Which of these two clerics would you rather have in your group?


Advice

Grand Lodge

The primary differences are in traits, feats and gear. The pure caster focuses on getting spells off, even when odds are stacked against spell casting. This build doesn't focus on an expensive weapon, so allows for higher AC and better gear. Survival is superior. On the other hand, a scimitar wielding cleric with traits and feats that support effective scimitar use, channeling positive energy through the weapon, channeling to affect evil outsiders and storing a spell in the scimitar. It can be altered with a wand to cause piercing or bludgeoning damage. However, the great expense for the weapon sacrifices defensive gear.

Stats for both clerics
Str 12
Dex 14 (12 base + 2 belt)
Con 14 (12 base + 2 belt)
Wis 24 (15 base + 1 @ 4th + 1 @ 8th + 1 @ 12th + 4 headband)
Cha 18 (14 base + 4 headband)
Int 12
*20pt buy

Pure Caster
Desperate Focus/Focused Mind trait (Magic) You gain a +2 trait bonus on concentration checks.
Deft Dodger trait (Combat) You gain a +1 trait bonus on Reflex saves.

human feat Cosmopolitan (perception and use magic device)
1st level feat Selective Channel
3rd level feat Combat Casting
5th level feat Spell Penetration
7th level feat Greater Spell Penetration
9th level feat Lightning Reflexes
11th level feat Quick Channel

Gear
Light Crossbow
Crossbow Bolt (10)
Scimitar +1
Light Steel Shield +3
Breastplate +3
Belt of Physical Might (Dex/Con) +2
Eyes of the Eagle
Circlet of Persuasion
Headband of Mental Prowess (Wis/Cha) +4
Amulet of Natural Armor +1
Ring of Protection +2
Cloak of Resistance +3
Handy Haversack Bag
Dusty Rose Prism
Wayfinder (for PFS)

Scimitar-Caster
Desperate Focus/Focused Mind trait (Magic) You gain a +2 trait bonus on concentration checks.
Sacred Conduit trait (Faith) Whenever you channel energy, you gain a +1 trait bonus to the save DC of your channeled energy.

human feat Cosmopolitan
1st feat Selective Channel
3rd feat Channel Smite
5th feat Guided Hand
7th feat Alignment Channel (Evil Outsiders)
9th feat Improved Channel
11th feat Combat Casting

Gear
Light Crossbow
Crossbow Bolt (10)
Spell Storing Scimitar +3
Light Steel Shield +2
Breastplate +2
Belt of Physical Might (Dex/Con) +2
Eyes of the Eagle
Headband of Mental Prowess (Wis/Cha) +4
Ring of Protection +1
Cloak of Resistance +3
Handy Haversack Bag
Wayfinder
Wand of Versatile Weapon


Well, if I was a self-centered melee player, I would go with the pure caster, as that might have more buffs and heals for me. I think either would be fine in a party though, and the melee cleric might be more interesting to play because it has more variety.


I think both work fine but having Quick Channel is a real advantage IMO.

I probably would not use Combat Casting, especially for the first build. If I see it correctly, you have a 12 (level) + 7 (Wis) + 2 (Trait) Bonus already. So spells lower levels should be no problem and even higher levels have only a small chance of failure and then only if you HAVE to cast them while threatened.

Liberty's Edge

They're both fine. The caster build is slightly better though, the scimitar build isn't going to be doing much with medium bab and low strength. That's not to say the caster is optimal either, but it is the better build out of the two. I notice you left off domains.


Pathfinder Adventure Path, Lost Omens, Rulebook Subscriber

I'll take the cleric.

But seriously, any cleric in your party will really help.


Unless your world is infected with anti-magic fields or jerks who Dispel Magic all the time, the pluses to weapons and armor are not needed. Greater Magic Weapon and Vestment, except for the spell storing properties of the scimitar, are one of the great edges to having a Cleric around.


Pure caster right now. However if you changed the scimitar on the other one to guided I would pick the gish.

Lantern Lodge

Could you list what domains ether build has? It would help in making a choice.

Sczarni

Domains and check archtypes, maybe some suit your playstyle.

Grand Lodge

I intend to use the same domains for either build as these ideas branched after picking the goddess and then the domains. The info is in the spoiler.

Also, to be clear, the Guided Hand feat has this description: "With your deity’s favored weapon, you can use your Wisdom modifier instead of your Strength or Dexterity modifier on attack rolls." With this I'm much more likely to pull off an attack. Bull's Strength can boost my strength to get a little more damage in, but I'm hoping to rely on weapon enhancements, spells and making my weapon holy.

Cleric of Sarenrae:
Glory (Heroism) Domain Powers You are infused with the glory of the divine, and are a true foe of the undead. In addition, when you channel positive energy to harm undead creatures, the save DC to halve the damage is increased by 2.

Touch of Glory (Sp) You can cause your hand to shimmer with divine radiance, allowing you to touch a creature as a standard action and give it a bonus equal to your cleric level on a single Charisma-based skill check or Charisma ability check. This ability lasts for 1 hour or until the creature touched elects to apply the bonus to a roll. You can use this ability to grant the bonus a number of times per day equal to 3 + your Wisdom modifier.

Aura of Heroism (Su) At 8th level, you can emit a 30-foot aura of heroism for a number of rounds per day equal to your cleric level. Using this ability is a swift action. Allies in the area are treated as if they were under the effects of heroism. These rounds do not need to be consecutive.

Glory (Heroism) Domain Spells 1st—shield of faith, 2nd—bless weapon, 3rd—heroism, 4th—holy smite, 5th—righteous might, 6th—greater heroism, 7th—holy sword, 8th—holy aura, 9th—gate.

Sun Domain Powers You see truth in the pure and burning light of the sun, and can call upon its blessing or wrath to work great deeds.

Sun's Blessing (Su) Whenever you channel positive energy to harm undead creatures, add your cleric level to the damage dealt. Undead do not add their channel resistance to their saves when you channel positive energy.

Nimbus of Light (Su) At 8th level, you can emit a 30-foot nimbus of light for a number of rounds per day equal to your cleric level. This acts as a daylight spell. In addition, undead within this radius take an amount of damage equal to your cleric level each round that they remain inside the nimbus. Spells and spell-like abilities with the darkness descriptor are automatically dispelled if brought inside this nimbus. These rounds do not need to be consecutive.

Sun Domain Spells 1st—endure elements, 2nd—heat metal, 3rd—searing light, 4th—fire shield, 5th—flame strike, 6th—fire seeds, 7th—sunbeam, 8th—sunburst, 9th—prismatic sphere.

Simkiria wrote:
I probably would not use Combat Casting, especially for the first build. If I see it correctly, you have a 12 (level) + 7 (Wis) + 2 (Trait) Bonus already. So spells lower levels should be no problem and even higher levels have only a small chance of failure and then only if you HAVE to cast them while threatened.

A good point. I'll run the numbers and see what concentration bonus I'm comfortable with. I'll likely take your advice.

EpicFail wrote:
Unless your world is infected with anti-magic fields or jerks who Dispel Magic all the time, the pluses to weapons and armor are not needed. Greater Magic Weapon and Vestment, except for the spell storing properties of the scimitar, are one of the great edges to having a Cleric around.

I will look through the spells that buff my armor and weapons. I appreciate the feedback.


yea. Guided hand is great, but if you're planning to do actual melee damage, a good amount of it (read - half or more) tends to come from power attack and high strength.

To be blunt, unless you're casting spells with saves like your first build, you'd be better off raising str, dropping wis, and changing guided hand out for power attack. large large damage increase.

Thats if melee is your intended function

Grand Lodge

Weables wrote:
yea. Guided hand is great, but if you're planning to do actual melee damage, a good amount of it (read - half or more) tends to come from power attack and high strength.

My intent with the scimitar focused build was to be the bane of undead and evil outsiders. Casting spells through the scimitar, channeling energy through the scimitar as a swift action, eventually enchanting it with Holy and using the occasional spell to enhance combat as the situation requires (i.e. bull's strength, versatile weapon, etc.). Even when fighting a creature not of these types it would still be possible to cast a spell on them through a melee attack, but a touch spell would likely be easier to pull off against touch AC and the scimitar would do negligible damage.

I've gotten some good feedback. Thank you.

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