Cleric / Paladin Cross Classing


Pathfinder First Edition General Discussion


Hi, A while ago I played a game of pathfinder where I was playing an Aasimar Cleric. At level 3 I decided to cross class Paladin and took 2 levels before going back to Cleric at level 5 - So Cleric 3/Pala 2 - Don't ask me why i thought this was a good idea....I must've been high! :P
Anyway...we are about to restart the game and I need to improve my character as I am really not enjoying/looking forward to the game.
We are playing Rise of the Runelords.
I can't remember all the details of the character (I can post later if it helps, once I have picked up my sheet from my mates).
I need some advice to improve my toon so that I wont feel so useless in game.
Please help! :)


Well, firstly, if you're not enjoying or looking forward to the game, why play at all?

Secondly, just pick Cleric or Paladin ... I, personally, would recommend Cleric, and go with that.


If i dont play, I let down the whole group.
I wish I had stuck to one or the other but too late to change that now.
I have been playing a second game where our cleric is also a damage dealer (Cleric of Gorum - sweet build), where as I went total healer (Cleric of Sarenrea) and (foolishly) thought cross classing Pala would give me a. more healing options and b. gave me heavy armour without the need to spend a feat.
However, I do next to no damage and now my healing suffers because I havent got cleric 5 (i.e. 3D6 channels and no lvl3 spells)


Paladins are a lot of fun, IMO. They are hard to kill and can dish out some hurt to big baddies. If you are bored, go full paladin.


If you made a martially oriented cleric with high charisma, a 2 level dip into paladin isn't horrible to get a nice bonus to saves and if you aren't playing a controller cleric you probably didn't lose too much in the way of effectiveness, and are much much harder to eliminate with a single bad save roll.

If your cleric was low chr, or focused on spell casting directly against the opponents, it was probably a really bad move.

My advise is if you aren't happy with your character, talk to your GM. My guess is he would at least allow you to work in the standard retraining and quite possibly will allow you free retraining to make your character as you wish you had. Most GMs want their players to be happy and enjoy the game, and are quite willing to work with them to make that happen.


I've got high wis and high cha.
Thinking about asking GM for a Guided Weapon (i.e. wis mod to Att/dmg instead of str (History of Ashes))
But what i really need to know is what feats will improve my toon.
I have Extra channel (which I thought (again wrongly) that would give me additional lay on hand too - apparently you need to take it twice?!) and I was thinking about going for some aasimar feats (Angelic blood, wings!, etc. - I can imagine flying around the battle field :))but was wondering about respecing ranged (Spitfire FTW)
The problem with full Pala is heal rate is low - or am i misinformed?!


Pathfinder Rulebook Subscriber

Pure healing isn't a great thing to focus on in the first place in Pathfinder. But if you want to actually do it effectively, the Oracle of Life multiclassed with the Paladin is a great way to do it. Google the Oradin. Giants in the playground has a sweet guide on it.

What Paladin has going for it as a healer is the ability to heal itself as a swift action, leaving your standard to attack, cast, or whatever else you may wish. The Oracle nets you solid synergy with the Charisma, and the Life mystery can get you a second channel pool and the life link, allowing you to sponge damage off allies to heal yourself.

If you really can't retrain, you need to make some tough decisions. Could you at least change your archetype? Because a third level in Paladin (Holy tactician) nets you an all day team work feat to your party, and Weals Champion gives them a modest attack buff. Combine Weals Champion, out flank, and a a buff like bless and you can get your party a +5 to hit or higher quickly.

Another thing to consider would be the Antagonize feat. That's one of the few reliable ways to ensure enemies don't ignore you. If you've got full plate and can swift heal yourself, you want the enemy attacking you rather than your glass cannon allies.

Sovereign Court

Just play a warpriest.

Liberty's Edge

I think I'd maybe keep advancing as a paladin from this point on. I love clerics and paladins, but it sounds like full on paladin going forward is the way to.

On a side note, it's 'character' not 'toon'! Sorry, but 'toon' drives me bat-crap crazy


Ask the GM if you can swap out the levels.

Liberty's Edge

Yeah, definitely ask your DM if you can retcon your character so you're a warpriest instead. Warpriests freaking rule.


I like the fighteric more than the cleradin, but otherwise I agree with Ciaran.


I made a similar decision with a character of mine. We had played up to third level in 3.5 and then converted to (Core) Pathfinder. As she had always been a bit of an Elvan battle Cleric I thought flipping to Paladin with the new rules would work well. We had a little flexibility with feats etc. from the GM so the idea of a Paladin with a Clerics buffing capabilities appealed.

I've taken Power Attack, Deadly Aim and Improved Initiative and I'm now at 3/3. If I buff it makes me quite an effective tank with reasonable damage though the 1d6 Lay on hands isn't brilliant at 6th level CRs, the one attack is also a pain. The main problems are the buffs are low level short term ones and the Paladin goodies are a little underwhelming at 3 levels behind the curve. I wouldn't do it the same way again now I have a better grounding in PFRPG but she just about works.

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