Cleric build help

[Sigmar1]

Hello friends
i am new to D&D and i want to start a cleric...i know the basics,i have played 2 times in the past but i need some help with deeper level to level build for a melee cleric.

We ONLY want to take feats and skills from 3.5 Player Hand book and Player Handbook 2, and not from any other book. I want to be a melee cleric and do some dps and some buffing.Healing will be spontageous (if its spelled like this) In the party we have a fighter tank, a thief and a monk. My domains are Good and War and i am a Human. Could you suggest me any good feat build and spells to have prepared only taken from handbook 1&2 ?

STR 17
DEX 11
CON 15
INT 10
WIS 16
CHA 13

thanks

[NevinPL]

IMO melee (only) cleric, is a waste of clerics potential.
IMO the best "buffs" come "from" Divine Metamagic (DMM) feat, but that's from Complete Divine.
But, PHB has that nice Divine Power, and Righteous Might spells, which should be what you're looking for.

[Biffoniacus_Furiou]

Be sure to look at the Player's Handbook Errata (http://archive.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/er/20040125a), as spells that were once good for this are now much weaker, such as Divine Favor (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/divineFavor.htm) and Righteous Might (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/righteousMight.htm) (those are the up to date versions).

Why the Good domain? It doesn't give you any benefits that would help with your role as a melee combatant. The domain power is trash, and the only spell on that domain's list that could help with melee combat is Aid which is not even worth wasting an action or 2nd level spell slot on. Switch it to something like Strength for fighting, or Travel for utility and defense.

I would recommend going with a LN Human Cleric of Zarus (http://archive.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/ex/20041203a) with the Strength and War domains, and in this case the War domain will give you proficiency and Weapon Focus with a Greatsword. Use the spontaneous domain casting alternate class feature in PH2 for the Strength domain, since Zarus is LE and grants spontaneous inflict spells instead of cures. Get a Wand of Cure Light Wounds to heal everyone between encounters and everyone should get a Healing Belt (MIC) or potions for emergency healing during combat when needed.

The only feats in PH2 that you could qualify for that would even be worth taking are probably Combat Focus, Combat Stability, and Combat Vigor, and maybe Combat Awareness. If you would prefer to use a one-handed weapon and shield, then Shield Specialization and Shield Ward would be worth taking as well. Otherwise just get Power Attack, Craft Wondrous and/or Craft Arms and Armor, Quicken Spell, etc.

Try to get (Lesser) Metamagic Rods of Extend for hour/level buffs like Magic Vestment and Greater Magic Weapon. Start each combat by casting a buff spell (Enlarge Person or Bull's Strength or Divine Power), along with a quickened buff once you're high enough level (Divine Favor or Shield of Faith), and move into a good position to be able to full attack the next round. Try to get a Circlet of Rapid Casting (MIC) with an Enhancement bonus to Wisdom added (MIC p234), and try to have all the Necessary Item Effects (www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?187851-3-5-Lists-of-Necessary-Magic-Items) covered by either magic items or spells.

A melee Cleric is really difficult to do without the Spell Compendium and/or Complete Divine, but you should still do fine as long as you get rid of the Good domain for something that's actually useful.

[NevinPL]

Be sure to look at the Player's Handbook Errata (http://archive.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/er/20040125a), as spells that were once good for this are now much weaker...
And that's why the DnD errata is "affectionately" refereed to as "nerfratta", because it doesn't as much fix errors, as it makes things weaker, as one can clearly see.

Ditto on the other stuff, especially if OP is only limited to PHB's for feats, skills, and not the other stuff.

[Sigmar1]

Thanks a lot for the answer. I got my hands on a hammer and a small shield and in War/Strength domains as you said :)
What about my skills? where should i spend my points. I did in knowledge religion and spellcraft but what next?

[GilesTheCleric]

For skills, put single points into any trained-only skills you have, since you can buff your skill checks with spells. Concentration is essentially required for all casters. If your GM enforces skill checks for IC knowledge, then getting ranks in heal or even cc ranks in spot, listen, and search might be important. With int 10, you'll only be able to keep three skills maxed as a human. Concentration > Spellcraft > Religion > single points in other knowledges is my recommendation for priority.

Biffoniacus_Furiou's suggestions are all on point, though I'll add that if your group is also new to the game and doesn't optimize, then you'll still do fine if you don't want to overthink things. Power Attack can give a lot of mileage, and is probably the only melee feat you'll need. Once you have 3rd level spells or higher, the difference between your character's ability to solve problems and your party's ability will start to noticeably widen (where your character will have more solutions than they do). When playing, it's important to remember that everyone is there to have fun, and it can be difficult to notice if you are gradually becoming the one solving everything. Conversely, as a cleric your character is able to easily change roles, so if you find you're having more fun playing a different style to what you went into the game intending, it's easy to change that midway through without making a new character.

Edit: In terms of spells, check the link in my sig for good cleric/favoured soul picks. There's a lot of spells from sources you're not using, but I've included short justifications for why each is a good pick; reading those should help you to be able to decide for yourself if a spell is a good choice or not. And of course, you can always pick the ones from the list that are in PHB/2.

Anyway, welcome to dnd and gitp!

[Eonir]

Once you have 3rd level spells or higher, the difference between your character's ability to solve problems and your party's ability will start to noticeably widen (where your character will have more solutions than they do). When playing, it's important to remember that everyone is there to have fun, and it can be difficult to notice if you are gradually becoming the one solving everything.

I would like to emphasize this. As a cleric, you will be the overwhelming power in that party. Definitely have your moments, but be careful about becoming a one-man party and leaving everyone out. I've had that happen to me, and conversely done that too others, and it's not fun.

[Sigmar1]

thanks for the answer giles

i have one general question...as i know i have to prepare my spells for 1 hour. When i prepare them i do it with specific spells or i have slots and choose from the pool what i need?

example lvl 2 cleric has 2, 1st lvl spells, so do i have for example a Bless and a Sanctuary or i have 2 slot and i am able to use Bless/sanctuary/Shield of faith/devine favour or whatever i need ?

[Flickerdart]

thanks for the answer giles

i have one general question...as i know i have to prepare my spells for 1 hour. When i prepare them i do it with specific spells or i have slots and choose from the pool what i need?

example lvl 2 cleric has 2, 1st lvl spells, so do i have for example a Bless and a Sanctuary or i have 2 slot and i am able to use Bless/sanctuary/Shield of faith/devine favour or whatever i need ?
Your first example is the correct one - for every slot, you must decide what spell to prepare at the beginning of the day, and on that day you can only use that slot to cast that spell until you prepare spells again. However, you could use both slots to prepare bless if you felt like you needed two for the day.

The second way (X spells per day for each level, and then you can cast any spell you know of the level through that slot) is how sorcerers cast. Divine casters generally can't do this, with exceptions being spontaneous variant clerics/druids and favored souls.

[BowStreetRunner]

Besides being limited to PHB and PH2 for feats, are you limited with regards to source material in any other way? For instance, can you use spells from any source? Choose Deities from any source? Use Prestige Classes and Races from any source?

[Sigmar1]

Besides being limited to PHB and PH2 for feats, are you limited with regards to source material in any other way? For instance, can you use spells from any source? Choose Deities from any source? Use Prestige Classes and Races from any source?

Well dm told me to play from these two books just to get used to the game,cause if i pick other sources could be chaotic for a new player like me. On the other hand if you can suggest anything "not so hard to explain" to my dm, i think he will not have a problem. Only my deity has been chosen from non-PHB source cause i wanted War and Strenght. Spells, i think i will get lost, the same way as feats and about prestige classes, i now read about them in the Complete Divine book so in the future if he allows it i can pick one.

But if you have a suggestion for PHB-only or in general please feel free to post it :)

[Sigmar1]

Sorry for double post but didnt want to start a new thread

i have a question about cleric casting. Well Cleric has to check casting under all circumstances? For all cures and even for buffs?

and if he casts now the effect happens in the same round or during my next one? and concentration check must be donne at the end of this or in the start of the next round?

[Nifft]

If you're in melee, and an enemy is threatening you (i.e. you are within range of that enemy's melee attack), then you have to make a Concentration check to cast defensively.

If you do NOT cast defensively, then every threatening enemy gets a free attack on you -- and if you get hit while casting, you need to make another Concentration check because you took damage, so it's usually better to just cast defensively.

If you cast a spell which says "Duration: Concentration", or if a spell says that you have to concentrate, then you need to make a Concentration check whenever you take damage.

If there's something distracting going on, like a demon summons a rain of blood and fire from the sky and it's burning you, or if you're standing in a pool of acid, then you need to make a Concentration to ensure you can cast in spite of the ongoing pain.


Otherwise -- if you're casting a spell and nobody is threatening you or damaging you -- you just get to cast the spell and it works, no rolling involved.