Cleric & Warpriest Multiclass: What stacks?

[Propagandalf]

I'm playing a lvl 1 Dwarf Cleric (Iron Priest Archetype) and am thinking of multiclassing my second level as a Warpriest.

Warpriest is a hybrid class that can multiclass with Cleric according to the d20pfsrd:

Each one of the following classes lists two classes that it draws upon to form the basis of its theme. While a character can multiclass with these parent classes, this usually results in redundant abilities. Such abilities don't stack unless specified.

Now most of the stuff is rather clear but I'm wondering about the spells. Does the little dorf gain the warpriest spellcasting in addition to the existing cleric casting? Does it casts as cleric 1 and Warpriest 1?

Now that the main guestion is asked, a little more about what I hope to get out of the multiclassing:
-Heavy Armor Proficiency (which I would spent a feat otherwise)
-Martial Weapon Proficiency (Dwarven Longhammer, since the reach is nice)
-Miscellanous warpriest bonuses (blessings, little tiny bit of casting)

I'll lose 1 point of BAB but since I'll gain Weapon Focus as a bonus feat, it's an even trade kinda sorta. Cleric casting and channel will be delayed a little too but I don't really mind that.

Now if the warpriest won't give me spells, I'll try to figure out something else. Any suggestions where to get Heavy Armor prof. from in addition to a Fighter dip or a feat?

Any help is appreciated. :smallsmile:

[Psyren]

Yes, you can multiclass Cleric/Warpriest, and you will cast as both a Cleric 1 and a Warpriest 1 at character level 2. I'm not sure losing a caster level and an additional point of BAB is worth the benefits you're after, but it's certainly an option.

[Geddy2112]

The classes won't stack, but your martial weapon proficiency and heavy armor proficiency will apply for your character always, just like how a barbarian who multiclasses is in fighter gains heavy armor proficiency. You also get all the other warpriest bonuses, including a totally separate spell list(won't stack for progression, but it lets you get double the orisons and other spells). If you end up spending the rest of your ranks in cleric you have all of the abilities of a level 1 warpriest and a level X cleric.

Paladins and cavaliers both get heavy armor proficiency. There is also a cleric archetype that can take heavy armor proficiency as a bonus feat, as well as some other bonus feats.

[Serafina]

They really should have taken the whole "this class is a mix of class X and class Y" out entirely. It was obviously part of the design process and pitch, but has no rules-impact whatsoever.

So in other words:
Nothing at all stacks, you just get all the features from both classes.
So your one-level dip into Warpriest gives you:
- all the chassis-benefits - +2 to Fortitude and Will, 2+Int skill points and the class skills (though they mostly overlap with cleric anyway) and one D8 HD. Higher levels would give more saves, skill points, hit dice and the BAB-progression, obviously - just like any other multiclass.
- Proficiency with Heavy Armor and Martial Weapons, and depending on your deity (just Irori from the main ones) you get Improved Unarmed Strike
- One Weapon Focus feat
- two minor blessings, with three uses between them. Also, they have to match your domains.
- your sacred weapons now do 1D6 damage, if theirs is not higher anyway
- three orisons, and one (+more from wisdom) first-level spells, with a caster-level of one.

And on later levels, you'd get more class features as well.
- channel energy would not stack at all with Cleric-levels. You'd basically have two separate pools, each using their own channeling amount (so say, 4 uses of 4D6 and 3 uses of 2D6)
- Fervor would only ever allow you to quicken Warpriest-spells, there is no way to make it quicken Cleric-spells. And obviously, it's uses would not scale with your Cleric-levels


At any rate, ask yourself "why take Warpriest-levels?"
As just a dip, it can be decent I suppose. It gives heavy armor, martial weapons, one weapon focus feat, two limited blessings and (with two levels) very limited fervor. However, both the blessings and the Fervor will scale badly. The main reason for the latter is that you'll have very low caster-levels, while you can buff yourself this way, the duration and effect will be quite low.
And that should also answer the question on taking more than those two levels. You really should not, since it will impede all your spellcasting, delay important features and basically do nothing good for you at all. You'll certainly delay the important Quicken Blessing (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/feats/general-feats/quicken-blessing) until very late levels, since you effectively need to be a 10th-level Warpriest to take it.


Now, if you do want to play a Warpriest, but don't lose out on Domains - fear not, you can use Variant Multiclassing (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/classes/character-advancement#TOC-Variant-Multiclassing) into Cleric. This will give you one domain first-level power at level 3, and it will scale with your character level. It will cost you feats, but since the Warpriest gets bonus feats it's actually quite affordable.
Otherwise, it'll give you Channel Energy (again in a separate pool, which is good since you don't want to waste Fervor on your Warpriest-channeling) and at 15th-level an 8th-level domain power.

[Propagandalf]

Yes, you can multiclass Cleric/Warpriest, and you will cast as both a Cleric 1 and a Warpriest 1 at character level 2. I'm not sure losing a caster level and an additional point of BAB is worth the benefits you're after, but it's certainly an option.

Yay, thank you for the quick reply!:smallbiggrin:
Yeah, the caster lvl loss stings a bit but I can deal with it with the Magical Knack Trait (+2clvl max HD) since I'll be going pure cleric thereafter.

The campaign we're in is the Iron Gods adventure path with lots of mechanical equipment crafting (at least 2 of 4 players are going to craft stuff), so I'm not worried about feeling too weak later on. :smallsmile:

[Propagandalf]

The classes won't stack, but your martial weapon proficiency and heavy armor proficiency will apply for your character always, just like how a barbarian who multiclasses is in fighter gains heavy armor proficiency. You also get all the other warpriest bonuses, including a totally separate spell list(won't stack for progression, but it lets you get double the orisons and other spells). If you end up spending the rest of your ranks in cleric you have all of the abilities of a level 1 warpriest and a level X cleric.

Paladins and cavaliers both get heavy armor proficiency. There is also a cleric archetype that can take heavy armor proficiency as a bonus feat, as well as some other bonus feats.

Ah, the Crusader archetype. Hmm, I'll have to consider. Thanks! :smallsmile:

[Propagandalf]

They really should have taken the whole "this class is a mix of class X and class Y" out entirely. It was obviously part of the design process and pitch, but has no rules-impact whatsoever.

-snip-

At any rate, ask yourself "why take Warpriest-levels?"
As just a dip, it can be decent I suppose. It gives heavy armor, martial weapons, one weapon focus feat, two limited blessings and (with two levels) very limited fervor. However, both the blessings and the Fervor will scale badly. The main reason for the latter is that you'll have very low caster-levels, while you can buff yourself this way, the duration and effect will be quite low.
And that should also answer the question on taking more than those two levels. You really should not, since it will impede all your spellcasting, delay important features and basically do nothing good for you at all. You'll certainly delay the important Quicken Blessing (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/feats/general-feats/quicken-blessing) until very late levels, since you effectively need to be a 10th-level Warpriest to take it.


Now, if you do want to play a Warpriest, but don't lose out on Domains - fear not, you can use Variant Multiclassing (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/classes/character-advancement#TOC-Variant-Multiclassing) into Cleric. This will give you one domain first-level power at level 3, and it will scale with your character level. It will cost you feats, but since the Warpriest gets bonus feats it's actually quite affordable.
Otherwise, it'll give you Channel Energy (again in a separate pool, which is good since you don't want to waste Fervor on your Warpriest-channeling) and at 15th-level an 8th-level domain power.

The warpriest would be a 1 level dip, yes. The Variant multiclassing might be a bit late now, I'd have to ask the DM. I'lll keep that in mind though (since we are still just lvl 1). :smallsmile: