Creating a Cleric

[Rolzup]

Multiclassed spellcasters are usually fairly ineffective. 3.5 will mitigate that a bit by encouraging Prestige Classes that compensate somewhat (mystic theurge = wiz/cl, eldrich warrior = ftr/wiz, etc.) I have a rough cleric/rogue PrC whipped up for my campaign if you have any inrerest in seeing it. Even with these, I still suspect that straight cleric is amongst the most interesting choices if you want butt-kicking and fun spell effects.

Frankly, that's my feeling as well -- far cry from the old days, when playing a cleric was the last thing that *anyone* wanted to do.

She's got an great take on the basic character personality -- "Mary Poppins crossed with Jakie Chan." -- but she's just not sure where to take her. Right now she's still looking for a diety, and I think that she's decided to delay any prestige class thoughts for a level or two, to see how the character grows.

 

[Rolzup]

What world are you playing in? Has she decided on any particular race yet?

I'm a huge fan of Half-Orc Clerics, with one or two levels of Barbarian thrown in there.

I've found, in the past, the extra skills and hitpoints are a lot of fun to fall back on, and the rage is great after you've run out of spells.

Of course, you wouldn't be as powerful a Cleric, which can be a problem.

Actually, my own first thought was to play a Dwarven Barbarian/Cleric, patterning his personality after Brian Blessed's character from "Flash Gordon" and the first "Black Adder" series.

Relentlessly -- and obnoxiously -- cheerful, a deadly warrior, and more than a little...ah, dim. He'd be a blast and a half to play.

Oh, and the world we're playing is in Greyhawk, after a magical disaster that's partially mergered the land with the plane of Shadows.

 

[krunchyfrogg]

I've played a Dwarven Barbarian/Cleric, and she was one of the most fun characters I've played in quite some time.

Unfortunately, she really fell off the power curve, since I couldn't keep up with the warriors, nor could I keep up with the druid in spellcasting because of the favored class rules.

If you're going dwarf, my advice would be to just take a level or two of Fighter, with Cleric getting the rest.

 

[Li Shenron]

I am currently playing a CG Wild Elf Cleric of Kord. He is very archery-style (high Dex + feats), and uses the most classical spells i.e. healing + buffs, plus a few damage spells here and there (Inflict Moderate Wounds, Sound Burst).

Some considerations from my limited (just become 4th) clerical career:

1. I had access only to PHB deities when I created my PC. Neverthless, when I started picturing them, I found out they provide very good and very diverse ideas for RP and strategy alike. You can really make many completely different Clerics without necessarily use non-core material. I would suggest to just take 5 minutes for each deity and try to imagine a typical Cleric what would she be like...

2. The sheer amount of spells in the list was overwhelming me: so while I was browsing the deities, I kept an eye on the spell list (levels 0-3) and chose a subset to fit my PC: he was more a shaman-like athletic/hunter priest, from a culture very much resembling the Native Americans (I even wrote down spells' verbal components in Cherokee language ), so buffs like Bull's Strength and heals like Cure Wounds were the basis, together with protections and curses. OTOH, I discarded divinations, in the sense that I never prepare them daily but may use them for a special day, and summonings. If you don't mind much losing a little power, have your Cleric use "favored" spells of a type that suits her interests; she will be more than a cleric, she will be a focused cleric.

3. I had to say I discarded soon the idea of a PrCl or multiclassing: I didn't want to delay spell progression towards Raise Dead, which I considered a point to reach ASAP. But I have to say that with my Int 6, i.e. 1 skill point per level, I can't qualify for much until after level 10 or 12.

4. Don't choose to be an archer Cleric because it's easy. I chose it only because it really fitted my idea of a Native American-like young shaman, that's also why I chose Wild Elf. You will be still good in defending yourself and supporting the party, even if you wield a quartestaff because it suits your image best. Don't be afraid of being sub-optimal (heck! I still wear only a Studded Leather because he doesn't like to wear metal ).

5. Depending on your choices, if you miss crunchy stuff, try to take feats that considerably change your character's activity: consider an Item Creation feat soon, or Leadership later. Most combat feats, or +something feat are always useful, but they're not going to make you feel a great change for your PC.