Good Cleric Feats?

[Joust]

I'm curious to know what feats have been the most useful for cleric characters? The cleric I'm playing is approaching 6th level. He's solid in combat because of good strength and dex scores. Currently he has weapon focus and proficiency, dodge, and expertise...all combat related feats, so I wouldn't mind hearing what magic-related feats work well for clerics too.

I do not have Defenders of the Faith yet, so your suggestions from that source would be especially helpful.

 

[Henry]

What is he focused in? it may help paint a better picture.

Several good feats exist. Power attack, unless you are more fighter than cleric, is NOT one of them (firsthand experience ).

Brew potion is invaluable for your party - instead of those fighters pestering you for divine favors, cure wounds, bull strengths, and endurances, just hand 'em out and let 'em decide when they want to buff themselves up.

Scribe scroll is even more economical, but it requires that they be a spell caster.

If you can use the feats from Defenders of the Faith, Extra turning, followed by feats like divine fortitude and divine vengeance, is good.

Finally, two feats last worth mentioning are improved disarm and improved trip. They naturally flow from expertise.

 

[Dravin]

The Extend Spell Feat can be of moderate use, it allows you to double the duration of your more commonly used buffing spells.

 

[Victim]

Extend spell is useful. It is also a requirement for persistent spell, which rules for clerics.

Craft Arms and Armor allows you to place your Magic vestments and GMWs into permanent form. Clerics can also craft Holy weapons, which are very good.

Scribe scroll or brew potion would also be helpful. Scribe scroll is more efficient, but any one can use a potion. The Scrolls are useful for utility spells, emergency firepower and long duration spells. Potions are best for short duration/instant spells; spells that others will want at short notice. For example, scrolls let you keep an emergency restoration or Cure Disease on hand, and can give you extra spells. Cure potions, however, are nice because they help insure that YOU survive, and let a surprised party buff itself with potions. I like scrolls because I don't plan on getting knocked out.

Spell Penetration will also be useful as your spell attack power grows.

 

[Lord Pendragon]

Since you've been playing in the campaign for a while now, a few questions to ask yourself:

1. Do Undead feature prominently in the campaign? If so, Extra Turning may be the way to go. Gets you more chances to immobilize those pesky vampires. If not, there are several feats in DotF which can convert a turn attempt into something else, like extra damage or protection.

2. Do you cast spells to buff the party, cure the party, or damage the foes? If you're casting primarily to buff the party up, then Extend Spell is a good one (and later, as someone else mentioned, Persistent Spell.) If you're converting most of your spells into cures, then you might consider Reach Spell, from T&B. This would allow you to cure someone from across the battlefield. Lastly, if you're mostly casting damage spells such as Flamestrike then maybe Empower Spell is something to think about. An Empowered Flamestrike = ouch.

3. What are the PC's weaknesses? Feats can be an easy way to shore up a PC's weak spots. Are any of his saves bad? His skills? There are a plethora of feats that provide bonuses to various saves and skills. If you find yourself failing listen and spot rolls more often than you'd like, perhaps Alertness would be a good choice.

Hope that helps.

 

[Valorian]

I'm curious to know what feats have been the most useful for cleric characters? The cleric I'm playing is approaching 6th level. He's solid in combat because of good strength and dex scores. Currently he has weapon focus and proficiency, dodge, and expertise...all combat related feats, so I wouldn't mind hearing what magic-related feats work well for clerics too.

I do not have Defenders of the Faith yet, so your suggestions from that source would be especially helpful.

Well, I have a 1 level paladin, 9th level cleric, he makes extensive use of power attack, and I'm also playing a Dwarven Fighter 1/ Cleric 6, who has also found power attack to be useful...If you have a good charisma...I'd say you need at leat a +4 charisma bonus (I'm assuming perhaps an item or an "eagles' spleandor" spell (same as bull's strenght but for charisma), take Divine Might (a feat from DOTF), which allows you to add your charisma modifier to your melee damage for charisma modifier rounds. It takes a action to activate the ability, and it consumes a turning attempt... I have a character w/ a +5 charisma bonus w/ items, and I kind of view it as up to 8 extra combat enchancing spells per day, when I don't think I'll need my 8 available turning attempts. Very effective if you have the time to set it up, especially when combined w/ Divine Favor (very useful for a 1st level spell)....when I get a little time to prep I'm right up there w/ the big party fighter in putting out damage. The only prerequisite for Divine Might is Power attack, and the ability to turn.

In my opinion, I enjoy playing the fighter type cleric, as it allows me to save the spells for healing, and solving problems, instead of fighting w/ the spells (that's the wizard's job).

 

[Altalazar]

I do believe there is a feat to make touch spells into ray spells - handy for healing as a cleric when you can't quite make it into the thick of melee - or when someone would otherwise die before you could get to them.

 

[Nightfall]

Actually DotF has Reach Spell too. Another feat to consider is Sacred Spell, meaning that your damaging spells can do divine damage as well.

 

[Terwox]

Hmm. My first cleric took martial weapon prof: armor spikes.
You know, that probably wasn't the best idea.
Especially considering he was a gnome... oh well.
Reach spell for heals is good stuff.

 

[Darkness]

Many feats that are used most often by wizards are good for clerics as well - e.g., Spell Focus, Extra Slot, Combat Casting, Improved Initiative, etc.

Also - combat feats, general feats (e.g., Alertness), etc.

I must admit that I, too, am often at a loss what feats to give clerics, though...