Looking for different divine caster builds....

[Miranius]

So i am looking for a good number of different divine caster builds as top-of-the-foodchain encounters for my players. Race is not that important, since backstory-mechanics will alter their physiology quite significantly, but no matter what they look like/what physical traits they have gained, i am looking to make each of them distinct, memorable and terrifying to face.

So please, post your build-ideas for divine casters (clerics, favoured souls, druids, paladins, whatever else you can put a divine powerline into....) of about CLvl 12-13 and any alignment but CE. If you´re motivated, please expand on choices of feats, spells and tactics :)

Thanks a lot! For the best among you i will be posting the reactions of horror my players will exhibit ;)

[Flickerdart]

What optimization level are we looking at here? A 13th level divine caster can be a Healer (and thus terrible) or an Ur-Priest (and thus the other kind of terrible).

[Miranius]

Mid- to high-OP, but something that could be overcome in combat (so no "i wish you out of existance"-level broken).

[Miranius]

No builds at all to be had around here? No paladins or favoured souls gathering dust somewhere?

[Biffoniacus_Furiou]

Scale back this Paladin build (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?275093-its-a-villain-sort-of#5) to an agreeable level.


Human, LN or LE, Cleric of Zarus 6/ Divine Oracle 4/ Contemplative 3, domains are Strength, War, Oracle, and Law, Spontaneous Domain Casting in PH2 for Strength or War, trade the Strength domain's power for Divine Restoration in Dungeonscape. Feats are Extend Spell, Persistent Spell, DMM: Persistent, Power Attack, Extra Turning, and Craft Rod. Items include a Lesser Rod of Extend, a standard Strand of Prayer Beads, Nightsticks, Masterwork Greatsword + Wand Chamber, Masterwork Full Plate + Restful Crystal, +1 Animated Heavy Shield, Metamagic Rod of Quicken, Metamagic Rod of Extend, 6th level Pearl of Power, and whatever else you think he'll need. He'll use the Rod of Quicken with Hold Monster, Stoneskin, etc. (he can prepare one in his 7th level domain slot). His Persistent spells should include Divine Power, Divine Favor, Righteous Might, Righteous Wrath of the Faithful, Mass Lesser Vigor, and especially Holy Star multiple times, one in each mode. He'll use the Bead of Karma before buffing every day, and put (Extended) Magic Vestment and Greater Magic Weapon on his armor, shield, and greatsword to make each of them +4. Use the Rod of Extend and the 6th Pearl of Power to cast Energy Immunity three times every other day, and Energy Immunity twice and Superior Resistance once on the days in between, which gives him complete immunity to all five energy types and a +6 resistance bonus to saves for two 6th level spell slots. Clearly he'll want to full attack as often as possible, while using Rod of Quickened crowd controls/buffs, blasting with his Holy Star fire ray, etc.

[Karl Aegis]

Isn't high-op just everyone is immune to everything except being wished out of existence or hit point damage making wishing someone out of existence one of the more reliable options you have?

[Kraken]

Druid5/wizard or wu jen3/arcane hierophantX - could just see themselves as a regional guardian of some sort and the PCs as trespassers to be disposed of. Very gishy, with the animal companion and wildshape you've got significant brute threats, and a spellcasting threat that you can tailor as you see fit with the significant spell access available. Apt to have plenty of minions, either already in a posse, or summoned during combat.

Wizard5/mindbender1/ur-priest2/mystic theurgeX - give them a ring of invisibility, mindsight, and have them cast overland flight at the start of the day, and haste at the start of combat. Have them be a stealth skirmisher.

Crusader2/cleric3/ruby knight vindicator10 - give them DMM: quicken, that way if they need they can use both a quickened spell and swift action maneuver in the same turn. They could, for instance, cast a quickened spell, use shadow blink to move next to someone, then full attack.

[Biffoniacus_Furiou]

Druid 9/ Divine adaptation of Frost Mage 4, Ring of the Beast in CC, Augment Summoning, Natural Spell. Winter environment on the coast, he has Lesser Rod of Extended Snowsight and Obscuring Snow from Frostburn, Circlet of Rapid Casting a Kelpstrand to crowd control multiple opponents, Wall of Thorns them, and then use Summon Nature's Ally IV for 1d4+1 Lions an Animal Growth on them and his animal companion. He'll let his lions beat them up while he casts Lesser Rod of Extended Creeping Cold on each of them. Be sure he has a Ring of Enduring Arcana, and he can even have a Strand of Prayer Beads (minus Bead of Smiting, DMG pricing) for +4 caster level for the whole fight. Spam crowd controls and summons, and keep Extended Creeping Cold rolling on everyone.

[WeaselGuy]

I mean, I'm partial to the DMM:P Melee Cleric, aka "I fight better than the fighter".

edit: Actually read Biff's post, he goes into detail with a DMM:P Cleric as well... My bad Biff.
You can literally pull this off as a Cleric 20, but gets "better" with Prestige Classes, such as Divine Oracle or Ordained Champion. At minimum, Cleric with Planning and War domains, Lesser Aasimar is a good race (+2 Wis & +2 Cha, +0 LA), but Human gets you Divine Metamagic: Persistent Spell at level 1 (Extend Spell from Planning Domain, Persistent Spell from Human Bonus Feat, DMM:P from level 1 feat). Then take Extra Turning at level 3, so, even with 32 point buy and a 14 in Cha, with the +2 racial you have 3 Turn Undead Attempts, +3 from Cleric, +4 from Extra Turning = 10. Buy a Nightstick (Libris Mortis, I forget the price, but obtainable by level 10) and you have 14 Turn Undead Attempts, enough to Persist both Divine Power and Righteous Might at level 10. Now you are Large sized, with bonus HP, bonus Str, and full BAB. Lord Takistos in my sig is an example of this character, if you want to look at his character sheet.
Beguiler/Ur-Priest/Mystic Theurge is also a decent combo (you can pull off the same DMM:P shenanigans, it'll just take you longer to get there) but this one gets you dual 9s at level 19.