Feat recommendations for 1st level cleric

[Kerrwyn]

My wife is having a hard time picking her feats for her 1st level cleric, and I, having never played a cleric, am at a loss to help her.

Her stats are: Str-11, Dex-10, Con-13, Int-12, Wis-16, Cha-14

She wants to head for Divine Disciple, and be a more martial cleric (St. Cuthbert). But I've got no idea what to suggest. Any help is appreciated.

 

[Lord Pendragon]

Her stats are: Str-11, Dex-10, Con-13, Int-12, Wis-16, Cha-14

If she wants a more martial character, you should probably move these stats around a bit. A +0 in strength and dex pretty much means sucking in every form of non-spellcasting combat. I'd put the 14 into strength, the 12 to charisma, and the 11 to int.

What domains will the cleric have? If she has the War domain, she'll get free proficiency and focus in her god's favored weapon (the heavy mace for Cuthbert...I think.) So she'd be set as far as martial feats, and might be better served with a spellcasting feat (perhaps Extend Spell). I'd suggest Point-Blank Shot, but with a 10 Dex, the cleric won't be winning any archery contests.

Also, are there any feat prereqs for Divine Disciple? If so, it's never too early to start getting them.

 

[ForceUser]

At first level I took Scribe Scroll and Combat Casting. Scribe Scroll is, in my opinion, a vital feat for any spellcaster, and is an especially useful way for a cleric to have on-hand those lesser-used-but-table-turning-when-you-need-them spells such as invisibility to undead, lesser restoration, delay poison and the like. Additionally, if you want to be a rough-and-tumble combat cleric, dispensing heals and hurt in the front lines with the fighters, Combat Casting combined with max ranks in Concentration makes casting defensively a snap. My cleric is 12th level and I have never regretted taking either of these feats. I can cast defensively and automatically achieve the required DC for 6th-level spells without even having to roll a die.

 

[purple knight]

For a martial cleric, rearrange the scores as follows:

s: 13
d: 10
c: 12
I: 11
w: 14
ch: 16

As your level progresses, add your points to wisdom and you will be fine on spells. Hopefully you will have the War domain which gives you a free martial weapon feat (depending on diety) and weapon focus with that weapon. For your feats (assuming you are human), take power attack and divine might.

Now, at first level, with your main weapon, you will be +2(st+weapon focus) to hit and +4 to damage (when using divine might (st+ch)). And don't forget that spells like bless and divine favor can make this even better.

Be sure to tank up because of your dex, and use spells such as shield of faith that provide deflection bonuses until you get magic vestment (which stacks with deflection bonuses, so hey, life is good).

 

[geezerjoe]

For a cleric of St. Cuthbert I'd go with Power Attack and Extra Turning at first level.

If you want to go with more of a combat caster I'd switch out Extra Turning with Combat Casting or Skill Focus: Concentration.

Pick up Weapon Focus for the mace as soon as you can (requires a +1 BAB and proficiency), and if she would like to run a mounted character, she's going to need to pick up Mounted Combat soon as well (this is fun too)

I'd suggest putting a lot of skill points in Ride (cross class) and Concentration skills. Eventually she'll be able to cast spells while charging on horseback (buffs and attack spells) and then quick dismount after to bash her foes with St Cuthberts righteousness!!

I'd also suggest taking the domains Destruction and Strength. Ummmmmm fun

l8r

Joe2Old

 

[Elder-Basilisk]

Lord Pendragon hit the nail on the head with his comments about the martial cleric route. The stats need to be reworked or that isn't a martial cleric.

Better stats would be: Str 14, Dex 10, Con 13, Int 11, Wis 16, Cha 12 (dex and cha could be switched for an even more martial cleric).

If she's sold on St. Cuthbert, Destruction and Strength would be the appropriately martial domains although either could be subbed for protection whle retaining combat utility. Heavy mace and morning star are fine weapons for a combat oriented cleric (and the war domain, while nice, is therefore unnecessary).

For feats, scribe scroll is a decent choice. It's not particularly combat-oriented but it's a good choice if scrolls aren't readily available from NPCs. Clerics--especially low level ones need the reserve healing power provided by scrolls. It's also a great medium for keeping highly situational spells (like Obscuring Mist, Burial Blessing (for use whenever a PC is killed by an undead with the Create Spawn ability) and Comprehend Languages) available.

Combat Casting, however, is a waste--especially with 3.5e Skill focus granting +3. Combat casting grants a +4 bonus to the avoidable (and somewhat uncommon) Defensive Casting skill check--a check which becomes pretty much automatic by 9th level or so and is almost automatic by 6th level or so. Skill focus, etc. also helps for the more difficult and less avoidable concentration check required to successfully complete casting a spell when damaged. Even +2 (from 3e skill focus) to both situations is IMHO better than combat casting. However, that said, a combat-focussed cleric can easily get by without either feat--especially a human with a 10+ int (who can afford to max the concentration skill).

Weapon Focus would be a much better choice--especially for a combat focussed cleric. An extra chance to hit is always and consistently helpful. The extra options provided by power attack would be helpful as well. It would also open up a wide range of other combat feats.

 

[ForceUser]

Combat Casting, however, is a waste--especially with 3.5e Skill focus granting +3. Combat casting grants a +4 bonus to the avoidable (and somewhat uncommon) Defensive Casting skill check--a check which becomes pretty much automatic by 9th level or so and is almost automatic by 6th level or so. Skill focus, etc. also helps for the more difficult and less avoidable concentration check required to successfully complete casting a spell when damaged. Even +2 (from 3e skill focus) to both situations is IMHO better than combat casting. However, that said, a combat-focussed cleric can easily get by without either feat--especially a human with a 10+ int (who can afford to max the concentration skill).

Oh, I don't know; once initiative is rolled I'd say Combat Casting is the superior feat. My 12th-level 3.0 cleric sits at a +22 Concentration while casting defensively, allowing him to channel up to 7th-level spells even on a roll of 1. That's a pretty handy ability for a combat cleric to have when he's in the thick of things healing his buddies and laying down the occasional banishment or flame strike while standing next to a hezrou demon. Granted, neither feat is bad and there is something to be said for a constant +3 - but a +1 advantage is still a +1 advantage. To get the most from Combat Casting, always cast defensively if there is even the chance of a dragon's fart in your general direction. At any rate, Weapon Focus is always a solid choice as well, though if I were going straight cleric with no levels in a true melee class I'd choose Combat Casting over WF (and I did). As a burgeoning high level single-classed cleric I barely use my mace anymore.

 

[Caliban]

Scribe scroll is very effective for a cleric. It allows you to keep a bunch of Remove XXX scrolls handy and still stock more commonly used spells.

 

[Darklone]

Oh, I don't know; once initiative is rolled I'd say Combat Casting is the superior feat. My 12th-level 3.0 cleric sits at a +22 Concentration while casting defensively, allowing him to channel up to 7th-level spells even on a roll of 1. That's a pretty handy ability for a combat cleric to have when he's in the thick of things healing his buddies and laying down the occasional banishment or flame strike while standing next to a hezrou demon. Granted, neither feat is bad and there is something to be said for a constant +3 - but a +1 advantage is still a +1 advantage. To get the most from Combat Casting, always cast defensively if there is even the chance of a dragon's fart in your general direction. At any rate, Weapon Focus is always a solid choice as well, though if I were going straight cleric with no levels in a true melee class I'd choose Combat Casting over WF (and I did). As a burgeoning high level single-classed cleric I barely use my mace anymore.

The Problem with Combat Casting is that it won't help you with concentration checks against readied attacks.

 

[Shin Okada]

Does your wife definitely want to play a cleric of Cuthbert and use mace? If not, I found using reach weapon is rather a good choice for a cleric. That way you can keep some distance from opponents and thus simple one step is usually enough to let you out from threatening area.

A cleric may take Exotic Weapon Proficiency (Spiked Chain). In my case, the god of my PC's favored weapon is Long Spear and he gets free proficiency and focus.