PDA

View Full Version : Blasty / Elemental Controller Cleric Concept: any suggestions for flavor?



jameswilliamogle
2007-11-16, 10:11 AM
I'm in an AoW game, and inevitably will die soon. Heres a Cleric concept I've been trying to work out for a generic, non-specific campaign setting; if anyone has any suggestions, please feel free to add!

Cloistered Cleric [Fire, Air, Knowledge]
Domain Spontaneity Alt class feature: Fire
Pool Healing Alt class feature (-1 4th level slot)

Str 10, Dex 8, Con 14, Int 8, Wis 16, Cha 16 (28 pb)

1 Augment Healing*, Spontaneous Healing*
3 Fiery Burst
6 Touch of Healing*
9 Extra Turning
12 Empowered Turning
15 Searing Spell
18 Quicken Turning
* I consider these optional, but am not sure what to replace that would be worth a similar value.

Despite having to prep cure spells, Augment Healing and Pool of Healing help out there. Between Fire and Air domains, can control / rebuke anything w/ an elemental descriptor (besides [Cold]-creatures). The idea was to search for some such creatures, and have a small cadre of Mephits or some-such at the middle levels to help shore-up combat. Fiery Burst was taken for the CL bump, mainly, but the tons of [Fire] spells available should make it decent damage, regardless. Searing Spell is to get past fire-resistant critters (and should combine nicely w/ Spontaneous Domain: Fire).

I'm envisioning him as an (obvious) pyromaniac, possibly acting a little schizo while I'm at it. Are there any feats or items that could help this idea out that I missed? Should I drop the Cloistered Cleric in favor of a standard Cleric? What PrCs would help this out (I've considered Elemental Savant, but the 2 CL and turning losses really are detouring me). Has anyone tried a similar idea out?

Keld Denar
2007-11-16, 10:47 AM
If you can fit it in, Divine Metamagic could be your friend. Quicken, Empower, Maximize, Twin, and Energy Admixture are all potential choices. Its like having the Sudden Metamagic feats, except often more than once a day.

Divine Spell Power is good if you have the cha/gear for it. If you can automake at least a +0 CL, then you have nothing to lose, and can get up to a +4 CL bump on any nukes you toss out that aren't already capped.

jameswilliamogle
2007-11-16, 11:19 AM
If you can fit it in, Divine Metamagic could be your friend. Quicken, Empower, Maximize, Twin, and Energy Admixture are all potential choices. Its like having the Sudden Metamagic feats, except often more than once a day.heck no. I actually like my DM.


Divine Spell Power is good if you have the cha/gear for it. If you can automake at least a +0 CL, then you have nothing to lose, and can get up to a +4 CL bump on any nukes you toss out that aren't already capped.This is more reasonable, though. Can I use some of me elemental turning attempts to power it? It would seem reasonable, from a flavor-sense.

Quietus
2007-11-16, 11:35 AM
heck no. I actually like my DM.

This is more reasonable, though. Can I use some of me elemental turning attempts to power it? It would seem reasonable, from a flavor-sense.

Divine metamagic, on its own, isn't necessarily broken. Being able to burn three turn attempts to quicken one spell isn't going to make the world explode; It's just Divine Persist that becomes a problem, due to the huge level increase being mitigated, and the round/level duration, which is meant to be a balancing factor, becoming 24 hours.

Keld Denar
2007-11-16, 11:36 AM
heck no. I actually like my DM.

This is more reasonable, though. Can I use some of me elemental turning attempts to power it? It would seem reasonable, from a flavor-sense.


Divine Metamagic is often slandered as TEH BROKEN!!!!1!!one!!!eleven!!

If you compare it in power to....say sudden metamagic spells, its not that bad as long as you follow the cardinal rules...don't allow persistant DMM, and don't allow nightsticks.

In analysis, a cleric with a 16 cha has 6 turn attempts a day. DMM requires 1 turn attempt + 1 turn attempt per level bump. So this cleric can use DMM (Empower) to empower 2 spells per day, at a cost of all of their turn attempts. This requires 2 feats (Empower, and DMM(Empower)) to pull off, 2 feats which could have been spent on Sudden Empower Metamagic twice, for almost the same result. With quicken, maximize, twin, or energy admix, the cleric would only be able to perform this ability once, unless he/she took Extra Turning, which would not be spending 3 feats to gain the benefit of 2. DMM is only abuseable with an arbitrary number of turn attempts available per day, such as is possible with a backpack filled with Nightsticks.

As for using turn/rebuke attempts from elemental domains, I believe per RAW this is a no-no. Most divine feats specify that it has to be a turn/rebuke undead attempt. Since the elemental domains give you an extra pool of turn/rebuke (flavor) outsider attempts, they could not be used to fuel divine feats. Unless your DM says they do.

Keld Denar
2007-11-16, 11:38 AM
Being able to burn three turn attempts to quicken one spell

Its actually 5 turn attempts to quicken a spell. 1 to start the DMM, and 4 to cover the +4 spell level adjuster of quicken.

jameswilliamogle
2007-11-16, 11:50 AM
Thanks for the commentary on the divine metamagic, but I still won't take it. I want to be able to play the character to the best of his abilities; if I don't take divine metamagic, I won't be tempted. Anything that lowers metamagic costs is subject to abuse. I won't do it.

Improved Turning was supposed to be Empower Turning: oops! I could take out Domain Spontaneity in favor of Divine Spell Power, though. Seems ok... Domain Spontaneity was just in there for some flavor options, and some diversity (but, I realize, I could just keep those in my domain slots, no biggie).

Any other suggestions? Not only feat/build-wise, but also items, or character development?

Keld Denar
2007-11-16, 12:13 PM
Domain Spontaneity was just in there for some flavor options, and some diversity (but, I realize, I could just keep those in my domain slots, no biggie).

Domain Spontaneity is actually pretty vital for you. Since most of your blasty type spells come from the fire domain, you are gonna want more than the 3-4 you have prepped in your domain slots.

Watch your swift actions though, DSP is a swift action to activate, and if I remember correctly, so is Domain Spontaneity. Therefore, you can't DSP to crack up the CL for a DSpont Fireball for example. DSpont also burns a turn attempt, so remember to keep track (buttons or marbles work really well, as long as there are no dire kittens of legend around).

You CAN apply metamagic to DSpont spells on the fly though. You could drop a 5th level spell to cast an Empowered Fireball as a full round action, same as a Sorcerer. You need to have the metamagic feats though, and I don't see any in your build.

And I still don't see why you are so afraid of DMM even after seeing the evidence. Its actually inferior to taking Sudden Metamagic feats, which according to TLN's guide, are thought of as pretty weak. The most damning thing about DMM is the fact that you have to take it multiple times, each time applying it to a metamagic feat you have. You also have to HAVE the feat in question to DMM in the first place. If you think that's broken, stay away from metamagic rods. Those suckers are crazy overpowered by your reckoning.

Dode
2007-11-16, 12:25 PM
DMM: Blistering Spell then?

Hard to abuse that, eh?

Keld Denar
2007-11-16, 12:39 PM
DMM: Blistering Spell then?

Hard to abuse that, eh?

Not familiar with Blistering Spell, care to elaborate rather than quip cryptically?

codexgigas
2007-11-16, 12:49 PM
Either Contemplative or Sacred Exorcist (both CD) would be solid PrC options. Neither have feat requirements, so they're easy to work into your build. Sacred Exorcist will advance turn undead, which I assume will advance your elemental turning as well (I've never played with anyone who played a cleric with an elemental domain, so I've never payed attention to how the mechanics work), so that might be the better choice of the two, especially sense you already have access to more domains than an average cleric.

jameswilliamogle
2007-11-16, 12:50 PM
Searing Spell is a good idea; I'll try to make room.

I'm done talking about Divine Metamagic, though. Not on this character.

I'm taking the Spontaneous Domain variant (PHB2) for Fire and the Domain Spontaneity feat (CD) for Air. I'll still be able to prep my domain slots w/ the Air domain spells, though, so even though I will have less flexibility, I will still have the spells available (by not taking Domain Spontaneity feat).

Sacred Exorcist isn't a bad idea; not sure what alignment I'll be, but it does give me some more options. I don't want to lose turning advancement, so no Contemplative.

edit: I'm assuming you meant Searing Spell: +1 level metamagic, ignores fire resistance, deals 1/2 to fire immune, and X2 to cold (and is awesome coupled w/ a spontaneous caster).

Blistering Spell: +1 level metamagic, +2 damage per spell level, -2 to attacks if enemy fails save for 1 turn.

jameswilliamogle
2007-11-17, 03:06 PM
bump for attention.

any RP advice?

VerdugoExplode
2007-11-17, 03:13 PM
3 words
"Burn the Heretics!"
in 4 words
"Nobody expects the inquisition!"

jameswilliamogle
2007-11-17, 03:37 PM
3 words
"Burn the Heretics!"
in 4 words
"Nobody expects the inquisition!"LOL! That's great! Exactly the kind of thing I'm looking for!