fighter/cleric or just cleric

[Sejs]

I'd personally do 1 level of Fighter and the rest as cleric. The reason: tower shields and martial weapons. It's one of those weight of benefit for the bulk of your career vs weight of benefit at the very end of career issues.

 

[Tatsukun]

I'd personally do 1 level of Fighter and the rest as cleric. The reason: tower shields and martial weapons. It's one of those weight of benefit for the bulk of your career vs weight of benefit at the very end of career issues.

(Realy question) Can you cast spells if you have a tower shield in one hand and a weapon in another? I have always thought you couldn't. If you can, I have to buy one soon!

-Tatsu

 

[Spatula]

If the spell has no somatic component or material component, then sure.

Otherwise you'll need to drop/sheath/stow your weapon.

 

[Elder-Basilisk]

(Realy question) Can you cast spells if you have a tower shield in one hand and a weapon in another? I have always thought you couldn't. If you can, I have to buy one soon!

-Tatsu

Only if that weapon is a spiked gauntlet. That's why a lot of clerics use bucklers, light shields, or two-handed weapons. There are a couple other ways around that. Loosing the tower shield (or any other shield) is a move action that may be combined with a move. So you could move and loose the shield then cast the spell (as long as you have a +1 BAB). You could also choose to drop your weapon if you were wielding one. Or you could simply walk around without a weapon in hand (except maybe a spiked gauntlet) and only draw your weapon when you've decided its time to switch to melee. Between that and loosing the shield, you should be able to manage in most situations though all of the swapping things out of your hand carries its own disadvantages.

 

[Darth K'Trava]

I've done a "battle cleric" (our term for a cleric who likes to wade into the middle of melee) with mostly feats and the right deity (although not one that allowed the war domain, unfortunately). Part of this is totally dependant on what level you're starting (I started that one at 11th level). And was human to go with that (for the extra 1st level feat) and the extra skill points.