A Couple Questions Regarding Playing a Melee Cleric

[Gunslinger]

1. Would Divine Power and Bull's strength stack if I already had 18 strength before casting divine power?

2. How can I protect myself from targetted dispels?

 

[Crothian]

1. Would Divine Power and Bull's strength stack if I already had 18 strength before casting divine power?

Divine power raises your strength to 18. If it starts out as an 18, it doesn't do anything to your strength. Bull strength will add to your 18.

 

[Janos Antero]

2. Ring of Counterspells with dispel magic in it, or alternatively use a counterspell action to stop the dispel.

 

[Hypersmurf]

1. Would Divine Power and Bull's strength stack if I already had 18 strength before casting divine power?

They both provide Enhancement bonuses, so they don't stack.

If your Strength is 18, Divine Power provides a +0 Enhancement bonus, and Bull's Strength provides a +1d4+1 Enhancement bonus. You only get the benefit of the greater bonus (which is pretty much guaranteed, in this case, to be Bull's Strength).

2. How can I protect myself from targetted dispels?

1. Have a Caster Level better than theirs.
2. Stay outside of Medium range.

-Hyp.

 

[Elder-Basilisk]

Necklace of Prayer Beads: bead of Karma will increase your caster level. If you use it to cast long-term buffs they'll be harder to dispel.

Also, you can travel with a wizard or an archer who can ready to disrupt enemy spellcasting with a well timed magic missile, fireball, enervation, or arrow.

2. How can I protect myself from targetted dispels?

 

[Malin Genie]

Protecting yourself from targetted dispels can be difficult, but here are a few possibilities:

Absorption items (Rod, Ioun Stone)
Spell Turning
Spellblade weapons (for example add to your shield some +1 shield spikes; spellblade (dispel magic)) if you have access to Magic of Faerun and a spare 8,000 gp
Haste and using the bonus action to ready your counter-dispel
Ring of Spell Battle (again from MoF - you can redirect the targetted dispel onto someone or something else, so long as the caster is within 60 ft.)


None of the above will protect you from area dispels, but at least that only risks stripping off your highest protection.

 

[thullgrim]

The Ring of Counterspells mentioned above is the cheapest solution at 4000gp I believe. It would work fairly well and should protect against targetted and area type dispels (at least the first one that is tossed out).

Thullgrim

 

[Hypersmurf]

The Ring of Counterspells mentioned above is the cheapest solution at 4000gp I believe. It would work fairly well and should protect against targetted and area type dispels (at least the first one that is tossed out).

Is there anything written to suggest that a Ring of Counterspells works on an area spell?

I would have thought "spells cast upon the wearer" implied Targetted spells or Ray spells only...?

-Hyp.

 

[Dash Dannigan]

No, the ring of counterspells only works on targeted spells as in order for the ring to work the spell has to be "cast upon the wearer".

 

[Hypersmurf]

No, the ring of counterspells only works on targeted spells as in order for the ring to work the spell has to be "cast upon the wearer".

I'd hope it would work on things that require an attack roll as well - Disintegrate or Melf's Acid Arrow, for example.

-Hyp.