cleric/rogue character builds?

[clockworkjoe]

I'm thinking about playing a cleric/rogue type 11th level for a game. Neutral alignment emphasis on stealth, trap removal, and as high level of clerical magic as possible with those special abilities. Sneak attack is nice but not necessary. What clerical domains, prestige classes, etc work for this idea?

 

[Three_Haligonians]

I made a character who was a cleric/rogue mix once, she was basically like a tv evangelist and she worshiped a god of luck, wine and revelry. She was using the luck domain and the trickery domain, which seemed to work really well for a rogue/cleric, if your going for the traditional sneaky little bugger rogue type.

That character was made before the Book of Exalted Deeds, but, had she progressed further, I would have picked the Evangelist prestige class. Works really well for charleton religious types.

Not sure if thats what your going for, but its the first thing that poped into my head!

T from Three Haligonians

 

[Bloodstone Press]

While reading recently about Ninjas, I learned that they may have originated from a clan of priests who worshipped stealth and the art of hiding. Perhaps a ninja-like prestige class would fit the character.

[shameless plug] A spell casting, stealth worshipping, Modern ninja prestige class will appear in the upcoming 1948 Campaign Setting [/shameless]

I suppose some sort of Darkness, or Stealth domain would be the best way to go, but you might not be able to find something like that. I'd just make one up and include spells like silence, invisibility, darkness, and perhaps even teleport, dimension door, etc. Better yet, check out some offbeat spells from other sources. There are some good darkness related spells in FR.

For the find traps bit, I'd either just make sure he has the right skills, get a magic item that boosts those skills, or make sure I've got the Find Traps spell.

 

[Elephant]

I'm thinking about playing a cleric/rogue type 11th level for a game. Neutral alignment emphasis on stealth, trap removal, and as high level of clerical magic as possible with those special abilities. Sneak attack is nice but not necessary. What clerical domains, prestige classes, etc work for this idea?

The Luck, Magic, Travel, and Trickery domains all seem like they could contribute well to your character. I would personally lean towards Magic (allows you to use scrolls, wands, etc. as a wizard of half your cleric level) and Trickery (the domain spells, along with Hide as a class skill).

I recommend a Human or Halfling to avoid the multiclassing experience penalties. Adding a single level of Monk may be worthwhile. Either way, two to four levels of Rogue seem best to me.

Good luck!

 

[Thanee]

Luck, Travel or Trickery domains are pretty cool, indeed.

A high Int is adviseable, since you will have to put some ranks into cross class skills.

A rather low rogue level and high cleric level (i.e. rogue max 4 / cleric rest, with Practiced Spellcaster to keep caster level high) will probably work better than more rogue levels.

And you should not get those rogue levels too fast, throw in one every other level, so you can keep up with the important skills by spending more points from your "rogue side" on those, everytime you gain a rogue level.

Of course, first level has to be rogue for obvious reasons.

In 3.5 the Initiate of Gond (FR special feat from PGtF) is absolutely great, since they get Wieldskill as a spell and Disable Device/Open Lock as class skills. But other than that Gond (god of smithing) isn't exactly a rogue god.

Craft Wondrous Item (to craft some skill enhancing items) would complement this fairly well.

Bye
Thanee

 

[Tessarael]

I'm thinking about playing a cleric/rogue type 11th level for a game. Neutral alignment emphasis on stealth, trap removal, and as high level of clerical magic as possible with those special abilities. Sneak attack is nice but not necessary. What clerical domains, prestige classes, etc work for this idea?

Race: Halfling
+2 Dex, -2 Str
Small size: +1 AC, +1 to attack, +4 to Hide, 20' base speed (-6 to Jump)
+1 to all saves, +2 to saves vs. fear
+1 to attack with thrown weapons & slings
Skills: +2 Climb, +2 Jump, +2 Listen, +2 Move Silently
Favored class: Rogue

Rogue 4/Cleric 7 (1st level is Rogue)
Deity: Boccob
Domains: Trickery - Bluff, Disguise and Hide are class skills;
Magic - can use Wizards magic items (no need for Use Magic Device skill)

32 point buy stats: STR 12, DEX 14, CON 14, INT 14, WIS 14, CHA 12
modified by race: STR 10, DEX 16, CON 14, INT 14, WIS 14, CHA 12
modified by ability increases: STR 10, DEX 16, CON 14, INT 14, WIS 16, CHA 12
with equipment: STR 10, DEX 18, CON 14, INT 14, WIS 16, CHA 12

Feats: Weapon Finesse, Quick Draw (for thrown weapons), Point Blank Shot,
Rapid Shot

Class features: Sneak Attack +2d6, Trapfinding, Evasion, Trap Sense +1,
Uncanny Dodge, Turn Undead (4/day)
Spells per day: 0th - 6; 1st - 5+1; 2nd - 4+1; 3rd - 3+1; 4th - 1+1

Equipment: Buckler +2 (so can cast spells and use sling), Mithril Shirt +2,
Rapier +1, Sling +1, Amulet of Natural Armor +1, Cloak of Resistance +1,
Ring of Protection +1, Gloves of Dexterity +2.
Cost: 4,165+5,100+2,320+2,300+2,000+1,000+2,000+4,000=20,885gp

HP: 6+3.5*3+4.5*7+11*2=70
BAB: +8
Attacks: rapier +1 with finesse: +14/+9; sling +1: +15/+10 or +13/+13/+8 with Rapid Shot
Saves: Fort +10, Ref +12, Will +11 (includes Cloak of Protection +1)
AC: 10+3(shield)+6(shirt)+4(Dex)+1(size)+1(amulet)+1(ring)=26

Skill points: (8+2)*7+(2+2)*7=98

Skills               Rank Ability Race Synergy Total
======               ==== ======= ==== ======= =====
Balance               0   +4           +2       6
Bluff                14   +1                   15
Climb                 0   +0      +2            2
Diplomacy             0   +1           +4       5
Disable Device       14   +2                   16
Disguise              0   +1           +2       3
Heal                  5   +3                    8
Hide                 14   +4      +4           22
Initimidate           0   +1           +2       3
Jump                  0   +0      -4   +2       3
Knowledge (Religion)  5   +2                    7 (+2 to Turn Undead checks)
Listen                0   +3      +2            5
Move Silently        14   +4      +2           20
Search               14   +2                   16
Sense Motive          5   +3                    8
Sleight of Hand       0   +3           +2       5
Tumble               13   +4                   17

Comments: The character's spellcasting isn't top notch, but the skills
you specified are. Tumble and +2d6 sneak attack combined with rapier
attacks at +14/+9 and AC 26 make the character a good secondary combatant.
The sling (with sneak attack if opponents flat-footed) is useful when
you're sitting back throwing spells and want to do some direct damage.

 

[Tessarael]

Feats: Weapon Finesse, Quick Draw (for thrown weapons), Point Blank Shot, Rapid Shot

As Thanee pointed out, if your DM is allowing Complete Divine feats, you can take Practiced Spellcaster - I would swap Rapid Shot for that. Then your Cleric spellcaster level is 11 for the purpose of penetrating SR, duration and other level-dependent spell effects.

 

[Kae'Yoss]

While reading recently about Ninjas, I learned that they may have originated from a clan of priests who worshipped stealth and the art of hiding. Perhaps a ninja-like prestige class would fit the character.

Huh? I thought ninja are the shadow warriors of japan.

Could you mean the Assassins, who were a muslim religious Cult of stealthy killers?

 

[Will]

From the same great people who brought you The Order of the Stick, the Divine Trickster:

http://www.giantitp.com/Func0015.html

I think it's a great and balanced class. And, if it matters, I have absolutely no connection with whomever designed it.

 

[Tessarael]

If your DM allows Divine Trickster, I'd go with Rogue 4/Cleric 4/Divine Trickster 3. You need at least Rogue 3 and Cleric 3 to qualify for Divine Trickster, and for BAB purposes you're better off going to level 4 in those classes before Divine Trickster. (At 20th level, I'd go for Rogue 4/Cleric 8/Divine Trickster 8, with a BAB of +15 and 16th level spellcasting.)

The main benefits of Divine Trickster are primarily 2 more skill points/level to spend on Rogue skills, and Sneak Attack progression.

Also note that a number of people consider this Divine Trickster overpowered compared to something like Arcane Trickster, which only gets BAB +1/2 levels. There is no good reason why Divine Trickster should get Hide in Plain Sight, that's a powerful ability - probably better than any of the other abilities that Arcane Trickster gets. The other Divine Trickster abilities seem reasonable vs. Arcane Trickster.