So my DM allowed me to pick up leadership cause we have no front line guy in our party. So I made myself a body guard, Strait fighter, sword and board with all defensive style feats and stand still. The Quick back-story we through together is: I met him at the world wound (RotRL campaign) and saved him. Now he also follows Gorum and follows me around.
Last session the DM "advised" me to look into taking a level in cleric. I do control him and do his leveling up stats. Now this has some advantages, he could cast his own Protection from Evil, you CLW wands, also nice bonus to saves, and it does add flavor. Then i realized why not take more levels, I can take up to 4 levels before i lose another BAB. But while that 5th level in cleric cost you another BAB, you also get 3rd level spells. There are quite a few nice ones. But then you dont lose another BAB till level 9, once again, trading 1 BAB for 5th level spells also seems worth wouldnt it?
I realized this got out of hand, cause im also giving up about 2 hp's per level (one from dice size, one from favorite class). This is bad. Also as i look at it, how many of these spells would be help full at his level. His cleric level will be 8 levels behind (Fighter 6 / Cleric 1), being he is a Cohort he is already 2 levels below rest of the group. So spells like Hold person would not have the DC to work by time he got it. He would be limited to buffs mostly.
So im asking for advice. What level should I take it to? and why? Remember he is the front-liner, so i really like the Hp's
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I'm not a fan of the domain powers, so you might see if you can use the campaign setting alternate class feature and swap domains for d10 HD and Full BAB. That avoids the BAB and HP hit. I definitely agree he shouldn't be casting spells with saves. If you can't trade the domains off I'd say no more than the 4th level.
Last session the DM "advised" me to look into taking a level in cleric.
Does this mean he was just giving tips, or was he hinting that he wanted you to give the cohort cleric levels for his own reasons (story, balance or otherwise).
If the former, I'd stick with sword and board. A cohort won't be able to do multiple things well simply due to their level deficiency.
If the latter, taking a cleric level won't hurt that badly. Many of the domains give decent bonuses at 1st level, unfortunately skimming Gorum's domains none of these really apply.
So im asking for advice. What level should I take it to? and why? Remember he is the front-liner, so i really like the Hp's
Well Aid adds temp hp, but it sounds like you're all about optimizing a tank without having to wait around for the cleric levels to catch up (and many would argue they never will). So I'd say rely on the rest of the party to keep the fighter on his feet. I assume you've already got a healer type.
Zo
I'm not a fan of the domain powers, so you might see if you can use the campaign setting alternate class feature and swap domains for d10 HD and Full BAB. That avoids the BAB and HP hit. I definitely agree he shouldn't be casting spells with saves. If you can't trade the domains off I'd say no more than the 4th level.
Great advice! Now that you mention it, I do remember seeing that. I will ask him about it. Thanks TOZ
@ TLO3: It felt like it was more than advice, It might be for any of the reasons you commented on. I just know he wants to me do it.
@DIgmarx: Yes im optimizing a tank, we have two clerics in the grp. Im one of them, guess i forgot to mention. But im all combat oriented, being a cleric of Gorum and all. My Cohort is the only person that gets combat heals, but I try to keep all healing to out of combat.
@DIgmarx: Yes im optimizing a tank, we have two clerics in the grp. Im one of them, guess i forgot to mention. But im all combat oriented, being a cleric of Gorum and all. My Cohort is the only person that gets combat heals, but I try to keep all healing to out of combat.
Yeah, I'd say just keep the cohort buffed with shield of faith and the like and go straight fighter (or paladin if you're feeling theme-y). 2 clerics should be more than enough to get the job done.
Zo
Ok, So we are coming up on the advance of another level. My Cohort is 7 Fighter/ 1 Cleric (warcleric, or whatever TOZ directed me to with the campaign setting). Now I am wondering if I should continue down the cleric path. I'm not losing Hitpoints or BAB, but looking at the spells he could cast I'm also not impressed with trading the Feats for low level spells. I was thinking if I could get him 3rd level spells he could be used for dispelling enchantments, but I'm not even sure how useful this will be. By the time he can do this, rest of the part will be level 14 while he will only be 12(7Ftr/5clr). How useful do you think this will be?
Also what ideas on spells? Right now I have him with Obscuring Mist and Protection from Evil. If I do take the continued caster route, What spells would be really useful for him? 2nd level I was thinking: Bear's endurence, Remove Paralysis, Resist energy, and Silence would all be effective choices. 3rd level I was thinking Invisiblity purge and mostly dispell magics.
Any comments? Suggestions?
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Ok, So we are coming up on the advance of another level. My Cohort is 7 Fighter/ 1 Cleric (warcleric, or whatever TOZ directed me to with the campaign setting). Now I am wondering if I should continue down the cleric path. I'm not losing Hitpoints or BAB, but looking at the spells he could cast I'm also not impressed with trading the Feats for low level spells. I was thinking if I could get him 3rd level spells he could be used for dispelling enchantments, but I'm not even sure how useful this will be. By the time he can do this, rest of the part will be level 14 while he will only be 12(7Ftr/5clr). How useful do you think this will be?
Also what ideas on spells? Right now I have him with Obscuring Mist and Protection from Evil. If I do take the continued caster route, What spells would be really useful for him? 2nd level I was thinking: Bear's endurence, Remove Paralysis, Resist energy, and Silence would all be effective choices. 3rd level I was thinking Invisiblity purge and mostly dispell magics.
Any comments? Suggestions?
What does the rest of the party look like?
What does the rest of the party look like?
Malenvoker (Wizard conjurior)
Paladin (halfing archer build)Ranger (Dwarf, with splash of Barbarian/cleric, for insane movement speed)
Cleric of Sarenrae (took healing domain, mostly buffs, has an 8 str)
Cleric of Gorum (me)
Fighter Cleric (my cohort)
Right now we just hit level 10, and our character sheets are expected to be updated by next session. We also have a new character entering the game next session, not sure what he will be. The game was started while Pathfinder was in beta, so there are a lot of house rules but most of it is Pathfinder. He allows 3.5 stuff if he approves it first. That being said, the Malenvoker is using 3.5 stuff and the Cleric of Sarenrae has DivineMeta magic. Other than that, its mostly pathfinder. After this game rest of our games will be strictly pathfinder.
Uhm, 2 clerics and a pally already?
Straight fighter all the way imo. I am surprised you even dipped 1 level in cleric.
Look at the OP, DM "suggested" it.
edit: Honestly with a second read i am not sure why you even need a pure tank but thats just me. The pally and ranger should be able to do something in combat. One the clerics could have dumped a feat for heavy armour.
Well I could elaborate more on the party:
My Cleric of Gorum is a strait melee. I cast Rightous Might and Divine Power and with the war domain I can pick up whatever combat feat i need. Mostly i use lunge for increase range. Since im a front liner, I did pick up Heavy armor Prof, and i wear fullplate. I rarely heal.
Even the ranger has some cleric dipped in there.
The Ranger is Ranger 8 Barbarian 1 Cleric 1, I think, he might even have a level of monk. Anyway he is all over the place and does mostly archery. He does have a Decent AC, but when he ends up on the front line he gets beat down. His one level in cleric has the travel domain (for the +10 movement) and luck for the other. He is very good at filling holes in the line to help keep the enemies away from the casters/archers. Also he is new, I had the cohort before he joined.
The halfing Paladin Never gets into combat, he is always shooting arrows from the back. While he does great dmg, Last time he was in melee a BBEG one rounded him. Granted it was a Powerattcking crit. Since he isnt really keen on being close to an enemy.
The Cleric of Healing does nothing but heal and buff. He also does a lot of the enemy magic countering. Well not counterspelling but with Invisiblity Purge, Dispell magic, Silence. He is very squishy.
The Malenvoker would be our best frontliner. Or frontliner provider through summons. This is whats keeps the group going cause large majority of the dmg taken is on his summons.
So while the Malenvoker does provide us with meat shields, my Cohort has stand still and combat reflexes. He keeps the bad guys off the casters. But this still doesnt go in to why you think he should be strait fighter? Is there certian feats you think would benifit him? Why not use him for more magic since the Veriant rules being used he does NOT lose BAB or HP, he gives up domains to keep those.