[Epic] I know it's silly, but help me make a 36th-level cleric

[Patlin]

If you have a spare epic feat handy, Spell Stowaway (Heal) wouldn't be bad to have. If the Time domain contains Time Stop (I don't recall if it does) Spell Stowaway (Timestop) is *always* a good choice.

Improved Spell Capacity is a good generically usefull feat, as is Autoquicken.

 

[Rkhet]

This is a one shot, and you'll be facing one enemy only. so the question is, 'what can you do in five rounds?'

you don't need sustainability. burn all the xp you want. extra spell-slots are unimportant. you DO want multiple spells per round, though. so plenty of Multispells.

Time domain is a good choice. Get the animal domain, too, for Shapechange. Shapechange into a Chronotyryn for two full actions per round (or, for core, Choker for 1 extra standard action).

Pump up your caster level and make liberal use of Gate. It's cheap at 1000xp a pop. You can easily summon something more powerful than a CR40 dragon. Hecatoncheires would be good here.

Does it have to be a Clr 36? Can you take PrCs?

 

[RangerWickett]

I'm considering a drow cleric 34 instead, for spell resistance (and because I don't know if 2 levels honestly makes a huge difference at this level). Prestige classes are available, from core, the 'complete' books, and anything FR, but not 'races of' books. He also has Draconomicon, the environment series, PHB2, and Spell Compendium.

 

[Kem]

If you can take a PrC, Hathran or Hospitaler are good for Bonus Feats (1/2 levels instead of 1/3 levels). My favorite is Hathran, but Hosp is just as good if I remember right, and makes you better at fighting.

Try to use your gold for perma effects like death ward, mind blank, and other fun things like that.

However as a one shot, find what you want to do and pump money into it, you prolly have a metric ton of the stuff. If not more.

"Oh but I can't cast wall of force" Buy an item, high caster level, that has it cast as quickened. Lets say 2000x9x40 or 720,000.

Since you are a cleric you will find that battlefield control is a bit hard just due to spell list but it is kinda fun.

 

[Rkhet]

Actually, in terms of bonus feats, Hierophant is likely the way to go. 5 metamagics in 5 levels, with no loss of caster levels.

Drow is a bad idea. The SR isn't worth 2 levels, especially since there's that Assay Resistance spell in CA. Amongst the things you'll lose, the one that hurts you the most is the extra epic feat. You'll also lose the bonus feat for human. If you absolutely have to have the SR, Spell Resistance is only lvl 5 and lasts 1min/lvl.

Get Delay Spell. Use it together with Time Stop to pop off an impossibly large number of spells in a single (objective) round.

Burn a Miracle to give the dragon -9 to all saves. Have the wizard do the same with a Wish, if your DM allows it to stack.

Alternatively, consider going toe-to-toe with it. Not as crazy as it sounds. A fully buffed, shapechanged spellcaster with Wraithstrike, Divine Power and Greater Visage of the Deity can be obscenely powerful up close - unless you get Disjuncted.

That's the other thing - the party needs a counterspeller to watch for three spells: disjunction, antimagic field, time stop. Those can screw you over bad.

 

[Rkhet]

I just have a sense that at this level the warriors should be able to do more damage than me.

Possibly (though by no means certain). You will, however, stay alive longer in melee than most non-FB fighter types. Some of the best buffs are self-only.

 

[KarinsDad]

Question: The ELH (and the SRD) both have some wonky rules for BAB and Saving Throws past 20th level. Monsters are not subject to these rules. In my epic games, we've noted that simply allowing PC BABs and saving throws to progress as normal not only is perfectly balanced, It makes it 800 times easier to calculate and throw stats together.

Wonky?

These are some of the best rules WotC ever came up with. Allowing normal progression at Epic levels is a terrible rule.

 

[KarinsDad]

Watch out for Dragon Cohorts and such with Antimagic Field.

If the Dragon can bring down the party's magic, he will easily devastate them with normal attacks.

This is consistently one of the better tactics for extremely powerful dragons. You should have tactics to counter it such as a Wall of Force to keep AMF NPCs at bay.


Note: It is unlikely that your DM will just throw the Dragon at you. There will probably be at least one encounter with Epic level minions. Be ready for it.

 

[foxwick]

If you're reasonably sure that you're not facing Undead - here is a great buff tactic for Clerics that uses turning attempts:

Feats:Extend Spell, Persistent Spell, Divine Metamagic
Spell: Visage of the Diety, Greater

Cast the spell each day (at a cost of one 9th level spell slot and 7 turning attempts), and for 24 hours you get:
- fly (good) at twice your speed
- +1 natural armor
- low-light vision
- resistance 10 to acid, cold, electricity
- immune to disease
- +4 racial bonus against poison
- DR 10/magic
- SR 25
- +4 STR, +2 DEX, +2 CON, +4 INT, +2 CHA

 

[Archade]

I've never played anything higher than 18th level, so take my advice with a grain of salt ...

- opt to take a 35th level cleric with magic item creation feats, and nearly double your wealth limit.

- Leadership/Epic Leadership! With only a limited number of rounds in combat, taking a Cohort will aid your tactical options significantly! If you want even more bang for your buck, take a druid with an animal companion, or a paladin with an improved mount! Think about a draconic cohort (Draconomicon) with the fire subtype.

- Quicken spell, or Sudden Quicken would be very useful. Or a Rod of Metamagic (Quicken)

- Take the spell etherealness! If things are going badly, it's a great way to run away so you can heal everyone.

- make your weapons adamantine, so wierd DR's aren't an issue.

- Look at one shot items like the Efreeti Bottle, Ring of Djinni Calling

- If your DM will allow it, buy or create an intelligent magic item - after all, it gets an action every round, too.

Hopefully this gives you some ideas ...