D&D 3E/3.5 Munchkinest 3E cleric build?

[Kitsune]

Good weekend all,

I'm in a debate at the moment about spellcaster balance, and am attempting to back up my assertion that clerics are by far the most powerful class in the game. I want to be rock-solid with my proof, however, so I wanted to solicit the opinions from the living database. The only restrictions I'm under are to keep it to 3.0, and keep it as much to core books as possible.

Aasimar got the easy race pick from me right off the bat. +1 ECL for wisdom and charisma bonuses and resistances and skill bonuses? No contest there, especially after the feats from Races of Faerun are put in to grant flight.

Sun's being leaned heavily towards for one of the domains, thanks to massive undead destroying power coupled with some very nice offensive spells.

I'm still up in the air about the second domain. Luck and Spells both have a goodly amount in their favor.

The wings restrict armor to light (or medium mithral) to allow flight. Weight also needs to be watched, for the same reason.

If anyone has suggestions to improve or add to that basic framework, I'd appreciate the input.

 

[Eolin]

for your second domain ..

If you want to be able to do just about anything, go for the magic domain. Then you can use wands and such.

 

[Nifft]

I'd suggest that you use the Cleric's strengths -- spellcasting, heavy armor + shield -- instead of looking for way to play a flying swashbuckler.

There are several "classic" 3.0e Cleric builds.

One of my favorite concepts is the Cleric Archer, which works best in the F'n Realms. Elf with Elf and War domains nets you WF(Composite Longbow) and Point-Blank Shot for free, so you can spend your 1st level Feat on Rapid Shot. From there, take spells that buff you and grant you extra damage -- Divine Favor is great, limited only by its duration. Of course, the 3.0e FRCS takes away that balancing factor, by providing the Persistent Spell [Metamagic] feat. Even without Persistent Spell, you can get great utility out of Quicken Spell starting at 7th level. Divine Power, Righteous Might, and so forth.

Or, skip the "archer" part, and just go full combat Cleric. Take the Strength and Travel domains. Buff as above. Destroy.

-- N

 

[Kitsune]

The motivation behind the wings wasn't a swashbuckler, it was a gunship: hovering over the battlefield and dispersing Searing Lights and Flamestrikes while remaining untouchable by melee and out of range of area of effect spells trying to catch the entire party in a set radius. Landing as necessary for meleeing, healing, and touch attacks. Clerics can be strong enough to go toe to toe with something in a drag-out fight, but are considerably more vulnerable to being grappled or interrupted that way.

 

[Tessarael]

I don't think Aasimar is worth it. You're losing a spellcasting level. If you want to be able to fly, pack a few Potions of Fly or Winged Boots. Focus on Cleric being good, not flying Aasimar being good ... this is the only way you can show that Cleric is too good.

Clerics are good in melee when buffed, and have full spell progression. Focus on those two things, and you'll show that Cleric is better than a Wizard and can toe-to-toe with Fighters.

 

[dvvega]

Actually if I remember correctly, a 3.0E Elvish Cleric Archer would be the munchkin hero of the world. The build was on these boards many aeons ago.

Depending on what is termed "core" (forgotten realms for example) this build gets to a point that most encounters are dead before they can even close for melee.

It revolves around choosing certain domains (Time and Elf I think), and obtaining a Prayer Bead of Karma. First thing every morning is to buff with minute/level spells (divine favour, divine power) for 24 hours using Persistent spell, and use the Karma bead for the hour/level spells to last all day (bull strength,greater magic weapon, cat's grace, etc). Since the clerical spells in 3.0E generally gave holy bonuses they would stack with the standard buff spells.

Add in a strength modified bow and you're set since 3.0E had the bow or arrow plus cover you for DR etc.

On that basic level, with no magic items besides the bead (5000gp I think), the cleric is sitting with at the very least a permanent level+9 to hit (+3 from GMW, +6 Dex (+4 base, plus min +2 Cat's Grace), Divine Favour makes BAB = level. Damage is a bare minimum of +9 per arrow as well assuming they rolled poorly on Bull's Strength (+2) with Divine Power active and +3 GMW.

If you assume its a minimum of 3 arrows per round (feats + BAB + others), then they do a minimum of 30 damage to a target, without rolling for damage in a round (assuming a roll of 1 on everything). It just escalates from there. If you want average damage then that's 36 per round.

And of course my memory on this isn't that great, however I do believe it is the most wrought clerical build in 3.0E.

I'm sure it can get worse but this is the perfect example and it takes 1 magic item and spells the caster has access to.

 

[Numion]

Don't bother with the Aasimar. You'll get Air Walk as a 4th level spell, which is really enough aerial mobility. Wind Walk is for the longer cruises anyway.

For the Elf Archer-Cleric build War domain might be bit of a waste. To-hit bonuses are not this builds weak point, so you might forget War (you'll get proficiency from being an elf for the bow, and the free weapon focus feat isn't all that). Time and Planning are good domains too - both grant Time Stop as 9th level spells, + Planning grants free Extend Spell feat which is a prereq for Persistent Spell. Elf domain is a must, because it grants Cats Grace.

If you want to lay the smack with a melee weapon, go for a two-handed weapon, maybe Falchion in 3e since you'll want a good crit range because your damage bonuses are going to be insane with persistent Divine Favor and empowered bull's STR spells. That is, if you can find a god with Falchion as a favored weapon. Start with war domain, can't say what would be the ultimate other domain. I'm currently playing such a cleric, and I chose Trickery, but thats sub-optimal for combat.

 

[Aust Diamondew]

If you really want to show that clerics are over powered just play as standard and as core as you can get. Take a couple of decent domains, wear heavy armor and then just show off by doing everything the rest of the party can do just as good or better.

Cast a couple good buffs and wade into melee and out do the fighter, use flame strikes to blast foes just as good as a mage etc.

If you use things like the elf domain or assaimars that'll just make the cleric look over powered in combo with those things.

 

[Numion]

If you really want to show that clerics are over powered just play as standard and as core as you can get. Take a couple of decent domains, wear heavy armor and then just show off by doing everything the rest of the party can do just as good or better.

Thats one way to go about it. The rogue in our group was pissed when I started to no longer give him time to search traps .. just walked in to the suspect area with my cleric with enough protective spells so I usually came out ok.

And that was in Banewarrens, a place filled with traps

 

[shilsen]

You don't even have to go outside the PHB to show that the cleric is a powerhouse. Pick up the Strength and Destruction domains (cleric of St. Cuthbert, for example), cast a couple of appropriate buffs and clean house.