Overwhelmed cleric needs help!

[mistformsquirrl]

First and foremost I should mention: I mostly play martial characters. I'm generally the person with the big sword doing the equivelant of "THOG SMASH TALKY MAN!".

However of late I've attempted to branch out a bit, and so I'm playing a cleric in one of two campaigns at the moment. Overall I really like the character in terms of RP and flavor. I even like the prestige class I'm aiming at... but...

Cleric (specifically Cloistered Cleric) is starting to drive me crazy for a single, enormous reason... Spells. There are way too many of them for me to keep track of, and while I can handily discount some without even reading them* - the shear number is... overwhelming me.

It's making it difficult to continue the character because it's only going to get worse as I gain levels. Right now I'm only level 4.

Does anyone have a decent suggestion for not overloading myself while still being well... useful as a cleric? Or is this just a sign that maybe I shouldn't be trying any of the big tier 1 spellcasters?

*Anything [Evil] or [Chaotic], anything that improves the character as a direct combatant** - and most spells that deal damage.

**For RP reasons she's got the Non-Combatant flaw. Rather than just blow past that with buffs, I'm trying to actually play it up.

[Aegis013]

Cleric Handbook (http://brilliantgameologists.com/boards/index.php?topic=420.0)'s spells list should help you get what you need to look at down to a reasonable number. Keep in mind to start with your highest level slots (most important) first.

There are a few things not on that list that I think are pretty great. Guidance of the Avatar, 2nd level spell, +20 competence bonus to a single skill roll (it was released by WotC in a web enhancement) and Divine Insight will make you into an incredible skillmonkey.

Combos such as Ice Axe (Spell Compendium), Divine Power (PHB), and Righteous Might (PHB) will turn you into a melee combat monster. Since Ice Axe lets you attack Touch AC, feel free to Power Attack for more damage.

Hope this helps.

Edit: With the stipulation of non-combatant, just load up on buffs and utility spells. You can win encounters by making your friends more powerful.

[joca4christ]

Let me preface my advice with the following disclaimer: In terms of experience, I am a relatively new player, and so anything I offer could be consider circumspect.

With that said, as I have played clerics on a couple of occasions, I would offer you this advice. K.I.S.S. (Keep It Simple Silly). In other words, I wouldn't go off delving into all the splatbooks and other resources available. Use a the PHB, and maybe another source or two until you get a better grip on your capabilities/utility of certain of spells.

The beauty of a cleric, is that you know all the spells. It's just a matter of what you prepare day by day. And that's going to vary depending on what you and your party is encountering.

Starting from 2nd level, I'd usually prepare Hold Person if I knew I'd be encountering hostile forces. (Unless you buy scrolls, but let's not make this too complicated.) Aid is pretty solid choice too.

1st level
Bless is a pretty solid choice (again, unless you are using scrolls/wands)
Protection from Evil is also very handy to have in certain situations.

Again, my best advice is just to kind of see what situations you are thrown in, and try to prepare your spells from that regard. If your cleric was a real person, that's probably how he'd do it anyway.

But that's just my two cp.

[Alphasez]

Being that I am currently playing an evil cleric myself, a enjoy desecrate + animate dead. You'll be able to animate dead at 5th level when you pick up 3rd level spells. That definitely gives you a combat advantage when you instantly have an undead army at your disposal. And it's fun to have a skeletal dragon mount too :P

Just keep in mind you don't need to memorize your inflict wound spells as you can turn any of your other spells to those if you need to at your whim. Do remember though this does mean you will need to save a couple of slots for cure wound spells..

As a side note I am actually playing Path Finder at the moment, and its been a couple of years that I actually played a 3.x campaign, so some of the spells may have a slightly different name..

If youre looking to go mainly a melee combatant, this makes your life easier in the amount of spells your going to be memorizing from day to day. For 1st level there are a couple of buff staples, like Shield of Faith, Divine Favor, and depending on your domains, you could potentially pick up True Strike.
2nd level is great too for the self buffs that you'll use your entire career, like Bull's Strength, Bears Endurance, and Owl's Wisdom to fuel your spells that require saves.

The higher level you are, and when you attain 3rd level spells is when you really start to hit your sweet spot with options outside of combat. Don't neglect the things that could potentially keep you and your party alive, like Restoration (lesser), Cure Disease, and stuff like that, that without could put you in dire straights. At least carry those around in potions, scrolls, or wands. You'll notice a lot more damage dealing spells in 3rd+ as well. Searing Light is a great long range touch attack that will be decent damage as you level.

Sorry for the wall of text, but hoenstly, everyone is going to have to invest at least a small amount of time in researching their spells to come up with what works for them and fits your character. My DM, with the example of Searing Light, let me rename it to Searing Darkness since I too am evil, and it does "evil" damage now.

[Agincourt]

I don't think mistformsquirrl is playing an evil cleric. He said he is not taking spells with the Evil or Chaotic descriptor.

[mistformsquirrl]

Yeah hehe <>_<> Cleric is Lawful Good, sorry, I should have said that up front.

Some good tips so far though, and that's a big help!

[Morbis Meh]

I have a feeling this is a character in a certain game... lol As for spell choices, look for long lasting buffs and utility spells. Someone already mentioned the two best spells (both are level 2) for a cleric to become the ultimate skill monkey. You may have taken non combatant but you still can do archery thus making way for zen archer and some really good archery spells.

[Randomguy]

Stick to one or two books when it comes to picking spells. I suggest the PHB and maybe the Spell Compedium.


Try making yourself a "typical spells per day" list so you won't have to look through all cleric spells every time you need to prepare spells. Just swap a few spells out on days when you need different ones.

Remember that handbooks are your friend.

[Elycium]

Well, when playing this kind of character you should research what you will face in the future, so you can prepare beforehand what you will have under the sleeve. For example, you are going to an undead nation, prepare rebuke undead.

Another way is to prepare spell of your alignment, if you are good, then you wont even need to look at the evil description spells, and so you have a lesser number to see, and combined whit the other tip, you pretty much will know what use for the day, week or month.

[mistformsquirrl]

I have a feeling this is a character in a certain game... lol As for spell choices, look for long lasting buffs and utility spells. Someone already mentioned the two best spells (both are level 2) for a cleric to become the ultimate skill monkey. You may have taken non combatant but you still can do archery thus making way for zen archer and some really good archery spells.

Yeah, you know who it is hehe; I think I'm developing a bit of a plan now though >.<b

[Baroncognito]

But have you tried making a Force Field/Dark Blast cleric?

[Muktidata]

I second starting with AC's 3.5 Cleric Handbook. You will get strong utility from that list. Spells that are usually useful in most situations. From there, find your identity. Every character has some tricks that they love and go to on a regular basis that involve spell selection tailored to that trick. Whatever it may be, find a couple of spells that help and write down their page numbers. Then after you've completed those two steps, adapt. With the few slots you have left after staple utility spells and your character's go-to spells, prepare contextual spells. If you're visiting the Fire Node, get Resist Fire, Mass. If you're going into a dungeon with no rogue, prepare Summon Monster I to trip traps. Etc.

[Shining Wrath]

I will second all those who said you should choose a couple of books and know what's in them, and have some spells that are pretty much always there.

The other thing is to look at what your fellow party members like to do that's cool or powerful, and find a way to synergize with that. Make it better, let them do it more often, do something to make it easier for them to do their trick, follow their trick up with something that adds an extra penalty to the Forces of Evil (FoEs).

[Story]

Or you could just look through a lot of books and make a list of the coolest spells from each one (if any), and then consult your list when deciding what to prepare.