Cleric in Shackled City

[Dykstrav]

Why do you want to shoot for a prestige class?

I can understand someone seeing a particular prestige class and thinking, "Yeah, I want to play that." But it seems odd that someone just wants to take "some" prestige class. What's wrong with just continuing as a straight cleric?

Quasqueton

There's absolutely nothing wrong with playing a straight cleric. That was what I was planning to default to in lieu of an interesting prestige class coming my way. I'm just trying to think ahead and avoid one of those "dang, I should have picked this feat" sort of situations.

Basically, my big gripe about prestige classes for spellcasters is taking the hit to spellcasting. I've seen several with full spellcasting, but none really caught my eye except radiant servant of Pelor (and then, only because it got full spellcasting and full undead turning, not because it really looked all that interesting in and of itself). Even the d6 hit die is something I'm willing to take, because I can pick up proficiency with martial weapons. That, and the prestige class is ridiculously easy to qualify for.

Combat medic looks like a solid choice and is also easy to qualify for. It's probably more in line with what I want to do with the character anyway, and if we don't fight many undead, taking that hit to turning isn't going to be that big a deal. It also has a d6 hit die though.

Divine oracle looks kinda neat, as it blends some rogue-like abilities into the cleric's repertoire. It'd be cool to play a cleric with evasion and a form of uncanny dodge (prescient sense).

 

[Dykstrav]

I can't see any value in dodge and mobility at all. And no, there really aren't any worthwhile prestige classes for cleric other than the god specific ones. Take divine metamagic and maximize and scribe scroll. Once my cleric got sound lance in SC the melee became completely irrelevant, the mages were killing everything in the first or second round of combat at 100+ feet out.

The value of Dodge and Mobility is being able to move into threatened areas and stand a better chance of not getting nailed by an attack of opportunity. Those cure spells won't do the melee types any good if I can't make it to the front line in one peice. This becomes particularly relevant once we start fighting masses of critters or larger critters with reach, and a +5 bonus to AC from attacks of opportunity is worth two feats to me.

The group I'm gaming with usually doesn't have arcane spellcasters- they're very fighter and rogue heavy. As far as I know (we're still waiting for the DM to say), Spell Compendium is not in play. I'm being a good sport and not reading Shackled City, but the DM has told us that there will be dungeons. In dungeons, it's tough to take opponents out at a distance, so I'm expecting a melee slog at times.

 

[demiurge1138]

This statement confuses me. The only negative difference you have as a RSoP is d6 HD instead of d8.

You get full caster progression.
You get 3/4 BAB.
You get Martial Weapons.
You also get better cure spells, and an extra domain.

The RSoP is an undead killing one trick pony, only if you consider any cleric with the Sun domain a one trick pony, which I think is foolish.
No offense meant, just do not see any justification for the contention.

Because taking a prestige class is all about focusing on one thing that makes the character shine. Although the radiant servant can cast like a cleric, their primary function is killing undead. When there's no undead around to kill (SCAP is a lot less undead-heavy than, say, Age of Worms), the niche speciality goes somewhat to waste. Radiant servant wouldn't be a terrible choice from a build perspective, but flavor-wise it leaves something to be desired in Shackled City.

Besides, I'm just not a big fan of the class

Demiurge out.

 

[Nightfall]

*agrees with demi* You're not a one trick pony, but the fact remains you're a speciality pony as opposed to say a cleric that smites outsiders.

Joe,

Really? I mean I guess it's not THAT bad but I honestly figured he'd be griping about the fact he didn't get to use his RSoP powers more.

 

[Bad Paper]

I dunno, man, I would just stay away from PrCs if none particularly grabs you. I have a cleric of Boccob in Shackled City. I don't see any reason to screw him up with a PrC.

 

[Grog]

The value of Dodge and Mobility is being able to move into threatened areas and stand a better chance of not getting nailed by an attack of opportunity. Those cure spells won't do the melee types any good if I can't make it to the front line in one peice. This becomes particularly relevant once we start fighting masses of critters or larger critters with reach, and a +5 bonus to AC from attacks of opportunity is worth two feats to me.

I strongly recommend against taking Dodge and Mobility for a cleric. IMO the only reason to take Mobility is to get Spring Attack for a fighter-type, or if you need it to qualify for a PrC. It won't come in handy nearly as often as you think it will, since you don't have to get to the front lines as a healer, you only have to get one space back from the front lines. That makes a big difference. If you're fighting Medium or Large creatures, you aren't going to get opped for stepping into the square that's 10 feet away from them. It might help versus Huge creatures, but you aren't going to be facing many of those at low levels. If it ends up being a big problem, you can always take it later.

Even something like Improved Initiative would be a better choice for a cleric, IMO. Your Dex probably won't be very good, so a +4 to initiative would be very helpful. Better chance of being able to cast a buff at the beginning of the fight.

 

[Harm]

The value of Dodge and Mobility is being able to move into threatened areas and stand a better chance of not getting nailed by an attack of opportunity. Those cure spells won't do the melee types any good if I can't make it to the front line in one peice. This becomes particularly relevant once we start fighting masses of critters or larger critters with reach, and a +5 bonus to AC from attacks of opportunity is worth two feats to me.

Few things. You can't spontaneously convert a spell to a heal and move. Reach isn't a problem for clerics getting in to heal someone at 5 feet to the enemy unless the reach is 15+ feet which isn't very common. If you're really set on this you can just take one of the feats that let you cast your cure spells at range like Divine Ward (PHBII). If you're so concerned about threatened areas you should consider Combat Casting feat at low levels long before Dodge and Mobility.

 

[JoeGKushner]

*agrees with demi* You're not a one trick pony, but the fact remains you're a speciality pony as opposed to say a cleric that smites outsiders.

Joe,

Really? I mean I guess it's not THAT bad but I honestly figured he'd be griping about the fact he didn't get to use his RSoP powers more.

Nah, he had a good time with the class. He was using it as an example of a 'higher power' in the city and contrasting his teachings and church to Wee Jas as that chruch had been responsible for quite a fewe bad things happening to old Pelor priests in the past.

And trust me, with his extended healing abilities, he didn't miss that much in terms of turning. But there were a few times I was a little annoyed at his charisma bonus and other benefits (I gave him the Weapon of Legacy item that makes a cleric more powerful because it fit), he was able to destroy a few high powered foes in one blast. Annoying at best.

 

[Grog]

Few things. You can't spontaneously convert a spell to a heal and move.

I know this was the case in 3.0, but is it true in 3.5? I didn't see anything under the section about spontaneous conversion saying that it was a full-round action in the 3.5 PHB.

 

[Whimsical]

I do recommend the Radiant Servant of Pelor. Although Shackled City isn't an undead-heavy game, the prestige class also increases your ability to heal damage quite a bit.

Also, the Shrine of Pelor in Shackled City is declining into oblivion and needs the visionary hand of a dynamic cleric such as yourself to rescue it and grow it to the prominent position in the city that it deserves. This is Pelor's will. Follow it.