So now I'm trying to make the decision on whether to go melee or ranged with my cleric. Either is viable, I'm just having trouble making up my mind. I see this character as being secondary melee guy since the dwarf tank that ganked my spot has a super build, focusing equally (or as equal as I can get) on spellcasting and fighting.
All complete books and races (including faerun) are allowed, as well as the PHBII and Players Guide to Faerun. No psionics or ToB
I was thinking of continuing with the gugged dwarf theme or going normal or wood elf for ranged, but I'm not married to those ideas.
Stat rolls are as follows: 18, 16, 14, 13, 13, 13. Starting at 8th or 9th level but I'm in this for the long haul. Undermountain can be a *****.
All I got right now.
Stats:
Str: 13 or 14
Dex: 14 or 13
Con: 16
Int: 13
Wis: 18
Cha: 13
You may consider going ranged with cloistered cleric and trading up your knowledge domain for knowledge devotion. Get zen archery and pump your knowledge skills.
Now that's all I really have.
I've never played a ranged cleric myself, but I've heard good things.
JaronK
If so, Lesser Mass Vigor, Recitation, and Righteous Wrath of the Faithful are great persistable spells, and Vigorous Circle can replace the first one when you get to that level.
JaronK
I've been wondering: wasn't there errata to make persistable spells only include personal descriptors? How would Mass Vigor and Vigorous Circle work?
what?!?!?!?! but with meele you could dmm persist vigor bulls strength or even haste or fly with the right domains
Let me clarify my previous post. No DMM because no Libris Mortis. No Libris Mortis means no nightsticks, which means no DMM
I've been wondering: wasn't there errata to make persistable spells only include personal descriptors? How would Mass Vigor and Vigorous Circle work?
There was no such errata. It works for fixed range spells like LMV and Vigorous Circle.
And by the way, you do NOT need Nightsticks for DMM. A Cleric with a Reliquary Holy Symbol, Extra Turning, and a Charisma of 16 has 12 turning attempts, and can boost that to 14 with a casting of Eagle's Splendor. Then use Extend Spell or a wand of Extend Spell to extend two persistable spells each day, so they last 48 hours. Now you can keep 4 spells up at a time.
JaronK
That same cleric no longer has 12, he's got 24. :awesome:
In the end, choosing melee or ranged really depends on what YOU, the player, want to do. They are obviously drastically different combat styles. I chose ranged because of personal choice -- I got tired of being a front-liner and wanted to hang back and support. If you like to be in the middle of the action, you want melee.
Close range archery (Point Blank Shot, Dead Eye) makes good sense for a Cleric because you can hang behind the front line to buff and heal the party. When you are out of spells or the party doesn't need anymore buffing or healing, you start flying arrows -- it works out very well.
In case you're interested in my build...
Wild Elf (because Con penalty sucks)
Deity: Fenmarel Mestarine (Forgotten Realms)
Elf Domain (for PBS)
Travel Domain (for great mobility, and Fly -- priceless)
Stat importance: Dex > Wis > Cha > Con > Int > Str
Feats:
PBS
Rapid Shot
Weapon Focus: Longbow (a prereq for...)
Dead Eye (great feat if your DM allows Dragon Mag)
Divine Vigor (every Cleric should have this)
Domain Spontaneity (to cast Fly more than 1/day)
Woodland Archer (every archer should have this)
I also decided to resist the DMM cheese (personal choice).
I went without Zen Archery because Dex is so much more important than just attacking (initiative, damage [with Dead Eye], AC, Reflex).
Oh, and everyone has been throwing out cloistered cleric, but no UA on the approved book list, so unfortunately that is not an option
Domains: Planning (free extend spell - useful and very dwarf like) + pick one more ...
1 - Persist Spell
3 - DMM Persist
6 - Extra Turning
9 - Extra Turning
If you don't mind being a wee bit evil ... that's naturally Planning and Undeath. This is espescially handy if you're multiclassing. If you have the Magic Item Compendium, that at least nets you a Reliquary Holy Symbol. With a 10 CHA at 9th that's enough to persist 2 spells I think.
Mind you, that's PERSIST 2 spells. You still have all your normal spells in combat. Round 1 ... situational buff ... walk forward and engage. Those two for me would probably be ... Spikes and Divine Power. Use a quarterstaff or greatclub, something wooden. At 9th level you'd be +6 str, +2 con, +9 HP, +3 to hit from Divine favor, +2 on the weapon, +9 damage on the weapon. Your situational buff could be either Righteous Might or Divine Favor.
If you want something more fun, there's always an Eldritch Disciple Glaivelock ... touch attacks for fun and profit.
I personally prefer DMM quicken builds myself, but that's me.
Finally, there's always Ordained Champion if you don't want to DMM/etc.
clr1 - extend spell(domain), martial weapon: longsword(domain), weapon focus: longsword(domain), Power Attack, Extra Turning(human)
clr3 - ???
Inq6 - Practiced Spellcaster
Ord9 - Quicken Spell
The plan is to take the Law Domain at some point and drop the domain power for a fighter feat, possibly doing the same for the Inquisition domain. so that's 2 extra feats plus the undecided 3rd level feat.
I still want to be able to heal as well, and was wondering about the law devotion feat. So, any feat suggestions? Would a gold dwarf be a better way to go? And is the Planning domain viable for the free extend spell even though I'm not DMMing?
If you head to the Ordained Champion route, there are some things that you can do and still heal. Like buy wands of lesser vigor, or even *gasp* memorize a healing spell or two. Barring that, there is an ACF (PHB II, I think, maybe in CChamp) called Pool of Healing that gives you 1+levels*5hp pool that you can use throughout the day to heal, or deliver positive energy attacks. For this you sacrifice a single 4th level spell slot.
If you want to maintain an edge with your spellcasting without commiting all of your remaining feats to Shock Trooper or Combat Brute, drop the Law Domain granted power for Improved Initiative.
Depending on the campaign, you may want to start at Cleric 4/OC 5 for the spontaneous War casting goodness. That'll take care of some of the advantages of DMM Quicken on the most used spells at your start (Divine Might, and later Righteous Wrath (character level 11), I think).
2 caster levels are painful.
I do have to remember though, that I'm more than likely going to be the primary mode of healing. This is an FR Undermountain game, so I'm not sure what to expect in the way of outside resources.
Is there an answer to my other question from above? - is there a way to stay straight cleric into Seeker of the Misty Isle while still handling the survival skill requirement?