Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 Nox_Noctis Apr 20, 2008 18:47:45	I want to focus on smiting so I weighed the options of Lesser Aasimar (+2 charisma) and Azurin (+1 essentia, bonus feat; saves me a feat later for Sapphire Smite at level 6).
#2 d3f4ult Apr 21, 2008 0:11:26	Here are some suggestions: Build: 1) Cloistered Cleric - Law Devotion, Power Attack, Divine Might (Domains: Law, War and Knowledge) 2) Cloistered Cleric 3) Cloistered Cleric - Knowledge Devotion / Improved Turning 4) Cloistered Cleric 5) Ordained Champion - Leap Attack (Good Domain sacrificed) 6) Ordained Champion - Sapphire Smite Here are some considerations: To get a deity with Knowledge, Law and War, I am basing this build on the Faerun gods, in this case, Tyr. Cloistered Cleric is poor BAB so you lose another BAB. But what you gain is 6+int skills and Knowledge Domain. This will come in useful later as I will explain. Clerics can sacrifice their domains to get the Devotion Feats. I am not sure if you sacrifice your Knowledge Devotion you get for free for Cloistered Cleric, you would no longer have all Knowledges as class skills but I will leave that up to your DM to interpret. This is why I have the lvl 3 feat to be either Knowledge Devotion or Improved Turning. Now for the mechanics. Feats Law Devotion This gives you a +3 to your AC or Attk Rolls for 1 minute when you sac a turning attempt. Use it pre combat or when you know encounter is going to get hot. Knowledge Devotion With a knowledge check, you will be getting bonuses to your attack and damage. To make this work, you need a high knowledge check and access to all knowledges. Thankfully, with Cloistered Clerics and the high amount of skill points, we will be able to achieve that. But to be really effective, you would need the bonus on your knowledge checks to be at least +20 or higher. This can be achieved. I will explain further later. Divine Might Free action, CHA bonus to damage. Goes well with smiting and doesn't use an action. Why not? Power Attack With the high +hit you will be getting, I think you can afford to swap to damage. Leap Attack Combined with Smite, this can be quite lethal since you can smite and push all the attack to damage and this will boost it. Good for opening rounds. Improved Turning Only to be taken if point 3 of the considerations is going your way. This increases your turning level but also has another good side effect. Will explain during the Spells and Items. Spells Lore of the Gods This spell is your baby. If you can afford it, make an item that is either continuous or 3/day. Or get a wand. With this, here is what your knowledge checks will look like: 9 (ranks) + 2 (int mod) + 10 (insight) = 21 Boosted with high int or items. With a +21, a decent roll can give you +4 hit/dam and with an excellent roll, it gives you +5. Divine Insight Also get a wand or an item. Useful together with the Knowledge Checks to boost it to always get the +5 hit/dam bonus. Light of Wisdom Swift action to boost your turning level. This should be your staple spell and should be casted in the round prior to your Leap Attack + Divine Might + Smite. Items These items will help you other than the per day items specified in the spell section. Sacred (+1 Enhancement Shields/Armor) (BoeD pg112) This is to boost your turning level. Put them on a shield (buckler) and a suit of armor, will boost your turning level by 4. Reliquary Holy Symbol (1000gp) (MiC pg 120) This is the item that you want to increase your turning attempts. With Improved Turning, Divine Might and fll ranks in Knowledge (Religion) you have 3 extra turning attempts per symbol. If your DM allows stacking of items, buy the slotless versions for twice the price. 2k gp for 3 turning attempts is very worth it. Simulation Spells up: Divine Insight, Lore of the Gods. Pre Combat: Activate Law Devotion for +3 to atk, Roll knowledge checks to identify monster, expend Divine Insight to get additional +10 (5+CL correct?). Knowledge Check should be 31+roll with 14 int. Let's assume you get a decent roll to get +5 atk/dam Round 0 (if any): Swift action: Activate Light of Wisdom to give +2 Turning Lvl on next Check Standard action: Cast Eagle's Splendor. Round 1: Swift Action: Activate Smite. Turning Level = 1d20 + 4 (CHA) + 2 (Knowledge Religion) + 3 (Circlet of Persuasion) Avg: 19 (+3 effective level) Free Action: Activate Divine Might Full Atk Action: Leap Attack with full PA. Assuming 16 STR, 18 CHA and 14 INT: Attack Roll 1d20 + 3 (Law Dev) + 5 (Knowledge Dev) + 4 (BAB) + 4(CHA) + 3 (STR) - 4 (PA) + 1 (WF) + 2 (Charge) Avg: 28 Damage Roll 1d8 + 16 (PA + Leap) + 14 (9 (Eff. Turning Level) + 1 (Imp Turning) + 4 (Sacred Shield & Armor)) + 4 (1.5 STR) Avg: 43.5 Conclusion I know there are definitely more that can be added to this and issues like the low BAB of the Cloistered Cleric can be mitigated, but I hope these pointers would be of some use. :P