Warforged Cleric Build

[Wonton64]

So, I'm new to D&D and I've never played a cleric before, but I came across a build for a warforged cleric that I can't link since I'm new here, but the concept was Cloistered Cleric 5/Landforged Walker 5/Celestial Mystic 10. Thematically, I think it's really interesting, but the poster neglected to post recommended spells or how to play it. Is this a variation on a common build? Can anyone tell me what he was going for with the build?

[Biffoniacus_Furiou]

Looks like you found "The Healing Machine" in the Cleric Handbook (http://bg-archive.minmaxforum.com/index.php?topic=420.80) (third post down on the 5th page). That's a Vow of Poverty build, so you're abstaining from ever using any magical items, armor, shields, or weapons (other than a mundane quarterstaff or club, or your natural slam attack). I would skip Ironwood Body and instead say you visited the Frog God's Fane in Complete Scoundrel for Skill Focus in Knowledge: Nature without spending a feat on it.

So, the build loses two levels of spellcasting, has a ton of feat taxes, locks you into an exalted status, and never gets to use magic items, for what? Fewer immunities than you would have from the necessary magic items (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?187851-3-5-Lists-of-Necessary-Magic-Items), never getting to use Nightsticks or metamagic rods or a strand of prayer beads, or any other cool items for that matter. Granted the Travel domain makes up for a lot of those necessary magic items you'll be missing out on that the Cleric spell list won't normally give you. The build works, but any loss of spellcasting is generally not worth it.

For spells, just go with the recommendations on the standard Cleric hand book that starts on page 1 of that guide I linked. The build itself looks like someone set out to make a VoP Warforged Cleric and that's what they came up with. It's not exactly bad, especially for a VoP build, but it's not exactly good for a Cleric build.

[Wonton64]

Looks like you found "The Healing Machine"

That was where I found it. Thanks for the reply! I'm really into the idea of building a warforged cleric, but I hate to give up cool magic items and stuff.

[sleepyphoenixx]

That was where I found it. Thanks for the reply! I'm really into the idea of building a warforged cleric, but I hate to give up cool magic items and stuff.

You don't have to take Vow of Poverty just because you follow the rest of the build.
The loss of casting progression stings but it's still very playable at all but the most optimized tables.
And you get a nice collection of resistances and immunities which do remove some of the need for gear.

Also the Landforged Walker's Plant Shape is very good if you have access to non-core books for forms (especially Fiend Folio).

You're basically a cleric/druid hybrid with slightly delayed casting, so your spell selection would mostly be the same as a normal cleric perhaps with a slight bend towards a gish-like style of buffing and meleeing. You do save on spells for healing because both Landforged Walker and Celestial Mystic get abilities for that.
I'm not sure what spells Celestial Mystic lets you cast aside from Shield of the Archons which is pretty damn good (though there are ways for pure cleric builds to fulfill the requirements, so it's not unique).

[Rebel7284]

I question the utility of celestial mystic in that build. Most of the immunities you get overlap with your race. The damage reduction overlaps, but does not stack with what you get out of Landforged Walker. SR doesn't scale, and can be a detriment if there are other casters in your party. Immunity to death effects is nice, but can be replicated by items and spells. I believe Holy Transformation, Lesser lets you cast those archon spells.

[Wonton64]

Do you have a recommendation for a replacement for Celestial Mystic?

[Biffoniacus_Furiou]

Do you have a recommendation for a replacement for Celestial Mystic?

Contemplative in Complete Divine is a superb choice for finishing out any Cleric build.

[Maat Mons]

I think the appeal of a Vow of Poverty build is that your stuff can't be taken from you. That same effect can be achieved by other means though.

Landforged Walker 1 removes the need for a divine focus. But the Worldly Focus feat (Faiths of Eberron, p148) does the same thing. Alternately, your DM might allow you to have the Sanctified modification (Dungeonscape, p34) applied to your Composite Plating.

Landforged Walker 5 gives immunity to Polymorph. This one's expensive to duplicate. But if you really want it, you can have the Proof Against Transmutation ability added to your Composite Plating. Actually, Proof Against Transmutation is a much broader ability.

Celestial Mystic 1 gives you (and allies within 30 feet) immunity to charm, compulsion, and possession. If you're Lawful, the Church Inquisitor prestige class (Complete Divine, p26) gives all those same immunities. If you're Evil, the Deformity (Madness) feat (Elder Evils, p13) gives immunity to all mind-affecting effects.

Celestial Mystic 3 gives immunity to death effects. Biffoniacus_Furiou already linked the Lists of Necessary Magic Items. But the one of those that can never be taken away from you is the Soulfire ability, if added to your Composite Plating.

[Biffoniacus_Furiou]

If you’re looking to build a warforged cleric in general, you won’t find many specific builds because there aren’t really any prestige classes, feats, or spells that are exclusive to warforged that can benefit a cleric. Just go with any cleric build that doesn’t include anything exclusive to another race.

Cloistered Cleric 5/ Divine Oracle 4/ Sacred Exorcist 1/ Contemplative 10 takes zero feats (skill focus can be gained via the Frog God’s Fane in CS) and works with any race. Trade your cleric turn undead for rebuke dragons, which can still power divine feats, you’ll get turn undead from sacred exorcist for double the number of turn/rebuke uses. Take divine metamagic: persistent and buff yourself and your party every day.