Cleric (3.5 or PF) - Any Casting Stat?

[Gwazi Magnum]

How much more powerful/viable would you guys find a Cleric Build if it could be scaled off any ability score?

If so are there any alterations you would normally make to making a Cleric?

[AmberVael]

It would be a power boost, but not a significant one. An optimized cleric would choose constitution and end up with a slightly higher fortitude save and better hit points, but would otherwise remain pretty identical to how it already was (which is to say, one of the most powerful classes in the game).

[hex0]

Cleric already is powerful though. Thematically, keying spells off wisdom makes sense for a holy person already. Keying off charisma would be too powerful because you would get SAD for turn undead. Changing it to Int would be just a bit stronger than normal.

Any variant that keyed off a physical stat would have to have balance, probably changing it to saves off one stat and spells off another. You'd also need a flavor balance too. Example: Dwarf Cleric, con for spells, wis for save dcs, maybe change hit die to d10, axe profiency?

[noob]

It would be totally absurd with strength because of size increases and of spells like consumptive fields.
So maybe any stat except strength.

[Telonius]

Key it off of Charisma, and you'd have some (slightly) worse Loredrake Theurge shenanigans, as well as additional turning attempts per day (hello there, DMM). If you're using third-party, this is already an option thanks to Bastards and Bloodlines' "Lost Tradition" feat. I would strongly advise not doing this; Cleric does not need any additional power or options.

My houserules tone down Cleric. DMM is not allowed, all Clerics are cloistered, and Divine Power is removed from the regular list of Cleric spells. (It remains on the War Domain list).

[Gwazi Magnum]

If you're using third-party, this is already an option thanks to Bastards and Bloodlines' "Lost Tradition" feat. I would strongly advise not doing this; Cleric does not need any additional power or options.

My houserules tone down Cleric. DMM is not allowed, all Clerics are cloistered, and Divine Power is removed from the regular list of Cleric spells. (It remains on the War Domain list).

That's precisely why I was asking. :P

I was curious as to what kind of ridiculousness people could do with that on the Cleric.

[AmberVael]

Well if you want shenanigans then you just have a cleric who chooses Strength and then gets infected with festering anger. Tada! Limitless, ever increasing casting stat. Incredibly little investment to pull off, insignificant drawbacks, pretty high gain.

[Vhaidara]

Honestly, one of the first houserules I established was that you could key any class feature to the mental score of your choice. So monks can use Int or Cha for their things, Casters and Initiators can pick from the three, even Factotum can switch it up. Just 1 rule

Justify it to me from an IC perspective.