first time cleric needs to survive

[seans23]

I'd suggest persisting Divine Power and Righteous Might.

He's 13th level, so he can only persist 1st level spells. Persistent Righteous Might would be an 11th level spell! Even though divine metamagic allows you to cast a metamagic spell without using a higher spell slot, you would still need to be able to cast a spell at that level. Divine Metamagic is powerful enough without bypassing the need to be able to cast a spell at a certain level.

 

[shurai]

Ah now I see what you are getting at with quick draw.

We always play that a buckler or light shield, as opposed to a heavy one, leaves one hand free enough to be able to do the somatic componants of a spell, or transfer a weapon to that hand to use the other to cast the spell. If your DM is not allowing that, then yes quick draw would suddenly become very useful for this build.

Large shield I said, sorry for the confusion; maybe using a small shield is a better call. Save a feat and -1 AC to gain a lot of flexibility.

As for the axe or hammer...I was thinking that if he chose war domain, which grants martial proficiency with the diety's weapon and weapon focus with it as well, then hammer or axe was the way to go. Clanggedin Silverbeard is a dwarven diety of war, and his favored weapon is the battleaxe I believe. However, if he is not going with the war domain, then I agree the heavy mace or morningstar are probably the best weapons to go with.

Ah, okay, good choice for making the cleric yet more smashy. We don't know anything about the deities in play, but surely some deity has the war domain, regardless of setting.

On the issue of "Ranged Spell", that was my bad (typo). It's "Reach Spell", it's from Complete Divine, P 84, and it turns a touch spell into a 30 ft ray. That means you can heal your fallen ally from range, when it becomes necessary.

Ah, okay. That's a good call too, if the DM allows it (CD may not be allowed).

 

[Mistwell]

He's 13th level, so he can only persist 1st level spells. Persistent Righteous Might would be an 11th level spell! Even though divine metamagic allows you to cast a metamagic spell without using a higher spell slot, you would still need to be able to cast a spell at that level. Divine Metamagic is powerful enough without bypassing the need to be able to cast a spell at a certain level.

Sadly, while I wish that were how Divine Metamagic worked, that is in fact why it's broken. DMM has no such limitation, though it obviously should. You do not need to be able to cast a spell at that level using divine metamagic to supply the additional levels. Broken? Of course.

 

[Piratecat]

Thanks for getting this thread back on track. I also want to thank you for disagreeing but not losing your tempers. You guys rock.

 

[nittanytbone]

For some reason, the war domain is getting a lot of play. I'm not sure why.

A morningstar does 1d8 (x2 crit) with piercing and bludgeoning damage. Many of the commonly referenced war domain weapons (hammers, axes, etc) are almost exactly the same, having only a superior crit modifier and perhaps a bit less weight. I don't think that's a compelling reason to take the domain unless it really offers you something else that you want. Now, if you can get a good weapon (Greatsword, Long Bow come to mind...) go for it.

Now, one way to get a good "smashy" dwarf that swings a hammer is via the Racial Substitution Levels from the Races of Stone book.

Pre-req:
- Be a dwarf
- Be attaining level 4
- Sacrifice a level II spell slot FOREVER

Benefits:
- D10 HD for this level only
- Add Know (Dungeoneering) to your class skill list for this level only
- MWP (Warhammer) and +2 to damage with Warhammers

Here's a build that really capitilizes on that benefit:
1 - TWF
3 - Oversized TWF (Complete Warrior)
6 - Improved Buckler Defense (Complete Warrior)

Tactic: Cast Divine Favor and Greater Magic Weapon x 2. Divine Favor's bonus damage stacks on each hand. Greater Magic Weapon buffs up your warhammers all day long. You can still use a buckler with Magic Vestment cast upon it for defense.
Note: You must have 15 DEX to qualify for TWF. Getting ITWF will be even harder.

 

[Mistwell]

For some reason, the war domain is getting a lot of play. I'm not sure why.

A morningstar does 1d8 (x2 crit) with piercing and bludgeoning damage. Many of the commonly referenced war domain weapons (hammers, axes, etc) are almost exactly the same, having only a superior crit modifier and perhaps a bit less weight. I don't think that's a compelling reason to take the domain unless it really offers you something else that you want. Now, if you can get a good weapon (Greatsword, Long Bow come to mind...) go for it.

Now, one way to get a good "smashy" dwarf that swings a hammer is via the Racial Substitution Levels from the Races of Stone book.

Pre-req:
- Be a dwarf
- Be attaining level 4
- Sacrifice a level II spell slot FOREVER

Benefits:
- D10 HD for this level only
- Add Know (Dungeoneering) to your class skill list for this level only
- MWP (Warhammer) and +2 to damage with Warhammers

I agree the war domain is not necessary. I just think it is in general a decent domain. The spells it grants are mostly useful, and the role playing theme is also pretty good.

Here's a build that really capitilizes on that benefit:
1 - TWF
3 - Oversized TWF (Complete Warrior)
6 - Improved Buckler Defense (Complete Warrior)

Tactic: Cast Divine Favor and Greater Magic Weapon x 2. Divine Favor's bonus damage stacks on each hand. Greater Magic Weapon buffs up your warhammers all day long. You can still use a buckler with Magic Vestment cast upon it for defense.
Note: You must have 15 DEX to qualify for TWF. Getting ITWF will be even harder.

That one I am not so sure about. First, I think it is fairly advanced. Second, the buckler only helps you if you are not attacking with the weapon in that hand that round. As soon as you attack, I believe the buckler AC (and the boost from magic vestment as well that might be on it) don't count for that round. And really, you want that boost in any round in which you closed with the enemy enough to take a full round attack action.

 

[nittanytbone]

Second, the buckler only helps you if you are not attacking with the weapon in that hand that round. As soon as you attack, I believe the buckler AC (and the boost from magic vestment as well that might be on it) don't count for that round. And really, you want that boost in any round in which you closed with the enemy enough to take a full round attack action.

That's the point of Improved Buckler Defense; you retain the Shield Bonus to AC when attacking with an off-hand weapon.

 

[IanB]

Let me put in a good word for Augment Healing. It adds +2 hp of healing to conjuration (healing) spells per level of the spell. In the long run this can save you a number of spells per day. It is especially efficient when used with the mass cure spells - using a mass cure light wounds on, say, 4 injured characters is an extra 40 points of healing from the feat.

It is close to a must have IMO.

 

[Mistwell]

That's the point of Improved Buckler Defense; you retain the Shield Bonus to AC when attacking with an off-hand weapon.

Oh! Swanky!

 

[Nail]

Let me put in a good word for Augment Healing....

For some time I've always considered this feat to be a waste. The current cleric in our group is showing me the error of my ways.