[Pathfinder] Help Building a High Level DPS/Healer Cleric

[Jarred Stone]

First things first, let me put you all in situation.

For a couple of years, we have been player a Pathfinder campaign from level 1 until level 10. We were a ranged rogue, a dwarf tank warrior, a heavy meele fighter and me, the cleric. The campaign went pretty good, with some sort of classic party balance and low powergaming from everyone of us.

During the adventure, since we were lacking of a magic-user, I resolved on taking Leadership feat and have a sorceress to walk next to me as some sort of pupil. I was the one who knew something about spells in that party so, everyone loved when I covered both healing and magic with my cleric and his cohort. It looks like my team-mates loved the idea so much they got that feat too but, whatever,...

Since almost every player took leadership at the end of the campaign, our DM wants now to continue with the lives of those PCs as they command their tiny own factions. In the transition from one campaign to another, our DM let us re-arrange our character's builds and cohorts.

With the rogue, anything was changed.

With the DPS warrior, since he died at the end of the last campaign and can't be resurrected because of plot issues, his player ended rerolling a summoner, and have a skill Eidolon (Don't ask me how that is possible) and some sort of animal companion as cohort for mount and giggles while he support the team.

"Well, we are lacking now of a solid front-line, ... good thing the tank warrior has a strength inquisitor as cohort..."

... The tank warrior switched his inquisitor cohort for an illusionist min/maxed control wizard, as he liked the **** I performed with my old cohort.

"You motherfuc- :smallannoyed:"

*Sigh* The tank figther (and his cohort) are useless for dealing damage (We call him the "black square", since his only funtion is to be a big unpassable square), and the summoner, ... honestly I don't know what does he do. He is keeping everything in secret.

So, since I am seeing myself with four (the party's rogue, the party's summoner, the sorceress cohort and the wizard cohort) squishy mates, and a front line full of holes, I think it is time for my cleric to step up and make a man of himself. Before, I had to be the band-aids kit, the wizard and the second tank of the group. Now it seems I have to be the damage dealer too.

I think I am gonna need some help here, or some tips...

We are going to work with a level 10 human cleric for this. His stats are as follow:

STR 14 (16 thanks to some magical gauntlets)
DEX 9
CON 16
INT 13
SAB 17
CAR 14

His deity's domains are Fire and Metal (he worships some sort of god of the forge) and the favored weapon of the deity is the maul (like the hammer version of a bastard sword). Between the artifacts carried from the old campaign, he has a healing full plate armor +2, which I love quite too much, since it saved my cleric's ass a lot of times with his tendency of diving into battle to save his fallen comrades.

I thought about these feats for him:

Level 1: Heavy Armor Proficiency and Selective Channeling
Level 3: Swift Channeling
Level 5: Additional Channeling
Level 7: Leadership (right now, a must have for story purposes)
Level 9: Power Attack

By popping Righteous Might and Divine Power, and activating Power Attack, I get and attack bonus of +15/+15/+10, and a damage outpot of 2d8+18. CA is just decent enough, since the RD I get and the amount of hp could make it for it.

In the case of the sorceress, I turned her now in a frost evoker and get her to debuff enemies using Rime Spell so, magical damage is somewhat covered.

But, now I look back towards the old two-handed figther of the group and I see I could get to deal more damage,... but I don't know how. Are there better spells or feat chains I should look without leaving my healer job too behind? Or am I just worrying too much about the safety of the group and trying to eat more than I can chew?

[Xerlith]

Are your enemies mostly evil? You may be interested in an Oradin build.

[Jarred Stone]

Funny enough, he is NG / CG, so paladin isn't an option. In fact, I know this would feel restrictive but cleric should be the main class for plot issues.

In my case, one of the most troublesome points is that I certainly don't know which combats feats should I take for more damage. I thought about vital strike or cleave but, then, I remembered that haste or Divine Power makes for it... or maybe not?

Yes, I am a little lost when dealing with martial stuff, I have always been the spellcaster in every campaign. xP

[MightyPirate]

Your strength could be better but other than that your stats are pretty impressive. I actually like the Metal domain (played a dwarven druid with the earth domain once, it was . . . solid). The fire domain is pretty weak if you're not a blaster so maybe ask if you can pick up Strength or War instead. Ferocity and Tactics are especially good sub domains for a melee cleric.

I don't know that I'd focus so much on the channeling feats. Selective channel is okay for last resort in combat heals but extra channel is only 2 more uses and quick channel eats a move which you'll probably need to charge or full attack. Personally I like toughness and improved initiative.

Power attack is really all you need. Furious focus helps a bit but really it's just a +2 to hit on your first power attack per round at this level. Cleave is okay at lower levels when weak swarms can be more lethal but less so as you gain iterative attacks and hp. Vital Strike is usually only worth it when maximizing damage die size. See Eidolons and Druids for shenanigans here.

The Two-Handed Fighter is actually one of the best archetypes for a fighter. His full attack at level 9 is likely +14/+9 (2d6+20/2d6+23). This is just power attacking with a great sword with weapon training mind you. He'll likely also have furious focus, weapon focus/specialization/greater weapon focus. There's also magic items to consider. With all that it looks more like +22/+14 (2d6+25/2d6+28).

Ferocity domain will allow you to surpass all that pretty handily a few times per day (which is usually all you need) but you'll note that the fighter doesn't need to time to buff like you do so make sure you have someone scouting or divining well for you. The fighter mostly looks better with cleric buffs but when the cleric becomes the front-line that changes a bit.

I'd make sure the summoner uses his skilldolon only out of combat if possible unless he's got the master summoner archetype. A summoner's job is to control the battlefield and buff the hell out the front line. If his eidolon isn't beefy that means he need to be buffing you. Summon critters make great flanking buddies to so you that as much as you can. Play a summoner right and you have a highly versatile, expendable front line. That will really ease your burden.

[Jarred Stone]

My DM told to me about the crusader arquetype, and that I could boost my Wisdom to 18, so I could still have 3 four level spells. But I would loose 1 spell per level and one domain. The feat build would come as follow:

1.- Heavy Armor Proficiency / Selective Channeling / Swift Channeling
3.- Power Attack
5.- Additional Channeling / Weapon Focus
7.- Leadership
9.- Greater Weapon Focus
10.- Weapon Specialization

Looking for Greater Weapon Specialization around level 13.

But,... something is smelling a little fishy for me. First, the campaign will go from level 10 to level 14. Seriously is it worth to loose one spell per level in order to get +2 to attack and damage from weapon focus and specialization?

Edit: My DM is telling me that I would get more spell slots by increasing my wisdom with artifacts. Is that true? Yeah, really I am more concerned about loosing a spell per level just because I wouldn't be able to have prepared Righteous Might and Breath of Life at the same time. And, call me a pessimist but, I think I wouldn't forgive me if one teammate get killed because I haven't prepared it that day.

[MightyPirate]

Meh, I have a player who's got diminished spellcasting on his magus and it doesn't seem to bother him. I'm not a fan but it makes your class more like a fighter so maybe that's what you want. If I was going that route I'd rather be a paladin or a battle oracle. Even a two-hander inquisitor is more attractive.

If the fighter stuff sounds real great then maybe just rolling a fighter would be good. Clerics are a primary caster so I wouldn't take a hit to spells for almost anything.

Maybe ditch the archetype and see if Big Game Hunter (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/feats/local-feats/big-game-hunter-local) is an option. I'm running Rise of the Runelords right now and I know I'd take that feat over weapon focus/specialization any day. It's only good against large or bigger targets but it's got no prereqs, takes only one feat slot, and it doesn't pigeon hole you with one weapon your entire campaign.

Taking the focused study race trait for humans with an intent to pick up eldritch heritage (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/feats/general-feats/eldritch-heritage) has some interesting potential. The improved (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/feats/general-feats/improved-eldritch-heritage) and greater (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/feats/general-feats/greater-eldritch-heritage) flavors come later but can really give a charismatic character a great kick. I like the orc (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/classes/core-classes/sorcerer/bloodlines/bloodlines-from-paizo/orc-bloodline) bloodline especially. Stacking power of giants with righteous might could really put the zilla in your Codzilla you know? :smallwink: