How to Challenge the Cleric

[SirNMN]

So the party has been fighting on and off with activities of a death cleric. In the last session one of them arrainged to to face him in a one on one fight and they have a weeks time to prepare so they are trying to change up there gearing to do battle with him. I am looking for suggestions as to what they might be able to use as anti cleric weapons

[AlanBruce]

First off, there is a lot of information you need to provide us before we can help you prepare.

1. What's the party's composition?

2. What level is the party?

3. How many times have you faced off against this cleric?

4. Is their a signature move he does to qualify him as a "Death Cleric"?

5. Who in the party will be fighting him one on one?

Off the bat, without any further info, it's a cleric. Clerics are T1 for a reason- if properly optimized and buffed and having weeks in advance, hell, he could take on the entire party if he wanted to.

So far, the only protection against this cleric based on what you have mention about him would be Deathward, but I'm sure there is more.

[Flickerdart]

Your best anti-cleric weapon is antimagic field.

Normally this is a terrible idea, since antimagic field shuts down your own buffs, and then you have to actually chase down the cleric while he's summoning and commanding undead and throwing orbs and whatever. But a one-on-one fight is a great opportunity to win initiative, run up to him, and pop the AMF. As long as he can't get out of its range, he's worse than a fighter with no bonus feats and you can beat his face in with a huge sword, or grapple him, put on a Helm of Opposite Alignment, and then turn off the AMF.

[Big Fau]

Antimagic Ray is an alternative to AMF, although it does allow a save (and doesn't hit magic items).

[AlanBruce]

Antimagic Ray is an alternative to AMF, although it does allow a save (and doesn't hit magic items).

Reading the SpC version, you can target items- not sure if they can be magical.

The ray does allow a Will save to negate, which a cleric having weeks in advance to prepare would make sure his Wisdom is high enough to buff and cast.

Dropping an AMF on him, though... that could work, provided the guy dueling him is a lot stronger.

Clerics in my experience tend to have above average strength before spells and items.

[Big Fau]

Reading the SpC version, you can target items- not sure if they can be magical.


The last paragraph says it doesn't affect worn items unless you target those items specifically.

[SirNMN]

I am looking for things they could trade for or be loaned, the only thing I have been able to come up with so far is a dispelling weapon. Is that the best I can get. The town is leadership is trying to help so we a talking a 10,000 or so gold limit for the power of the item



First off, there is a lot of information you need to provide us before we can help you prepare.

1. What's the party's composition?

2. What level is the party?

3. How many times have you faced off against this cleric?

4. Is their a signature move he does to qualify him as a "Death Cleric"?

5. Who in the party will be fighting him one on one?

Off the bat, without any further info, it's a cleric. Clerics are T1 for a reason- if properly optimized and buffed and having weeks in advance, hell, he could take on the entire party if he wanted to.

So far, the only protection against this cleric based on what you have mention about him would be Deathward, but I'm sure there is more.

1. the party consist of two wizards one 8, one 7, a Druid 7/fighter 1, A fighter 7/ barbarian 1, and a ranger 8

2. See 1.

3. Actual facing him this is second time fought his minions an additional 5 or 6 times

4. He believes that all life leads to death and all death leads to undeath he is hurrying the process along he killed most people to cross his path. Now he leads a cult in the same doctrine. His domains are Deathbound and death

5. The ranger will face him

The cleric is going the corpse crafter chain of feats so not optimized for one on one combat, But makes for scary minions. if he survives the fight he will be headed for lichdom in the future they know he is researching it now


Antimagic Ray is an alternative to AMF, although it does allow a save (and doesn't hit magic items).
Not quite that High level.

[Liquor Box]

I am looking for things they could trade for or be loaned, the only thing I have been able to come up with so far is a dispelling weapon. Is that the best I can get. The town is leadership is trying to help so we a talking a 10,000 or so gold limit for the power of the item




1. the party consist of two wizards one 8, one 7, a Druid 7/fighter 1, A fighter 7/ barbarian 1, and a ranger 8

2. See 1.

3. Actual facing him this is second time fought his minions an additional 5 or 6 times

4. He believes that all life leads to death and all death leads to undeath he is hurrying the process along he killed most people to cross his path. Now he leads a cult in the same doctrine. His domains are Deathbound and death

5. The ranger will face him

The cleric is going the corpse crafter chain of feats so not optimized for one on one combat, But makes for scary minions. if he survives the fight he will be headed for lichdom in the future they know he is researching it now


Not quite that High level.

What level is the cleric, and what are the rules of the encounter. In particular will the wizard and druid be able to buff the ranger beforehand (including short term buffs)?

[AlanBruce]

It is impressive that a party of 7-8th level PCs have so much info on this guy.

And if he isn't quite high level, he sure is ambitious enough to want lichdom already. Certainly preparing an army if he has the Corpsecrafter line of feats.

Clearly, the cleric will not fight alone. He might say it's a "one on one", but from the information given, he relies on minions, so he will have those to fight for him instead, tire up the ranger, and then move in and deliver the killing blow.



Protection from Evil

Resist Energy x 2, maybe 3 if available (in case the cleric is high enough level to cast flame strike or some other elemental spell several times)

Delay Death

Haste

Heroics

Deathward (cannot stress enough about this one)

Fly

Greater Magic Weapon

Displacement



Although there are no clerics in your party, there should be an npc around with access to some of the above mentioned spells.

The two wizards should be able to provide the rest.

And of course, buff the rest of the party as well as they watch the sidelines, in case it turns out into a full out brawl.

[SirNMN]

It is impressive that a party of 7-8th level PCs have so much info on this guy.

And if he isn't quite high level, he sure is ambitious enough to want lichdom already. Certainly preparing an army if he has the Corpsecrafter line of feats.

Clearly, the cleric will not fight alone. He might say it's a "one on one", but from the information given, he relies on minions, so he will have those to fight for him instead, tire up the ranger, and then move in and deliver the killing blow.

Although there are no clerics in your party, there should be an npc around with access to some of the above mentioned spells.

The two wizards should be able to provide the rest.

And of course, buff the rest of the party as well as they watch the sidelines, in case it turns out into a full out brawl.

They know this much as some of his new cult join out of fear of him and have just been liberated by the party. The cleric is level 9 and just pick up the craft Wondrous Item feat.

QUOTE=Liquor Box;21132877]What level is the cleric, and what are the rules of the encounter. In particular will the wizard and druid be able to buff the ranger beforehand (including short term buffs)?[/QUOTE]

At this point the only rule that has been established is that it is one on one.

[SirNMN]

It is impressive that a party of 7-8th level PCs have so much info on this guy.

And if he isn't quite high level, he sure is ambitious enough to want lichdom already. Certainly preparing an army if he has the Corpsecrafter line of feats.

Clearly, the cleric will not fight alone. He might say it's a "one on one", but from the information given, he relies on minions, so he will have those to fight for him instead, tire up the ranger, and then move in and deliver the killing blow.

Although there are no clerics in your party, there should be an npc around with access to some of the above mentioned spells.

The two wizards should be able to provide the rest.

And of course, buff the rest of the party as well as they watch the sidelines, in case it turns out into a full out brawl.

They know this much as some of his new cult join out of fear of him and have just been liberated by the party. The cleric is level 9 and just pick up the craft Wondrous Item feat. so he plans on getting lichdom as soon as possible

QUOTE=Liquor Box;21132877]What level is the cleric, and what are the rules of the encounter. In particular will the wizard and druid be able to buff the ranger beforehand (including short term buffs)?[/QUOTE]

At this point the only rule that has been established is that it is one on one.