D&D 3E/3.5 Need advice on 3.5 cleric build

[Zyphoid]

So I am new to D&D, and decided to roll up a cleric to start playing with a group of my friends that used to play years ago and just started back up.

I was trying to find cleric builds online but they ALL seem to be focused around cheesing the game rules to the max which Im not interested in doing. I looked through some PrC's and at the moment am planning on the following build:

1-10: 10 Cleric
11: 1 Contemplative
12-13: 12 Cleric
14: 1 Heirophant
15-17: 15 Cleric
18+ : Warpriest up to 8-9 levels

I am of god Farfignewton(sp?) the god of the roads to get Luck and Travel domains at creation. I took contemplative to get the celerity domain and disease immunity, Heirophant for the divine reach which seemed awesome even though that PrC seems a little weak over all, and warpriest for the melee abilities/proficiencies as well as the spell-like abilities which seemed pretty amazing.

My goal is to be the groups main healer/buffer and still retain decent melee capabilities so I can focus on using spells on the aforementioned buffing/healing.

Anyone have any suggestions for me in any regard? Is taking Heirophant to get the ranged spells worth postponing my cleric caster advancement? Are there any other PrCs or multiclassing options I missed that seem like better combos? Like I said I am fairly new to the game, just trying to plan ahead for pre-requisites.

I am aligned Neutral Good, a dwarf, and went for DMM(quicken) and quicken as my first and second feats (not planning on buying 100 nightsticks though, lol), and have access to the core books + PHB2, complete divine, and a couple other ones I cant remember at the moment.

Thanks for the help.

 

[Alexander123]

First, vis-a-vis optimization and min/maxing there is a quote which applies and that is "if you fail to prepare, you prepare to fail."

Second, as far as taking a class of hierophant and losing a caster level, you should try to never lose caster levels so I would not recommend taking a class of hierophant. If you want to take the hierophant class then I would recommend this build: Wizard 1/Marshal 1/Rogue 1/Fighter 2/ Ur-priest 10/Hierophant 5.

For Hierophant special abilities: I don't recommend the divine reach. You should take the spell power special ability for all 5 levels. Take the marshal aura motivate dexterity for a bonus to initiative. Take a level of rogue to give you trapfinding making a thief in the party obsolete. Take 2 levels of fighter for the bonus feats. Then take the Ur-priest (in BoVD and possibly in complete divine.) PrC although you may have to talk to your DM about it as it requires training by another Ur-priest. If you have the BoVD there is a corrupt spell called Power Leech which allows you to enhance a particular ability score. Cast that spell twice and enhance your charisma and dexterity for insane levels of initiative. If you have the spell compendium or magic of faerun, there is a spell called Nerveskitter (also called K's Nerveskitter), it's a level one wizard spell which gives you a +5 to initiative.

For feats take improved initiative plus other feats which you deem appropriate, see guides below.

You might have to work out the details of the above build as it was done of the top of my head.

The marshal class can be found here D&D Miniatures Handbook excerpt.

A clerics guide can be found here The 3.5 Cleric Handbook. If this link doesn't work go to the handbooks page on BG and find the 3.5 cleric handbook, the same with the optimized initiative compilation.

A guide on how to optimize initiative can be found here The Optimized Initiative Compilation.

Otherwise you can take simply take 20 levels of cleric which is actually what I usually do as I think a Ur-priest is weaker than a straight cleric.

Finally, I would not recommend playing a healbot.

 

[Runestar]

Here's a link to a battlecleric build.

http://www.dandwiki.com/wiki/Battle_Priest_(3.5e_Optimized_Character_Build)

Despite what the author says (or believes), the build is far from overpowered.

 

[Armando]

Honestly just go straight cleric. Once you reach spell level 3/4 you'll get the buffs you want as well as some good offensive stuff. As for multiclassing one of my favorites is the Thaumaturgist which helps you with summons while still giving you spells.

If you want to be combat oriented Combat Casting is a must, assuming you don't have outrageous INT and get a bunch of skill ranks already, and MWP, so you can use all the common weapons.

 

[Alexander123]

Actually I would not take combat casting if I were you and as far MWP (a feat I don't take for my cleric) is concerned it applies only to one weapon.

 

[Dandu]

Let's see what the Cleric Handbook has to say on this matter.

 

[Corwin of Amber]

I personally like Steady Concentration (RoS) on my combat clerics as it allows you to take 10 on any concentration checks. This means that you only ever need 14 total concentration bonus (15 + 9th level spell = 24) to always cast defensively. This also works wonderfully when casting on a mount (DC 10 or 15 + level).

 

[Centaur]

If you are new to the game, keep it simple, don't worry about multiclassing... go straight cleric and learn to use the spells available to you. you will find it more than powerfull enough and flavour can be added through roleplay and flare.

if you must mutliclass, then again keep it simple. add a level or 2 of fighter in as you go. the first two levels of fighter will give you all the weapon and armor feats you don't get as Cleric, and add an addtional combat feat each time as well. Not to mention a ful Base Attack point and a D10 hit points each time. DOn't go beyond 2 levels of fighter though, its not worth loosing the spells.

I always find when I multiclass too much, I regret not being able to do what I would have had I been at my full level potetial in my main class.

 

[Alexander123]

One thing to keep in mind is to never lose caster levels.

 

[Thanael]

I am of god Farfignewton(sp?) the god of the roads to get Luck and Travel domains at creation.

LOL! I suggest you learn to spell and pronounce your gods name. (You do mean Fharlanghn, right?) Interesting, a dwarven god of the human god of travel. I wonder what his story his... What campaign world do you play in? Generic? Homebrew? Or Greyhawk?


As for the build I suggest you don't worry overmuch about maximizing it. Being a cleric and dwarf makes for a very solid character. Warpriest is a great fit for a dwarf and a solid prc. And I would even go so far as to say that loosing a caster level or two isn't that much of a blow if you have fun playing the character.

Note that there are also some nice options for dwarves in Races of Stone (RoS) if you are allowed to use this book. Check out the Cleric Substitution Levels from RoS in the alternate class features thread here. The Battlesmith prc from RoS is also interesting...

The following thread might be of interest: http://www.enworld.org/forum/d-d-legacy-discussion/264045-prestige-class-dwarf-cleric.html (it also mentions the battlesmith)

The Cleric handbook linked to above is an interesting read even if you don't want to min/max the build to the hilt. Though I'm perplexed they don't mention Warpriest there...