Help/Opinions Melee Cleric Build (PERSIST IS BANNED)

[walrusman]

My friend is starting a new campaign in September. We have until then to build a character up to level 6 where we start. He and I are both knowledgeable with the books and the cheese available with 3.5e. So he has limited quite a few options, or made interesting home-brew stuff to accommodate cheese. I won't list all of the banned stuff but only the most common suggestions.

I am interested in building a Melee oriented cleric. Focusing on being the physical offense and defense between our party and the monsters. I was planning to use spells to buff myself so that my party members could do their own thing and I'd need minimal assistance (Already looking at having Mighty wallop provided by the party wizard)

I will start with the list of available books: Champions Of Valor, City Of Splendors - Waterdeep, Complete (Adventurer, Arcane, Champion, Divine, Mage, Scoundrel, Warrior), Dragons Of Faerûn, Dungeon Master’s Guide, Faiths And Pantheons, Lost Empires Of Faerûn, Magic Item Compendium, Magic Of Faerûn, Monster Manual, Monsters Of Faerûn, Player’s Handbook, Player's Guide To Faerûn, Power Of Faerûn, Races Of (Destiny, Faerûn, Stone, Dragon, Wild), Spell Compendium, Unearthed Arcana

There is no LA buyoff.
PERSIST SPELL IS BANNED
Nightstick Stacking (1 works. >1 doesn't) is BANNED

He has changed Flaws to his own custom table, of which I took 2.
The penalties are as follows

Damage dealt is as if it was 2 size categories smaller (longsword = 1d4 damage) (Light hitter)
-2 to Saves, attacks, damage and ability rolls in anything other then bright light (Nyctophobia - Fear of darkness)



28 point buy abilities Attributes: Base[+Racial+Template] (Total) lvl modifiers
Before Saint:

STR 12 (12) +20 DEX 10 (10) CON 14 (14) +12,+16 INT 12 (12) WIS 14+2(16) CHA 14+2 (18) +4,+8
After Saint:

STR 12 (12) +20 DEX 10 (10) CON 14+0+2 (16) INT 12 (12) WIS 14+2+2(18) +12,+16 CHA 14+2+4 (20) +4,+8

My current chosen Race is Aasimar (the PGtF version that is humanoid instead of outsider and loses the LA)

I was thinking of progressing into the saint template at some point but he is rolling randomly for some books every few levels. We have already come to an agreement that I will most likely get it once its available so long as i meet the feat requirements as normal (3 exalted feats). This is up in the air. It would make nice fluff, but i can do without it if i can come up with a class progression i like

Current build broken down by level.

Cloistered Cleric BAB : +0 Saves: Fort +2, Ref +0, Will +2 Domains: WAR, COURAGE, KNOWLEDGE (Knowledge Devotion) Lore (Ex): Bardic Knowledge ability based on Cloistered cleric Skills (28): Concentration 4, Diplomacy 4, Heal 4, Knowledge (Arcana) 4, Knowledge (Religion) 4, Knowledge (The Planes) 4, Spellcraft 4 Feats (1): Skill Focus Knowledge (Religion), Knowledge Devotion [Replaces Knowledge domain], Nimbus of Light [FLAW], Nymphs Kiss [FLAW] Flaws (2): Light Hitter (damage - 2 size catagories), Nyktophobia (-2 to attack, saves, skills in not bright light)
Paladin BAB : +1 Saves: Fort +2, Ref +0, Will +0 Aura of Good: Radiate Moderate Good aura Detect evil: As the spell, at will Smite Evil: 1/day, add CHA bonus to attack role and +1 damage/paladin lvl Skills (3): Knowledge (Religion) 1, Sense Motive 2
Paladin BAB : +1 Saves: Fort +1, Ref +0, Will +0 Divine Grace: Add CHA bonus to all Saving throws Lay on Hands: Heal 2xCHA bonus Hit points total/day Skills (3): Knowledge (Religion) 1, Sense Motive 2 Feats: Quicken Spell +1 4th : Ability Score : Wisdom +1 (17)
Cloistered Cleric BAB : +0 Saves: Fort +1, Ref +0, Will +1 Skills (7): Diplomacy 3, Knowledge (Arcana) 1, Knowledge (Religion) 1), Knowledge (The Planes) 1), Speak Language 1
Cloistered Cleric BAB : +1 Saves: Fort +0, Ref +1, Will +0 Skills (7): Knowledge (Religion) 1, Speak Language 6
Church Inquisitor BAB : +0 Saves: Fort +0, Ref +0, Will +2 Detect Evil: As the spell, at will Domains: INQUISITION Skills(5) Search 2, Spot 2, Sense Motive 1 Feats: Gift of Grace


I'm currently progressing into Ordained Champion (level 8) to build up some additional damage. But right now I'm struggling trying to overcome that -2 size to damage. If anyone has any good suggestions to boost damage output. I would greatly like to hear about it!
Thanks so much for reading and suggestions!

[ComaVision]

If no DMM: Persist, why not DMM: Quicken?

[walrusman]

That's what i'm planning to do. I'm looking for ways to make the build deal more damage. I already plan to quicken and maybe extend divine power, or get an item or something that allows me to use it a large number of times/day so i don't have to cast it all the time.

By that logic, would a command word item be free action? or standard to cast something like divine power?

[Twurps]

I'm assuming your going into Ordained champion for the 'smite' ability. (smite as a swift action)
You can use 'divine might' (Feat: CW) to add extra damage as a free action. Also uses a turn undead though, so maybe add an addional source of turn undead. Sacred exorcist would still advance your casting I believe but I'm away from books right now.

I'm also assuming you already planned to trade knowledge domain for knowledge devotion.

[walrusman]

I'm assuming your going into Ordained champion for the 'smite' ability. (smite as a swift action)
You can use 'divine might' (Feat: CW) to add extra damage as a free action. Also uses a turn undead though, so maybe add an addional source of turn undead. Sacred exorcist would still advance your casting I believe but I'm away from books right now.

I was planning to progress into Ordained champion for smite, and the ability to use Divine power as a swift action (rapid spontaneous casting of war domain).


I'm also assuming you already planned to trade knowledge domain for knowledge devotion.

That was the plan, but I'm torn with armor proficiency right now. I see it 2 ways. I can stick with what i have listed above, losing the 2 levels for paladin to get Cha to saves, and armor proficiency heavy. Or i could go cleric3/church inquisitor2/Divine oracle 1, Ordained champion at 7th.