Archer Cleric taking Pious Templar?

[ReD_Exorcist]

Just a question would Pious Templar be good for a Archer Cleric.

[Zaq]

Pious Templar grants its own casting, doesn't it? Wouldn't you be better off with something that progresses your existing Cleric casting, rather than starting over from scratch?

[Extra Anchovies]

If your deity's favored weapon happens to be your ranged weapon of choice and you don't already have any fighter levels, a dip into Pious Templar can get you Weapon Specialization in three levels while a dip into fighter would require four. Pious Templar and Fighter have identical BAB, HD, and skills/level (but not class skill lists), but the Pious Templar keeps advancing your good Will save (always a plus) and nets you Mettle on the way to Weapon Specialization, and a little bit of casting on the side. Losing one fewer level of Cleric may not seem like too much, but if you're otherwise full-casting then it's the difference between having 9th level spells and not having them.

ETA: I bring up Weapon Specialization because it's +2 to damage on all your attacks with the deity's weapon, and reliably increasing damage is one of the things archer builds often have trouble with compared to, say, Leap Attacking Shock Troopers.

[ReD_Exorcist]

Pious Templar grants its own casting, doesn't it? Wouldn't you be better off with something that progresses your existing Cleric casting, rather than starting over from scratch?

But is there any Prestige classes that give a similar type of class benefits? Like mettle and DR

[Biffoniacus_Furiou]

You can get three levels of it for Weapon Specialization, to qualify for Ranged Weapon Mastery, but losing out on three levels of Cleric casting and buffs for this is not worth it at all. Don't even consider a class that doesn't advance your existing spellcasting, even the best thing it could give you is not worth the loss/delay of higher level spells.


But is there any Prestige classes that give a similar type of class benefits? Like mettle and DR

Mettle isn't worthwhile. There are far too few Fort/Will Partial spells and effects out there that would justify a loss of caster levels. One or two points of DR is laughable, not even worth looking at, especially when you can cast DMM: Persistent Righteous Might (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/righteousMight.htm).