Help with a cleric!

[AmbientRaven]

Hi Guys!

This is my second class building advice thread recently, but my last character I made ended up being the groups skill-monkey. And we already had 2 other skill-monkies, both better than me. But our Cleric disappeared so I opted to fill this role instead.

Problem is I have NO idea how to build an effective cleric.
The group consists of a Crusader, Barbarian, Druid, illusionist Spellthief (a mage type rogue) and a Rogue

I'll be starting at level 2 with 1k Gold and a 32pt buy in.
Races are to only come from the players handbook, forgotten realms campaign setting and any other forgotten realms supplement book (Races of Faerun, Shining South, Silver Marches, Unapproachable east, etc) and accepted Classes include any in the core or complete books, exalted deeds, champions of valor, complete champion, basically any book that has to do with good classes and is an official source.

So far my thoughts are going in two various paths. I would like to primarily be a Buffer/Healer with some damage support as required.

I am looking at either a follower of Lathander heading PrC'ing into Morning Lord of Lathander taking the Strength & Sun domains. Strength to help buff the Melee heavy Group and Sun because it adds some useful blasty-ness without me dipping into other spells for that.
A Follower of Helm into a Divine Disciple. With Strength/Planning Domain. Agian buff and support role.
A (Human) Follower of Brandobaris with Travel and Trickery could lead to some fun RP (mischevious cleric)heading into Divine Disciple
(mentioned in another post by a user) Follower of Sehanine Moonbow with Zen Archery, Travel and Moon domains

Problem is I don't really know how good those domain choices are nor how to spend my 32pts


Sticking to pre-spellplague lore

Any tips/advise would be fantastic :)

-AR

Thanks for your time!

[ahenobarbi]

Hi Guys!

So i know this is my second class building advice thread recently, but my last character I made ended up being the groups kill pony. And we already had 2 other skill ponies better than me. But our Cleric disappeared so I opted to fill this role instead.

Problem is i have NO idea how to build an effective cleric.
The group consists of a Crusader, Barbarian, Druid, illusionist Spellthief (a mage type rogue) and a Rogue

I'll be starting at level 2 with 1k Gold and a 32pt buy in. Races are to only come from the players handbook, forgotten realms campaign setting and any other forgotten realms supplement book (Races of Faerun, Shining South, Silver Marches, Unapproachable east, etc) and Accepted Classes include any in the core or complete books, exalted deeds, champions of valor, complete champion, basically any book that has to do with good classes and is an official source (NO HOME BREW PLEASE, WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED)

I am looking at either a follower of Lathander heading into Morning Lord of Lathander or a Divine Disciple. Focusing on a buffer/healer and a bit of caster damage (as we have lots of melee damageers)
Problem is I am not so sure about domains or how to spend my 32 pts
nor useful equipment for a Cleric ><

Sticking to pre-spellplague lore
Deity options so far
Helm: Strength/Planning
Lathander: Strength/Sun
Aumentor/; Planning/Sun
Tymora Luck/Travel
Could I be a priest of Aumentor with Sun and Planning domain?
I would love Sun and Travel domain but no deity grants both form my research


Any tips/advise would be fantastic :)

-AR

Thanks for your time!

Strong Heart Halfling (bonus feat, small size (+1 to attack rolls and AC), dex bonus (so you can put less points there)) is great race for you (from Races of Faerun).

Here's my suggestion
Diety: Helm
Domains: Planning, Strength
Alignment: Lawful Good

Cleric 3/ Church Inquisitor (Complete Divine) 4/ Divine Disciple (Players Guide to Faerun ) 3/ Contemplative (Complete Divine) 10

Feats:
1 (planning domain bonus): Extend Spell
1: Persistent Spell
1 (strong heart halfling bonus): Divine Metamagic (Persistent Spell)
3: Intuitive Strike (Book of Exalted Deeds)(Wisdom to attack rolls)
6: Yondalla's Sense (Races of the Wild)(Wisdom to Initiative)
9: Extra Turning?
12: Extra Turning?
15: Extra Turning?
18: Extra Turning?

Stats:
Str 12 -2 (racial) = 10 (so you can carry your stuff) (4 points)
Dex 10 + 2 (racial) = 12 (2 points)
Con 12 (4 points)
Int 12 (4 points)
Wis 18 (16 points)
Cha 10 (2 points)

EDIT: Basically Persist your buffs on the team and do whatever you want in combat. You will have high to-hit and initiative.

[AmbientRaven]

That build looks a lot of fun, though worried the DM would call it out as power gaming.

Would swapping the Intuitive Strike into Zen Archery and going for a ranged weapon be effective?
Also could the build work as a Human? I've never been fond of RPing Halflings

Edit:

How does this look?

Lesser Aasimar Cleric of Amaunator
Str: 14
Dex: 10
Con: 12
Int: 12
Wis: 20
Cha: 10

Level 1: Feat: Persistant Spell
Level 3: Feat: Divine Metamagic (Persistant Spell)
Level 6: Feat: Extra Turning
Level 9: Feat: Intuitive Strike
Level 12: Feat: Extra Turning
Level 15: Feat: Extra Turning
Level 18: Feat: Extra Turning

Domains: Planning, Sun Later: Time, Nobility

Cleric (7) Contemplative (10) Divine Disciple (3)

I am thinking about dropping the Level 9 Extra Turning so that I can take something like Exotic Weapon Expertise: Bastard Sword, or swap the intuitive Strike for Zen Archery and go for martial Weapon training, grabbing a bow (if this rout can move the 14 str to 10str, 12dex, 14con)

Is this to power gamey seeming? Seemed the most efficient way to build a buffer/Siupport cleric (Gets Mass Haste, a few persistent spells and allows me to heal with most of my other casts)

[ahenobarbi]

That build looks a lot of fun, though worried the DM would call it out as power gaming.

Would swapping the Intuitive Strike into Zen Archery and going for a ranged weapon be effective?
Also could the build work as a Human? I've never been fond of RPing Halflings


Yondalla's sense is great halfling-only feat, everything else in my ide is non-racist :smallsmile:



How does this look?

Lesser Aasimar Cleric of Amaunator
Str: 14
Dex: 10
Con: 12
Int: 12
Wis: 20
Cha: 10

Level 1: Feat: Persistant Spell
Level 3: Feat: Divine Metamagic (Persistant Spell)
Level 6: Feat: Extra Turning
Level 9: Feat: Intuitive Strike
Level 12: Feat: Extra Turning
Level 15: Feat: Extra Turning
Level 18: Feat: Extra Turning

Domains: Planning, Sun Later: Time, Nobility

Cleric (7) Contemplative (10) Divine Disciple (3)

Looks good.


I am thinking about dropping the Level 9 Extra Turning so that I can take something like Exotic Weapon Expertise: Bastard Sword, or swap the intuitive Strike for Zen Archery and go for martial Weapon training, grabbing a bow (if this rout can move the 14 str to 10str, 12dex, 14con)

Is this to power gamey seeming? Seemed the most efficient way to build a buffer/Siupport cleric (Gets Mass Haste, a few persistent spells and allows me to heal with most of my other casts)

If you want to focus on buffing and ranged attacks with spells I'd skip Bastard Sword profiiciency. Replacing Intuitive Strike with Zen Archery is a very good idea (since it will apply to ranged attacks with your spells).

EDIT: Even if you want to do hand-to-hand combat I would use morgenstern, not bastad sword.

[Mnemnosyne]

In order to be a cleric of Amaunator, you'd have to take the Servant of the Fallen feat, since Amaunator is kinda...dead, unless you're playing in the age of Netheril.

The other issue is that persistent spell is going to waste at that level. A cleric gets 4+charisma bonus turning attempts per day. This build has a Charisma of 10, so you're getting...4 turning attempts per day. DMM Persist requires 7 to persist a single spell. You need a minimum charisma of 16 in order to persist anything before getting Extra Turning.

[Splendor]

Human: Otherwordly - Native Outsider, 60' Darkvision
1st: Retrieve Spell - Spend 1+ (1/Lv) Turn check to regain spell
Flaw (Vulnerable): Disciple of the Sun - Spend extra turn to destroy
Flaw (Code of arms): Extra Turning

Otherwordly allows you not to worry about 'person' spells and gives you darkvision.

With extra turning you should be able to turn at least 8/day. This would give you 4 extra first level spells if there are no undead in the game.

If you do run into Undead Disciple of the sun allows you to destroy instead of just turning.

As for a deities, it depends upon your character. Two good ones:
Tymora; Luck and Travel domains.
Kelemvor: Fate (Uncanny dodge), Repose, Travel.

Also if you want to be more caster/less combat look at the Cloistered Cleric in the unearthed arcana.

Persistent spell is nice, but you'll always seem to get hit with dispel magic. There go all your turns for the day.

[AmbientRaven]

Unfortunately we are not allowed flaws in the build


In order to be a cleric of Amaunator, you'd have to take the Servant of the Fallen feat, since Amaunator is kinda...dead, unless you're playing in the age of Netheril.

The other issue is that persistent spell is going to waste at that level. A cleric gets 4+charisma bonus turning attempts per day. This build has a Charisma of 10, so you're getting...4 turning attempts per day. DMM Persist requires 7 to persist a single spell. You need a minimum charisma of 16 in order to persist anything before getting Extra Turning.


At 5th Level I can -4 the level req of a 1st level buff like Bless, then at 6th I get Extra Turning.
I couldn't really see any other beneficial talents that early.

I was considering swapping from Amaunator to one of the following:
Helm: Planning, Strength later Law and Protection
Oghma: Travel, Luck later Trickery, Balance
Brandobaris: Travel, Luck later Trickery, Halfling

This would mean changing my feat path significantly though

Thoughts?