New to D&D, Need some help and info

[Novercalis]

Let me begin with my Character Sheet

Character Name: Grizaje
Race: Aasimar (Med/Male)
Class: Cleric level 3
ECL -1
Alignment: Lawful Evil
Diety: Loviatar
Domain: Strength

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STR 12
DEX 8
CON 13
INT 11
WIS 17
CHA 12

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Wearing Masterwork Half Plate Armor + Large Shield (total AC 19)

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Intelligent Item: Scourge

+2 to hit / Bloodfeeding (2pts per 5 bloodpoint use)
Empathy: Urge to cause pain
30ft vision/hearing
Continous Deathwatch

Overall +5 to hit and 1d6+3

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Skills:

Con 5 (4 rank)
Diplomacy 3
Heal 3
Intimidate 1
Listen 6 (1 rank)
Profession Sail 1
Sense Motive 4 (1 rank)
Spellcraft 5 (5 rank)
Spot 6 (1 rank)
Survival 4 (1 rank)

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Feats:

Extend Spell
Endurance (Going for Die Hard)

Domain Feat:
Strength Surge

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Currently, I am the only Evil in the party and we are all stranded in the Island of Chult, trying to Survive now. We've been in Survival mode in Sea for 3-4 months. So I haven't been "Evil" in a LONG time.
Recently I comitted my first "evil" act - torturing a Goblin and when his tribe came to rescue him, I dragged him to the front line and made sure all his buddies saw me decapitate his head off.

Outside of that, My Holy Symbol / Intelligent Weapon background story is, Hierloom weapon, pass down generation of disgraced Aasimar who has gone evil and working under the temple of Loviatar. The original and creator of this weapon (or is the weapon now) sacrificed himself to Loviatar literally and she made this weapon out of his skin, bones, blood, etc and each previous owner of my family added a little something of them into it.

MY history: Stupid Amnesia lol - Took me awhile to learn a bit of what an aasimar is. I acknowledge myself a follower of Loviatar but do not know why.
Haven't acknowledge I am evil but I have been having many evil thoughts and urges.

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Questions:

1) So how would you play this guy? Any tips, suggestion RP wise?

2) How would you play this CLERIC, not RP wise but due to stats, what should be my main focus or how to utilize him a bit better?

ie: like what feat/skill should I be focusing I guess due to the info I provided about my cleric.

3) Spell Component: Am I required to use Material Components for:

3a) Buff spells such as Bull str, Bear Endurance, Owl wisdom, Eagle splendor?
3b) Summon Monster/Creature?
3c) Protection line spell?

4) In the PHB - It states for casting Divine Spell when we have multiple options (V,S, DF, M, etc) we only need to choose one.
So if it has a V, S, DF , M (Material Component bone) - can I just choose V?

4b) For spells that only has: V, S, DF in it's description, can I just use V and not DF or do I need to do all 3?



THANK YOU FOR HELPING AND BEING PATIENT WITH ME.

[GilesTheCleric]

Thank you for the numbered list; it helps immeasurably in answering.

1: I'm afraid I can't help with this, sorry. I only play LG/LN/NG.

2: Clerics can do anything you want them to do, since they're full casters. So to give you a proper answer, you need to know how your character would use their power - assume that their power can do anything: what would they use it for?

Your stats are fine; if you plan on running into undead, then you'll just need to prepare some spells to buff your rebuking. Other than that, just think very hard about your spell selection. This (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=284509) thread might help.

3: No spell components for divine spells. You might still need your divine focus (holy symbol), and if the spell names anything with a cost (usually 5gp or greater), then you need to supply that, as well as any xp or other costs (eg. sacrifice).

4: "choose one" is referring to F vs DF. Choose DF. Any others (S, V, etc) are all required.

[Galvin]

1. This guy is obviously a devout of his god. Maybe you could take Leadership at level 6 and start a cult, with some weird goal like to unleash the god on the material plane, or something like that. Leading an organization after one goal can be fun, especially if you can get your hole party in on it.

2. Dump Endurance and Diehard. Those suck. Sometimes falling uncouncious can save your ass. If your uncouncious, enemies will leave you alone in favor of awake, deadly opponents. If your still up and running at -5, they'll attack you, and kill you.

Instead, get another metamagic and Extra Turning. Then, when you can, get divine metamagic.

3./4. I think you have to use the material as well as verbal, though I'm not sure.

[Arkusus]

First off, I'm a bit curious about your stats, primarily intelligence. I get having it at 10 for the stat points, but 11 is weird. I don't think it helps a cleric aside from the previously mentioned skill checks, and it could be put towards Dex where having more could increase your AC a bit, and your reflex save.


1) So how would you play this guy? Any tips, suggestion RP wise?

Most classes I hardly bother paying attention to anything written for alignment, but if you have a deity, and get all your powers from said deity, acting in alignment is a lot more important as far as I'm concerned.


2) How would you play this CLERIC, not RP wise but due to stats, what should be my main focus or how to utilize him a bit better?

If you're an evil cleric, then you can substitute any spell for an inflict spell. Early on however, I tend to focus my clerics on party-buffs and healing. One important question is whether or not you are going to be a front-line fighter as well, as Clerics can actually function in that role.

Bless is always a nice choice, adding to everyone's attack rolls and saves, and when you get to level 5, Prayer is better as it penalizes enemies as well.

Also, if you are going to be evil, ESPECIALLY the only evil person in the party, I cannot stress enough how much fun Blindness Deafness will be at 5th level, and Bestow Curse at 7th level. While they ARE just universally nice, I find them PARTICULARLY effective at keeping dissident party members in line. My favorite curse I think is "If you ever knowingly attack me, -3 penalty on attacks, skill checks and saving throws. Forever.". Essentially, evil clerics might not be able to take on the entire party, but they CAN make sure the party regrets it.



3) Spell Component: Am I required to use Material Components for:

3a) Buff spells such as Bull str, Bear Endurance, Owl wisdom, Eagle splendor?
3b) Summon Monster/Creature?
3c) Protection line spell?

Depends on your DM. Generally you are just expected to have on hand any components that are less than 5gp I think. The way I usually see played is like that, in which case, you don't need to worry. Occasionally you will see a material required that has a specific GP value, like Animate Dead or Resurrection, and that cost can't be ignored.


4) In the PHB - It states for casting Divine Spell when we have multiple options (V,S, DF, M, etc) we only need to choose one.
So if it has a V, S, DF , M (Material Component bone) - can I just choose V?

It doesn't matter too much. Clerics can cast whatever, whenever, wearing whatever. This is why you want full plate armor. (Especially if you've got low dex)


4b) For spells that only has: V, S, DF in it's description, can I just use V and not DF or do I need to do all 3?

You're a cleric, so don't worry about it. If you were a wizard though, you would need to do ALL of them not just one of them though.

[Novercalis]

2. Dump Endurance and Diehard. Those suck. Sometimes falling uncouncious can save your ass. If your uncouncious, enemies will leave you alone in favor of awake, deadly opponents. If your still up and running at -5, they'll attack you, and kill you.




Well, how do I go about dumping it since it's been picked? I don't see my DM letting me repick a different feat. If he does, dont know how to go about it or give reason for it.
Originally I was going for extend spell , divine metamagic, persist spell as my 3 core.

[ArcturusV]

Well there are "Retraining" rules in Player's Handbook II, if your group has access to it. Those allow you to swap out feats. There's also Chaos Shuffle, usually mentioned in more twinkerriffic aspects like trading an Elf's 4 starting feats for high use feats. But it is out there as an option.

I was going to suggest going another route other than the usual buffer. But your Intelligent item may not like that, since it's very bloodthirsty and driving for sadism.

That said, if you're going with the standard buff up combat beast Cleric, which you might, you might want to pick up Book of Vile Darkness for some spells like Sadism (Bonuses as you inflict damage), which can be really good in long marathon fights like the usual "You versus 40" sort of scenario.

Other route I was thinking was tapping into the other expertise of the Cleric. And that is Master of Knowledge. Clerics get fast, and easy, access to a lot of divination effects. Some slightly less than wholly useful or very niche like Detect _____ Alignment, and Find Traps for example. But spells like Augury, Divination, Commune, etc, can save you a lot of grief with your character. Knowledge is power, and Wizards are just conjurers of cheap tricks compared to the Knowledge gathering of a Cleric at equal level.

[Novercalis]

let me give a bit more info I suppose and just basically get feedback in regards to my cleric, his role and behavior.

Current Party

Monk (Lawful Neutral I think)
Druid (Neutral)
Sorcerer (Lawful Good)
Cleric (Lawful Neutral) (new, joined at level 2)
Evil Cleric (Lawful Evil)

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My party (cept for the other cleric) just recently learned (yesterday's campaign) that I did an evil act, torturing a goblin.
Other than that, they are still unaware I am "evil". However they see me as a weird messed up guy who enjoys self-flagellation.
At one point, very early in the campaign when they "rescued" me and took me to town and gave me a room to sleep in - I apparently went insane and self-flagellation to the point of 1hp and the entire room was splattered in blood. They all saw the amount of blood.
2 I look weird to them, an Aasimar, dark skin and emerald green eyes and metallic-dark green hair.
I've been known to give some sick idea and enjoy watching those suffering and dishing pain. Even enjoying pain myself.

They also know, I don't really heal often and I would heal myself first before anyone else. If I do heal, usually in a jerkish way or I'll say something about: how is their pain, isnt it great? why would you want to leave that bliss or I just punch them (touch heal) and give them a smirk.

Recently, since I got lessor Vigor now, the other cleric was at -6hp, after the battle was over, I went and casted that instead of a regular heal, so he can slowly feel the pain when waking up, before getting back to some decent hp.
our current NPC who was blinded - I ignored helping him out, nor did he asked anyways.

My role is usually buffing (which I stopped since, all the buff spell required a material component ((bear fur, bull dung, eagle dung, owl dung, etc)) so, I made sure all my spells I can cast are something that I know my guy would cast.

I think I'll be moving my guy more towards Debuff, Survival/tracking/Bluffing/Diplomacy/Intimidating spells, Necromancy spells, Strength related buff spells, Evil descriptor spells. I'll have 1-2 cure spells on hand, usually reserved for me unless I HAVE TO use it on someone else, to ensure that I can survive this encounter. (if I know im going to die because X guy dies, ima keep his ass alive)
(#2, the other cleric is the goody goody healer and he scribe scrolls, so I have heal scrolls on hand anyways).

However, my guy is getting frustrated. As a LE I should be more in charge, taking point and pushing my party member around. But I havent been, unable to. They all (except the other cleric) have been together for awhile and have a strong bond. One of them doesnt like me at all (because I fought him in an ship arena for fun but I healed him first before I attacked him), and he always cuts me off and shoots me down and the party ends up ignoring me 80% of the time.
20% of the time, once I could prove them wrong or did a "I told you so", they finally listen to my orders for survival (IE burn the bodies b4 they turn into zombies)

but yeah.

It's getting harder n harder for me to cooperate with them. Only thing keeping me not being pure evil to them is survival. Getting out of this island. I was in debted to them to a degree. But now - after 4-5 months of dealing with BS - I dont have no bonds with them persay. I have no mission or shared goals with them... it's getting hard for me to RP my guy properly.

We are now in the island of chult. We were on a boat enroute to Watersdeep but the boat ended up being a pirate boat to one of the pirate king. There was a prisoner on board. We all agreed to help the capt and not be against him for our own survival (capt took on a dragon turtle single handily, we will not fight this guy and his crew). Eventually 2 other pirate king shows up, prisoner is freed and I had to regenrate him, only to find out it's one of th strongest, scariest foul necromancer and we were enroute now to Thay.
We manage, by the grace of the dice roll gods to luck out and make a boat to escape during the night w/o any BS and landed on Chult.

sorry, I could have probably written this better

[ArcturusV]

Well... one thing that jumps out to me? Just because you're Lawful Evil doesn't mean you have to be in charge. Or particularly feel driven to it. Lawful Evil is about using the system and the rules to your advantage. Often this is construed as taking charge and becoming King of the Hill, etc.

But it's also very Lawful Evil to be an Underling. You know, being only level 3, that you're not the **** of the walk yet. There's a lot of stuff out there in the world that can mess up your day in the blink of an eye. Dragons, high level wizards, Demons, Archons, etc, etc, etc. So you need the "system" to protect you. That's very lawful evil. Use the system, in this case the Adventuring Party, as your shield against the world. This is sort of the snivelling underling mook we all know from Fiction behavior (But also Lawful Evil)... where you throw your weight around, bully people, etc. And when someone tries to pummel some sense into you, you go, "You don't want to do that... or Crogar the Druid over there will turn into a bear, eat you, and use your remains to fertilize his garden!" with that usual mook sneer on your face.

But it doesn't have to play out quite like that, even if it's the same generic thing.

In fact trying for some coup to take control for yourself in the party is basically very Chaotic. It's what Demons do, always scrambling for control over a layer of the abyss, constantly warring among themselves... You're Lawful, you're better than that.

[Novercalis]

New Update - I checked with my DM about the retraining and this is my new Skills:

Bluff 1
Concentration 6 (Rank 5)
Heal 3
Intimidate 3 (Rank 2)
Listen 5
Sense Motive 3
Spellcraft 5 (Rank 5)
Diplomacy 3 (misc modifer)

Profession Sail 1
Profession Interrogate 5 (Rank 5)

Also, This entire time, I only had 1 Domain.. Strength. Never knew I was allowed 2 domains.

He allowed me to change my current Domain so I now Have:

Pain Domain
Suffering Domain

[Grayson01]

I was going to ask what your other Domain was lol. I played a LE charcter in an good/neutral campaign once. My charcter pretty much sued the other people as proctetion, and tried to sway them to work for him in one way or the other. Wether it was pretending to be the big brotehr figure to the LG naive Monk or convincing the LN CW Samari to become my Servent. You don't have to be in charge if your LE but you can try and direct the party in in the direction of your chosing. Also just because your "Evil" dosen't mean you have to do evil things you can do Good things for evil reasons. I.E. Save the children from the burning building to keep your party on your side and to exstort money from the orphanage or to further your rep in a city so that you can change political policy in a favor you want to further your aim. Now for your Charcater it is a little different because of your deity and ove of pain and suffering. What you can do is become very preachy, go on and on about the philiosphical and metephiscal ways of pain and suffrining and my shift is over

[Grayson01]

CONT: Okay home from work sorry about the break. You can go on and on about how you are spreading pain and suffering the true of the world. Also just because you are Lawful Evil Doesn't mean you have believe you are Evil. You could believe you are doing the Just thing by spreading Pain and Suffering. You can preach to the party about how you are doing your lords work by enriching the world through the joys of Pain. You don't have to withhold healing spells in or out side of battle. You can understand that pain may be the the true form of joy in the world but you also understand that to spread this to the world you have to be in it, and one thing keeping you in the world are the Party members the Lord of Pain has gifted you with as your pawns.

[Novercalis]

atm that is hard for me to do, as technically I have suffered Amnesia. I still haven't unlocked my Aasimar Special Ability (Sunlight /per day), nor knowing Loviatar is an Evil Goddess fully. Nor knowing I am Lawful Evil. I may act it but atm, I have no "purpose" on the "Lawful" side other than survival atm.
And due to my survival and situation, I have been more good/neutral just for survival.

I slowly understand I am a follower of Loviatar, a Cleric of Loviatar and to make my god happy is to have those suffering, to be grateful they are still alive and not dead and to be healed, only after severely going through pain, will you truly respect my god. And if I have to hurt you, torture you because of ignorance, so be it.