14500 gp to spend

[calighis]

Although it involved smuggling illegal herbal goods to the Dwarven kingdom, My 5th level Cleric with no magic items is in a metropolis where anything and everything can be purchased.
So what should I buy being that I posses no magic weapons or armor of any sort or potions scrolls etc...
what is the biggest bang for my buck to maximize my purchases in these areas..
utility
defense
offense

 

[StreamOfTheSky]

Periapt of Wisdom +2 (4000)
Amulet of Retributive Healing (2000, only if you're using MIC rules and can stack the wisdom bonus on it for no extra cost)
+1 armor (1150 +armor cost)
+1 shield (1150 +shield cost)
+1 weapon (2300 +weapon cost)
Vest of Resistance +1 (1000)
Scrolls of Protection from Evil (25 each, cheap way to block compulsion effects)
Wand of Lesser Vigor (750) or, if your group or most of it follows the same god...
Wand of Faith Healing (750)

Might want to splurge on a scroll of Revivify, it's pricy, though. (Almost as good as true ressurection, level 5, only works on those that died within one round)
If you're willing to spend for the future and are using a weapon with a die type that would benefit a lot from a size increase (ex: dwarven waraxe would go from d10 to 2d8), might want to get strongarm bracers and a large weapon. The bracers are 6k, and the base cost for a large weapon is double (can reach 200+), so you won't get as many nice toys. But in the long run, you'll be better off.

Fill up anything missing with Pearl of Power, Ring of Protection, and low level scrolls.

I know my list isn't very fun or exotic, but it's practical.

If your reflex save is REALLY bad (common for clerics), you can get a Novice Diamond Mind Ring. It lets you use a DM maneuver once/encounter, in this case you'd want Action Before Thought. It lets you use a concentration check as a reflex save (immediate action). You don't meet the level requirement to use it till level 6, though. Costs 3000 gp, from Tome of Battle.

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

IMHO, one of the best bang-for-the-buck magic items is the Quiver of Ehlonna (a.k.a Efficient Quiver in the SRD). At under $1800, its one of the cheapest magic items out there that gives a PC access to extra dimensional space, and thus, carrying capacity.

Depending upon your PC's exact build and the party's makeup, that space could be immensely useful.

For example, one dex-based Monk I ran got one as his first magic item. He loaded it up with Xbow bolts and javelins and played "mobile artillery" for a while. Over time, things like Rods and other items got stashed in there as well.

An Amulet of Natural Armor gives you +1NAC for $2K.

At $4K, you could purchase Gauntlets of Ogre Power (for an offensive minded PC) or Gauntlets of Dexterity (for someone who needs a dex boost).

The Metamagic Rods are tasty- a Lesser Metamagic Rod of Empower is $9k, but 3 times/day you get a 50% boost to one of your 3rd level (or lower) spells. Lesser Rods of Extend or Enlarge could also be valuable at $3K each, depending upon your spell selection.

Immovable Rods at $5k have a variety of uses, but you'd probably want more than you could afford.

 

[irdeggman]

Don't get a variable rate mortgage ; )

 

[Allegro]

Since you want to emphasize utility, I recommend focusing on spells. I’d buy:
Periapt of Wisdom 4000
2 Pearl of Power Lvl 1 2000
1 Pearl of Power Lvl 2 4000
Lesser metamagic rod extend 3000
Wand of cure light wounds 750

I find the pearls to be the most utilitarian because you get to recast a spell you already found useful during the day. For example if hide from undead was useful once, it is likely to be useful again.

 

[green slime]

I agree with the previous posters on this thread.

That is, you can't go too far wrong in buyng a collection of cheap low level abilities.

My choice would be:

Periapt of Wisdom +2 (4000)
+1 armor (1150 +armor cost)
+1 shield (1150 +shield cost)
+1 weapon (2300 +weapon cost)
Vest of Resistance +1 (1000)
1 Pearl of Power Lvl 1 1000
Lesser metamagic rod extend 3000
Some non-offensive scrolls

Money for Wands of Cure X should come from a common pool, IMO. Not specifically from the poor cleric's streched budget.

 

[washout]

I would totally get just items that made me better in melee as a cleric. So either gauntlets of ogre power or gloves of dexterity and then a +1 weapon of shock, flame, or frost. For the rest of the stuff +1 armor +1 shield and then a ring of protection and an amulet of natural armor. Left over small change would be potions of fly or other miscellaneous potions. I don't think the quiver of elhonia would be all that useful for a cleric, unless your an elf.

I can't remember what feat granting items cost however. But if you like bows I'd look into making a headband or somehting that granted zen archery. I'd rule in the 4,000-8,000 range as a DM.

 

[Elder-Basilisk]

The big question is: what kind of a cleric are you?

If you're focused on offensive spellcasting and healing in that order:

Periapt of Wisdom +2 (4,000)
Lesser rod of extend spell (3000--great for summon moster, swift march, mass conviction, spiritual weapon, magic circle vs. evil, and later on good for magic vestment)
Pearl of Power 1 x4 (4000)
+1 vest of resistance (1000--though it wouldn't hurt too much to get a cloak)
(If allowed) least augment crystals of energy resistance for your armor and buckler (500 ea)
Some healing or spell augmenting items from the MIC--which I don't have handy right now. Armbands of Maximize Healing, Sash of the Healer, or even armbands of elusive action (a nice way to avoid an AoO).

Buff and bash
+2 periapt of wisdom (4000)
+1 vest of resistance (1000)
+1 armor (1000)
+1 weapon and a weapon augment crystal of energy assault--or just buy a +1 frost/flaming/shock weapon if that isn't available (8300)
scrolls

Healing and buffing
+2 periapt of wisdom (4000)
+2 vest of resistance (4000)
lesser rod of extend spell (3000)
pearl of power 1 x3 (1000x3)
least armor augment crystal of energy resistance (500)

Only for the buff and bash cleric do I actually recommend magic armor. One point of AC difference probably isn't as important as another pearl of power 1 unless you are on the front lines by intention.

I highly recommend the armor and weapon augment crystals. In fact, I think they're generally broken and wouldn't allow them in my games. So, if your DM does, take them.

Although it involved smuggling illegal herbal goods to the Dwarven kingdom, My 5th level Cleric with no magic items is in a metropolis where anything and everything can be purchased.
So what should I buy being that I posses no magic weapons or armor of any sort or potions scrolls etc...
what is the biggest bang for my buck to maximize my purchases in these areas..
utility
defense
offense

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

I don't think the quiver of elhonia would be all that useful for a cleric, unless your an elf.

That's what a lot of people think...but reread the item's text. It stores things shaped and sized like arrows, bolts, javelins or bows. It mentions that things like staves, spears and other objects may be placed in such spaces as well...

So if your party starts collecting or making rods, staves and wands, the Quiver is the perfect place to store them. Ditto small scroll cases, ye olde adventurers's probing tool, a balance rod, blowguns, breathing tubes, a flute, crowbars, smokesticks, a sealed tube of marbles or caltrops, etc.

A Small sized PC could probably place the tent-poles for a small sized tent in one, along with the rolled up fabric.

 

[calighis]

Ok so as i see it these are my options...
Tank crazy;
shocking black dragon horn long spear 9000 (adds one point of acid dmg per hit)
guanlets of ogre str 4000
and with the last 1500 I purchase a Mwk +4 composite.

Now my spear does 1d8+1 +1 (acid) +6 (str or with Bull Str +9) + 1d6
But I drop my shield, and im still stuck in the same horrible armor with just 17ac.
I cant be convinced to wield anything other than a two handed weapon with strength that high so bubye shield.

This woud leave me in pretty lousy shape against a horde of baddies but doing well against a BFM.
This game runs a lot of encounters that go horde and then immediatly afterwards BFM

Alternative Tank build...

I get the long spear death spike (MIC pg 50) for (6304) but with a variation that its made from dragon horn rather than cold iron. no difference in price but it adds one point of energy dmg rather than qualifying as cold iron.
ogre guanlets (4k)
+1 breastplate (1350???? am I missing the 300 in that cost for Mwk?)
armor crystal; restful crystal (500) allows me to sleep in armor.
composite bow +4 (900)(only a +6 bonus on attack roll and probably not hitting anything much)
steadfast boots (1.4k)

I like this tank build a little better because the synergy between death spike and steadfast is good, and while I get less dmg at least my AC is a respectable 20
An steadfast attack from death spike against a charger is likley to trigger its ability and i get some added buff for an hour.

Defense Utility build
+1 Breastplate (1350)
rest crystal (500)
+1 wooden shield (1150)
clasp of energy resistance fire 5 (500 this is actually an energy crystal)
vest of resistance +1 (1k)
bracers of armor +1 (1k)
ring of protection +1 (2k)
amulet of retributive healing (2k)
pearl of power x 2 (2k)
+3 mwk comp long bow (800)
remove fear X 2 (50)
scroll x 2 prot from evil (50)
scroll x 1 lesser restoration (150)
scroll hide from undead x 1 (25)
scroll bull's strength x 2 (300)
tangle patch x 1 (200)
MwK flail (308)
scroll bless x 2 (50)
scroll nimbus of light x 2 (50)
align weapon x 1 (150)
scroll invisibility purge (375)
scroll remove disease (375)
scroll calm emotions x 1 (150)
comprehend languages x 1 (25)
magic weapon x 1 (25)

The 24 AC really makes my cleric able to wade into combat, bolster and heal allies, while being less of a liability in front line melee. The amulet of retributive healing makes him a great front line healer as well.
In addition it maximizes his utility in many different potential situations. The big problem is that he is only getting +3 for Bab and +3 to hit for str making him not so great in melee situations. However... with enough bless and bulls str, magicweapon and brambles, he comes out hitting and doing damage sometimes, but this burns a great deal of spells out and requires time before combat to cast and most encounters wont be like that.
Practical maybe but he's no supersayan.

Also in this scenario the group would buy me a belt of healing.
as well as revivify scrolls.


Sooooo.
which one do I do...