Negative Energy Cleric

[Glodart]

Good people of the Playground!
I, Glodart, your humble servant, presents thee with my new optimization thread:
Many optimisers will try to make the most powerful type of character. Even though this goal is respectable, it is not what I wish to present thee.
What I am bringing, is this: I take a character goal, a mechanic, and I try to make usable and powerful.
This might seem confusing, but I will give you three examples of what my intent is (They will also be my first three threads, this one going with the first of these):
The ultimate Negative Energy-Using Cleric
The ultimate Positive Energy-Using Cleric
A Vampire who focuses solely on his vampiric abilities
I hope that clarifies it. If thou art still reading this humble thread, either thou art bored, or I have succeeded in my goal to interest thee.
Nevertheless, it is time, for the presentation, OF THE ULTIMATE LIFE-TAKER

[Glodart]

Note: the build is not yet complete, there are a few empty holes, but I am open to suggestions

The goal of this build is to kill stuff with Inflict X Wounds spells and Harm. Also uses spells like Slay Living and Destruction for the flavour, but the build focuses on the formers.
1st level
Human Cloistered Cleric 1. Take a god that gives access to the Death or Repose domain, they got nice flavored spells. I took Jergal (FR, LN), he also grants access to Suffering, which is nice too
Make sure you can speak Draconic
Skills: Here is what you do with your 7+intelligence Skill points. You max out Knowledge (Arcana), Knowledge (Religion), Spellcraft and Concentration. Put at least 2 points in Knowledge (The planes). Have fun with the other skill points.
Take one Flaw to get a feat
Feats: Take Maximise Spell and Dragon Prophesiser (PGtE). Also take Spell Focus Necromancy

Dragon Prophesiser allows you to enter a special trance as a full round action. This trance lasts for (3+ 1/2 the ranks in Knowledge (Arcana)) Rounds. You can use this special trance a number of times per day equal to half your HD (round up), plus your Wisdom modifier. This trance grants +1 to all saving throws. At 6th and 9th levels, you shall gain feats related to this one that will drastically boost your damage capacities.

2nd level
Clois. Cleric 2
Skills: Put one point in Spellcraft, from now on, you no longer absolutely need it, but it is always nice to have. At all levels, you shall max out Knowledge (Arcana) and Concentration. I also suggest boosting Religion, but it is not mandatory to the build, but I find it very flavorful for any Cleric. Have fun with the other skill points.


3rd level
Clois. Cleric 3
Skills: Continue Maxing out Knowledge (Arcana) and Concentration. Have fun with the rest, I still recommend Knowledge (Religion).
Feat: Take Mastery of Day and Night (Magic of Eberron)
Boom, now, every single Inflict X Wounds you cast is Maximised

4th level
Clois. Cleric 4
Skills: Continue Maxing out Knowledge (Arcana) and Concentration. Have fun with the rest, I still recommend Knowledge (Religion).

5th level
Clois. Cleric 5
Skills: Continue Maxing out Knowledge (Arcana) and Concentration. Have fun with the rest, I still recommend Knowledge (Religion).

6th level
Clois. Cleric 6
Skills: Continue Maxing out Knowledge (Arcana) and Concentration. Have fun with the rest, I still recommend Knowledge (Religion).
Feat: Prophecy's Sheperd (Magic of Eberron)
Now, while you are in your special trance (see Dragon Prophesiser above), you can quicken a single Inflict X Wounds per round. Good job mate, your damage potential just got doubled.

7th level
Clois. Cleric 7
Skills: Continue Maxing out Knowledge (Arcana) and Concentration. Have fun with the rest, I still recommend Knowledge (Religion).

8th level
Clois. Cleric 8
Skills: Continue Maxing out Knowledge (Arcana) and Concentration. Have fun with the rest, I still recommend Knowledge (Religion).

9th level
Clois. Cleric 9
Skills: Continue Maxing out Knowledge (Arcana) and Concentration. Have fun with the rest, I still recommend Knowledge (Religion).
Feat: Take Prophecy's shaper (Also Magic of Eberron)
As long as you are in your special trance, once per round, you can Empower any spell you cast, as long as it is not of your highest spell level.
Empowered Maximised Inflict Critical Wounds!
Quickened Maximised Inflict Critical Wounds!

[Glodart]

10th level
Clois. Cleric 10
Skills: Continue Maxing out Knowledge (Arcana) and Concentration. Have fun with the rest, I still recommend Knowledge (Religion).

11th level
Clois Cleric 11
Skills: Continue Maxing out Knowledge (Arcana) and Concentration. Have fun with the rest, I still recommend Knowledge (Religion).

12th level
Clois. Cleric 12
Skills: Continue Maxing out Knowledge (Arcana) and Concentration. Have fun with the rest, I still recommend Knowledge (Religion).
Feat: take Black Lore of Moil (Complete arcane). You'll see why next level...

13th level
The sweet spot of this build
Clois. Cleric 13
Skills: Continue Maxing out Knowledge (Arcana) and Concentration. Have fun with the rest, I still recommend Knowledge (Religion).
Now you can cast 7th level spells. What does that mean? It means 6 is no longer your highest spell level, which means 6th level spells can be Empowered.
Black lore of Moil, allows, with the use of a 25gp Material component, to add 1d6 damage to any necromancy spell.
Now, Harm is a necromancy spell. With the use of the Material Component, instead of dealing 130 damage, it instead does 131-136. Oh my, this is now a variable effect! It would be a shame if you could Empower any 6th level or lower spell you can cast for free. Oh Wait! You can!

I do not have anything else for this build, feel free to propose anything you want. The only thing I suggest is Greater Spell Focus Necromancy, but there are probably better choices.


Please give me feedback on this work if you want, it took me a few days to pop it off, and I'd like to complete it.

Also tell me if you want other flavoured optimized builds. The ideas I have for the next ones are these:
A Healing machine
A Vampire that focuses its abilities
A Ray-using Wizard

Thank you for reading and looking forward to the next one!

[ThePurpleMage]

Are you looking for a themed character, optimized character, or what I assume to be the blend of focused theme with a retarded level of min-maxing/optimization?

What are the allowed source books allowed? I generally assume any WoTC official materials but correct me if this is not the case.

[Glodart]

Are you looking for a themed character, optimized character, or what I assume to be the blend of focused theme with a retarded level of min-maxing/optimization?

What are the allowed source books allowed? I generally assume any WoTC official materials but correct me if this is not the case.

Indeed, it is any WotC official material.

Also, by "retarded level of optimization", do you mean it is too much, or not enough?
I'm not sure what you mean with that one...

[Feint's End]

Indeed, it is any WotC official material.

Also, by "retarded level of optimization", do you mean it is too much, or not enough?
I'm not sure what you mean with that one...

Basically you are doing the same as the other threads with different concepts. You take a cleric and optimise it till it breaks. Therefor the purpose of this thread would be optimization once more.

My suggestion would be (something I personally would enjoy) to really give people character concepts and let them use whichever classes, races etc they want to use. Focus rating on flavour instead of power. This is a competition I would love to see.

A few ideas:
-build the ultimate popstar/singer
-build the ultimate party throwing adventurer
-build the creepiest vampire (this would limit to race)
-build the coolest blind fighter

Just a few that just popped up

I see what you are intending to do but as is this is just another optimisation thread with a little more specific requirements.

[Glodart]

Basically you are doing the same as the other threads with different concepts. You take a cleric and optimise it till it breaks. Therefor the purpose of this thread would be optimization once more.

My suggestion would be (something I personally would enjoy) to really give people character concepts and let them use whichever classes, races etc they want to use. Focus rating on flavour instead of power. This is a competition I would love to see.

A few ideas:
-build the ultimate popstar/singer
-build the ultimate party throwing adventurer
-build the creepiest vampire (this would limit to race)
-build the coolest blind fighter

Just a few that just popped up

I see what you are intending to do but as is this is just another optimisation thread with a little more specific requirements.

So, of I understand well, you want me to, instead of doing the builds and showing them, make a contest about Flavourful and fun characters.
I think I could do that. I have a few things this summer, but I think I could do one of those before I leave in July.
I'll see what I can do, some sort of Iron Chef, or something. Ok, I'll try.
Thanks for the feedback and the constructive criticism. Thanks also for the idea of a contest, I'll do my best.

Edit: All I would need is a cool title for the contest

[Telonius]

Ideas must be in the air today, I was thinking about setting up some kind of a similar contest - less about optimization per se, more about getting a general theme concept to work mechanically, for use in actual gameplay or as a helpful NPC/recurring villain/whatever. Like, if the concept were, "Dwarven Smith," you'd get some Artificers, some Ironforge Soulmasters, maybe a Battlesmith or an Exemplar, with a bunch of different dwarf subraces. Power would be a lesser concern (if it's a PC, you don't want books thrown at you; if it's an NPC, we'd be trying to challenge the party, not TPK them), and flavor would be a greater one (you want the character to be fun to play, or the NPC to be memorable).

[Feint's End]

So, of I understand well, you want me to, instead of doing the builds and showing them, make a contest about Flavourful and fun characters.
I think I could do that. I have a few things this summer, but I think I could do one of those before I leave in July.
I'll see what I can do, some sort of Iron Chef, or something. Ok, I'll try.
Thanks for the feedback and the constructive criticism. Thanks also for the idea of a contest, I'll do my best.

Edit: All I would need is a cool title for the contest

It would be great if you could do one of those! Count me in as a judge if you get it done. You can also pm me about it if you need help or something.

As for the name. It should be something colourful probably. I'll think about it.

[Glodart]

It's official, I shall do it.
Thank you Feint, I gladly accept you as a judge
I think the name shall be this:
Flavourtown Coolness Challenge I: *Pun or joke about the character concept*

If anyone has better ideas for a name, PM me

[Morof Stonehands]

You only mentioned an extra 1d6 of damage from Black Lore of Moil, but you can actually add up to 4d6 damage with the feat, but the finger bone costs 100gp now. That's even better.

[Glodart]

I consider the only use of BLoM on harm is to make it a variable effect so that it can be empowered.
Honestly, 3d6 is not worth 75 GP more
However 75+1d6+1d3 is VERY worth 25gp