Elder-Basilisk
First Post
Here's my take on it:
Stats--the higher the better, but it you're stuck with a 25 point build, I'd go:
Str 13 (you need power attack), Dex 10 (no penalty--just wear heavy armor), Con 14 (you need hit points), Int 10, Wis 15 (for bonus 3rd level spells at 5th level and bonus 4th level spells at 7th level with only a +2 periapt), Cha 10 (enough to turn without too many penalties.
Despite the apparent pre-eminence of wisdom in the 25 point build, if you get higher stats, the one to increase first is strength, followed by charisma and constitution. Int will help you with skill points to qualify for prestige classes; dex is really the last thing you'll want to increase (though dropping to the 8 really hurts).
If you want to be more aggressively combat-focussed, you can dump both int and cha to get more strength. A dwarf or half-orc gets advantages that are worth losing the human bonus feat. Your stat priorities wouldn't change, but you would pump your strength further.
Domains:
War- a solid choice for the weapon focus and martial weapon proficiency, but while it does let you break out of the old 2e "I'm a cleric so I use a mace" mentality, it's not as big a difference as you might think. A two handed weapon will eliminate the possibility of using a shield, thus reducing the effectiveness of your magic vestment spell. Amid one-handed weapons, your only advantage in going from a simple (morning star or heavy mace) to a martial (warhammer, battle axe, or longsword) weapon is one step of crit range. If you go the Spikes route, there's no advantage at all since you'll be wielding a club or a quarterstaff anyway.
On the plus side, the domain power is not level-dependent, so you don't suffer for multiclassing.
Strength: Good spells, (especially at first level), and a great domain power make this the one to choose if you're not going to multiclass. If you do multiclass, the domain power is not so impressive.
Destruction: A good domain power at low levels; at higher levels, it is weaker than strength because it applies only to one attack instead of to an entire full attack sequence. This one is also highly level dependent so it isn't as good if you plan to multiclass.
Plant: You get a number of good spells (especially barkskin).
Travel: A great domain power and some good spells but nothing especially combat focussed. This is a better domain for multiclass than single-classed clerics because paralysis tends to be more of a problem for Ftr 4/Bbn 2/Clr 3 types than for Clr 9s. Still, it's very good, just not as focussed.
Luck: An excellent and completely level-independent domain power as well as some decent spells.
From the FRCS, there are a few others (Metal, Elf (for archer-clerics), Planning (for the Divine metamagic: persistent trick and probably some I've forgotten about).
Feats:
Here is where you're going to really feel the pressure. As a cleric, you get seven feats--eight if you're human over your entire career and you have to make them count.
There's only one non-negotiable feat: Power attack. Every melee warrior type needs it and clerics are no exception. Even if you use a shield, you may well want to go for a buckler so you can wield your weapon and cast spells at the same time and get the two-handed power attack damage bonus when you need it (by wielding the weapon two-handed and sucking up the -1 attack penalty). The rest will depend upon your character and strategies:
If you have charisma: Divine Metamagic and Divine Spellpower are both good ways to go. Divine Metamagic: Quicken and Divine Metamagic: Persistent Spell are the pre-eminient Divine metamagic strategies for melee clerics. Quicken requires a 14+ charisma or a 6+ charisma and Extra Turning to use even once per day. Persistent Spell requires a 16+ charisma and Extra Turning to use even once per day. (Obviously, these are not low-stat strategies). Persistent Spell (with the erratta also requires three feats to make it work--four if you have a realistic charisma score: Extend Spell, Persistent Spell, Divine Metamagic: Persistent Spell, and Extra Turning). A lot of people use the Planning domain to cut that number down to two (3 with realistic charisma) but it's still burdensome.
Divine Spellpower is not so charisma dependent--it will usually be advantageous with just a 12 charisma and 5 ranks of Knowledge: religion. Add a circlet of Persuasion, and you'll regularly be adding three or four to your caster level for your buffs. As a combat cleric, you would be using it primarily to power Magic Vestment, Greater Magic Weapon, and Spikes, but it would sometimes be useful for Barkskin, Shield of Faith, and Divine Favor.
Another option for a high-charisma cleric--especially a multiclassed cleric--is Divine Might. Just blow a turning attempt to add your cha bonus to damage for one round. Not too shabby if you've got a +4 cha bonus.
If you don't go the charisma route, the following feats are useful:
Cleave: Cleave is rarely a bad idea for a melee build. Especially if you have a good strength and especially at low levels, you'll drop a lot of foes.
Weapon Focus: If you don't have the war domain, it's often worth spending a feat on.
Extra Smiting: If you're a single class Destruction Domain cleric, two more smites is a good deal.
Combat Expertise and Improved Trip: with Righteous Might, this can work extremely well, but most battle clerics won't have the int for it.
Quicken Spell: At higher levels, this is pretty much vital for a melee cleric. There's nothing worse than spending the first round on Righteous Might and the second on Divine Favor and the Third on Divine Power and then discovering that the battle is all over. A battle cleric has to be able to throttle up quickly or he's often going to be a hindrance. Quicken Spell lets the Shield of Faith, Divine Favor, Barkskin, etc. go up without taking a round.
Combat Reflexes: If you've got a decent dexterity and wield a reach weapon, this can be a very good investment.
Quickdraw: If your DM is fussy about letting go of a two handed weapon with one hand to cast spells and then grabbing it again or using a buckler hand to cast, or transferring a one-handed weapon to the hand with a small shield in order to cast spells, Quickdraw is the solution you're looking for.
Skills: Max out concentration. Get 5 ranks of Knowledge: religion if you want to turn well. Otherwise, you just need to qualify for prestige classes.
Items: A necklace of prayer beads with a bead of karma is nice for any cleric. In post-Complete Arcane D&D, a ring of counterspells is vital for any buffing cleric. Get the wizard to put Reciprocal Gyre in it. You'll be glad you did when you don't take 25d6 damage on a regular basis. In a normal D&D game, you'll probably want one for Dispel Magic (and Dispel Magic, Greater once you hit level 12 or so). So, in post-Complete Arcane D&D, you may actually want two rings of counterspells to be prepared for both eventualities.
Stats--the higher the better, but it you're stuck with a 25 point build, I'd go:
Str 13 (you need power attack), Dex 10 (no penalty--just wear heavy armor), Con 14 (you need hit points), Int 10, Wis 15 (for bonus 3rd level spells at 5th level and bonus 4th level spells at 7th level with only a +2 periapt), Cha 10 (enough to turn without too many penalties.
Despite the apparent pre-eminence of wisdom in the 25 point build, if you get higher stats, the one to increase first is strength, followed by charisma and constitution. Int will help you with skill points to qualify for prestige classes; dex is really the last thing you'll want to increase (though dropping to the 8 really hurts).
If you want to be more aggressively combat-focussed, you can dump both int and cha to get more strength. A dwarf or half-orc gets advantages that are worth losing the human bonus feat. Your stat priorities wouldn't change, but you would pump your strength further.
Domains:
War- a solid choice for the weapon focus and martial weapon proficiency, but while it does let you break out of the old 2e "I'm a cleric so I use a mace" mentality, it's not as big a difference as you might think. A two handed weapon will eliminate the possibility of using a shield, thus reducing the effectiveness of your magic vestment spell. Amid one-handed weapons, your only advantage in going from a simple (morning star or heavy mace) to a martial (warhammer, battle axe, or longsword) weapon is one step of crit range. If you go the Spikes route, there's no advantage at all since you'll be wielding a club or a quarterstaff anyway.
On the plus side, the domain power is not level-dependent, so you don't suffer for multiclassing.
Strength: Good spells, (especially at first level), and a great domain power make this the one to choose if you're not going to multiclass. If you do multiclass, the domain power is not so impressive.
Destruction: A good domain power at low levels; at higher levels, it is weaker than strength because it applies only to one attack instead of to an entire full attack sequence. This one is also highly level dependent so it isn't as good if you plan to multiclass.
Plant: You get a number of good spells (especially barkskin).
Travel: A great domain power and some good spells but nothing especially combat focussed. This is a better domain for multiclass than single-classed clerics because paralysis tends to be more of a problem for Ftr 4/Bbn 2/Clr 3 types than for Clr 9s. Still, it's very good, just not as focussed.
Luck: An excellent and completely level-independent domain power as well as some decent spells.
From the FRCS, there are a few others (Metal, Elf (for archer-clerics), Planning (for the Divine metamagic: persistent trick and probably some I've forgotten about).
Feats:
Here is where you're going to really feel the pressure. As a cleric, you get seven feats--eight if you're human over your entire career and you have to make them count.
There's only one non-negotiable feat: Power attack. Every melee warrior type needs it and clerics are no exception. Even if you use a shield, you may well want to go for a buckler so you can wield your weapon and cast spells at the same time and get the two-handed power attack damage bonus when you need it (by wielding the weapon two-handed and sucking up the -1 attack penalty). The rest will depend upon your character and strategies:
If you have charisma: Divine Metamagic and Divine Spellpower are both good ways to go. Divine Metamagic: Quicken and Divine Metamagic: Persistent Spell are the pre-eminient Divine metamagic strategies for melee clerics. Quicken requires a 14+ charisma or a 6+ charisma and Extra Turning to use even once per day. Persistent Spell requires a 16+ charisma and Extra Turning to use even once per day. (Obviously, these are not low-stat strategies). Persistent Spell (with the erratta also requires three feats to make it work--four if you have a realistic charisma score: Extend Spell, Persistent Spell, Divine Metamagic: Persistent Spell, and Extra Turning). A lot of people use the Planning domain to cut that number down to two (3 with realistic charisma) but it's still burdensome.
Divine Spellpower is not so charisma dependent--it will usually be advantageous with just a 12 charisma and 5 ranks of Knowledge: religion. Add a circlet of Persuasion, and you'll regularly be adding three or four to your caster level for your buffs. As a combat cleric, you would be using it primarily to power Magic Vestment, Greater Magic Weapon, and Spikes, but it would sometimes be useful for Barkskin, Shield of Faith, and Divine Favor.
Another option for a high-charisma cleric--especially a multiclassed cleric--is Divine Might. Just blow a turning attempt to add your cha bonus to damage for one round. Not too shabby if you've got a +4 cha bonus.
If you don't go the charisma route, the following feats are useful:
Cleave: Cleave is rarely a bad idea for a melee build. Especially if you have a good strength and especially at low levels, you'll drop a lot of foes.
Weapon Focus: If you don't have the war domain, it's often worth spending a feat on.
Extra Smiting: If you're a single class Destruction Domain cleric, two more smites is a good deal.
Combat Expertise and Improved Trip: with Righteous Might, this can work extremely well, but most battle clerics won't have the int for it.
Quicken Spell: At higher levels, this is pretty much vital for a melee cleric. There's nothing worse than spending the first round on Righteous Might and the second on Divine Favor and the Third on Divine Power and then discovering that the battle is all over. A battle cleric has to be able to throttle up quickly or he's often going to be a hindrance. Quicken Spell lets the Shield of Faith, Divine Favor, Barkskin, etc. go up without taking a round.
Combat Reflexes: If you've got a decent dexterity and wield a reach weapon, this can be a very good investment.
Quickdraw: If your DM is fussy about letting go of a two handed weapon with one hand to cast spells and then grabbing it again or using a buckler hand to cast, or transferring a one-handed weapon to the hand with a small shield in order to cast spells, Quickdraw is the solution you're looking for.
Skills: Max out concentration. Get 5 ranks of Knowledge: religion if you want to turn well. Otherwise, you just need to qualify for prestige classes.
Items: A necklace of prayer beads with a bead of karma is nice for any cleric. In post-Complete Arcane D&D, a ring of counterspells is vital for any buffing cleric. Get the wizard to put Reciprocal Gyre in it. You'll be glad you did when you don't take 25d6 damage on a regular basis. In a normal D&D game, you'll probably want one for Dispel Magic (and Dispel Magic, Greater once you hit level 12 or so). So, in post-Complete Arcane D&D, you may actually want two rings of counterspells to be prepared for both eventualities.
