Clerical Feats?

[ruleslawyer]

I'm with Nail on this one.

Unless you get a good weapon with your domains (and you might, especially if you're an FR elf), just focus on spellcasting.

This is my ideal straight cleric. Human, with the Travel and Trickery domains. Take the following feats:

1) Improved Initiative, Spell Focus (Enchantment)
3) Brew Potion
6) Extend Spell
9) Persistent Spell
12) Empower Spell
15) Spell Penetration
18) Greater Spell Penetration

The reason I suggest Brew Potion, BTW, is to allow you to distribute your healing mojo among the party. Craft Wand is probably better if, and only if, you have a druid or bard in the party. If you want it, take Extend Spell at 3rd level and CW at 6th.

 

[krunchyfrogg]

If you're playing a melee cleric, and go human, you really can't go wrong with Power Attack and Cleave, assuming you have the STR requirement.

 

[greycastle]

Well..my stats are rather high *i like to believe so* we use a 36 point buy system

Str 14
Dex 12
Con 14
Int 12
Wis 16
Cha 14

I've decided so far to take Improved Initiative, because your absolutley right about the fact that you want to get in quick, and i might consider gettings Thug at level 3(Forgotten Realms Campaign Setting, Regional Feat: Waterdeep (and Amn i think)) for a total of +7 (+1 dex, +4 Improved Initiative, +2 thug)
I've decided against taking Spellcasting prodigy, as it seems a little bit unbalancing *seeing as to have Wis 16 it cost me 10 points, but to get to 18 would cost me normally 16!!!*

Now i need to know how to fill in that last blank feat slot. simply quote the feat, and what book. I've read all your posts, and so far want to build a Melee cleric, with aggresive/buffing spells *exchanged for healing, since i'm of GOOD alignment*

Thanks for you help people, and keep it coming

 

[gariig]

I'm going to disagree about the improved init..The only time those come into play is the first round of combat when people are flat footed. This is where a rogue will want improved init so they can catch someone with their crossbow for sneak attack damage.

The way initiative is done, it really doesn't matter after the first round of combat when you go(barring AoE spells, which you probably want to be after the mage). Your reason for getting it seems to be for stabalizing PCs. However, even if the first PC on the initiative order gets knocked to negative numbers you still have the whole initiative cycle to get to them and heal them. If you are really worried about getting to them take the Reach metamagic feat from DotF or TaB, you can spontaneously cast a reached cure minor wounds as a full round action and ranged touch attack.

 

[Elder-Basilisk]

What he said. If you want to build a good melee cleric and start with Improved Initiative and Thug, it's already too late to be a good melee cleric. You may be a competent one but you won't be a good one.

Power Attack, Cleave, and Divine Might. Now that's a melee cleric. (Although if you do go that route, I'd ditch the int and dex of 12 for a charisma of 16).

I'm going to disagree about the improved init..The only time those come into play is the first round of combat when people are flat footed. This is where a rogue will want improved init so they can catch someone with their crossbow for sneak attack damage.

The way initiative is done, it really doesn't matter after the first round of combat when you go(barring AoE spells, which you probably want to be after the mage). Your reason for getting it seems to be for stabalizing PCs. However, even if the first PC on the initiative order gets knocked to negative numbers you still have the whole initiative cycle to get to them and heal them. If you are really worried about getting to them take the Reach metamagic feat from DotF or TaB, you can spontaneously cast a reached cure minor wounds as a full round action and ranged touch attack.

 

[greycastle]

nono, Elder Basilisk, you misunderstood

I DID infact take Improved Initiative, to hit them first *even though there is the idea that last to hit, last to stand *confused look**

But i only said i MAY take thug and whether it was worth taking it for a +7 instead of a +5 initiative...

My Cleric currently has Improved Initiative, and Power Attack, and i'm thinking if Thug is a bad idea, then definitly taking Cleave at level 3. I'm not sure what other feats to take at what levels, and i'm still debating whether it's worth spending a Feat on Extra Turning. While i love clerics, and i realise their highly powerful *possibly overpowered* i still wish they got one bonus feat level 10, to gain either a Fighter, MetaMagic, Divine Feat.

Just one bonus feat *pleaful look*

 

[Thimble the Squit]

Clerics and Improved Initiative

I have to agree about Imp. Init. This feat is too often over-rated - I don't really care if I've got a good initiative unless
a) I'm a rogue trying to get a first round Sneak Attack;
b) I'm an Invoker who wants to clear the field of crunchies with a fire ball before the battle proper begins; or -
c) I have a terrible flat-footed AC and rogues keep Sneak Attacking me.

KrunchyFrog's comment about "getting that CLW off before his buddy drops" would apply only if initiative were rolled every round, rather than the cyclical combat rules that 3rd edition D&D employs.

Other game systems emphasise initiative very strongly (I'm thinking especially of Shadowrun and Deadlands[/i] here, where really good initiative rolls can give more actions that turn) but the d20 system doesn't, at least not after the first round of combat - and I think a lot of character builds miss out by taking Improved Initiative rather than something much more useful, like Weapon Focus or Extra Turning.

And as for greycastle's wistful plea for an extra feat at around 10th-level, I have to ask: if you hadn't taken Improved Initiative, wouldn't that open up another feat slot? I'd much rather have that "bonus feat" at the cost of >shock horror< maybe having to go second in the opening round of combat.

 

[gariig]

I'm still going to say that a MELEE cleric has no use for improved init. If you are tossing around spells for combat then init order for that first spell can be important. I really think thug will be a total waste of a feat. I think extend might be a good one, although probably around 8-10th level you will really be tossing it around. If you go that route you can go for persistent...persistent divine favor and might is just nasty.

Gariig

 

[greycastle]

*sigh* well, if it's any conselation, i'm getting rid of Improved Initiative. But what should i take? consider that Weapon Focus is useful, but really only so if you 1. have lots of feats to spend 2. can get weapon specialization.

What feat should i take as my second feat? I have Power Attack.

Cleave?
Extra Turning? (so i can get the Divine feats?)
Weapon Focus? (also considering i can't get Specialization)
Spell Focus?

Note: i plan on taking the Leadership feat at level 6, so i can get a Bodyguard Cohort (not sure what kind of cohort)

 

[greycastle]

i also forgot to mention 1. i took the dex 12 for the +1 AC it gives in fullplate. 2. took the +2 int to gain another 4 skill points. Seems silly, but i like skilled individuals, and while i try to minmax, i try to do so generally realistically *i think*