What spells is your high-level cleric prepping?

[Lord Pendragon]

In a previous post I asked for advice on spells.

Basically, I have a paladin with access to cleric spells. He doesn't want to step on the cleric's toes (we have one in the group) so he is mainly interested in using his spells to buff up in combat or deal direct damage, rather than heal or cure maladies.

I got some fantastic suggestions for levels 1-6, but we just hit level 15, so I'm just entering the Big Leagues, and could use some more advice for spell levels 7-9.

What high level spells has your melee-oriented cleric found particularly useful? What high-level spells do you find useful in general?

Any advice greatly appreciated.

 

[Nightfall]

Sources allowed?

 

[Lord Pendragon]

Sources allowed?

Pretty much anything on a case-by-case, DM-approval basis. I think I currently use three or four Spell Compendium spells already.

 

[Nightfall]

Complete Book of Eldritch Might, Eldritch Sorcery, R&R I and R&R II okay then?

 

[Lord Pendragon]

Complete Book of Eldritch Might, Eldritch Sorcery, R&R I and R&R II okay then?

Yeah. It's a case-by-case thing. So long as the spell is balanced, I can get a hold of the source, then send a copy to my DM for approval. He doesn't really care what an outside source is. The important part is the material itself, which he'll then look at and decide whether or not he'll let it into his game.

 

[Nail]

I played an elven Cleric (Sun, Summoning, and Time domains) until 21st level.

At high level, my "most useful" spells were:

7th:

• Spell resistance, Mass
• Holy Word (my cleric can boost his CL high enough to make this work)

8th:

• Foresight
• Antimagic Field (this spell was key in defeating the Githyanki Lich Queen)
• Holy Aura
• Death Ward, Mass

9th:

• Miracle
• Summon Elemental Monolith (try casting Sonorous Hum before this!)

The 7th level slots were the hardest to fill, as there are so few really good spells of that level. I'd often memorize lower level spells in these slots if I needed extra.

 

[Thanee]

quickened Divine Power

Holy Star is also quite nifty.

Bye
Thanee

 

[3d6]

Miracle is pretty useful. Many uses don't require XP, and it's adaptability means that it can help out in most situations. The abilty to duplicate any cleric spell of 8th level or lower without an XP cost is very helpful. It can also be used to cast long casting time spells such as greater restoration as a standard action.

Honestly, miracle and mass heal are the only 9th level cleric spell in the PHB I prepare. (Gate is also very strong, but it just feels like cheating when you use it, so I shy away. Need to solve a problem? Gate in a solar! He's more powerful than your entire party, so he can probably help out.)

 

[Thanee]

Gate is also very strong, but it just feels like cheating when you use it, so I shy away.

But Miracle does not?

Bye
Thanee

 

[Elder-Basilisk]

I don't prep holy word--it's so broken that it sucks the fun out of the game if you boost your caster level dramatically and it's useless most of the time if you don't boost your caster level. Like blasphemy, it's an example of poor game design.

At 7th level, I'm quite fond of destruction. Bigby's grasping hand is great for a strength domain cleric and sunbeam is really neat for a sun domain cleric. Bigby's is particularly useful for a melee cleric because it doesn't depend upon having a high spell DC. I've observed a lot of melee clerics use greater bestow curse (complete Divine, Spell Compendium) to kill enemies (hit them once and then curse them by reducing their con to 1--a lot of enemies will have poor will saves and this is basically a touch range save or die with a will rather than a fort save).

At 8th level, I always encouraged the cleric to take greater spell immunity. Escpecially if your DM is not hesitant to use blasphemy as written, being immune to it is great. So is being immune to power word blind, otto's irresistable dance, and sunburst, etc. Quickened divine power is very good for a melee cleric, but IIRC, your character already has full BAB, so it wouldn't be a big deal.

At 9th level, a quickened righteous might would be a solid choice for a melee cleric--especially if you have Cleave.