Assistance with my Cleric
- Thread starter RBolyar2
- Start date
Ferghis
First Post
Kzach deserves more xp.
It was right there.
Ok, so the first thing you need to do when making a character in the character builder, is make sure you choose the "Neverwinter Campaign" as the first option. This will restrict you to Essentials choices that are legal for your Encounters game. It will also save you a lot of confusion.
Secondly, when choosing powers as you level up, try to balance between healing, debuffing, and buffing. Look at how many heal powers you already have. Is it enough? Is the party dropping dead a lot or are you often left with healing powers you never use? If you don't need healing powers, next look at enemy debuffing powers (penalties to enemies) or ally buffing powers. Temporary hit points are always excellent because they mitigate incoming damage, making your job of keeping the party alive much easier. Bonuses to attacks for allies and penalties to attacks for enemies are likewise very good options, with a preference going towards bonuses to hit because everyone in the party gains a benefit from everyone else hitting more often.
The other thing you need to consider is choosing melee powers with the 'weapon' keyword in them. This shouldn't be a problem as long as you select the right campaign model, but in case you don't or you accidentally click, "Show more options", keep this in mind. As for implements, you can completely ignore them if you want.
The other thing you want to consider is Constitution-based powers. This is what is known as a 'rider'. It's your secondary ability score (the second highest) and so it affects things in some of your powers. If you can, try to choose powers that give a benefit based on your Constitution score, as long as the above considerations are taking into account first.
Now, I went with a sun priest for you because they're one of the best choices. You get lots of save granting options, healing boost, bonuses to useful things like death saves (remembering that the +2 to death saves means that if you roll an 18 or higher, you can spend a healing surge and pop back up), and good all-round party support without being a totally focused healer-monkey.
Personally I would've gone 20 Wisdom and I would've dumped Charisma, but that's not what you wanted. So the 12 in Intelligence gives you a Reflex bonus and increases your Intelligence-based skill checks. The reason I didn't go Dexterity was because I went with Battlewise which uses your Wisdom for your Initiative. Going first matters a lot in these games and as a leader, you want to try and debuff/buff as soon and as often as possible.
Now, you got Perception as a trained skill like you wished, and I gave you a 'special' weapon (a triple-headed flail) like you wanted; the reason for choosing this was that it's a +3 to hit proficiency weapon and does nice damage. Technically the weapon choice isn't that great because of a lack of feat support, but that won't matter for you until around 10th level and beyond and by then, there should be options for you (hopefully).
I also gave him Netherese as a language choice. This was a flavour thing since he's a Sun Domain cleric and Netheril has returned from the plane of shadow, I figure you could roleplay some connection there. The Aglarond background was to gain Perception as a trained skill (with a +1 no less!) and also gives Elven as a language. Don't know how that fits in with Neverwinter but hey, I'm sure you can think of something
So, hopefully this has helped and you enjoy the character:
level 1
Human, Warpriest
Human Power Selection: Heroic Effort
Background: Aglarond (Aglarond Benefit)
FINAL ABILITY SCORES
Str 10, Con 16, Dex 10, Int 12, Wis 18, Cha 10.
STARTING ABILITY SCORES
Str 10, Con 16, Dex 10, Int 12, Wis 16, Cha 10.
AC: 18 Fort: 15 Reflex: 14 Will: 16
HP: 28 Surges: 10 Surge Value: 7
TRAINED SKILLS
Perception +10, Religion +6, Insight +9, Heal +9, Arcana +6
UNTRAINED SKILLS
Acrobatics -3, Bluff, Diplomacy, Dungeoneering +4, Endurance, History +1, Intimidate, Nature +4, Stealth -3, Streetwise, Thievery -3, Athletics -3
FEATS
Human: Battlewise
Level 1: Weapon Proficiency (Triple-headed flail)
POWERS
Ordained Priest Starting Feature: Smiting Symbol
Warpriest daily 1: Nimbus of Holy Shielding
ITEMS
Triple-headed flail, Heavy Shield, Chainmail
I love everything you've listed, though I'll probably backtrack on taking the exotic weapon, and probably stick with a mace.
Some questions however:
- Should I ever consider using a feat to gain proficiency in scale?
- If I were to choose a mace (or any other simple military weapon in lieu of something exotic), what feat would you recommend?
Human Paladin
Changeling Ardent
Drow Rogue
Human (I think) Sorcerer
and my human cleric
in the last battle, the rouge and ardent flanked the dragon, hammering it... the Paladin marked or challenged it, or whatever... and the sorcerer missed everything she attempted... I was able to buff the entire party capably and the ardent was used as a secondary healer. I was actually the only person bloodied in the entire encounter, but mostly from 2 of the dragons breath attacks that I didn't save for..
Spending a feat to get an 'exotic' weapon isn't a terrible option. The better choice of weapon, however, would be a bastard sword instead of the triple-headed flail simply because it has significantly better feat support. The reason for using a feat to get a better weapon is that all the cleric default weapon choices only have a +2 proficiency bonus and only go up to 1d8 (one-handed) damage. The damage gain with taking "Weapon Proficiency (bastard sword) isn't huge, but the +1 to hit is a significant gain.
Now... there are better ways of getting a +3 proficiency weapon, but it requires sacrificing other things, like either Perception as a trained skill (taking the Gritty Sergeant background to get longsword training instead of Aglarond) or the race choice (eladrin and... err... wood or wild elves, I can't remember now, get longsword training). Neither make a massive difference though so using the human bonus feat for the weapon training is still a solid choice.
If, however, you stick with a mace then at some point you'll probably want to take "Bludgeon Expertise". Again, a +1 to hit is a big thing. You really want to hit. Missing not only isn't fun, it slows down combats for everyone. The extra benefit on the feat isn't that good for you though which is why, again, it's better to go with a bastard sword because the equivalent feat "Heavy Blade Expertise" gives you a better secondary benefit (+2 to AC vs. opportunity attacks).
As for the scale question, I haven't got access to the character builder right now so I can't recall the prerequisites. IIRC, though, there's a 13 Strength prerequisite. If that's the case, I'd probably skip it. It'd mean you'd have to move your 12 in Intelligence over to Strength instead and then use one of your ability score upgrades to boost Strength. The only reason I'd consider this is if I was going to play until Epic level where fulfilling the requirements of Heavy Blade Mastery would matter and therefore I'd want to get a high Strength by 21st-level in order to qualify. Other than that, a +1 to AC for a feat isn't a really great option. You're better off using that feat for Lightning Reflexes.
Bastard sword means no shield though, right? In which case wouldn't it have been more prudent to have been a templar with the Battle Cleric's Lore?
No, the benefit of a bastard sword is that it's a +3 proficiency, 1d10 damage one-handed weapon. You can wield it two-handed if you like and gain a +1 damage bonus for doing so, but otherwise it's better to use a shield in the other hand.
Also, playing in Encounters means you are restricted to Essentials only options, which takes Battle Cleric's Lore out of the equation
No, the benefit of a bastard sword is that it's a +3 proficiency, 1d10 damage one-handed weapon. You can wield it two-handed if you like and gain a +1 damage bonus for doing so, but otherwise it's better to use a shield in the other hand.
Also, playing in Encounters means you are restricted to Essentials only options, which takes Battle Cleric's Lore out of the equation
Actually the DM is allowing any 4e/essentials build... so I have pretty much everything open. I only happen to own the Essentials books however, and PHB1 and 3... but so much was erratad(sp) in 1 that's it's confusing for me to look at it and the HotFL/HotFK books and make heads or tails of what it's saying...
and with the exception of plate and slightly lower saving throws, I've basically created a paladin now... right?
And with that being the case, I think I might like to go bastard sword then...
so you would recommend taking Heavy Blade Expertise?
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I'd always recommend taking an expertise feat.
However, your questions are now getting toward the complicated end of the spectrum where there are far too many permutations to effectively answer. Therefore I'll go with a blanket recommendation and simply say that you might be best served by getting a DDI subscription for one month and using the Character Builder to figure out all your options.
In general what you want to aim for with any character is an 18-20 (after racials) in your primary statistic. This is the stat upon which your powers are based and it's used for determining your hit chance and damage. Most classes, with the exception of many of the Essentials classes, have a secondary statistic that is determined by build. This stat can be discovered by reading the build options of the class. It's generally recommended to have a 14-16 in that stat after racials.
Aiming for a good bonus to hit is always a good choice. The various expertise feats, conditional attack bonus feats and high proficiency (+3 as opposed to +2) weapons are never a bad choice. You generally want to look for synergies between your statistics and your powers and your feats. One thing boosts another which feeds of something else to make it a powerful option.
It's also important to consider your Non Armour Defences (Fortitude, Reflex & Will). Boosting a low one with a 12+ ability score or taking a feat to boost it is, again, never a bad idea.
Of course, there are always flavour considerations. I generally try to have some sort of concept of the character I want and try to build to that concept. Although, for me, it's an organic process where synergistic choices inform flavour choices and vice versa. For you, it could all be about flavour, or it could all be about mechanics. That's something you'll have to decide for yourself.
And for this build, I won't really have a need for a holy symbol, will I?
Also, is it worth my time to get Armor Proficiency: Plate? I realize I'd have to raise my STR to 15 and already have scale... but I could retrain the AP: Scale to get AP: Plate, correct? Then just take armor finesse and heavy armor agility?
Finally, should I invest (eventually) in shield finesse?
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