PHB-only Cleric, Druid or Wizard Build, whatever is most powerful

[Camarillakai]

So, the GM has said nothing outside of the PHB, not sure about starting gold though. We have rolled stats, but can place them. (9, 11, 13, 14, 17, 18) I'm looking for the strongest build I can make. I've considered druid and wizard, as I just finished playing a cleric, but I'd be open to another. Any ideas?

[Troacctid]

What level are you? Wizards are more powerful at high levels, Druids are more powerful at low levels.

[eggynack]

On a core druid, you're mostly looking at optimization through daily stuff selection. You should pick up natural spell, because it's the greatest, but after that, the difference between a druid with augment summoning, improved initiative, extend spell, and flyby attack, and one with toughness over and over again, is meaningful yet kinda marginal. The spells are good though, at least most of the time, and you're not all that far behind on forms and companions. Druids are pretty amazing in core, even if they don't customize all that much.

[Kristinn]

In core I would go Wizard. Most of the best spells are in core, Grease, Enlarge Person, Glitterdust, Web, Ray of Enfeeblement, Haste, Slow, Stinking Cloud, Fly, etc. You are not dependent on splatbook spells, feats or prestige classes, or exotic equipment.

[Camarillakai]

We are 3rd level and I'm not sure how long that campaign will last, probably not in high levels.

[Know(Nothing)]

Even an unoptimized one-man-army is still an army. Druid all the way, unless you think you'll go past level 12.

[Eldariel]

Either is fine. Druid gives you extra fighter early on and is quite forgiving, Wizard is a massively powerful crowd controller with lots of different minion generation options down the road and great ultimate power but on these levels, mostly a crowd control bot. Color Spray, Sleep, Grease, Glitterdust, Pyrotechnics, Web, Ray of Enfeeblement, Enlarge Person, Invisibility are a Wizard's essential arsenal on these levels.

[ranagrande]

PHB only, your best bet is a Cleric.

Druids are very powerful in core, but many of their key features, animal companions, wildshape, and summons, require the Monster Manual.

Wizards do get access to stronger spells overall, but without the Polymorph line (which again, requires the MM), it is more difficult to match the Cleric's superior class chassis.

[sideswipe]

since you said absolutely nothing outside PHB is allowed that makes wildshape useless. and there are no stats there for an animal companion either :smallwink:

[Urpriest]

since you said absolutely nothing outside PHB is allowed that makes wildshape useless. and there are no stats there for an animal companion either :smallwink:

Yeah. Similarly, if you don't have access to the DMG you can't come from a town, or have gained XP in the past.

[sideswipe]

Yeah. Similarly, if you don't have access to the DMG you can't come from a town, or have gained XP in the past.

exactly :smallsmile:

[Camarillakai]

Lol. I'm pretty sure he'll let me summon monsters/nature's allies. He won't, however, let us take variant/monster races from the dmg/mm or prestige classes.

[Urpriest]

Lol. I'm pretty sure he'll let me summon monsters/nature's allies. He won't, however, let us take variant/monster races from the dmg/mm or prestige classes.

But is he only using monsters from the first monster manual, or from other monster books as well?

[Camarillakai]

He seems to be using just mm1.

[Shining Wrath]

I'd say build a druid, making certain to pick up Natural Spell.

You don't describe the rest of your party, but your Martials (if any) are *screwed*. No Warblade? No Dungeoncrasher? No Lion Totem pounce? Just straight Fighter or Barbarian? They'll need all the help they can get. Your animal companion is that help. You are also that help. Your summoned animals are that help.

The barbarian will welcome the bear riding a bear summoning bears, oh yes he will.

[kellbyb]

Natural spell isn't from PHB.

[eggynack]

Natural spell isn't from PHB.
Yes, it is.

[Flickerdart]

I'd say build a druid, making certain to pick up Natural Spell.

You don't describe the rest of your party, but your Martials (if any) are *screwed*. No Warblade? No Dungeoncrasher? No Lion Totem pounce? Just straight Fighter or Barbarian? They'll need all the help they can get. Your animal companion is that help. You are also that help. Your summoned animals are that help.

The barbarian will welcome the bear riding a bear summoning bears, oh yes he will.
Horizon Tripper is core-only and very solid. Of course, PrCs are in the DMG, but so are magic items.

[kellbyb]

Yes, it is.

...I'm an idiot. I never actually looked it up and just assumed it was in a splatbook.

[Camarillakai]

The core group is me, a gnome cleric(of a diety I don't remember), and a half-elf rogue. We have the hit-and-miss players playing a half-orc barbarian(new to tabletop gaming), elf wizard(incompetent at magic) and dwarven monk(usually distracted with a laptop video game).

[big teej]

The core group is me, a gnome cleric(of a diety I don't remember), and a half-elf rogue. We have the hit-and-miss players playing a half-orc barbarian(new to tabletop gaming), elf wizard(incompetent at magic) and dwarven monk(usually distracted with a laptop video game).

perhaps totally irrelevant (if not inappropriate) to the discussion but. I must ask.


why do you seek this "most powerful" class?


this is not a comment on your motivations or play-style at all (as I have no knowledge of them)

but the statement sent my DM spidey-sense a tingling.

[Kraken]

I'd say go druid. You animal companion supplements the weak barbarian, and your druid casting supplements the wizard being bad at magic.