Cleric into War Weaver

[claypigeons]

WAR weaver requires, among other things 3rd level arcane spells for entry.

The main ability, Eldritch Tapestry, does not state that only arcane spells can be applied.

Perhaps my reading comprehension is bad at 5am after getting no sleep in a couple days...

But is there any reason a cleric couldn't enter War Weaver using a feat like Alternate Spell Source?

[Saintheart]

Any cleric with the Spell domain, i.e. Mystra, could enter without Alternate Source Spell shenanigans by RAW.

However, whether you have an arcane ability spellcasting score by RAW is entirely open to debate, and is an essential for Eldritch Tapestry.

[NotASpiderSwarm]

Anyspell seems to say that Wisdom is your arcane casting stat, but I agree it doesn’t actually spell it out(also, requires you be lvl 11). Alternate Spell Source actually looks more reliable.

[Zombimode]

Any cleric with the Spell domain, i.e. Mystra, could enter without Alternate Source Spell shenanigans by RAW.

How?

War Weaver needs arcane spellcasting. There is nothing in the text of the Spell Domain (Spell Compendium p. 280) that indicates it would turn a cleric into an arcane caster.

[NotASpiderSwarm]

How?

War Weaver needs arcane spellcasting. There is nothing in the text of the Spell Domain (Spell Compendium p. 280) that indicates it would turn a cleric into an arcane caster.

Greater Anyspell. Let’s you cast an Arcane spell of 5th level as a Wizard.

[Zombimode]

Ah, I see. Yeah that should work.

A one-level dip seems useful to get Eldritch Tapestry.

[Thurbane]

Southern Magician (RoF) is another feat option.

[Hiro Quester]

It's pretty clear that War Weaver is RAW supposed to be an arcane caster:


By weaving together strands of pure arcane power, the war weaver becomes a force to be reckoned with on the battlefield.

When you weave an eldritch tapestry, you can connect a number of allies equal to your bonus in your arcane spellcasting ability score (Intelligence for wizards, Charisma for sorcerers and bards)

At each level other than 1st level, you gain new spells per day (and spells known, if applicable) and an increase in caster level as if you had also gained a level in an arcane spellcasting class to which you belonged before adding the prestige class level.

A War Weaver dip on a cleric is okay. But War weaver is worth the full 5 levels as a PrC, for the ability to cast any spell up to 5th level into the tapestry and release up to 5 of them as a move action to your party.

But for that, you need an arcane casting class to progress.

However, there are a couple of arcane casting classes that a Cleric could PrC into.

Having Cleric of Mystra and an arcane casting PrC and then war Weaver on top enables you to satisfy all prerequisites for WW, while having some great low-level (cleric) spells to cast into your tapestry as group buffs, while also progressing arcane casting to higher levels.

Best of both worlds. Fully buff your party with several level 1-5 cleric spells as a move action, then destroy the enemy with your arcane casting, without having to spend many turns buffing your party members.

A Cleric (with initiate of Mystra) 9/Bard1 could then PrC into Sublime chord (you'd need Listen and Perform as in class skills). Then Anyspell grants you the requisite 3rd level spell that's a second level arcane spell. And you have Sublime Chord's arcane casting to progress with WW (and another PrC like Abjurant Champion) to 9th level spells from the Bard and Wizard/Sorcerer lists.

Another arcane PrC option for a Cleric (initiate of Mystra) to take, and for WW to progress casting, is Nar Demonbinder (UE p.25). It requires (among other things) the ability to cast 4th level divine or arcane spells, but then has its own arcane casting, starting with 4th level spells and progressing to 8th level, that WW can progress. The spells are limited, but useful in particular circumstances.

[Rebel7284]

Warmage or Beguiler or Dread Necro -> Rainbow Servant 10 -> War Weaver would work for this, but would be pretty late.

[Goaty14]

Irrelevant to the current topic, but it's notable that you're still limited to the spell's range when casting it through the weave or releasing it via Quiescent Weaving - so if your favorite buff or healing spells (should you choose to go that route) are Range: Touch, and the party doesn't agree to encircle you at all times (or even stay within 5' at the start of an encounter), you'll find that the ability might not be as awesome in play as it is on paper.

[Hiro Quester]

Irrelevant to the current topic, but it's notable that you're still limited to the spell's range when casting it through the weave or releasing it via Quiescent Weaving - so if your favorite buff or healing spells (should you choose to go that route) are Range: Touch, and the party doesn't agree to encircle you at all times (or even stay within 5' at the start of an encounter), you'll find that the ability might not be as awesome in play as it is on paper.

You just have to make a move action to release the weave that also involves high-fiving all the other party members. This is why getting to War Weaver 5 (rather than just a dip) is useful; you no longer have to be in touch range to release those buffs.