Please Help Me With Cleric Spell Choice

[Amazing Triangle]

I am playing a 17th level Cleric for the first time and I don't know what spells to choose. I have decided that I want the Strength and Healing domains. I just, with the volume of spells out there, don't know what to choose. Does anyone know some good spells to prepare?

 

[Dross]

I am playing a 17th level Cleric for the first time and I don't know what spells to choose. I have decided that I want the Strength and Healing domains. I just, with the volume of spells out there, don't know what to choose. Does anyone know some good spells to prepare?

We do not use the many other books for spells so I can't give you a spell list. Also let people know what sources you have.

Try working from the other end. What do you want to do? Lots of damage, or buffing, or general helpful spells? What are the other PCs going to be, and what spells will help them (Magic Fang for a monk or animal companion is a good buffing spell, but a bit more specific than Bull's Strenght)?

Miracle/Wish is often a good choice to cover other bases.

 

[Amazing Triangle]

It is a battle cleric so a mix of boost and damage. I can only use the PHB and Spell Compendium. Miricle would be great if not for the cost per spell of XP and it is a 9th level spell and as a 17th level character I can only cast at level 8.

 

[drdevoid]

If you can only cast 4th level spells at caster level 8, then I'd recommend:

Close Wounds (2nd level, SpC)- as immediate action, keeps ally from dropping past -9 HP
Quick March (2nd level, SpC)- as swift action, Movement Boost for all allies for 1 round
Invisibility Purge (3rd level, PHb)- self-explanatory
Knight's Move (3rd level, SpC)- as swift action, allows closing with enemy provoking AoOs
Conviction, Mass (3rd level, SpC)- good stacking save bonus
Resurgence, Mass (4th?, SpC)- gives second chance at ongoing enchantments
Panacea (4th level, SpC)- good general affliction remover

And, maybe, Wall of Sand (4th level, SpC)- temporary battlefiled control

 

[Krel]

It is a battle cleric so a mix of boost and damage. I can only use the PHB and Spell Compendium. Miricle would be great if not for the cost per spell of XP and it is a 9th level spell and as a 17th level character I can only cast at level 8.

Hmm...I would recommend the following:

Banishment, any of the Bigby's Spells, Holy Word, Bless, Blindness/Deafness, Bull's Strength, Darkness, Daylight, Destruction, any of the dispel spells, Doom, Earthquake, Endure Elements, Fire Storm, Flame Strike, Freedom of Movement, Greater Restoration, Harm, Heal, Holy Aura, Magic Circle Against Evil, Mass Heal, Neutralize Poison, Prayer, Protection from Elements, Raise Dead, Resurrection, Slay Living, Summon Monster Spells, Symbol, True Seeing, and Waterbreathing.

Why can't you cast 9th level spells? As a 17th level cleric, you should be able to.

 

[baeleg]

I also wonder if you're thinking of wish instead of miracle? From the SRD:

A miracle can do any of the following things.

* Duplicate any cleric spell of 8th level or lower (including spells to which you have access because of your domains).
* Duplicate any other spell of 7th level or lower.
* Undo the harmful effects of certain spells, such as feeblemind or insanity.
* Have any effect whose power level is in line with the above effects.

If the miracle has any of the above effects, casting it has no experience point cost.

I also didn't see Righteous Might or Divine Power in any of those lists, and those are good personal buffs. Spell Compendium also has a revised Righteous Wrath of the Faithful, which makes it a pretty good buff compared to it's original version.

Edit: forgot something. Since miracle can emulate a 7th level spell of any other type, and you're using spell compendium, you could emulate the 7th level wu jen spell giant size, and become colossal gaining +32 str, among other bonuses. I'd definitely check with the DM on that to see if it's ok though.

 

[Amazing Triangle]

Miracle though it sould cast anything lower than 7th level no trouble really scares me. I was thinking Storm of Vengence or Elemental Monolith and Heal, mass as my domain spell. Miracle and wish did get mixed up in my mind ( I originally missed the 9th level spell cause I had calculated it as a sorcerer not a wizard.) What spells at the lower than 9th do you usually find are good to prepare?

 

[Amazing Triangle]

If you can only cast 4th level spells at caster level 8, then I'd recommend:

Actually it is 9th level spells as a 17th level spellcaster

 

[Lord Pendragon]

While not exactly parallel to your situation this thread might help you some. It's a thread I started some time ago, looking for advice on my own 15th-level PC's clerical spellcasting.

Key spells I've found, as a melee combatant using mostly clerical buffing: Divine Favor, Greater Magic Weapon, Magic Vestment, Righteous Might, Freedom of Movement...

 

[mikebr99]

While not exactly parallel to your situation this thread might help you some. It's a thread I started some time ago, looking for advice on my own 15th-level PC's clerical spellcasting.

Key spells I've found, as a melee combatant using mostly clerical buffing: Divine Favor, Greater Magic Weapon, Magic Vestment, Righteous Might, Freedom of Movement...

I'll add Shield of faith, shield of warding, holy storm, battlemagic perception and righteous wrath of the faithful to that list.

Mike