Cleric Help

[jguy]

Hey, I could use a little help. I've been running my cleric mostly as a healbot dude because there are more dedicated fighters in the group, but we've been separated and forced to go solo for awhile. He's a level 9 halfling cleric and I am having difficulty deciding on spells/fighting style. Should I go self-buffing spells or stuff that outright kills things? He isn't very optimized, hence why I could use some help. Thanks in advanced for any advice

[Eldariel]

Pack a buff suite (Divine Power, Divine Favor, perhaps Quickened via. Rod of Lesser Quicken, and perhaps Righteous Might) coupled with some Save-Or-Sucks (everything from Cause Fear to Slay Living) and Wands for curing (along with prepared Heals once you qualify). Cleric is definitely among the best characters to solo with.

[jguy]

Thanks. Most of the time I am simply healing and throwing the occasional spell to hold of a monster and let the others deal with it so soloing with this dude is something I am not used too. Doesn't help he is a small halfling prone to being tied up

[Eldariel]

Thanks. Most of the time I am simply healing and throwing the occasional spell to hold of a monster and let the others deal with it so soloing with this dude is something I am not used too. Doesn't help he is a small halfling prone to being tied up

Halfling is probably better off shooting arrows than meleeing anyways (if you have the Dex). Something to consider anyways; although the given buff suite makes even Str 10 Cleric a very potent melee machine.

[Human Paragon 3]

There's a lot to be said for the Cleric's save-or-die compliment. You have access to 5th level spells. Pack Slay Living for wizard types with poor con saves (and hp), and for the bruser types, you can't go wrong with planeshift. Most big monsters have very poor will saves, making them great candidates for community service in the elemental planes or Limbo.

If you think you're going to be up against mobs instead, Inflict Light Wounds (mass) is a potent spell, able to drop many small enemies at once. Two castings of ILW(M) will probably decimate any force of CR 3 or lower enemies.

Since your party is split you're going to need reinforcements. Why not summon them? If you use your 5th level spells for potent save-or-dies, you can use your 4th level spells to summon Fiendish Dire Wolves or multiple Celestial Bison, who have a lot of HP, boast damage reduction and magic weapons, and can smite evil.

[jguy]

I'll write that down.

Hey, on a side note, my guys poor riding dog was slain recently and couldn't be raised (he was eaten, made me sad. Got revenge. Who knew animated rope could be used in sadistic executions?) and was wondering if you guys had any suggestion for another mount for this guy. I was thinking another riding dog but I am open to new things.

[Eldariel]

There's a bunch of flying mounts available in Monster Manual. Giant Eagle chicks cost 4000gp, Griffon 7000gp, Hippogriff is 3000gp, Giant Owl chick would be 4000gp, Pegasus 3000gp, Spider Eater is 3000gp and that's all for creatures you could purchase in Monster Manual. On those levels, one of those could be much more durable as they have more HP, saves and so on. Griffon would be quite durable at 59 HP (plus any Con-boosters and such you give it) and 7 HD. You could even try to find an advanced Griffon. But on those levels, if your old reliable passed away, I'd try to get a magical beast as a mount, to avoid unnecessary deaths.

[jguy]

Flying mounts are usually a hindrance in the campaigns we run in due to the amount of dungeon crawling, hence why I got a dog first time. I'll spend some time researching mounts

[Darth Stabber]

Hippogriff mounts always the win!!!!!!!

[Eldariel]

Flying mounts are usually a hindrance in the campaigns we run in due to the amount of dungeon crawling, hence why I got a dog first time. I'll spend some time researching mounts

Well, just because they can fly doesn't mean they couldn't just fold their wings and walk.

[jguy]

That is true for a Griffon or Hippogriff but Giant Owls and Eagles would be hampered a lot underground.

[Eldariel]

Get a Griffon or Hippogriff then.

[jguy]

lol, I shall when I am able to.

[Jack_Simth]

What's your build (including items)? Your strategy will vary based on how well you can pull them off - if you've got lots of Strength and Constitution, and decent armor, self-buffing and wading into melee can work well. If you've got a very high Wisdom, save-or-die spells work well (do note that at this level, most of them are Touch, do you still have to get into melee range). If getting into melee range is a bad idea due to survivability issues, you'll want to go the Summoning route.

What's your existing build?

[Ricky S]

Hi

I had a cleric sounds a lot like yours. Basically whenever it came to combat I would just heal others and screw around with random spells like sound burst. When your on your own just prepare a lot of inflict spells to use in combat. You should have a high AC. I had AC 26 at lvl 5 so I was basically the party tank. You can kill almost anything but because you lack the power of a wizrd or fighter it just usually takes a while longer. Just prepare all of you damage spells, dont bother with buffing it does less in the long run and takes up a valuable spell slot. You can just melee if you want to. Although it took me 6 rounds to kill a wolf. Morningstar doing D6 damage each round rolled three 1's a 2 a 4 and a 5. But I killed it. Alternatively a heavy repeating crossbow is a good idea doing 1d10 damage each round or 1d8 in a halflings case. Hope this helps.