Cleric Help

[Isufwrahi]

I have been thinking of making an evil cleric for my next campaign and have been having a bit of trouble picking my domains. I don't want to be a necromancer type cleric, controlling hordes of undead. I want a a mix between spellcaster and melee.

I was looking through the list and came across two that I though looked pretty cool, Mysticism(Evil) and Destruction. I like the pure damage dealing power of destruction, and I like the physical buffs of mysticism.

First of all, would this be a good combination for a more damage based cleric. Also, I have been looking at maybe picking up Blackgaurd as my prestige class eventually. Would these domains and the prestige class work well together?

Any help would be greatly appreciated, thanks in advance.

[Bears With Lasers]

Clerics are already a mix between spellcasting and melee. The Destruction domain is pretty mediocre--forget about damage spells; they're a terrible option.

All you really need to do is snag Quicken Spell at 9th and take the first round of combat to buff.

Levels 1-2: Bless
Levels 3-6: Divine Favor (+2 and then +3 AB/damage)
Levels 7-8: Divine Power (full BAB, +6 enhancement bonus to STR)
Levels 9-15: Divine Power + Quickened Divine Favor, Righteous Might if you have a second round.
Levels 15-20: Quickened Divine Power + Righteous Might, Quickened Divine Favor the next round.

You close with the enemy on that first round, so all you really lose is one attack.

Never take Blackguard with a cleric--you lose cleric spellcasting. Just stay a regular cleric. Pick up the War domain with a deity that has the greatsword or something as a favored weapon, or spend a feat on EWP(Spiked Chain) or Martial Weapon Prof. (Guisarme). If you can afford the INT, take Expertise/Improved Trip.

[Isufwrahi]

Ok, thanks for the advide, but what about the mysticism(evil) domain. I mean, it looks pretty awsome, but is it any good. I normallyu play a sorc, and our cleric usually goes healer/support, so I'm not all that familiar with them.

[Bears With Lasers]

Travel, Magic, and Spell are the typical powerful choices. Mysticism isn't bad, especially if you keep a high Charisma, since Visage of the Deity boosts that (charisma is useful to give more turning attempts, which power feats like Divine Might and Divine Shield).

Being evil will be a pain in that you can't spontaneously cast cure spells--keep wands of cure light around for after fights and memorize Heal once you get it.

[Isufwrahi]

Ok, thanks again for the advice. I'll take your advice into account when I make my cleric.

[Ikkitosen]

I'm currently playing a cleric / seeker of the misty isle. I took a Weather domain (non-core) that gave survival as a class skill to meet the requirements. I took Weather and War and will get Travel and Magic later. I also now get 6 skill points and all martial weapons. Used as a 9-level PrC you only lose 1 caster level for a million skills and points, 2 extra domains and a few extra powers/abilities.

Aaaaanyhow, with Zen Archery I'm a decent shot despite dumped dex. With Reach Spell I can heal and harm at range instead of touch, and hit thanks to Zen. I took Track for flavour, and Extend Spell for buffing goodness. I love this character.

[CuthroatMcGee]

For an evil cleric character like you want I'd say give him domains of Strength (my favorite domain) and Magic, and maybe give him a level or two in sorcerer so the Magic's levels can stack up nicely. Make him worship Vecna and Kas together, somehow, so he can get both domains.

[Bears With Lasers]

maybe give him a level or two in sorcerer so the Magic's levels can stack up nicely

Okay, kids. Why is this a bad idea? First one to get it right gets a cookie.

[Amotis]

Okay, kids. Why is this a bad idea? First one to get it right gets a cookie.

His outfit will clash?

[Divides]

Okay, kids. Why is this a bad idea? First one to get it right gets a cookie.

Well, I'm not sure it's what you had in mind, but I do recall there being a good rule of thumb "never multi-class spellcasting classes unless it's necessary to take a worthwhile prestige class." Quite simply, caster level improves in too many ways, all of which compliment eachother, with level (effective caster level, spells per day, and highest level spell available).

[Raum]

No, no! It's because fighters are better!

<runs and hides>

[rawling]

Being evil will be a pain in that you can't spontaneously cast cure spells--keep wands of cure light around for after fights and memorize Heal once you get it.

Ehm, this may be a stupid question, but I don't fully understand what you mean by memorizing a spell in this context. Honest, not a clue.

[Bears With Lasers]

Well, I'm not sure it's what you had in mind, but I do recall there being a good rule of thumb "never multi-class spellcasting classes unless it's necessary to take a worthwhile prestige class." Quite simply, caster level improves in too many ways, all of which compliment eachother, with level (effective caster level, spells per day, and highest level spell available).

Half a cookie is yours.

The other half is the fact that sorcerer levels don't stack with the magic domain's power.
Edit: by "memorize" I mean "prepare". Keep it in a spell slot.

[Divides]

Ehm, this may be a stupid question, but I don't fully understand what you mean by memorizing a spell in this context. Honest, not a clue.

Memorize = prepare. As in use a spell slot so you can cast it later. You know, what wizards, as well as almost all divine casters, do?


[EDIT ADDED]

Half a cookie is yours.


The other half is the fact that sorcerer levels don't stack with the magic domain's power.

RIGHT!

Thanks, I never would have caught that one... which, in hindsight, brings me no end of shame XD.

*Walks off to eat his half cookie.*

[rawling]

Okay, okay :p I thought he meant something stronger than just preparing, that I'd missed. Like something to let you spontaneously cast it.

[Divides]

Okay, okay :p I thought he meant something stronger than just preparing, that I'd missed. Like something to let you spontaneously cast it.

Yeah... I know what you mean. I'm not quite sure WHY TSR decided to call it "memorization," and just as clueless as to why WotC decided to keep it :-p.

[Bears With Lasers]

Because originally, spellcasters would memorize the words of the spell, and they would be wiped from their minds upon casting.
Yes, that's retarded. It's how it was. They changed it.

[Mauril Everleaf]

My guess is that bc the character has to remember the verbal and somatic components of his/her spells, like an actor memorizing a script. I'm not saying that it's the best word for it, but just tossing out why it may have been used.

[Divides]

My guess is that bc the character has to remember the verbal and somatic components of his/her spells, like an actor memorizing a script. I'm not saying that it's the best word for it, but just tossing out why it may have been used.

Yes, but as was pointed out, the stupidity was in why the hell they decided to have you memorize it, and then have the spell wipe itself from your mind.

It's about one step away from having something like: "Wow, good timing with that fireball, Mialee!" "Wait, fire-WHAT?!?"

[Mauril Everleaf]

I didn't say it was good, just gave a reason.

[Divides]

I didn't say it was good, just gave a reason.

Fair enough.

[Aximili]

The complete mage has a sidebar of a wizard describing what is it like to prepare a spell.

And I know that it's not about memorizing and forgetting (despite the term they use). When the wizard prepares the spell he is actually casting it up to 98%. The last 2% (the standard action) he waits until an oportune moment to cast. And than the spell is complete. So he doesn't memorize, he only previosly casts them, and then he trigers their effect. He still remebers the material, somatic, and verbal components of his spells, but he needs his spellbook to recast those 98% that happen to be much more complex.

I know for sure that read this in some sourcebook.

[Divides]

The complete mage has a sidebar of a wizard describing what is it like to prepare a spell.

And I know that it's not about memorizing and forgetting (despite the term they use). When the wizard prepares the spell he is actually casting it up to 98%. The last 2% (the standard action) he waits until an oportune moment to cast. And than the spell is complete. So he doesn't memorize, he only previosly casts them, and then he trigers their effect. He still remebers the material, somatic, and verbal components of his spells, but he needs his spellbook to recast those 98% that happen to be much more complex.

I know for sure that read this in some sourcebook.

Yes, that was the other half of my point... the term is outdated.

It was back in first and second that memorizing spells was ment literally... and, simply put, it was one of the most convoluted ideas ever :-p.

[Aximili]

Yes, that was the other half of my point... the term is outdated.

It was back in first and second that memorizing spells was ment literally... and, simply put, it was one of the most convoluted ideas ever :-p.

You're right! Wizards are outdated and convoluted, let's take them out completely!

[Scorpina]

...if you want logic in your spellcasting you're better off using the spell point variant.

...or, y'know, you could accept that magic is illogical...

...or use psionics...