ROTRL lvl 4 Cleric suggestions


Advice


Hey folks, I'm hitting level 5 soon with a high strength reach cleric and trying to figure out what I should prioritize feat/gear-wise next level and plan ahead a little.

The game is almost all Core, the DM might let me grab Holy Vindicator later, or I'll likely just stay all cleric.

My pc is a human level 4 Cleric of Gorum Strength/Destruction domains with a MW longspear and greatsword and other things for backup. My feats are improved initiative/combat reflexes/power attack. Traits are Veteran of Battle and the trait that gives you acrobatics as a class skill and +1 to it. We are currently in the last part of Skinsaw in Sandpoint stumbling across the you-know-whats in you-know-who's house. The stats are

Str - 19
Dex - 14
Con - 14
Int - 10
Wis - 16
Cha - 10

Don't ask about the stats, some crazy straight 1 for 1 20 point-buy.

The group consists of human Cleric 4 (me), halfling rogue/going sorc, half-elf ranger, human paladin.
My main gear is +1 breastplate, cloak of resistance +1, boots of the cat, ring of protection +1, handy haversack and about 1600gp with random potions and mundane gear. One question is since I have easy access to enlarge, should I upgrade and use the greatsword for just as much reach and more damage? Or keep with the longspear and lockdown a much larger area?

Also I have high skill in acrobatics to be mobile but found out I shouldn't be tumbling because of medium armor movement hindrance, so I need to get to work on a mithral breastplate. Does that mean I'd have to sell the one I have and save up/pay 5300gp for a +1 mithral one later since I can't poof it and make it mithral?

As for a weapon, I was thinking about getting the Holy ability put on my main weapon at level 9 and then see where things are then to add another bane or something later.

Sorry for the WOT, any gear/feat/training thoughts? I am considering going Holy Vindicator, but would lose out on CL especially with no magical knack, though serious casting wasnt my main thought (maybe it should've been). Should I stay straight cleric and just keep goin? I am trying to put together some kinda plan like I should've from the beginning heh, thanks!.


First define your roles for your next few levels.
Depending on how much the paladin in the group want to be the tank or the main melee front line attacker you will have to cover the other part.

As a cleric you do not have full BAB, you currently do not have that much charisma bonus so focusing on channeling is useless and your wisdom score is not 18 so casting save or die or debuffing spells is not your forte.
So what are your options you ask?
Tanking/poking/buffing/healing

I would suggest you to take heavy armor proficiency since you have the strength. Keep using the masterwork long spear, it will allow you to cast spell with relative safety, you will be able to keep your 5 foot step to move around more freely that way. Tumbling should not be your priority at all just invest 3 points in acrobatics to fight defensively and get a nice +3 dodge bonus to AC. Go for a +1 full-plate and get yourself a buckler. Why a buckler you ask? Rounds you will be only casting a spell you get yourself a nice free shield bonus at the cost of -1 on your attack rolls.
Holy for weapon bonus is not that great for you since you have a LOT of spells you can use on weapons to bypass DR. I would go with a +X Spell Storing weapon in the long run, Inflict Y Wounds spells are great to make your poke into devastating attacks, combine this with your Destructive Smite, combine that with true strike that you get through your destruction domain and voila! Poke power attack for 1d8 + 11 at level 5 with a simple masterwork lance at level 10 you could deal easily around 1d8 +20 + 3d8 +10 dmg for one attack, you can even ask your sorcerer to put a 10d6 lighting bolt in your spear.

That said being a cleric you have a lot of options ahead of you, you could even take one level of fighter and get yourself a towershield and go full tank with any weapon of your choice.


The Enlarge Person you get as a swift action is a boon early game, but making sure you have access to the quickened 1st level spell is also useful. You're actually probably better off sticking with the longspear and being competent over 15' than with the sword option. It might almost be worth asking to change to an Evangelist archetype to fill the lack of a bard. Being able to Inspire Courage is bloody useful, but Gorum doesn;t cover the Heroism domain unfortunately.

You're currently the only full caster in the party. Going Holy Vindicator would hurt your ability to alter the world around you. Unfortunatenly you have been lumped with the responsibility of keeping these guys alive for 15+ more levels. Don't accept a prestige class with caster level loss.

TL;DR - Don't lose caster levels. If you're the only full caster they rest of the party will thank you for being battlefield control.


Yes, the reasoning for the longspear was to be able to cast on my turn and still provide some deterrent to attacking ranger/rogue and get attacks on the enemies turn. I don't currently have proficiency with heavy armor as a cleric, to get it I basically have to lose a caster level and dip something else right?

Also would spell storing be that great since I only have 16 wis and no spell focus or anything? The DC on stored spells for half damage would be in the.. 14-15 range depending on the spell level?

Also how is the Enlarge a swift action?


Gah, sorry, I was thinking of the Domain power from the Plant->Growth subdomain, which does give you a swift action enlarge.

Medium armor is a pretty good choice really, you don't need heavy. If you can pick up some Dex bonuses from gear you don't end up with a much lower AC. And with a mithral breastplate you can move at full speed.

With both a Ranger and Paladin I'm assuming you've got at least one dedicated melee frontliner, and your build at present is pretty perfect for a reach cleric. Might be worth picking up a couple of summoning feats like Spell Focus (conj)->Augment Summoning->Superior Summons. If your alignment is Chaotic Good you could also consider Superior Summons for standard action summons of your alignment subtype, not an option if you're a CN, N or CE cleric of Gorum though.

Silver Crusade

Stay full caster.

Stay with the Longspear, for the 50' diameter reach donut. The extra AoOs at reach will more than make up for the slightly higher damage from other weapons. Stay with what you are already proficient in. Consider the Grayflame enchantment: it's a lot cheaper than Holy Weapon, accomplishes almost the same thing, and it puts your otherwise mostly useless channels to work.

Definitely go for the Mithril Breastplate. That's totally worthwhile. No need for heavy armor. Stay with what you are already proficient in.

You are already an excellent melee combatant. You approach the point of diminishing returns for melee: you already have the best melee feats. The only really good martial feats remaining (for you) are Toughness, Lunge, and maybe a few others. You could choose to spend your few remaining feats to be even more melee specialized, or you could choose a second thing to be good at.

I second Corvino's suggestion of Summoning. You don't have feat slots for the full 4-feat summoning sequence, but you could dabble. As a cleric of Gorum your Aura precisely matches Gorum's, regardless of your alignment, and that's what governs Sacred Summons. So Sacred Summons will NOT work for you: there are no Chaotic Neutral Sacred Summons. Superior Summons might be a reasonable mid-game option. You probably don't want to invest 2 feats to get Augment Summons, although it is a very helpful feat and is totally worth if it you intend to summon very much. Of course, you don't need any feats to be an effective summoner. You will mostly use Summon Monster to get at things that are hard to reach: flying foes, underwater foes, or foes impossible to stab. Summon Monster spells are your primary ranged weapon.

Other interesting options for a reach cleric at your stage:

1. Get two traits with your next feat. E.g. Fate's Favored boosts your Divine Favor, Magical Lineage to specialize in one spell. Magda uses Quicken Spell metamagic (with Magical lineage) for a swift action +4 +4 Divine Favor (with Fate's Favored) as a 4th level spell. There are a lot of good traits, some of which are better than half a feat.

2. Something to augment your casting. Perhaps something metamagic. Best choices are probably Extend and Quicken (at 9th level). Spend gold on rods before you spend your few precious feat slots.

3. More and better melee skill. Toughness for HP. Lunge at 9th level. Perhaps something else.

Have fun with it!


Thanks a lot for the input guys, I appreciate it! I was lamenting not getting Fates Favored for divine favor instead of veteran of battle. And I could really use Magical Lineage too I was just looking at that and sighing that'd be perfect for the level 5 feat choice. I was planning on getting an extend rod first since they are only 3k. I will have to worry about quicken later.

Thanks for the input! And Magda, seeing your input on how Magda does in combat on the Reach Cleric guide discussion page is one of the reasons I chose a Core reach cleric in the first place =) Enjoy your summer!


Considering I only have 3 channels to work with, but also thinking of the nature so far of this AP would channel smite be worth picking up? Or would I be better off with just grabbing toughness. An extra chunk of health would be really nice to have.

My DM said I cannot use the level 5 feat to get more traits. His argument is that traits are only chosen at level one, so I would've had to use one of my level 1 feats to get more traits. I was really looking forward to getting Fates Favored for use with Divine Favor and Prayer.

I am also considering biting the bullet and getting Spell Focus Conj. and augment summoning. Combined with Varisian Idols for only 50gp for +2hp per HD that is a lot more health for summons. Still open to any thoughts!

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