Cleric help for Ravenloft 3.5

[Legendairy]

Hello playgrounders!

Here's the jist, playing in a ravenloft campaign that we cannot get magic items can't sell anything we have, nor can we buy mundane things, and no VoP.
Well my character died last session and our cleric kinda quit so I was thinking of playing the cleric (but semi competent I hope). Ok, now for what I want a good cleric caster focused build.
All books allowed, no dragon mag. This is for 3.x
I will be starting at level 7 and 2 flaws are allowed.

Here's what I came up with and my stats:
Necropolitan Human cloistered cleric 6 (he ruled no LA but start at level 6)
Str 16 Dex 16 Con 0 (rolled a 14) int 18 wis 18 cha 18
Domains: Sun, Planning, Knowledge.
Feats: extend(planning domain), persist, DMM persist, extra turning, quicken(flaw), DMM quicken(flaw) the flaws I took were non combative and frail.

I plan on going radiant servant next level and sticking with it for a bit, I am unsure if this game will last past the module(expedition to castle ravenloft).

Again it's a ravenloft campaign and well energy drain and neg levels are a pain.
The rest of the party is this (if you have a character made from 3.x you play with those rules or if you play a PF you use that rule set, no mixing):

Teifling ranger level 9 archer
Human gun Mage 9 (iron kingdoms)
Half elf rogue 8 (pathfinder)
Half-vampire Magus 5

I am looking for something fairly strong not TO but high end of practical OP is golden. I don't think I will get away with more than two nightsticks.

Thank you all in advance, also any spell advise or tactic advise would be appreciated.

Edit: starting gold is 19,000.
Sorry for grammatical errors posting from my phone.

[Arael666]

Get destroy undead ACF and take a dip in sacred exorcist (gives you turn undead) for 2 separate pools of turning (since you can't buy nightsticks, this will be valuable).

[Legendairy]

Only issue with that is I am not sure how he will rule the destroy undead acf with DMM.

[mattie_p]

Only issue with that is I am not sure how he will rule the destroy undead acf with DMM.

There is no argument. The ACF specifically states that it can power feats, including DMM. P 207.

[Legendairy]

Ok, awesome, thank you all. How about must haves for spells and gear at that level with that wbl?

[Humble Master]

Radiant Servant of Pelor might be useful for the Maximized, Empowered Healing (which can damage undead) and the Positive Energy Burst. Also the Sacred Exorsist is an excellent idea. More turn attempts equal more power via Divine Meta Magic.

Some good spells:
1st
Sanctuary
2nd
Consecrate
Hold Person
3rd
Daylight (for weakening those undead)
Dispel Magic

[Arael666]

Also, this (http://community.wizards.com/go/thread/view/75882/19870454/Persistant_Spell_List_and_FAQ?pg=1) will probably be very usefull to you.

[Legendairy]

Yeah, I do have reach spell, forgot to list it.
Digging everything so far thanks guys. Does necropolitan seem good for this toe of campaign? It seems like a perfect fit to me, with all the undead immunities.

[killem2]

It should be noted that going full optimization is going to wafflestomp ravenloft into the stoneage.

Not saying that is bad, but be mindful of your other players :)

[Legendairy]

Well, the other players told me to break the game. The dm cheats and doesn't want the baddies to lose. He kind of changes rules on the fly to hinder the party. I have been dming off and on for a while and know the rules fairly well, some he ignores and some e curbstomps/twists into some crazy mockery of itself.

I normal wouldn't, nor am I going to until it gets stupid. I have actually run this module and know it to some extent. I have yet to meta game and it is HIS game so I have been rolling with the changes and random made upedness. I am kind of having fun too. He targets my characters cause I know how to build strong ones, and I enjoy being gunned for, the party martyr as it were lol. I just hate to watch the other characters get extremely abused to the point of useless just because. (Sorry to rant) Yes after the module if its possible I will probably take over as the dm because, while not the best by far, my players have fun. (Or so they say). I am not at the point to "wafflestomp" just yet and will downplay the character until I feel wronged. :-)

[Jandrem]

It should be noted that going full optimization is going to wafflestomp ravenloft into the stoneage.

Not saying that is bad, but be mindful of your other players :)

As a longtime Ravenloft DM, I concur with this statement. Ravenloft is mostly about atmosphere, tension, fear of the unknown, etc. The monsters native to the plane are very suboptimal, and going full min/max kills a lot of what makes the setting great.



Well, the other players told me to break the game. The dm cheats and doesn't want the baddies to lose. He kind of changes rules on the fly to hinder the party. I have been dming off and on for a while and know the rules fairly well, some he ignores and some e curbstomps/twists into some crazy mockery of itself.

I normal wouldn't, nor am I going to until it gets stupid. I have actually run this module and know it to some extent. I have yet to meta game and it is HIS game so I have been rolling with the changes and random made upedness. I am kind of having fun too. He targets my characters cause I know how to build strong ones, and I enjoy being gunned for, the party martyr as it were lol. I just hate to watch the other characters get extremely abused to the point of useless just because. (Sorry to rant) Yes after the module if its possible I will probably take over as the dm because, while not the best by far, my players have fun. (Or so they say). I am not at the point to "wafflestomp" just yet and will downplay the character until I feel wronged. :-)

Ravenloft is a unique setting, in that DM fiat and "rules twisting" are encouraged, sort of. It's one of the only settings where the DM him/herself actually has a presence in he game, as the "Dark Powers." The realm constantly twists and changes, road appear and disappear, monsters slain return unscathed, etc.

Of course, this is me giving your DM the benefit of the doubt. They could just be a power-mongering killer DM that plays "against" the players. In which case, nothing short of an arms race will ensue; players min/max to keep up with DM baddies, DM in turn makes his baddies even tougher, more min/maxing ensues, baddies get even tougher, etc. This continues until either your group TPK's every session, or the game itself falls apart.

It sounds like there are bigger issue at hand than maximing your cleric. You might need to talk to your group(DM included) and work some things out. If you've caught him flat out cheating the rules, bring that up.

[Legendairy]

It sounds like there are bigger issue at hand than maximing your cleric. You might need to talk to your group(DM included) and work some things out. If you've caught him flat out cheating the rules, bring that up.

This.

Honestly I am generally the first to defend DM's and I love Ravenlofts atmosphere and understand that not just that setting but all could use a little dm fiat occasionally. I use it frequently for things to help make the game more fun and whatnot. This is a case of "I don't want you beating my toys but I will allow it." He has been dming for 8 years or so. I try not to point out his mistakes at the table as it can bog down for the other players. I had to show him where pathfinder rogues can sneak attack undead, I brought up the action economy when the shapeless horror encounter did a move action the. As a standard action let out 5 tentacle attacks, or fireballs radius and that it's more of an explosion than an oxygen eating fill space type fire.(last one could be flavor and I enjoyed it) but the guys a 100 feet away were hit with it, that was kind of wrong.

Anyway, others have brought the mistakes in rules to his attention and he seems to get upset. As I have said there is some fun going on and my intention is not to break it just yet, I ever. I just want players to stop dying. It seems we lose 1 character a week to wonky rules that work one way one session then completely different the next.

I have already said after this module I will possibly take over as dm or someone else may.

Back to original topic! What about good gear for the 19k starting and please remember I have to buy all my future material components or no Raise Dead or Revivify.

Again, thank you all and your advice about the dm is very sound I just don't want to be the boat rocker while everyone is having fun and I plan I use the cleric to keep the others alive rather than just breezing through the module.