Cleric Tweak Options

[Mistwell]

Spell Focus: Conjuration isn't very useful for you, unless it's required for augmented summoning.

Do not do combat casting or skill focus: concentration. You really don't need it. If you find yourself casting spells right next to creatures with a strength and con that low, you're dead anyway.

I strongly agree with the folks who mentioned the Zen Archery feat, from Complete Warrior. With that feat and some minor buff spells like divine favor, you will be an effective ranged combatant.

 

[InVinoVeritas]

I did a search through the core Cleric spell list to see what schools best benefit from Spell Focus. Here's what I saw:

Illusion, Divination, and Transmutation are useless. Almost no spells in these schools require saves (or are harmless).

For defense, Conjuration and Abjuration are okay choices. Cure/resurrection spells are Conjuration, so there's a save if you cast them on undead (although usually you aren't casting them there). The big advantage to Conjuration is getting Augment Summoning afterward. Abjuration gets you the Glyph of Warding, Banishment/Dismissal, and Sanctuary among a few other defensive spells.

For offense, the real choices are Enchantment, Evocation, and above all, Necromancy. Necromancy in particular is chock full of "save or hurt" spells! Of course, it's best for evil clerics, but you can't have everything... Enchantment only has a few, but they're cast regularly: Command, Quest, some of the Symbols. Evocation gets you the Holy Words, Flame Strike, Blade Barrier, etc. as mentioned above.

Maybe you already know that, but it was good for me to make the exercise.

I'll definitely get downtime, so there's no risk of wasting an item creation feat. I expect progression to be slow overall, with more XP than GP coming in.

Do the Divine Feats require a Turn Undead expenditure, or a generic Turning expenditure? The Plant domain looks very attractive is the latter is true; spend a Command Plants to power divine feats would be nice. Also, is a Charisma of 13+ still needed?

PS: This would be embarrassing: A cleric with Improved Counterspell, Heighten Spell, and Divine Metamagic (Heighten). When the opponent attempts to summon a demon, counter it with a spontaneously cast Cure Minor Wounds. Impractical, but fun.

 

[nittanytbone]

The Divine Feats require a Turn Undead attempt. Clarified by FAQ I believe, which continues to make the plant/elemental domains not very useful.

Spell Focus is ok if you want to focus on boosting DCs through the roof, but that would be enhancing something you're already good at. It might be good to use your (very limited) feats to shore up weaknesses (non-magic attacks, HPs). Clerics are not like wizards who get some bonus feats, and in fact, clerics are pretty much THE most feat-poor class in the game. So often times things like spell focus or weapon focus end up being a luxury.

And IMHO, counterspelling is only worth it for certain spontaneous (i.e. sorcerer) builds that are really built around it.

 

[Nail]

There is an interesting alternative to turning in the WotC book Complete Mage. A cleric can exchange his turning attempts for counterspelling attempts. Cool!

 

[InVinoVeritas]

Well, the counterspelling was more of a joke. Just a bit of creative usage.

However, there does seem to be an interesting tool here. DMM: Heighten Spell lets you boost the DC of any spell to the maximum level you can cast whenever you need it. You wouldn't be able to boost every spell you cast all the time, but you would boost the ones you need when you need it. You'd also get higher DCs than Spell Focus can provide, in the long run.

I'm not convinced on the strategy of using feats to shore up defenses, though. Yes, I have weaknesses. Heck, part of the reason I've posted this problem here is because of the weaknesses. However, if I spend too many of my available resources on weaknesses, my strengths lessen. I guess it's all about getting the balance right. Ultimately, though, since this character will always be more support than artillery, I'm thinking that a better way to shore up my defenses is by building relationships. As you mentioned, probably one of my best defenses is a bunch of meat shields.

By the way, how about prestige classes? Since really the only thing I'm holding onto Cleric for is the spell progression, a full-spell-progression prestige class would probably be very attractive to the character. I haven't had a chance to look through the Complete books, but a number of 3.0 PrC looked interesting. Divine Oracle, Contemplative, Church Inquisitor, and Virtuoso came to mind.

 

[Nail]

Radiant Servant of Pelor

Best.

PrC.

Evar.

 

[nittanytbone]

The main downside to PrCs for Clerics is that many do not continue your turn undead progression and many do not continue to boost any domain abilities dependent on cleric level.

If you don't plan on turning undead much (say you're using Divine Feats) and don't plan on taking domains that have level dependent effects (like Strength), then go ahead for a PrC.

Contemplative is great for an extra domain, and is easy to qualify for but its at very high level.

RSOP as mentioned is awesome. I don't think you can get in though without the Sun Domain.

Ruathor (Races of the Wild) is a nice "filler" PrC with full casting that's easy to get into and boosts your Ref Save and skill point situation, along with some minor but fun elf-related goodies. Good for getting access to skills that are normally cross class, like Spot/Listen and Hide/Move Silently, as well as Knowledge Skills. It is perfect for getting ranks in Knowledge (Nature) to take Spontaenous Summoner or something like that.

Church Inquisitor is great. You can jump in as early as level 4 or 5 (I would get 4 levels of cleric for the BAB and saves then jump in), and it offers some nice benefits at the cost of your fort save and turn undead progression. The random abilities, domain, immunities, and skill points are very nice, as are access to some new knowledge and social skills.

Thamauturgist is ok, but entrance is so late as to be fairly unattractive. If you want to be a badass summoner, you want Augment Summoning ASAP, not when you can cast Lesser Planar Ally.

Human Paragon is always attractive, although it entails a loss of a caster level which always hurts.

Obviously there's likely more out there depending on what source books you have access to, but that's my quick run down of the ones that I can think of.