Tanky Cleric Options

[PinstripedBarbarian]

Yeah, I'm currently DMing a campaign where one player is a trip-paladin, and he hates whenever I throw flying monsters or things with too many / no legs. Makes me scared to focus the character on it.

I'm definitely taking Healing as one of my domains; I know it's not the best option out there, but I really need to play as a healer above all else. My character is somewhat of a hermit who follows the teaching of a campaign specific saint, so there's no deity restrictions for him (though he has to use flails as his favored weapon). Healing fits the character and world, plus the DM has promised us very difficult combats.
Heroism does seem really appealing. On the one hand, we do have a bard, so morale bonuses in combat will be largely wasted. On the other hand, we only have a single melee combatant (granted, a Dungeoncrashing Warforged Barbarian / Juggernaut), so being able to do something would be helpful. Luck's rerolls and Liberation's freedom of movement are both really nice though...

So far I have heavy armor prof., selective healing, scribe scroll, and probably touch of healing. I like the idea of Antagonize, but I don't know how good it actually is in play. Reach Spell seems all but necessary, though I kind of want to pick up Eldritch Heritage to get a familiar to deliver touch spells for me instead. I'm also debating on things like shield focus, fight on, and toughness for tanking.

I did consider (and still kind of do) the thought of an Inquisitor with intimidate tactics and damage / healing as well as a druid that has spells and wildshapes focused on combat manevers, but honestly a cleric just makes sense for the setting.

 

[StreamOfTheSky]

If you're doing Healing domain, at least take Restoration subdomain. The power it grants is FAR more useful.

Do not take Selective Healing, you should not be using Channelling in combat much if at all by level 7, it's just not that significant. I'm not familiar with touch of healing. Antagonize used to be good, but people whined about melee having nice things and now it's been ridicu-nerfed into uselessness. Reach spell is certainly handy, though you could just buy a metamagic rod of it (I think it comes in rod format...). Familiar via EH is definitely a useful option to pursue. I would not waste any feats on shield focus, etc... Healing is a minor role in D&D, "tanking" is a non-existent one. Not in the way you seem to think. Taking a ton of defensive feats and focusing so much on that a) won't protect you from everything, your DM will actively try to find ways to make things dangerous for you and b) will KILL your offensive capabilities. You want someone to attack you instead of someone else? You don't do it by huddling behind full plate and a tower shield on total defense hoping the monster is too stupid to just walk around you. You get them to attack you by being a threat.

 

[PinstripedBarbarian]

I already decided to take the Restoration subdomain.
How is Antagonize nerfed? Is there errata that I don't know about that changed it?
I like Reach a lot, but I think I'd rather have one spell per two rounds ranged via familiar flying to and back without increasing the spell slots than metamagic-ing it up, especially since a familiar can grant so many more bonuses. Granted it would take two feats, but it would be a lot more pay off I think. The question then becomes: what familiar and if I should take Improved Familiar to make it more threatening?

EDIT: I should also note that I have two flaws to (ab)use, so my feat options are a little less restrictive. I also have two traits open: I'm thinking about Dangerously Curious (+1 UMD, class skill) and Hedge Magician (5% discount on magic item crafting), but if there's a better one out there let me know.
If I don't get Selective Channeling, are there other Channeling feats that are worth taking? Would Extra Channeling be good?
Is there another Sorcerer bloodline (including wildblooded options) that is better than Arcane? I can just take Reach Spell if something else would trump it. I do have high Cha, so I can qualify for Improved and Greater EH as well, if that changes anything.

 

[StreamOfTheSky]

Antagonize used to require the victim to come engage you in melee. Now they can just use a spell that has you in the area, or launch ranged attacks at you (which could be as simple as picking a rock or stick (club) off the ground and throwing it at you, if they lack other options). You're spending your turn to maybe make the foe waste his turn (if he's not a caster or archer) if you win the check, and spent a feat for this priviledge. Not that good.

You cannot take Improved Familiar feat, as it requires having an arcane caster level. Not like... X levels in the class that granted it (in which case you'd count as your HD -2 sorc. level). So you're out of luck there.

I think compsognathus is the best all-around familiar, it combines +4 intiative to its master with a nice 40 ft base speed. If you don't care about that, get a flying creature, to easily reach allies with your spells. Bats have slower flight w/ better fly checks and blindsense, ravens can talk, and hawks and owls are largely equal and boil down to personal preference. Pick one of those. For sheer flight speed, you'd want hawk or owl, I'd do hawk.

 

[PinstripedBarbarian]

Is there any other way then to try to force enemies to attack you then? Or is my best bet just Command?
Hmm, the chart on Improved Familiar says Arcane, but the prerequisites only say ability to obtain one, compatible alignment, and "sufficiently high level" without the 'Arcane caster' part. I'll ask my GM what his take is on it; he's pretty open to things like that, so if he does allow it, what is recommended? I wouldn't necessarily take it yet, so any level of suggested Improved Familiar is appreciated.

Compsagnathus looks good. In case the GM doesn't like dinosaurs, he might allow Humming Bird (+4 initiative AND flying). I would think Raven or something else that can use UMD since I'll be using Scribe Scroll and Craft Staff, and I think the Necromancer is going to get Craft Wand. Likewise, if I do manage to get Improved, I'll want something that can UMD.

 

[StreamOfTheSky]

You're mostly looking at compulsion spells to force people to attack you.
Compel Hostility - Pathfinder_OGC

Don't forget as a cleric, you can also just use Shield Other on a weak ally. (just has a 1 time start up fee of 100 gp)

Shield Other - Pathfinder_OGC

I do not see hummingbird on the list of familiars. Familiars - Pathfinder_OGC

Also...you have UMD ranks? I'm suprised you have the skill points for it. If you want an improved familiar that can use magic devices without you needing ranks, Faerie Dragon has sorcerer casting, and can thus use wands of wiz/sorc spells. Also has +9 UMD. Probably others w/ UMD ranks already, too.

 

[PinstripedBarbarian]

I knew (and planned to use) Shield Other, but I didn't know about Compel Hostility. I like it a lot. Thanks

Hummingbird was in an issue of Dragon Magazine I think. Normally we don't use the magazine, but I've had a Hummingbird Familiar before while playing with the GM, so I'm pretty sure I could take it if needed.
I did look at Faerie Dragon. It looks good, but I think there's some limitation on dragons in the campaign, plus I think I'm going to take Cassisian for my familiar / helmet It has 60 fly speed (perfect), a 1d6 fire/cold breath weapon, perfect memory, tongues, a lesser version of the Angel's Protective Aura, alternate forms, and a handful of useful SLA's. Plus, honestly, wearing a helmet that is also my familiar and can fly off to deliver spells is all kinds of awesome.

I have a +2 int modifier, so I get 4 ranks per level. Not a lot, but it's enough for Spellcraft, UMD, and a smattering of other stuff. I'm wondering what else I should max; Perception is always good, but I like the idea of Intimidate for minor debuffing (and theoretically Antagonize, though apparently it sucks now). A point in knowledges probably for usability.

Tomorrow is the first session, so I'm trying to finish up. Feat-wise, I know I want 1. Scribe Scroll, Flaw. Skill Focus (Knowledge), 3. Eldritch Heritage (Arcane), 5. Improved Familiar, and then I get one more (for my second flaw). I was going to grab Selective Channeling, but would something else be more worth while? Extra Channeling instead? Fight on? Extra Smite?