Buying the Best Cleric
- Thread starter Xarlen
- Start date
Xarlen,
Here's one option for you.
Ulfgar Lionrider
Str 14 (6 pts)
Dex 12 (4 pts)
Con 18 (8 pts +2 dwarf +1 enhancement)
Int 12 (4 pts)
Wis 18 (10 pts +2 enchancement)
Cha 6 (0 pts -2 dwarf) (sorry, no undead turning for you, bucko!)
HP: 8 + 11d8 + 48 = 105
Feats: Power Attack, Cleave, Mounted Combat, Ride-by Attack, Spirited Charge
Skills:
- Ride(cc) +10 (7 ranks +2 synergy +1 Dex, but specialized in LIONS, not horses. RAWWR!)
- Handle Animal(cc) 5 ranks (providing synergy for Ride)
- speak Celestial. The rest of your meager skill points go into Concentrate. Then Heal, Spot and/or Listen.
Equipment (w/88K to spend):
- Large Shield and Full Plate with a low enhancement bonus (+1 or +2) but some special abilities (fortification, resistance, etc, whatever you feel you need)
- Heavy Mace w/some kind of energy bonus to damage (holy, flaming, etc)
- Amulet natural armor +2 or so
- +2 periapt Wisdom, or +4 if you can afford it
- "Spurs of Riding" -- +10 circumstance bonus to riding, mkt. value 2000gp (like a cloak of Elvenkind, but for Ride)
- Boots of Speed
- Potions, scrolls, cloak of resistance, and wands with any leftovers
Tactics:
- Enchant your armor, shield, and weapon up to +4 with Greater Magic Weapon and Magic Vestment. (The "natural" plus should only be +1 or +2 -- spend your money on energy bonuses, special abilities, and other magic items.) Buff with Bull's Strength and Endurance as well.
- Use Boots of Speed judiciously to buff yourself in combat: use the partial action to cast defensively to put up Divine Power, Righteous Might, Shield of Faith, etc. Then Full Attack with the remaining round. Repeat each round, and grow stronger as the battle continues.
- When there's some room to maneuver: summon a Celestial Lion or Celestial Dire Lion, hop onto it, and charge into battle! You can speak to the Lion and give it specific battle instructions in Celestial. Your Ride check is +15 (riding bareback). You can hop on the lion as a free action with a DC20 Ride check (that means armor check penalties... so that's another -6, so your total roll is +9. Not a big deal if you fail, you just don't look quite as cool.) The lion allows you to stick and move and do devastating charges. It also obviates your poor combat speed. The Dire Lion also has reach if anyone comes near to bother you while you're healing a friend.
Fully buffed, assume you rolled +4 on the Bull's strength and +2 on Endurance:
AC 34: 10, +12 Full Plate, +6 Large Shield, +1 Dex, +4 Shield of Faith, +2 Amulet Natural Armor, -1 Size (Righteous Might) = 34
HP 129: 105 +12 (Divine Power) +12 (Endurance, rolling +2) = 129
Att: +25/20/15: + 6 Str (bull's str + Righteous Might), +4 Mace, +4 Divine Favor, +Fighter BAB (Divine Power), -1 Size (Righteous Might)
Dam 5D6+14: Mace goes to 2D6 (Righteous Might), +4 Mace, +3D6 (Holy and Flaming), +6 Str (bull's strength & Righteous Might), +4 Divine Favor. Power Attack as necessary.
While charging on lionback you can't have Righteous Might going, unfortunately. So your Str goes down, but you get your size bonus back, plus charge & higher ground bonuses. Your attack bonus when charging will be +27, damage = 7D6+24. Again, power attack as necessary.
Domains: Unfortunately, I'm not sure what Clangeddin's domains are. If War is available, that gives you another +1 to hit and possibly a better weapon, plus many useful buffing spells. Strength gives you a 1-round enhancement bonus to Str of +12, and opens up Stoneskin. Earth also makes Stoneskin available.
I might have miscalculated a point or two here or there, but you get the general idea. Hope this helps!
Here's one option for you.
Ulfgar Lionrider
Str 14 (6 pts)
Dex 12 (4 pts)
Con 18 (8 pts +2 dwarf +1 enhancement)
Int 12 (4 pts)
Wis 18 (10 pts +2 enchancement)
Cha 6 (0 pts -2 dwarf) (sorry, no undead turning for you, bucko!)
HP: 8 + 11d8 + 48 = 105
Feats: Power Attack, Cleave, Mounted Combat, Ride-by Attack, Spirited Charge
Skills:
- Ride(cc) +10 (7 ranks +2 synergy +1 Dex, but specialized in LIONS, not horses. RAWWR!)
- Handle Animal(cc) 5 ranks (providing synergy for Ride)
- speak Celestial. The rest of your meager skill points go into Concentrate. Then Heal, Spot and/or Listen.
Equipment (w/88K to spend):
- Large Shield and Full Plate with a low enhancement bonus (+1 or +2) but some special abilities (fortification, resistance, etc, whatever you feel you need)
- Heavy Mace w/some kind of energy bonus to damage (holy, flaming, etc)
- Amulet natural armor +2 or so
- +2 periapt Wisdom, or +4 if you can afford it
- "Spurs of Riding" -- +10 circumstance bonus to riding, mkt. value 2000gp (like a cloak of Elvenkind, but for Ride)
- Boots of Speed
- Potions, scrolls, cloak of resistance, and wands with any leftovers
Tactics:
- Enchant your armor, shield, and weapon up to +4 with Greater Magic Weapon and Magic Vestment. (The "natural" plus should only be +1 or +2 -- spend your money on energy bonuses, special abilities, and other magic items.) Buff with Bull's Strength and Endurance as well.
- Use Boots of Speed judiciously to buff yourself in combat: use the partial action to cast defensively to put up Divine Power, Righteous Might, Shield of Faith, etc. Then Full Attack with the remaining round. Repeat each round, and grow stronger as the battle continues.
- When there's some room to maneuver: summon a Celestial Lion or Celestial Dire Lion, hop onto it, and charge into battle! You can speak to the Lion and give it specific battle instructions in Celestial. Your Ride check is +15 (riding bareback). You can hop on the lion as a free action with a DC20 Ride check (that means armor check penalties... so that's another -6, so your total roll is +9. Not a big deal if you fail, you just don't look quite as cool.) The lion allows you to stick and move and do devastating charges. It also obviates your poor combat speed. The Dire Lion also has reach if anyone comes near to bother you while you're healing a friend.
Fully buffed, assume you rolled +4 on the Bull's strength and +2 on Endurance:
AC 34: 10, +12 Full Plate, +6 Large Shield, +1 Dex, +4 Shield of Faith, +2 Amulet Natural Armor, -1 Size (Righteous Might) = 34
HP 129: 105 +12 (Divine Power) +12 (Endurance, rolling +2) = 129
Att: +25/20/15: + 6 Str (bull's str + Righteous Might), +4 Mace, +4 Divine Favor, +Fighter BAB (Divine Power), -1 Size (Righteous Might)
Dam 5D6+14: Mace goes to 2D6 (Righteous Might), +4 Mace, +3D6 (Holy and Flaming), +6 Str (bull's strength & Righteous Might), +4 Divine Favor. Power Attack as necessary.
While charging on lionback you can't have Righteous Might going, unfortunately. So your Str goes down, but you get your size bonus back, plus charge & higher ground bonuses. Your attack bonus when charging will be +27, damage = 7D6+24. Again, power attack as necessary.
Domains: Unfortunately, I'm not sure what Clangeddin's domains are. If War is available, that gives you another +1 to hit and possibly a better weapon, plus many useful buffing spells. Strength gives you a 1-round enhancement bonus to Str of +12, and opens up Stoneskin. Earth also makes Stoneskin available.
I might have miscalculated a point or two here or there, but you get the general idea. Hope this helps!
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Very, very sweet my friend. Thanks for responding.
Some additions:
Domains are Strenght and War. Beautiful spell selection for combat.
Clangeddin's favored weapon is a Battleaxe; you get a free Weapon Focus with that, so I don't know if I should pass up using another weapon. Though, the mace or morningstar is good.
Full hit points.
I think I'm going to go for Spellcasting Prodogy (Ya ya, I know, but it'll help DCs), Improved Init, Arcane Defense (Evoction), Lightning Reflexes... and I don't know. My Ref save will hurt, so I want to be able to combat those nasty spells.
I don't think I'll go for the lion thing, but that's a nasty tactic; I will however max out Spellcraft.
Items: I know exactly what I want. A +1 axe of Wraithful Healing (if I can get it). It's from Enemies and Allies. Basicly, you gain life from each attack equal to have the damage you do with the weapon. This'll set me back 32,000 gp, but I think it's worth it. Something important for my buffspells: A ring of counterspelling with Dispel Magic in it. I'm going for Gauntlets of Ogre Power. +1 Large shield of Light Fortification. Potions out the ying yang.
I have the feeling there's going to be a real mix of enemies: Spellcasters, and Meleers. I have a plan to handle the former, as well as bump my saves.
Some additions:
Domains are Strenght and War. Beautiful spell selection for combat.
Clangeddin's favored weapon is a Battleaxe; you get a free Weapon Focus with that, so I don't know if I should pass up using another weapon. Though, the mace or morningstar is good.
Full hit points.
I think I'm going to go for Spellcasting Prodogy (Ya ya, I know, but it'll help DCs), Improved Init, Arcane Defense (Evoction), Lightning Reflexes... and I don't know. My Ref save will hurt, so I want to be able to combat those nasty spells.
I don't think I'll go for the lion thing, but that's a nasty tactic; I will however max out Spellcraft.
Items: I know exactly what I want. A +1 axe of Wraithful Healing (if I can get it). It's from Enemies and Allies. Basicly, you gain life from each attack equal to have the damage you do with the weapon. This'll set me back 32,000 gp, but I think it's worth it. Something important for my buffspells: A ring of counterspelling with Dispel Magic in it. I'm going for Gauntlets of Ogre Power. +1 Large shield of Light Fortification. Potions out the ying yang.
I have the feeling there's going to be a real mix of enemies: Spellcasters, and Meleers. I have a plan to handle the former, as well as bump my saves.
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Xarlen said:Okay, here's what I got.
A 12th level Dwarven Cleric of Clangeddin. 32 point buy.
What would be the best point buy to do? I'd have 3 +1's to the stats. He's going to be well armored. This is a one shot, with heavy combat.
All you min/maxers, make me proud!
Heavy Combat...
2nd Fighter/4th Cleric/6th Warpriest:
BAB: +11
Casting as: 7th level Cleric.
Veit Balderk, M Dwarf (Gold) Cleric7 Divine Disciple5 CR 12; Size:M Type Humanoid; HD (7d8)+(5d8)+24; hp 87; Init +1 (+1 Dex, +0 Misc); Spd Walk 15'; AC 24 (flatfooted 23, touch 12) Or AC 27 (flatfooted 26, touch 12) with shield, *Wielded two handed Battleaxe +3 (Defending) +14/+9 0'/S (1d8+7 20/x3 Both M can transfer some or all of sword's enhancement bonus to AC) or *Wielded one handed Battleaxe +3 (Defending) +14/+9 0'/S (1d8+6 20/x3 Both M can transfer some or all of sword's enhancement bonus to AC) or Gauntlet +10/+5 0'/B (1d4+3 20/x2 Neither T ); SA: Stonecunning,save +2 vs. poison,save +2 vs spells,+4 dodge vs giants,+2 on Appraise of stone/metal items,+2 on stone/metal Craft check,Spontaneous casting,Turn Undead 4/day,Divine Emissary,New Domain,Bonus Caster Level for Cleric (5),Sacred Defense +2,Transcendence,+1 to hit Aberrations; Vision: Darkvision (60') AL: LG; Sv: Fort +15, Ref +6, Will +14; Str 17, Dex 12, Con 14, Int 10, Wis 16, Cha 12
Skills and Feats: Concentration +17, Diplomacy +6, Jump +7, Knowledge (Religion) +8, Spellcraft +2; Armor Proficiency (Heavy) (1x),Armor Proficiency (Light) (1x),Armor Proficiency (Medium) (1x),Cleave,Great Fortitude,Improved Unarmed Strike,Martial Weapon Proficiency,Power Attack,Shield Proficiency,Simple Weapon Proficiency,Spellcasting Prodigy (Cleric),Stunning Fist,Weapon Focus (Battleaxe)
Possessions: 1 Full Plate +1 (Adamantine/Invulnerability), 0 Outfit (Explorer's), 1 Battleaxe +3 (Defending), 1 Boots of Striding and Springing, 1 Cloak of Resistance +2, 1 Holy Symbol (Gold), 1 Shield +1 (Large/Steel/Animated/Adamantine), 1 Ring +1 (Protection), 1 Amulet of Natural Armor +1, 1 Heward's Handy Haversack,
Deity: Clangeddin Silverbeard Domains: War(Free Martial Weapon Proficiency and Weapon Focus with the deity's favored weapon.) Strength(You can perform a feat of strength, as a supernatural ability, with a bonus to Strength equal to your level. It lasts 1 round, once per day.) Dwarf(Free Great Fortitude)
Spells: Cleric: /6+1 /5+1 /5+1 /4+1 /3+1 /2+1
Since, I don't have the books here at the moment. Transendancy basicly would make add Assimar resistances to your character. And the spell list should be large enough to figure out what you want from there.
Skills and Feats: Concentration +17, Diplomacy +6, Jump +7, Knowledge (Religion) +8, Spellcraft +2; Armor Proficiency (Heavy) (1x),Armor Proficiency (Light) (1x),Armor Proficiency (Medium) (1x),Cleave,Great Fortitude,Improved Unarmed Strike,Martial Weapon Proficiency,Power Attack,Shield Proficiency,Simple Weapon Proficiency,Spellcasting Prodigy (Cleric),Stunning Fist,Weapon Focus (Battleaxe)
Possessions: 1 Full Plate +1 (Adamantine/Invulnerability), 0 Outfit (Explorer's), 1 Battleaxe +3 (Defending), 1 Boots of Striding and Springing, 1 Cloak of Resistance +2, 1 Holy Symbol (Gold), 1 Shield +1 (Large/Steel/Animated/Adamantine), 1 Ring +1 (Protection), 1 Amulet of Natural Armor +1, 1 Heward's Handy Haversack,
Deity: Clangeddin Silverbeard Domains: War(Free Martial Weapon Proficiency and Weapon Focus with the deity's favored weapon.) Strength(You can perform a feat of strength, as a supernatural ability, with a bonus to Strength equal to your level. It lasts 1 round, once per day.) Dwarf(Free Great Fortitude)
Spells: Cleric: /6+1 /5+1 /5+1 /4+1 /3+1 /2+1
Since, I don't have the books here at the moment. Transendancy basicly would make add Assimar resistances to your character. And the spell list should be large enough to figure out what you want from there.
Don't have anything more than a +1 on your weapon (exluding abilities) as GMW is only a 3rd level spell. Rather get a +1 and then load on the enhancements. For a battleaxe, a burst enhancement might not be a bad idea, but definitely get at least an energy enhancement. Rather than enhance your axe with defending. Get some shield spikes or armor spikes and enhance them with a +1 and defending. The spikes you can enchant with GMW and then always have them fully defend. Further, the bonuses from defending are unnamed so if you can spare the spells and the cost enchant both the armor and shield spikes with +1 and defending and GMW both of them and fully defend. At 12th level that's a +8 to AC that stacks with everything - and at a cost of only 2 +2 weapons.
Also get masterwork armor and enhance it with MV and do the same with your masterwork shield. Assuming Plate and a large steel shield your total AC with no other modifiers then I have already mentioned will be 36. That does not include any of the first level buffs, dex bonus, dodge bonuses or anything else - only armor, shield and defending bonuses.
Also get masterwork armor and enhance it with MV and do the same with your masterwork shield. Assuming Plate and a large steel shield your total AC with no other modifiers then I have already mentioned will be 36. That does not include any of the first level buffs, dex bonus, dodge bonuses or anything else - only armor, shield and defending bonuses.
GMW is a 4th level spell for a cleric. Also, one Dispel Magic or Greater Dispelling and I'm up a creak. Not to mention Anti-magic field. I'm going to try and leave a lot of my spell slots for damage spells or other buffs (Divine Power, anyone?). However, a Defending weapon with GMW would be awesome.
Eh, Burst effects rely on crits. I'm not going to be real Crit-savy. Of course a spellblade with Dispel Magic inserted into it could Really Hurt, there're a lot of better stuff to put in a spellblade. Enervation, and thus thus.
Eh, Burst effects rely on crits. I'm not going to be real Crit-savy. Of course a spellblade with Dispel Magic inserted into it could Really Hurt, there're a lot of better stuff to put in a spellblade. Enervation, and thus thus.
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