Cleric over balancing the game

[Pylar]

Hey all, I play at Dwarven Cleric in a plane hopping FR game. I've recently made 16th level. The current party consists of a 14 level Half-Orc Barbarian Ranger, and a 16th level Druid (The Half-Orc has died a couple times) I feel that my character is taking some of the fun away from the other players, especially the Half-Orc, because the cleric is so powerful. With Divine Power, and an Extended GMW my attacks are better than the Half-Orcs. And with my ability to cast some pretty nasty combat spells I'm geeking the combats. The Half-Orc just stands back, and rarely draws his sword. So here's my problem, what can I do as a player, and what can I suggest to my DM to keep the game a little more balanced? I really don't want to nerf my cleric, and hold back from casting harm, or flame strikes. And we buff the half-orc with spells so he can take a hit, and deal out some nice damage, but he pales in comparison to the spell casters.

 

[Pax]

Why aren't you casting GMW's to benefit your friends?

Cleric spells are often multi-beneficiary spells, after all. One more GMW in your repertoire for the Barbarian's benefit, isn't going to hurt any.

I'd also say: why has the barbarian died so often, yet you have not? How readily do you pour healing spells into your brutish compatriot? Perhaps not often enough.

 

[Crothian]

What are your domains? That and your god should really indicate what type of cleric you are.

 

[Wizardry]

Well, to be honest, unless you actually make a concious effort to stay in a background role, your Cleric will simply be better than the Half-Orc Barbarian in combat. The Cleric has been proven many times over to be a better combatant than the Fighter types if they focus their spells on themselves. Clerics are intentionally stronger than all of the other classes in the game because most people who are Clerics are using their powers aiding everyone else, buffing them, healing them, and so on.

When you stop using your Cleric in that role, and decide to make him the best combatant/caster/adventurer he can possibly be, he rapidly becomes more powerful than any other class in the game. That's just the way it is. All I can say is you need to either completely revamp the Cleric class, or simply take a step back and focus your efforts on helping your companions instead of being the main frontliner.

PS

Harm is broken, and is almost universally house ruled down to a more reasonable level.

 

[Destil]

Just focus on using your spells to augment your other party members, and not your melee abilities.

 

[green slime]

Hang on a second.

I for one agree on the abilities of the cleric. But this is how the dude is playing his character. Wouldn't it be kind of wierd if he started using a different style?

I suggest: The DM takes the half-orc on a couple of solo adventures, while the Cleric and Druid are involved in some boring political discussions with the hierachy of their respective organizations. This gets the PCs on a more level playing field.

Look over the equipment of the Half-orc. Is there something you can create or purchase that would make him more effective? Most probably there is. Do so. Tha half-orc should have the best weaponry, and the best armour, bar none.

Tips for both religious characters: Be more prepared to rush to heal your comrades. Whether this means burning less slots on buffs, or preparing a staff of healing, or walking around with a trunk full of Heal scrolls, is up to you. There would seem to be only three of you, so it is vital you two keep all members going.

Using items would allow you to keep your kick-butt style, but always keep an eye on how the others are doing.

And: Inform your DM of the virtues of a targetted Dispel Magic, Greater Dispel, or Mord's Disjunction. Nothing brings a buffed cleric down to size quite so fast.

 

[0-hr]

You can't have the cleric focus all of his powers on making himself uber, and then whine to the DM to bring all of the other players up to that level!

A selfish cleric will easily be the most powerful person in the group. You either need to get used to ruining the fun for the other folks, or you need to commit more of your spell list to helping them out. Your choice.

 

[Spatzimaus]

The others here have noted that you should be casting those buff spells on the Barbarian, but there's more to it. You're playing pure-class characters. While caster types (including Clerics) are at their strongest when pureclassed, melee types tend to be at their weakest. The Fighter, Rogue, and Barbarian just don't get much at high levels, so the fact the guy has taken 14 levels of Barbarian is hurting him a bit too.

The Half-Orc should take two levels of Rogue, or two of Fighter, or better yet both; the high-level benefits of the Barbarian class just aren't worth it. With casters, you can specialize through which spells you use; with melee types, you need to get a lot of Feats (which Barbarians don't), multiclass, or get a PrC if you want to specialize.

Instead of a 14 Barbarian, he could be a 10/2/2 Barbarian/Fighter/Rogue: -1 BAB, -8 HP, -1 Will, +2 Reflex, 2 bonus Feats, Evasion, and Sneak Attack 1d6. Plus he gets a better skill set for the Rogue. The problem, though, is that if he uses a big 2-handed weapon he can't Sneak Attack.

Try to talk your DM into letting the Barbarian retroactively change some of his levels. Heck, since you don't have a Rogue in the group you could probably talk the DM into letting him go 5/4/5 Bar/Ftr/Rog to get 3d6 Sneak Attack and Weapon Specialization. Plus, all those Rogue skill points will fill a big gap your group has. Go read Wulf's Story Hour to see how a fighter-rogue plays.

 

[0-hr]

The problem, though, is that if he uses a big 2-handed weapon he can't Sneak Attack.

eh?



(good point about the multi-classing though)

 

[hammymchamham]

The problem, though, is that if he uses a big 2-handed weapon he can't Sneak Attack.

Where are you getting this crazy idea?

From the SRD

Sneak Attack: Any time the rogue's target would be denied a Dexterity bonus to AC (whether the target actually has a Dexterity bonus or not), or when the rogue flanks the target, the rogue's attack deals extra damage. The extra damage is +1d6 at 1st level and an additional 1d6 every two levels thereafter. Should the rogue score a critical hit with a sneak attack, this extra damage is not multiplied.

Where does it say anything about the size of the weapon?

Back OT

I agree the Barbarian shoulda MCed, or even gone for a PrC.