High Op Fist of Raziel build

[Angelalex242]

So.

My general favorite build is Cleric 1, Pal 6, Fist 10, Cleric 4 (As 3 levels of cleric are just plain better then levels 7,8,9 of Paladin, and you don't even lose any BAB out of it. This build caps at BAB 19, with an effective clerical casting of 13th level, which just barely opens 7th level spells.)

I'm fond of the Improved Crit/Bless Weapon combo for furious anti-evil criticals, and smite improving abilities to get the most out of lots of smites per day. I also tend to focus on 'single stroke' battles. I use the cleric levels to 'Clericzilla' myself, and for utility when needed. I prefer Falchions for maximum crit frequency.

So...is this build awesome, or can I make it better? Obviously, a feat got burned on Servant of the Heavens (Exalted) to make this build.

Are there spell recommendations you guys have beyond clericzilla buffs? Obviously, sanctified spells are on the table, and my paladin spells usually go for Divine Sacrifice. I prefer permanently blessed weapons (Exalted Deeds version, none of this MIC version junk...) over casting it (it replaces keen on my weapons.)

[Grod_The_Giant]

Drop the paladin altogether? Something like Cleric/Ordained Champion/Prestige Paladin/Fist of Raziel.

[Biffoniacus_Furiou]

A Cleric can cast Greater/Superior Resistance, and Cha typically isn't one of your important stats, so Paladin doesn't really offer much that can't be easily replaced by spells. The build will only benefit from replacing the Paladin levels with more Cleric.

Ideally you want to qualify for it without losing any Cleric spellcasting at all. Realistically you can lose up to three levels of Cleric spellcasting in your 20-level build, including Fist of Raziel 1, to still have 9th level spells at 20th level.

As an exalted Cleric, you want to be casting (Greater) Luminous Armor instead of wearing armor, so armor proficiency is irrelevant. That usually means going with Cloistered Cleric (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/variant/classes/variantCharacterClasses.htm#clericVariantCloistere dCleric) over the standard Cleric, especially since you can trade your free Knowledge domain for Knowledge Devotion.

Something like Cloistered Cleric 4/ Ordained Champion 3/ Paragnostic Apostle 2/ Fist of Raziel 1/ Contemplative 1/ Fist of Raziel 9 is about as good as it gets. That has 18th level spellcasting and a +16 BAB at 20th level, and between Ordained Champion and Luminous Armor you'll do fine in combat for the first half of your career.

Use two flaws (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/variant/buildingCharacters/characterFlaws.htm) if necessary (more here (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=258440#30)) to get Divine Metamagic: Persistent Spell, and get a Reliquary Holy Symbol and many many Night Sticks to persist spells like Elation, Mass Lesser Vigor, Divine Favor, Divine Power, Righteous Wrath of the Faithful, and Holy Star.

[lsfreak]

A good start to any cleric-based paladin build is cleric 3/church inquisitor 1/ordained champion 1, picking up the second level of ordained champion as soon as you can. A Fist of Raziel build a) doesn't quite benefit as much from ordained champion smiting as the smite is based off total Turn Undead levels, but b) really likes the full BAB to get in asap. And the OC's ability to turn Inquisition domain's granted power into a feat makes up a bit for wasting a feat on Servant of the Heavens.

You're going to need War domain (for qualifying for OC), and you're going to get Inquisition domain free (turn it into a fighter feat, or keep it around and pick up Divine Defiance and turn yourself into a counterspeller; you can turn it into Knowledge Devotion too but 2 skill points a level hurts). You get an additional domain from your first level in cleric, and one from ordained champion. Law domain turned into Law Devotion is good, as is Planning domain to jump-start DMM:Persist. Though you're going to have to make choices about what you take, as Turn Undead is burned by DMM (5 per quicken, 7 per persist), OC smiting (1 per smite), Divine Defiance (1 per counterspell), and Law Devotion (3 per use). For this reason, getting Destroy Undead instead of Turn Undead and then getting Turn Undead back through a dip in sacred exorcist can be a very good idea. Gives you 6+2*Cha turn attempts, and every Extra Turning/nightstick gives each pool 4 additional uses (I recommend limiting yourself either to nightstick-stacking or two turning pools to avoid completely breaking everything).

Grabbing the Holy Warrior feat (another thing from Completely Champion, isn't it great?) after you have the first level of OC basically means you get a damage bonus equal to your highest-level uncast spell, since you spontaneously cast War domain spells so you always have them available. What's just under half your level in damage is no Shock Trooper, but it's no Weapon Specialization either.

Another Complete Champion thing is Awesome Smite. A free trip attempt while smiting is nice, but flat-out ignoring all miss chance is excellent.

...really I think what you should take away from this is that you should look at Complete Champion if you haven't. Ordained champion, paragnostic apostle that Biff mentioned, Holy Warrior, Awesome Smite, and Devotion feats all come from it. It's a great book.

[Grod_The_Giant]

Note that Ordained Champion smiting doesn't mesh well with a normal DMM build, since you don't want to divide your turn attempts between two uses like that.

[lsfreak]

Note that Ordained Champion smiting doesn't mesh well with a normal DMM build, since you don't want to divide your turn attempts between two uses like that.

Yea. I was assuming a single persisted spell (I'm content with blowing a feat for all-day recitation or righteous wrath of the faithful) and using remaining attempts on other stuff. I should have made that clearer, though: even only DMM:Persisting a single spell, you're going to need nightsticks/Extra Turning/a second pool to provide enough to make the smiting worthwhile, and it quickly becomes a matter of how far your DM will get you go. Throw in Law Devotion and it's going to be impossible to keep a balance between the three. You're going to have to make choices as to what build options you want to pursue because you can't do them all. (It gets worse when you've got RKV eating up your attempts too. Why can't I have everything? :smallfrown:)

[GreenETC]

I'd just go with something like Cleric 7/Prestige Paladin 3/Fist of Raziel 10. Take the Pool of Healing ACF at level 7 and you now have better Lay on Hands than a normal Paladin while getting better Smite than a Paladin, while also getting 18th level casting and +18 BaB. Take the Serenity feat from Dragon Compendium and suddenly you are absolutely silly.