A good support healer... but fun...

[LordMonty]

Ok i've always broused your forums over the years and only today in my darkest hour have I turned to you for help(Signed up).

My role play group is big (7+DM) and this is fine, god help us it works! If a little streched leading to combat and puzzle heavy games rather than roleplay. All fine. Getting right to the point the next operation is a puzzle... new campaign and its a mystery...

Rules & Info:
Hard - Needs healer and off healer. (I agreed to off heal it)
Level 5
Level adjustment max +2
Otherwise anything
Oh and gods not too important? Ehhh? so flexible on domains maybe...
More roleplay based than normal 'yay!'

So there you have it... i don't want a druid and was looking at cleric/sorcerer hybrids but found no prestidge I liked(e.g Mystic Theurge in DMG) to work towards or real vision couldn't make it work in my head. Kinda drawn towards Cleric/rogue but torn as the one that caough my eye was iconically 'Eye of Lolth' from the DotU but it'll take a damned few levels to reach due to drow and 5 level requirement. Also will be unable to take the coveted Able Learner-Feat from RoD which i know carries this class combo as a skill beast. So help me as you may...

P.S GM unwisely said any race mods or templates so ofc i was looking at the Feral creature template in Savage Species... also he is counting were creatues (e.g in Races of Faerun) as +1/+2 ignoring HD as he feels they count in form not base... i'm pretty sure he's wrong/insane but he said it was fine... so um yea feel like breaking a campaign step up. Its just too much for my brain better at pure classes(e.g wizard/focused invoked/master specialist) but want to live dangerously!

 

[Dandu]

Use the Cloistered Cleric from the Unearthed Arcana. Take the reserve feat Touch of Healing.

 

[LordMonty]

Use the Cloistered Cleric from the Unearthed Arcana. Take the reserve feat Touch of Healing.

I like that very much... thank you. The book being on a pile by my desk should have been check but i missed it such a fool thats is very nice. Thanks will have to see what else i can combo with it...

 

[Herobizkit]

Does the DM penalize you with the +2 LA, and if so, will he allow you to buy it off with earned XP? If so, Drow (+2) or Aasimar (+1) Cloistered Cleric/Warlock working towards the Eldritch Disciple (Cleric/Warlock blend ala Mystic Theurge, found in Complete Mage) harmonizes quite well.

 

[LordMonty]

Does the DM penalize you with the +2 LA, and if so, will he allow you to buy it off with earned XP? If so, Drow (+2) or Aasimar (+1) Cloistered Cleric/Warlock working towards the Eldritch Disciple (Cleric/Warlock blend ala Mystic Theurge, found in Complete Mage) harmonizes quite well.

As far as i'm aware yes we do get penalized with the 'upto' +2, but buy off should be allowed although this is a strange campaign if i learn otherwise i'll post.

 

[heymejack]

i like playing archers, and clerics make really good ones, with the zen archery feat. a lot of good spells for archery. if you like the idea, try to figure out a way to get access to ranger spells. archivist is the one i see mentioned the most, although i never actually played a wisdom archer with ranger spells. but it'd be good.

 

[heymejack]

the cloistered cleric with both zen archery and knowledge devotion. it's good. definitely need rapid shot though, for the extra shot. maybe 2 levels of ranger? the skills are good, too.

 

[LordMonty]

Hmm had not thought of using ranger. Like it.

Nice idea but on the subject of a cloistered cleric & maybe rogue? is there much possility? does it work? can it work? Is Eye of Lolth a good prestidge? on face value I like the look of it but only 8/10 cleric caster levels, but the rogue/priest combo would be a skill beast also the other abilities are rather tasty... but does my healing suffer terribly or should it be ok for support and maybe better with my hide you can't see me?

Still cloistered cleric/ranger is definately an option... but any good prestiges? not that i must have one but its always nice.

P.S Its at least a few months till we finish our active Ravenloft run damned nasty place so got lots of time to think this chap over. Oh and thanks all for the input so far

 

[LordMonty]

While wandering other forums I came across an old reply to a post on the giant in the play ground forums.

By Curmudgeon

Cloistered Cleric can be a big boost to Rogue abilities, especially with the domain granted powers and undead turn attempts to power things. And the synergy with Cleric saves filling in the Rogue's weak spots is nice, too. Normally you would use some of the domain powers for feats, but since you've got lots of feats you should concentrate on other things.

Take the Knowledge Devotion feat (Complete Champion), and make sure you can pump lots of points into the 6 Knowledge skills related to creatures. This should give you +2 to hit and damage vs. everything to start with, and more as you keep increasing these skills. Rogues don't have great BAB, so increasing your chance to hit is a big plus. Having enough skill points is key for a Rogue, so put your best stat (18) here. You can use your next-highest for DEX and boost it at 4th level.

Next up should be mobility (the actual stuff, not that weak sauce feat). The Celerity domain and the Quick trait will each increase your base speed by 10'. Then take the Travel Devotion feat (Complete Champion), and you can move that increased speed as a swift action each round, for 10 consecutive rounds. Your Clerical undead turn attempts will power more uses of Travel Devotion daily; you'll get 2 more uses if you have a 12 in CHA. You might want to take Extra Turning if you need more; the feat will another 2 uses daily.

A choice I like for your 3rd domain is Pride, which lets you reroll 1s on all saving throws, once per die.

The key feat for all Rogues is Craven (Champions of Ruin), which boosts sneak attack damage by +1 per character level, so it's ideal for multiclass builds. Note that constant bonus damage, unlike damage from extra dice, is multiplied on critical hits, so both your Knowledge Devotion and Craven damage will get multiplied. That leads to weapon selection, and you can't go wrong with a keen pitspawned (Dungeon Master II) rapier: 15-20 threat range, +2 to confirm critical hits.

Now let's talk armor -- or rather, boosts to AC without armor. There's a nice little wrinkle in the rules that should help you out.

1) Start with the right clothing.
Quote:
Scholar’s Outfit

Perfect for a scholar, this outfit includes a robe, a belt, a cap, soft shoes, and possibly a cloak.
2) Next, enhance the robe with an armor bonus (up to +8), as per Magic Item Compendium page 234. This works exactly the same as Bracers of Armor; the "Adding/Improving Common Item Effects" table allows armor bonuses in both Arms (bracers) and Body (robe) slots.

3) Next, you can add an armor enhancement bonus on top of the armor bonus if you cast Magic Vestment:
Quote:
Originally Posted by Magic Vestment
You imbue a suit of armor or a shield with an enhancement bonus of +1 per four caster levels (maximum +5 at 20th level).

An outfit of regular clothing counts as armor that grants no AC bonus for the purpose of this spell.
4) Finally, realize that your armor boost (up to +13 already) isn't from actual armor at all, and thus you can still wear a Monk's Belt to get (1 + WIS bonus) more AC!

Some obvius some not, with Craven is quite quite amazing! So is rogue viable? Eye of Lolth? Shadowbane stalker? or should go with the ranger because its so much easier and safer?

P.S and to avoid bumping my post again since feel thats a bit weak I thought i'd just offer up my rolls which i would like to say were witnessed and done before God ,Pantheons and Gygax they're rather sweet far beyond what I normally roll.

18, 16, 17, 16, 13, 15. So rather helpful to any trough builds.

 

[heymejack]

i hadn't thought of rogue, but it seems good. if you do all that, think about 3 levels of swashbuckler and the daring outlaw feat, the feat lets your swash levels stack for sneak attack, and the 3rd level ability for swashbucklers adds intelligence to damage. and your int is good.