What amount of wealth you will be starting at.

And healing mixed in, read the guide to healing I linked you to.

This link:

http://www.minmaxboards.com/index.php?topic=2710

Healing mixed in = buy one 750 gp item as the first item the party purchases as a group, before anyone buys a magic anything else.

[RavagerofFells]

1 / core complete and race others I need to ask dm ...
2/ 32 standard. Point buy in
3 / gold as phb
4 / lvl 2

[Gavinfoxx]

So why aren't you getting level 2 wealth by level, again? Have you mentioned that to your DM? Part of level 2 characters' power is assumed to come by their earned wealth, per the chart in the DMG.

[RavagerofFells]

He said yes ... but its his campgain

[Gavinfoxx]

Well, that makes things a little bit more difficult to do the healing thing, then.

Is the game going to be low wealth or 'you will have difficulty getting custom magic items as equipment' in general? IE, magic items are scarce, or if they aren't scarce, you will have difficulty selling what you do find and buying custom 'what you actually need' stuff?

[Biffoniacus_Furiou]

Definitely see if you can get Night Sticks from Libris Mortis, and a Reliquary Holy Symbol from Magic Item Compendium.

Take two flaws (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/variant/buildingCharacters/characterTraits.htm) originally from Unearthed Arcana if possible.

Melee: LN Human Cleric of Zarus 6/ Divine Oracle 4/ Contemplative 10.
Domains: War and Strength at 1, Oracle at 7, Law at 11, Destiny at 16.
Special: Visit the Frog God's Fane detailed in Complete Scoundrel to get the Skill Focus: Knowledge: Religion prerequisite for Divine Oracle without spending a feat on it. If possible, you should start out with it and be indebted 2,000 gp to your church for the cost of the pilgrimage.
Feats: Law Devotion and Extra Turning at 1st, Extend Spell and Persistent Spell via flaws, Power Attack at 3rd, Divine Metamagic: Persist at 6th, Craft Rod at 9th, and it's sort of open after that.
Starting Gear: Masterwork Greatsword, Masterwork Breastplate, misc. mundane adventuring gear.
Future Purchases: Night Sticks*, Lesser Metamagic Rods of Extend Spell*, Reliquary Holy Symbol, Greater Metamagic Rod of Chain Spell in Complete Arcane, anything from this list (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=187851). *You can craft these items from 9th level.
You'll be using Divine Metamagic to Persist personal buffs like Divine Favor, Divine Power, and Choose Destiny, as well as party buffs like Mass Lesser Vigor and Righteous Wrath of the Faithful from Spell Compendium. The Greater Metamagic Rod of Chain Spell is for Hold Monster via the Law domain and eventually Destruction, which won't have a reduced DC for secondary targets due to its damage component being halved.

Healer: NG Illumian Cleric of Pelor 5/ Morninglord 1/ Radiant Servant of Pelor 5/ Morninglord 9; Morninglord of Lathander is in Player's Guide to Faerun, Lathander is the Forgotten Realms' version of Pelor.
Race: Your Illumian runeword should be Hoonvaul, you probably won't want to leave any spell slots open to activate it until later on but the passive benefits of each power word will still be a big help. Vaul adds to turning checks, since they're Charisma checks.
Domains: Healing and Sun at 1st, Glory at 11th. Get the spontaneous domain casting alternate class feature from Player's Handbook II for the Healing domain.
Feats: Improved Turning at 1st, Extra Turning and Augment Healing via flaws, Touch of Healing at 3rd, Bright Sigil at 6th, maybe Empower Turning at 9th, and it's sort of open after that. You'll want the Swift Concentration skill trick from Complete Scoundrel at 9th so you can maintain your Bright Sigil without hindering your other actions.
Starting Gear: Masterwork Breastplate, Heavy Steel Shield, Masterwork Morningstar, misc. mundane adventuring gear.
Future Purchases: Lesser Metamagic Rods of Extend, Reliquary Holy Symbol, Night Sticks, Ephod of Authority, Rod of Defiance, Scepter of the Netherworld, Phylactery of Undead Turning, standard Strand of Prayer Beads with the Bead of Smiting removed (use DMG pricing).
It's good at healing, it destroys any undead that you'll ever encounter, and it's got full Cleric casting so you can do the usual stuff to fight and benefit the party. Note that in-combat healing is extremely suboptimal unless it's to save someone who's about to die.

[Gavinfoxx]

Ah yes, do you have access to the online bits of WotC content? There is quite a good amount of D&D stuff which is posted for free, piracy-free, online by WotC. Is that stuff allowed?

[RavagerofFells]

Dm went home but most likely yeah

[Gavinfoxx]

What about my other questions from earlier??