[3.0e] Charger Cleric Build

[FrankTrollman]

Remember that you are talking about maximizing a two variable function.

That means that adding more to one variable (the number of doublings or the base damage) becomes proportionately less important the more you add to it.

Or to put it another way:

When you haven't doubled your damage yet, doubling your damage adds as much damage as increasing your base damage by 100%.

When you've already doubled it once, doubling your damage again adds as much as increasing your base damage by 50%.

When you've already doubled your damage twce, doubling your damage again adds as much damage as increasing your base damage by 33%.

When you've already doubled your damage three times, doubling your damage again adds as much damage as increasing your base damage by 25%.

So once you've already doubled your damage a few times, those flat damage bonuses start to look really tempting compared to getting another damage multiple.

-Frank

 

[Hypersmurf]

So once you've already doubled your damage a few times, those flat damage bonuses start to look really tempting compared to getting another damage multiple.

Hence, "if you can pull off a Cha bonus of around +10, that might be worth sacrificing a multiplier or two".

-Hyp.

 

[hong]

The greatest charger evar.

 

[Hypersmurf]

The greatest charger evar.

All 229 of them?

-Hyp.

 

[Numion]

Shield Charge does doubles damage when charging with a shield (prereq IMpr Shield Bash). Divine Shield gets an enhancement bonus to the shield = CHA bonus. Divine Might gets bonus to damage = CHA bonus.

Holy Charge, Batman! Thats just sick. Headlong rush, Rhinohide Armor and Shield charge means x4 damage. The DM decided we'll use a non-standard array for stats: 10,12,14,16,18,18. So I might be able to spare a good CHA

Next problem is how to make get enough feats for all those. Clerics get few feats, so I'll still have to dip into 1-2 levels of fighters.

The unarmed attack build doesn't use Monk, unless you go for Mantis Leap. Just stick with Flying Kick and the Sandals and you're doing x3 damage on a charge. Of course throw in all the cleric good stuff, especially Enlarge Self and Power Lunge and Hyp's other suggestions. (I hoped he'd add his 2 cents)

I suppose both the Mantis Leap and Sandals explicitly state that they can't be used with armed attacks? (Like, um, shield bashes )

Just be aware that if you execute these strategies right, no DM can compete without cheating, basically, much less other PC's. At least that's how they'll feel.
In my opinion, anyone who says they want to see powerful characters and tell you to make one, REALLY haven't thought about the problems it can cause when done effectively.

Well, the other characters are a Two-weapon wielding Drow Cleric (one level of 3.0e ranger), just to see if it'll work. It might, because Divine Favor is essentially doubled in usefullness along with the other spells. Might be enough to overcome the weakness of two-weapon wielders: low to-hit bonuses. Another is a human aiming for Red Wizard / Archmage. Thats just wrong in 3.0e. One character hasn't decided, maybe OotBI / Deepwood Sniper. I hope the DM doesn't fold right away, because it was his idea afterall. I was pretty happy with our previous core only campaign.

Thanks to you Hypersmurf also! You've the 'new' rules guru around here, which is always helpful. BTW, if I scored a critical hit with a charge that already does x4 damage, is the critical x5 or x8 total damage?

 

[Hypersmurf]

One character hasn't decided, maybe OotBI / Deepwood Sniper.

No Peerless Archer levels? Don't they get Ranged Power Attack in there somewhere?

You've the 'new' rules guru around here...

[blink]?

BTW, if I scored a critical hit with a charge that already does x4 damage, is the critical x5 or x8 total damage?

With a shield? x5. It's just adding another multiplier, just like any other multiplier. (With a lance, x6, for example.)

-Hyp.

 

[Numion]

No Peerless Archer levels? Don't they get Ranged Power Attack in there somewhere?

Well of course Peerless Archer, for 3 levels. OotBI for 7 and Deepwood for 2 or 7, IIRC.

And if the game lasts (unlikely even though its supposed to go from 1 to epic) there's the insane Master of the Order of the Bow in the Epic issue of dragon.

[blink]?

Uh, well just meant that at some point Caliban was the rules Guru, but now its you whos usually answering questions. But you've been around pretty long, so I wrote 'new' instead of new. Ah well. Nevermind. Its just good to have a rules Guru around. Or a few.

With a shield? x5. It's just adding another multiplier, just like any other multiplier. (With a lance, x6, for example.)

Thanks, got it.