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metalbear
2008-02-06, 03:59 AM
I currently play with several people with aspirations to be powergamers, and as the party cleric I don't want to be left in the dust as the party's "healbot". Any suggestions on how to make my cleric a more effective character would be great.

Talic
2008-02-06, 04:34 AM
I currently play with several people with aspirations to be powergamers, and as the party cleric I don't want to be left in the dust as the party's "healbot". Any suggestions on how to make my cleric a more effective character would be great.

Take the Undeath and Planning Domains, for one. Follow up at level 1, as a human, with Persistant spell and DMM: Persistant spell.

From there, at level 3, grab Craft Wondrous Item, and begin crafting Nightsticks (Libris Mortis). Proceed to lay several good buffs on yourself, using DMM to fuel the cost. You can instead pick up Quicken Spell and DMM Quicken too. That'll go for the more blasty cleric route, as you can now effectively cast 2 spells a round, or 1 spell with a full attack.

By level 15, assuming you take power attack, you can have both, allowing you to quicken a spell when you need it, AND full attack.

If your DM allows Flaws (Unearthed Arcana), consider taking 2 flaws to get Extra Turning, or more combat feats, or whatever.

Prince Gimli
2008-02-06, 05:23 AM
No sane DM will (or should at any rate :smallwink:) allow nightsticks and persistent spell to be on the same character sheet :). I know I wouldn't and I know several people who wouldn't either anyway.

If your party is non evil the Radiant servant of Pelor (Complete Divine) is very powerful both in healing and versus undead. For more healing consider the Augment healing feat from Complete Divine. Feats like Quicken turning, Improved turning and such make you very effective against undead. Augment healing and the radiant servant increases also increase the damage you can deal to undead with spells from the healing domain.

In terms of melee combat, the 4th level Phb spell Divine power increases the caster's base attack bonus to equal his level, gives 1 temporary hp/caster level and a +6 enhancement bonus to strength for 1 round/clvl. That and some other buffs reduce the fighter to the loser who carries the cleric's weapons :smalltongue:

Talic
2008-02-06, 05:37 AM
No sane DM will (or should at any rate :smallwink:) allow nightsticks and persistent spell to be on the same character sheet :). I know I wouldn't and I know several people who wouldn't either anyway.

If your party is non evil the Radiant servant of Pelor (Complete Divine) is very powerful both in healing and versus undead. For more healing consider the Augment healing feat from Complete Divine. Feats like Quicken turning, Improved turning and such make you very effective against undead. Augment healing and the radiant servant increases also increase the damage you can deal to undead with spells from the healing domain.

In terms of melee combat, the 4th level Phb spell Divine power increases the caster's base attack bonus to equal his level, gives 1 temporary hp/caster level and a +6 enhancement bonus to strength for 1 round/clvl. That and some other buffs reduce the fighter to the loser who carries the cleric's weapons :smalltongue:

Meh, I'd allow up to 2 nightsticks, personally. That said, the Flaws can be used for extra turning feats.
But, without:

Level 1: Extend Spell (domain), Extra Turning (domain), Persist, DMM Persist (Human), Extra Turning (Flaw), Extra Turning (Flaw).
Level 3: Power Attack
Level 6: Extra Turning

At level 7, you have a whopping 4 extra turning feats, for 16 extra turn attempts. This allows for at least 3 spells a day on persist. Without Nightsticks. Quicken is even easier.

Using War and undeath.
Level 1: Extra Turning (domain), Weapon Focus (domain), Quicken Spell, Extra Turning (human), Extra Turning (flaw), Extra Turning (flaw).
Level 3: Extra Turning
Level 6: Extra Turning

Now you have SIX extra turning, without nightstick, allowing for at least 6 quickened spells per day. Clerics can do some good things with double spells for 6 rounds a day.

Edit: I know there's better domains out there than war, but I'm too lazy to look them up.

daggaz
2008-02-06, 05:39 AM
How powergamey are your fellow players? If people are doing things like shocktrooper/leapattack/etc.. barbarian and similiar powerbuilds, then you should definitely ask your DM about divine metamagic (DMM) and divine persisting your buff spells.

If you are playing with more down to earth folks, then straight cleric is more than enough to pull codzilla lite.

First, get a twohanded weapon.

War domain is good for this (need a god who favors a 2hander and you pick up free proficiency and weapon focus which is nice at the low levels) and you will pick up some of your best buff spells as well for your domain slots. While this goes against "contemporary wisdom" that your domain spells should be nonclerical spells, I find that having an extra righteous might/divine power/divine favor around is really nice. You can either have multiple shots at casting these spells, or you can save normal slots for more utility spells, increasing your reactivity to situations.

You want the 2hander because codzilla is a melee build, and melee NEEDS 2-handed power attack for optimal damage output. Also, lots of DMs tend to forget, but casting with a sword and shield in hand is impossible... you gotta constantly sheath your weapon. Its no problem with a 2hander (you can release the weapon with one hand as a free action and regrip as a free action, freeing up that hand for somatic components).

Next you will be wanting to take power attack, and fast. That's your most important feat. Take it at lvl one even if you cant use it at first, if you must.

Next step is your AC. Grab some fullplate (of course), make sure you have a 12 dex so you nab that one point of dex bonus ac. Dwarf is a good race for this, cuz you dont care about encumbarance and you are at 20 move anyhow.. Not to mention dwarves have more freaking racial bonuses than anybody, and good ones at that. But dwarf isnt necessary.

Start packing on more AC whereever you can find it.. prot. from good/evil (circle of protection is a GREAT spell), shield from the party mage, shield of faith, natural armor bonus if you can find it..

Make sure you have a decent strength, buff up, maybe get enlarged by the wizard (or with str domain, tho I'd rather have travel or magic myself), and start having fun. Once you hit 9th lvl you will be wrecking combat at least once a day. You should take quicken at 9th or 12 tho, btw. Righteous might followed up with quickened divine favor + divine power FTW.