Show me your clerics!

[nittanytbone]

When I DM I don't allow things that I consider stupid. DMM is one of those things. I would prefer not to try to take advantage of things as a player that I myself don't like as a DM.

DMM Persistent isn't broken, IMHO. To get it to work, you need:
Cha 14; A level II spell slot (Eagle's Glory); Three feats; All your turn undead attempts, every day. Then you can get Divine Favor (whoop de do), or later, Divine Power (nice) all day... UNTIL a bad guy casts Dispel Magic. Or you get caught in the effect of an area dispel. Or you realize it'd be awful nice to turn/rebuke undead for some reason (like, you're facing undead). Then, you've spent three feats, two spells, and a charisma focus for nothing.

DMM Quicken isn't broken either; two feats and a cha focus for a 1x/day effect.

I'm also a big fan of the Divine Feats. Divine Vigor is my favorite; +10' move and temporary HP? Yes please! Sacred Healing and Sacred Boost are also strong Divine Feat choices for the healing type.

But, if you don't like it, you don't.

Here's my "No Turn Undead" build:

*Dwarvish Cleric of Moradin 4 (Using Racial Substitution levels 1 and 4 from Races of Stone; CON based Smiting? Yes please! Warhammers and +2 damage are just gravy).
*Church Inquisitor 10 (You give up strong fort saves and turn undead for better skills and a bevy of goodies -- you've already given up turn undead, and as a dwarf your fort save is awesome anyways).

To finish it out, any full casting PrC is fine, or even more cleric levels. If you're willing to drop a caster level, Master of Radiance (BoED - gets you turn undead) or War Priest (CD) could be worthwhile. Prestige Paladin (3 levels of it) is worthwhile, too, as is Hospitalar.

 

[mikebr99]

DMM Persistent isn't broken, IMHO. To get it to work, you need:
Cha 14; A level II spell slot (Eagle's Glory); Three feats; All your turn undead attempts, every day. Then you can get Divine Favor (whoop de do), or later, Divine Power (nice) all day...

I really liked Righteous Wrath of the Faithful (SC, 5th Cleric)... as the DMM persistant spell of choice. Every ally withing 30ft. has a divine haste... all day!

It's not too hard to get your turn attempts above 14... then you can have Righteous Wrath and Divine Power, all day.

A couple rings of counterspell (Greater Dispel)... and you're all set! Let's show the Fighter how it's done. YMMV

Mike

 

[Wish]

You say you don't want a DMM Persistent twink, but not all uses of DMM are so abusive. I like DMM Rapid for a summoner to make summoning actually viable. I've also seen DMM Twin for a blaster cleric. Kinda neat.

If you're looking for something a little different, you might try the cloistered cleric variant. I've played a cloistered cleric/celestial mystic, which was both effective and amusing. (I also used DMM on that character, but that's really optional.)

I'm also a fan of both Divine Oracle and Contemplative builds.

 

[Dargon]

The beauty of a cleric is not what they can do but what they will do. It all depends on whom they serve.

Gender: Fm
Race: Half Elf
Class: Ranger1 Cleric 5 Harper paragon 5
Name: Liriar Moonray
Alignment: NG
Deity: Lliira

Medium 23yrs 5'1'' 90lb.
Eyes, Hair, Skin: Blue, Blond, Fair
XP:
Home Region: Dale lands
Campaign: The Fringe
Str 16 (+3)
Dex 14 (+2)
Con 18 (+4)
Int 14 (+2)
Wis 20 (+5) +2 periapt of wisdom = 22 (+6)
Cha 16 (3)

Hit Points 124
AC 25 {Touch-12} {Flat-footed-24}
Speed 30ft (20)
Init +2
BAB +7/2
Grapple + 7
Fort +13, Ref +11, Will +13

Attack:
Single weapon
adamantine morningstar +11/6 1d8+4 20x2 p and b

light crossbow +9/4 1d8 19-20x2 p range 80ft

Languages: Common, elven, Chondathan, Damaran and orc.


Feats: 3 feats.
reach spell.(CD) touch spell becomes rays and have a reach of 30ft
sacred vow.(BoE) +2 diplomacy
vow of obedience.(BoE) +4 vs. Compulsion
craft wands
Skills:

NAME                TOTAL   ABILITY   RANKS   MISC. ACP
Appraise               2   =  2           0            
Climb                 -4   =  3           0          -7
Concentration          12  =  4           8            
Diplomacy             15   =  3           8     4      
Disable device         -   =  -           -     2      
Gather information     4   =  3           1            
Hide                  -5   =  2           0          -7
Knowledge (religion)  10   =  2           8            
Listen                 11  =  6           0     5      
Move silently         -5   =  2           0          -7
Open lock              -   =  -           -            
Perform (sing)         12  =  3           9            
Perform (danse)         9  =  3           6            
Search                 6   =  2           3     1      
Sense motive           13  =  6           7            
Sleight of hand        -   =  -           -            
spot                   7   =  6           0     1      
Survival               13  =  6           7            
Tumble                -5   =  2           0          -7
Handle animal          8   =  3           1     4

Special Abilities:
Turn undead.
Track.
Wild empathy.
favored enemy (undead) +3 damage, bluff, listen, sense motive, spot and survival
+2 bonus on saving throws against spells and spell-like abilities.
favored enemy (evil) +3 damage, bluff, listen, sense motive, spot and survival
favored enemy (Zhentarim) +2 damage, bluff, listen, sense motive, spot and survival
Lowlight vision
Immunity to sleep
Elven blood
Aura (good lvl9)
+2 enchantment spells or effects
Detect evil
Harperknowledge(+6)
Celestial spells
Exalted Companion

Weapons:
adamantine morningstar(In sling at the left side, 6lb.) 3008gp
Light crossbow (in straps on bag, 4lb) 35gp
10 bolts (in quiver on back, 1lb.) 1gp

Armor:
adamantine +2 fullplate (Worn, 50lb.) 23500gp
Heavy steel shield +1 (worn, 15lb) 1170gp


Items:
Backpack (worn, 2lb.)2gp
Bedroll (beneath backpack, 5lb.) 1sp
Flint and Steel (pouch belt, Free)
Pouch belt (worn on left front at the belt, 0,5lb) 1gp
Ring of sustenance (worn on the third finger from right) 2500gp
Ring of protection+1 (worn on the seventh finger from right) 2000gp
Winter blanket (Backpack bottom, 5lb) 5sp
Rope hempen 50ft (Backpack top, 10lb) 1gp
Tent (Backpack middle, 20lb) 10gp
Explores Outfit (Worn, 8lb.) 10gp
Periapt of wisdom +2 (Worn) free
cloak of resistance +2 (worn) 4000gp
simple black silk grown (paked in a blanket, backpack Beneath the winter blanket, 10lb) 200gp
war wizards cloak (worn 1lb) 30375gp
Gift Amulet (Worn, Targa)
Harperneedle (hidden under the armour)
Carrying, Weight: 136 24/50lb
diamonds worth 10000 gp
Money:
110pp 2ep 25gp 7sp 2cp

Spells:
DC=16+Spell lvl.
Number of spells pr. Lvl.
0=6 1=6+1 2=6+1 3=4+1 4=4+1 5=3+1

Domains: Charm and travel
spell prepared
0lvl= create water, detect magic, detect poison, read magic, purify food and drink, light.
1lvl= bless, remove fear, protection from evil, shield of faith, sanctuary, comprehend languages, (d) charm person.
2lvl= find trap, hold person, delay poison, silence, bull strength, bear endurance, (d) locate object.
3lvl= prayer, dispel magic, searing light, daylight (d) fly.
4lvl= neutralize poison, dimensional anchor, freedom of movement, Divine Power (D) dimension door.
5lvl= flame strike, 2*slay living, Raise dead(d) teleport.

Liriar had no special childhood, growing up in the city of High Castle in High dale. With her mother’s (human) dead giving birth to Liriar, she was left with here father (elf), whom never recovered completely after here death and her to elder sisters. But in the year of 1358DR when the Zent took the city, Liriar’s father and two sisters were slain. Some priestess of lliira sheltered Liriar and showed her the wonders of Lliira. In the last 2 years Liriar have travel across Faerûn battling evil and her journey took her to Berdusk. Here she joined the harpers and made her wow. One day in Mistledale right after an attack from a war band of drows she was called to Silverymoon for an unknown reason

Liriar is friendly, diplomatic, and understanding. She tries to make the best out of life. She enjoys singing eleven ballads and telling and hearing stories from Toril. She has a very feminine and clear voice with an eleven accent. He possesses a friendly, joyful personality and she tries to see the good in all people and helped them along the way but still she think some do not have the good in them or she thinks it’s to late to save them like the Zents. This makes here a bit naïve. But if anyone attacks or threaten her or here friends then she defend her self and those she loves.

Liriar have her long blond hair flooding free down her neck and shoulder. She wears her suit of full plate, with a silver symbol of Lliira. For travel, she wears a blue and black explores outfit, but only if the full plate would be imposable or stupid to wear. For parties she also prefers to use her full plate but often she use her slim simple black silk grown, sins it’s vary difficult to dance in a full plate.

 

[Sejs]

Show me your clerics!

Human Rogue (3) / Cloistered Cleric of Olidammara (5) / Divine* Trickster (10) / Divine Disciple (2). (*divine trickster instead of arcane; slight modification of the base prc) Pertinent feats include Able Learner (to help in keeping up rogue skills), Practiced Spellcaster (cleric, to make up for those 3 lost spellcaster levels). Plenty of personal spell research is your friend given that many cleric spells arn't very well suited to stealth. Domains include Knowledge (from cloistered cleric), Trickery, Luck, and Celerity. Not a front-line fighter and not much on turning undead, but is quite skillful, has +7d6 sneak attack, and is a solid representative of the god of trickery and such.

 

[Sejs]

What about grappling? The domain power only applies to magical effects.

Yep. This is indeed correct. Common oversight, too.

TRAVEL DOMAIN
Granted Powers: For a total time per day of 1 round per cleric level you possess, you can act normally regardless of magical effects that impede movement as if you were affected by the spell freedom of movement.

Normal FoM will protect you from grappling, but the Travel domain is more limited. Still a very useful power, though.

 

[Vargo]

Cleric with domains of Knowledge and Madness. Better if you can go Cloistered. Take five levels, then go Alienist.

Not necessarily uber-powerful, but LOTS of flavor...

 

[KarinsDad]

Show me your clerics! Ideally I don't want to see any of the following: Cleric 20, Dweomercheater (or derivatives there of),

I do not consider my Dweomerkeeper to be a cheater (she does not have Spell Mastery Miracle or Divine Metamagic Persistent Spell), so you do not get the ideal thread you wanted.

Human Cleric 6 / Dweomerkeeper (original) 3 / Hathran 6 / Contemplative 2 / Dweomerkeeper 3; Domains (Good, Rune, Magic); Feats: Scribe Scroll (Rune Domain), Ethran, Exotic Weapon Proficiency (Shuriken), Extend Spell, Persistent Spell, Quicken Spell (Bonus), Leadership, Initiate of Mystra, Domain Spontaneity (Magic), Divine Metamagic (Quicken Spell), Spell Penetration (Bonus)

 

[nittanytbone]

Each of these builds is a quick sketch of how a cleric can fill any of the four classic roles in a party (warrior, thief, priest, mage). All of the builds are full casting with armor, or at most lose 1 caster level somewhere (you have to in some cases for the trap-finder). They also all get D6 or D8 HD, so they are pretty durable. In addition, while Wisdom doesn't need to be pumped to really high levels for all of them, they should all start with 15 wisdom at least.

The Trapfinder Cleric:
Capable of locating and disarming traps as well as any rogue.

High Ability Scores: Int, Con, Maybe Dex (depending on armor selection)

Human Rogue 1/Cloistered Cleric 19 (max Search & Disable Device)
Kobold Cleric w/ Scalykind Domain
Dwarf Cleric (Stonecutting only works on, well, stone... May have to use Find Traps spell sometimes... Without multiclassing, can't max search -- might need to PrC it)
Trickery Domain

The Battle Cleric:
Focuses on physical combat.

High Ability Scores: Str, Con, Dex 12, Cha (for DMM, otherwise dump)

Radiant Servant of Pelor (for Martial Weapon Prof)
Prestige Paladin
War Priest (for Martial Weapon Prof -- entails loss of 1 caster level)
Dwarf giant-smiter (see above - Racial Sub Levels and Inquisitor)
Human Cleric of Kord with Greatsword and Strength Domain
Power Attack; DMM Persistent; Divine Vigor; Divine Might

The Caster Cleric:
Focuses on magic: High DCs, wide variety of spells.

High Ability Score: Wis, Con

Cloistered Cleric (for extra domain and utility spells)
Magic Domain
Spell Focus, Greater Spell Focus (Necromancy or Enchantment)
Divine Spell Power (feat), DMM Quicken
Crafting Feats

The Stereotypical Cleric
Focuses on Healing & Anti-Undead.

High Ability Score: Wis, Cha

Radiant Servant of Pelor
War Priest (for Glory domain -- entails loss of 1 caster level)
Servant of Radiance (BoED -- entails loss of 1 caster level)
Sun Domain
Glory Domain
Feats - Sacred Healing, Augment Healing, Sacred Boost, DMM (Quicken, Extend), Sacred Vengeance, Extra Turning, Improved Turning

 

[Elder-Basilisk]

4 Clerics I've played and one that I've seen played for reference

Most are 28 point buy (the Shadowbane Inquisitor was built on 36 points)

The melee cleric:

Half-orc Bbn1 /Cleric (Kord) 13 Domains: Strength and Competition

Str 18, Dex 14, Con 14, Int 6, Wis 14 (+all level based increases), Cha 6

Feats: Power Attack, Extra Rage, Quicken Spell, Craft Wondrous Item, Cleave

Skills: Concentration

Build notes: I think the character would be better served with a 10 dex and a 16 wisdom.

Tactical notes: Buff and kill stuff. Quicken spell is essential to this build as it allows the character to be ready to go with only one round of prep for either righteous might or divine favor. Raging and Power Attacking with his falchion, the character dishes out a lot of damage.

The classic cleric

Human Clr 8 (Pelor)/Radiant Servant of Pelor 6
Domains: Strength, Sun, Glory (bonus)

Str 14, Dex 10, Con 14, Int 10, Wis 15, Cha 12

Feats: Power Attack, Extra Turning, Divine Spellpower, Quicken Spell, Craft Wondrous Item, Leadership

Skills: Concentration maxed; the rest spread out between Diplomacy, Knowledge Religion, Knowledge: the planes and the pre-reqs for Radiant Servant

Build Notes: If you're going for optimization, you should have the Healing domain (either as your bonus domain from RSoP or your standard domain). I didn't choose it because, first, I didn't really want to cheese out my RSoP.

Leadership is not necessarily an optimal choice, but it can be useful in the RPGA depending upon your location (if you play at a lot of tables that are short a person or two, it's a great feat; otherwise don't bother) or if your party in a home game is short in any particular area and isn't too large for another member to be added comfortably.

Tactical notes: The character has the capability to cast Divine Power, Righteous Might, quickened divine favor, etc and wade into melee as a tank. And, at lower levels, the character spends a lot of time fighting in melee without all those buffs (which he may not be able to cast). At higher levels, you will spend a lot of spells improving yourself and your allies beforehand (magic vestment, greater magic weapon, hero's feast, etc), and will probably be casting spells like flame strike, blade barrier, and Pelor's Grasping Hand as your main contributions to combat unless the party is short on fighters.

A spellcasting focused cleric:

Human Cleric 4 (Pholtus)/Church Inquisitor 4
Domains: Glory, Purification, Inquisition (bonus)

Str 10, Dex 10, Con 12, Int 12, Wis 16, Cha 14

Feats: Spell Penetration, Greater Spell Penetration, Augment Healing, Divine Spellpower

Skills: Concentration maxed, others spread between Spellcraft, Spot, Sense Motive, Knowledge: Religion, Knowledge: Arcana, etc.

Build Notes: Extra Turning and Domain Substitution (glory) might be better choices than Spell Penetration and Greater Spell Penetration. Also, it is possible to qualify for Church Inquistor at Cleric 3 and not bother with Cleric 4; I only managed to meet the special prereq at level 4 though.

Tactical Notes: This character can take a hit or two, but his primary contribution in combat is through spells. At low levels, this is a bit of a chore since he can cast cause fear or command, protection from evil, and a cure light wounds, and then he's doing aid other with a longspear (and only succeeding 50% of the time). Still, a divine spellpowered Deific Vengeance is much better than a poke in the eye with a sharp stick. When he can cast recitation and summon monster III, it starts getting better and when he picks up Holy Smite, things start to take off. Eventually, I found that his melee contribution was so weak that he was better off eschewing heavy armor completely in favor of a chain shirt that lets him be where he needs to be more quickly. Still, he's not an anchor for a party in the same way that the two prior clerics are. If combat gets back to him, something is going wrong.

Another spellcasting focused cleric:

val'holryn Cleric 9 (Beltine)
Domains: Afterlife, Spirit

Str 8, Dex 10, Con 14, Int 10, Wis 17, Cha 13

Feats: Legionaire, Spell Penetration, Craft Magic Arms and Armor, Craft Wondrous Item

Skills: Max concentration, others split between Diplomacy and Knowledge: Religion

Build Notes: This character uses a lot of Arcanis material (which is not surprising since she's a Living Arcanis cohort). Legionaire is a feat that does not make sense outside of that cohort role (since she had a feat I wasn't sure how to use and Legionaire makes my character's leadership score get a bonus because of certain favors he has done the legions). Her val abilities give her the ability to re-roll a d20 once per day and to cast augury once per day as spell like abilities. With more non-core WotC material, the character could be improved (Divine spellpower would be a shoe-in instead of Spell Penetration). However, the rules of the Living Arcanis campaign have allowed her to make very effective use of her craft feats to aid other characters she regularly adventures with (and to enrich herself at the same time).

Tactical notes: For most of the character's career, I didn't bother with any armor heavier than leather. Now, she wears a suit of banded mail because it was her share of loot from an adventure and with spectral hand as a domain spell she doesn't need mobility as much as the cleric I described above. In combat, she generally does one of two things: heals PCs or casts disabling spells (bestow curse, phantasmal killer (a domain spell), hold person, etc) at the enemy. I'm looking forward to toying around with flame strike.

The mutliclass cleric/rogue

Human Rog 1/Clr 3 (a slightly re-worked version of Athena)/Church Inquisitor 4/Shadowbane Stalker 8
Domains: Planning, War, Inquisition (bonus)

Str 14, Dex 12, Con 14, Int 14, Wis 15, Cha 14

Feats: Power Attack, Extend Spell (bonus), Weapon Focus (bonus), Divine Spellpower, Extra Turning, Quicken Spell, Practiced Spellcaster, Divine Might, Staggering Strike

Skills: Max: Search, Disable Device, Spot, Sense Motive; the rest spread between hide, move silently, Open locks, listen, Intimidate, gather info, and the prereqs for shadowbane stalker and church inquisitor

Build notes: The essential feats here are Power Attack, Quicken Spell, and Staggering Strike. The rest are window dressing. This character build is also somewhat independent of its deity (as long as the deity is Lawful Good or Lawful Neutral it all works) and domains. The essential abilities are Quicken Spell (to get buffs up quickly), Power Attack (to dish out damage), Practiced Spellcaster (because Shadowbane Stalkers sacrifice more than a few caster levels) and Staggering Strike (because it's just that good). The rest are gravy and could easily be effectively substituted by things like Augment Healing, etc. You'll also note that the character is a 36 point buy rather than 28 points. He could be dropped to a 28 point buy character pretty easily by reducing his charisma to 8 and his dexterity to 10. At that point, turning feats would be pointless, and Divine Might as well, but he could still do the essential things the character does.

Tactical notes: The character plays like the first melee cleric but with a couple of twists created by the rogue skills and sneak attack. First, he augments his damage with sneak attack.as much as and perhaps more than with Power Attack. Second, because multiclassing wears down his BAB, he finds Divine Power a much more essential buff. Third, the character is a top of the line trapfinder and disabler and a pretty darn good sneak too (even in fullplate--with the benefit of Iron Silence). Finally, the character is not really a cleric. He's good enough and has served the party I play with as a their only cleric, but you definitely notice that he's not casting Holy Aura or other 8th level spells, and that he's fighting rather than healing most of the time. He can fill the role of a divine caster adequately, but you'll never mistake him for a full caster level cleric.