Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Brotha_T 07-08-06, 02:30 PM	So I'm doing a solo campaign with my DM and I chose to go with a cross-class halfling cleric/rogue. He is second level cleric and first level rogue, and I get the impression that he is mostly useless. The details: total hp: 15 str: 12 dex: 18 con: 12 int: 12 wis: 15 cha: 11 feats: improved initiative, weapon finesse - rapier domains: healing/sun The problem is that he is pretty ineffective in battle as a cleric because he does 1d4 with his weapons and only +1 str. bonus to damage, and since he started out as a cleric, his total skill points are very low for a rogue. The DM understands that a rogue can't fight very long face-to-face, so he has provided me with an NPC "flanking buddy". So far I haven't been able to use sneak attack yet, and I've been ineffective in battle, so I feel a lot like a spectator. My flanking buddy is a level 1 cleric and he totally eclipses me in battle. On the other hand, I realize that my ability rolls are good, and I might not be playing the character the way I should in fights. So, does he really suck? If not, I would appreciate some suggestions on how to maximize effectiveness.
Senevri 07-08-06, 03:04 PM	Your BAB is 1 - one less than a cleric or rogue of your level. Do note that Rapier, while finessable, is _not_ a light weapon. When flanking, you hit for 1d4+1d6+1 damage. Do note that you have Bless and Magic Weapon, and Divine Favor Your AB should be 1 + 4 dex + 1 Bless +1 Magic weapon + 1 Divine Favor = 8 Your damage should be 1d4+1d6+3. Cleric + Rogue is an iffy combination. You probably want to focus on either-or. Lv2 on Rogue is one good spot to opt out, as you get evasion class feature. On the other hand, 4 levels of Rogue give +2d6 SA and the best BAB. Third level of Cleric ups Divine Favor to +2/+2. Your favored class is Rogue, so it doesn't count to XP penalty... My suggestion: get a decent amount of Cleric levels, memorize the spell list, and pick a few Rogue levels when you need the skill points.
Khan2000 07-08-06, 03:14 PM	I agree with the above post. Halflings have rogue as their favored class; that should be your primary focus. I'd suggest that you take enough levels in cleric to get some useful spells--I'm not real familiar with clerics...so if I sound ignorant about them, it's because I am. I'd go as lvl 5 or 6 in cleric (higher if you want more spells); then I would focus on rogue. Or you could go rogue for awhile, and pick cleric levels as you need them.
Pegasos989 07-08-06, 03:27 PM	You are a cleric (natural healer/buffer/etc) rogue (Use magic device, open lock...) seriously, I think that you could be very useful even if you would not do most damage. Character optimization boards would immediatelly tell me I am an idiot when suggesting this (you lose some spell progression) but I recommend you to: Go with the cleric, taking rogue level every once in a while (possible every time after you gain new spell level) untill you have 4 levels of rogue and then continue as a cleric. You will have decent spellcasting, some nice skills to max, etc. If you had not weapon finesse, I would continue by taking scythe and getting spells that help you coup de grace (hold person, etc.). I have heard that PHB 2 would have feats that let you multiply sneak attack in crits (helloo, rapier!) but that might be a misunderstanding.
Brotha_T 07-08-06, 04:25 PM	Thanks, I appreciate the advice. I suppose I just need to work on creating more sneak-attack situations. Maybe I should go with more ranged attacks. I could max out my climb skill and just pick 'em off from a distance. I think I may take one or two more levels in cleric so I can get some second level spells, then progress normally as a roguu.
Dreamfeed 07-08-06, 04:53 PM	Thanks, I appreciate the advice. I suppose I just need to work on creating more sneak-attack situations. Maybe I should go with more ranged attacks. I could max out my climb skill and just pick 'em off from a distance. I think I may take one or two more levels in cleric so I can get some second level spells, then progress normally as a roguu. I wouldn't go for ranged. You've already spent a feat on melee, and you won't be getting a lot of sneak attacks without flanking. Remember that the game generally rewards focus, so changing plans in the middle of a character is generally a bad idea. Also, if you're mixing cleric and rogue, keep in mind that because your caster level isn't that high, your offensive spells won't be as effective. Clerics have a lot of defensive/buff spells that could be quite useful even with a lower caster level, though. Oh, and feats: improved initiative, weapon finesse - rapier Unless you're playing 3.0, you don't need to specify a weapon for Weapon Finesse. It automatically works with any light/ special finessable weapon. Yeah, it's minor, but this just keeps coming up.