Support Cleric Build


Advice


Hi everyone,
I'd need some advice for a half-elf support cleric of shelyn.
We're about to start ''Rise of The Runelords''. I'll be the master: one of the players asked me for advice for this build but I'm not convinced at all of what I suggested to him.
Here it is (20 points buy):

NG, Female Half-elf cleric of Shelyn 1
Str: 14
Dex: 12
Con: 12
Int: 12
Wis: 17
Cha: 12

What would you change?

Her Domains are: Luck, Air (I know Air is not so good as a domain, but the player insisted to take it).
The build isn't meant to be focused on Channelling, as the player told me he'll use it only out of combat.
The cleric uses a Glaive as her weapon.

In your opinion, what are the best feats to select?

Thank you.


Assuming the attributes are fixed , such as they were rolled.:..

Honestly they are boned. Air is crap, attributes are merely average because it's to spread out, and half elf isn't gaining you anything either. In short you have cause to fear this being less than what you want to present because your being ham strung and severely limited. If you were either 1) a different race, 2) had different attributes, or 3) were not required to take air domain I could find something to work with. Unfortunately the combination of all three binds this character into mediocrity.

If any of those three can be altered I have a few ideas to make it work, until then sorry.

Edit: would they discuss being an inquisitor instead of cleric? I could make that work within the limitations as well.


Neither the attributes nor the domains are fixed.

We're not rolling the stats, we're using points buy (20).


There's kind of 3 main cleric types. Each have their own types of builds -

Combat Clerics: These wade into battle using their spells to buff themselves to increase their damage and defenses.
Usually go with a 14-16 Wisdom with a high STR or DEX. face a problem of spending a round or two buffing themselves before going into combat.

Party Buffers: Uses spells to buff the party. Need a high (16+) DEX, getting those buffs out before the party starts spreading out in combat. Good Wisdom 16-18, this is more for those extra spells you get for high wisdom.

Debuffers/Nukers: Debuff the bad guys or nuke them. Need a high Wisdom, 18+, to make the bad guys fail the DC.

Ask what kind of cleric interested in playing. There's just way too many different ways to build a cleric.

Silver Crusade

Honestly, you don't need anything to be a support cleric. All you have to do to be a support cleric is have enough wisdom to cast the highest level spell available to you at any point (15 starting wisdom is enough for that) and pick spells that are support focused.

Now, it is helpful to take Improved Initiative (feat) and/or Reactionary (trait) to get your buffing in before other people act but it's not absolutely required. At high levels (11+), Divine Interference is nice, but again, not required. (Though it is really good). With the luck domain you might want to try Quicken Spell Like Ability for the bits of luck ability too, but that too requires at least clvl 10 so it's not relevant in the short term.

So, the question is: what else does the player want to be able to do?

Option 1: Support+reach melee combatant/battlefield control.
Key Feats: Combat Reflexes, Improved Initiative, Power Attack, eventually Quicken Spell.
Useful Traits: Fates' Favored and Magical Lineage, Divine Favor. (This makes your go to self-buff better, makes prayer a lot better for you and lets you cast a quickened divine favor from a 4th level slot starting at level 7)

How I'd build it: Str 18 (16+2), Dex 10, Con 12, Int 10, Wis 16, Cha 8
Str 16 lets you have Dex 12 and Cha 10 but will be a less effective melee combatant.

Option 2: Support+summoning+battlefield control and backup melee
Key feats: Spell Focus: Conjuration, Augment Summoning, Improved Initiative, Sacred Summons (if are able to add in non-core material

How I'd build it: Str 16, Dex 12, Con 12, Int 10, Wis 16, Cha 10

Option 3: Support+blasting, battlefield control and backup melee
Key feats: Improved Initiative, Empower Spell (eventually), Spell Penetration, and greater spell penetration.

How I'd build it: Str 14, Dex 12, Con 13, Into 10, Wis 18, Cha 10
At low levels, the character will put the emphasis on backup melee combatant, but by level 3, you can start using Sound Burst and summoning to good effect. At level 7, you'll get Holy Smite, at level 9 you get flame strike, and at level 11, Air domain will give you Chain Lightning. You can take a sideline in save or suck/save or die spells like Blindness/Deafness, Bestow Curse, Harm, and Destruction too. Since it's not terribly feat intensive, you have enough room to pick up summoning feats too for additional options.

Option 4: Support+archery
Key feats: Point Blank Shot, Precise Shot, Rapid Shot, bow proficiency, quicken spell, deadly aim.

Here's how I'd build it: Str 14, Dex 16, Con 13, Int 10, Wis 15, Cha 10
For bow proficiency, you have several options:
1. Race: Half elf-ancestral arms alternate racial ability, or elf.
2. God: If you switch from Shelyn to Erastil, you get it for deity favored weapon.
3. Trait: Heirloom weapon can work. Long term you'd need to cast masterwork transformation on your heirloom weapon and then add the Adaptive quality to it in order to use your strength bonus.
There is also an old Pathfinder society feat for the old Andoran faction that gives you longbow proficiency.
4. Multiclass: Fighter gives you proficiency and a key bonus feat, but it slows your spell progression.

Obtaining the proficiency through your choice of god or a trait lets you be human and start out with Point Blank and Precise Shot so you do your thing from level 1 and do it well from level 3 when you pick up rapid shot. If you obtain proficiency through racial abilities, you need to wait to level 5 before you can pull off the essential Point Blank+Precise+Rapid Shot maneuver.

The Exchange

It is key to understand what is meant by a "support" cleric. From that build, it is not clear what the player wants to do. There are much better subdomains for support, most notably the heroism and archon subdomains. Also, the evangelist archetype can be great for support (giving the equivalent of bardic performance), but it has a lot of trade offs. Luck is certainly a great domain, but it consumes too much of one's actions to use.

I would recommend looking at my "Battle Cleric" thread of just a few weeks ago, wherein a number of support builds were also proposed.

Grand Lodge

I recommend the Evangelist Archetype with those exact stats.

First: Bardic Performance is the best Buff in the game. So many of your spells can be focused on Other things.

Second: Things in this AP will be very vulnerable to the Spontaneous Spells an evangelist can cast.

As far as Feats:

1: Combat Reflexes (Reach tactics with your Glaive)
3: Improved Initiative
5: Flagbearer
7: Scared Summoning
9: Spell Penetration
11: Divine Interference
13: Quicken Spell

With this Build I am suggesting is very strong use of action economy and does really good as a support cleric.

Early Levels: Perform, Move into position for reach, and Get in pokes when you can.

Level 8: Standard Action: Summon Monster, Move Action: Bardic Performance, Swift: Heroism Domain Power= OMG The Summoned Creature is now on the field, Buffed, and flanking in a single round. AND the rest of the PCs are buffed as well. Remember summoning is a way to NEGATE damage on a PC and help reduces the amount of healing you need to do.

What He should focus on getting first:
a Cold Iron Glaive (this should be bought Level 1.)
A wand of Cure Light Wounds. Everyone should be pitching in to get your groups source of healing.
Once you get flagbearer a wand of Moment of Greatness is the best 750gp you will spend besides the Wand of CLW.

Later game he should look to get Banner of the Ancient Kings to put on the end of your Glaive.

This Build will have strong effect in this campaign. I've played it twice and this build will be loved by both Player and Party.

Community / Forums / Pathfinder / Pathfinder First Edition / Advice / Support Cleric Build All Messageboards

Want to post a reply? Sign in.