Cleric wants fighter BAB

[FreeTheSlaves]

Yeah, there is a player who wants to have a more fighting cleric with the best BAB progression. He is halfogre (halforc stats), has the domains of fire and war and has 20str, 12dex, 10con, 6int, 17wis, 8cha (organic method).

For a trial period I have simply reduced his will save to bad as his proposed reduced spell progression was unconventional at best.

I have thought about fiddling with the spell progression or list (complex) or nixing the turn undead somehow. Ideally I prefer simple, elegant solutions to new mechanics... well I can wish.

BTW we don't use prestige classes, rather we tinker with existing classes.

So anyway, we're in the house rules board so I'm figuring folk might have ideas on balancing this. Thanks.

 

[Technik4]

I might try and work with it if it were any other class... As you may or may not have read before, the cleric is almost unanimously considered the strongest class in the phb. It would take severe weakening to get it to the point where you could give it fighter BAB, at which point, it wouldnt make much sense anyway.

As of right now the only thing that hinders the cleric PERIOD is his BAB. She also has a small class list, low skills, no bonus feats, and "only" a d8, but if you compare to other spellcasters that is far and away more. Does your group also not agree with multiclassing?

It would take more than just dropping the will save... I would suggest that your player take a level or 2 of barbarian whenever he feels the need to smash things better. If you give full spell progression and fighter BAB, he will be unbalanced, I dont see an easy fix.

Technik

 

[Viktyr Gehrig]

I agree with Technik4. If he wants to be a fighting cleric, make him multiclass.

 

[Hollywood]

Yup multiclassing is the way to go. It should also be pointed out to the player that the BAB differs only by +2 or maybe +3 at most until much higher levels. This can easily be made up for by the selection of spells that the cleric has available to him.

We had a cleric/fighter in our group, that if it wasn't for his slow speed due to being a dwarf in plate, was a real tank. Not only could he cast spells, but if he got into combat he could not only outlast but pound virtually anything he wanted to.

 

[maransreth]

If the cleric wants fighter BAB, then drop Will save to low, drop HD to d6 and get rid of Turn Undead. That will leave just fighter BAB and spells.

 

[Technik4]

So you think 2 steps on the HD chart is equal to the cleric spell progression minus the bonus feats from a fighter? What if Im a half-dragon, now I only lose out on 1HD, still have full cleric spell progression, and a fighters BAB.

Technik

 

[Elder-Basilisk]

If you're a half dragon, you also lose out on 3-5 levels (depending upon what ECL you use) of spells, saves, and hit dice. I'd hardly call that full spell progression. (In fact, I'd call it asking to be killed by the first crit, rend, or area effect spell (that you're not immune to) that comes along).

So you think 2 steps on the HD chart is equal to the cleric spell progression minus the bonus feats from a fighter? What if Im a half-dragon, now I only lose out on 1HD, still have full cleric spell progression, and a fighters BAB.

Technik

 

[Technik4]

It was simply a what-if. I certainly think that a cleric half-dragon that traded his will save, 2 hd, and turning undead would be a fearsome foe. Most races with an ECL requirement arent too hardy at their 1st level, but a CR 12 halfdragon cleric with spells as a 9th level cleric and BAB as a 9th level fighter would put up more of a fight than a single classed half-dragon cleric (regular) or some combination of cleric/fighter, imo. Mostly because the high BAB and high Str equal abuse of power attack (esp with buffs).

Technik

 

[FreeTheSlaves]

Thanks all.

Yeah I'm thinking that multiing is the way to go here. I don't think the player wants to lose caster levels but the improved BAB is raining on the warrior-types parade.

Either way, the bad will by itself ain't enough. Best BAB and best spell progression isn't fair and I don't want to touch skills (remember 6int and 2pts/lvl), class features or HD.

Just posted to get some outside thoughts before ICQing my friend.

 

[Pbartender]

A Paladin is not an option?