Matthew Morris
RPG Superstar 2009 Top 32, 2010 Top 8
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Role-playing personality is still to be nailed. I'm wavering between nursie [blackadder] and Mrs Forbes-Hamilton [To the Manor Born], which are simply universes apart!
Well my brain was still boggling over the orac/erol Flynn contract in the stat descriptions. At least it's not Avon.
Are you putting your favoured class in HP or skills?
| stuart haffenden |
stuart haffenden wrote:What I want to play is a cleric...
minus
3/4 bab, d8, medium armour.plus
d6, more spells and knowledges.Simular to the 3.5 Cloistered Cleric.
You might want to take a look at the Priest class variant I posted on these boards HERE. It was developed for exactly that reason.
A friend (who happens to be an RPG Superstar finalist) and I are also working on a Priest base class that deviates more from the Cleric than my class variant did, incorporating rituals and such into the class.
Thanks, I'll have a read!
I've also just seen the Priest from Tome of Secrets which looks like what I'm after too!
| stuart haffenden |
stuart haffenden wrote:Role-playing personality is still to be nailed. I'm wavering between nursie [blackadder] and Mrs Forbes-Hamilton [To the Manor Born], which are simply universes apart!
Well my brain was still boggling over the orac/erol Flynn contract in the stat descriptions. At least it's not Avon.
Are you putting your favoured class in HP or skills?
lol!
As stated in a previous post the AP has a trait that allows both on top of whatever you pick normally. I'll be having 2 skill points and 1 hit point!
| stuart haffenden |
Just putting this on the new page...
What I want to play is a cleric...
minus
3/4 bab, d8, medium armour.plus
d6, more spells and knowledges.Simular to the 3.5 Cloistered Cleric.
A few things have changed because of the feedback I have received [thank you all]. A few don't appear to have grasped my general concept and have suggested stats that are not suitable for my character [12 INT for example].
My stats are now looing like this...
Str 6 [steve austin, not], Dex 8 [jackie chan, not], Con 11 [miss marple], Int 16 [orac], Wis 17 [professor yaffle] & Cha 16 [errol flynn].Comments on Min/Maxing: I really didn't start this character off with the thought that I was min/maxing but I guess the figures don't lie. All that I can say is that I'm not doing it to "break" the game, in fact I'm actually trying to play a type of cleric that most players wouldn't want to [pretty selfless], but most would like to have in the party [assuming my weaknesses don't become a constant problem for the party as a whole]
My main healing will come from Channel. I'll be taking Selective Channel at 1st level and then either Extra Channel or Lightning Reflexes.
I'm going to propose that the party split the loot 6 ways so as to have a party healing fund. From this fund I'm going to suggest half the cost of a Phylactery of Positive Channelling comes to accelerate getting one [I may need some fair winds and good seas to achieve that!], I therefore wont be using Headbands of Wis/Cha.
I'm taking an AP trait that grants +1 skill point and +1 hit point "over and above" what you would normally receive. So I'll be taking 2 skill point [giving me the 7 I need, although I may now need Handle Animal too, see below] and +1 hit point. I'll put me free stat at level 4 into Con to help me survive the failed reflex save required from, say, a Fireball etc.
My God has changed to Gozreh, taking the Air Domain [resist electricity 10 at level 6] and Animal Domain [Animal companion at level 4 to ride]
Role-playing personality still to be nailed. I'm wavering between nursie [blackadder] and Mrs Forbes-Hamilton [To the Manor Born], which are simply universes apart!
Marcus Aurelius
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Flat footedness has nothing to do with Reflex saves. Nor does it have anything to do with "holding his own".
Didn't say it did, but he's going to be "flat footed" a heck of a lot during surprise rounds". He's vulnerable from many perspectives and a good reflex save is a damn useful thing to have in many situations, especially dodging magical area attacks. He's already vulnerable and hampered by so many other things. A rogue doesn't necessarily have a high strength but his dexterity is often what keeps him alive. Rogue's are not normally front line combat characters, clerics on the other hand are expected to be able to fight semi-effectively when things get rough, hence why they are allowed armor. Our gnome, Stuart's character, we know wears a breastplate and a carries a shield which puts him over his strength encumbrance limit for normal movement because of his strength score. Clerics need a decent strength score especially if they don't have a decent dexterity score.
In fact, the only character who will naturally have a high Reflex save in the party he's listed will be the Rogue! Barbarians, Druids, and Sorcerers all have poor Reflex save progression and none of them really raise Dex beyond 12-14 in most any case.
With only three other party members this would be all the more reason to have a decent reflex save especially if the rogue is the only character that does. Not much point being a rogue who saves for half damage vs a fireball, when he stands up seared, hurt and in need of a little help to see his buddies and the clumsy "no hope" cleric quietly charring away on the floor around him, and across the room is a grinning mage with a group of undead ready to trash him.
Not really. A 6 is 2 drains to 0 in most cases (most ability damage/drains are 1d6, the average of which is 3.5), while a 10 is 3 drains. It's entirely possible for even a high-Strength character to be drained to helplessness or even death in a single round by monsters like Shadows; I've seen it happen.
So have I, once when a number of bad luck situations culminated in a showdown with a bevy of shadows. Most of the time shadows don't stand a chance to do that much damage, but it happens and one round of strength damage longer can mean the difference between life and death. "Let's hope the cleric can help us in time? Ooops that was the cleric, oh no we're *"!XO!!". Why are you encouraging this?
It's easier for someone with very low Strength, but it's not like they're incredibly common (and Shadows are pretty much the only creature that can actually kill with a Strength drain).
They're common enough. Besides even if it isn't a shadow there are many other ways to inflict strength damage, all of which cause unconsciousness. Being unconscious in a bad battle situation is nearly as bad as being dead, especially if you're buddies are getting slaughtered and could really use some healing.
Wrong once again. It's a party of 5, with two combat focused characters (barbarian and rogue) and a summoner with an animal companion (druid). There's plenty of front line.
I think not. A rogue for a start is not a combat focused character. A rogue is a specialist whose role is to help the other characters not stumble into traps, scout ahead to get a handle on the enemy and open locks on doors etc. The rogue holds his own with his high dexterity and should avoid one on one confrontations. He uses his enhanced damage attacks to support the tanks, and sets up flanking opportunities. As for the animal companion, it is not a PC, it is effectively a druidic ability, and is balanced with the overall druid character makeup. If being a sunmmoner meant having two effective PCs rather than one then everyone would want to be one. So unfortunately it is you who are *very* wrong.
If you think Stuart's character is just dandy then fine. It's your opinion, one which I do not share. To me with those stats he is a hopeless character. That's my opinion.
| Zurai |
Didn't say it did
No, but you did imply it.
but he's going to be "flat footed" a heck of a lot during surprise rounds".
Unfounded statement. Surprise rounds are based off of Perception, not Dexterity.
He's vulnerable from many perspectives
He's vulnerable from exactly one perspective that is above and beyond a normal Cleric: Str/Dex damage/drain. All Clerics have bad Reflex saves. All healing-focused Clerics are vulnerable to grappling. And, to tell the truth, he's less likely to be affected by area effect attacks because he's going to be outside the cluster of melee characters. When you have an area effect, you generally place it on the biggest concentration of targets. In that respect, he's actually less vulnerable to Reflex saves than a normal Cleric. You'll note he's also going to be resistant to fire by virtue of his Domain choices, meaning the most common area effect damage type will be much less effective against him.
Rogue's are not normally front line combat characters
---
A rogue for a start is not a combat focused character.
O.o ... o.O ... O.O
I don't know how to respond to that. It's entirely outside of any reasoning I can understand. Are you perhaps a Lovecraftian entity? Should I start making SAN checks?
Our gnome, Stuart's character, we know wears a breastplate and a carries a shield which puts him over his strength encumbrance limit for normal movement because of his strength score.
As he's already pointed out, encumbrance and armor penalties don't stack. He'd be moving at 15 with or without the medium or heavy load since he's wearing medium armor.
With only three other party members...
For the third or fourth time, there are four other party members. It is a 5, that's FIVE, person party.
Not much point being a rogue who saves for half damage vs a fireball, when he stands up seared, hurt and in need of a little help to see his buddies and the clumsy "no hope" cleric quietly charring away on the floor around him, and across the room is a grinning mage with a group of undead ready to trash him.
Uh, there's not much point in that scenario anyway. The difference between an unharmed Rogue and four other dead party members vs an unharmed Rogue, a half-dead Cleric, and three other dead party members is practically nil when the enemy party is full strength and combat has just been joined.
Why are you encouraging this?
Maybe because he specifically says he wants to create a character with that kind of challenge inherent to it?
especially if you're buddies are getting slaughtered and could really use some healing.
The group has two healers.
The rogue holds his own with his high dexterity and should avoid one on one confrontations. He uses his enhanced damage attacks to support the tanks, and sets up flanking opportunities.
... which he does on the front line.
As for the animal companion, it is not a PC, it is effectively a druidic ability, and is balanced with the overall druid character makeup. If being a sunmmoner meant having two effective PCs rather than one then everyone would want to be one.
Animal Companions are extraordinarily easy to make into tanks. They actually have the highest AC potential of any class or creature in the game, and even if you don't try very hard they'll have more AC than any character who doesn't go all-out for AC. As for the summoner, the entire point of being a summoner is to spam the battlefield with mobile meat shields. That's about all they are good for. A summoner with an animal companion very definitely can cover two front line combatant slots by himself.
So unfortunately it is you who are *very* wrong.
Did you even bother to read what I said you were wrong about? The party has five characters. You keep saying the party is only four characters. Despite me correcting you multiple times. Can you please stop to actually read and digest my post before you respond? Thanks.
| Helic |
Marcus Aurelius wrote:A rogue for a start is not a combat focused character.
O.o ... o.O ... O.O
I don't know how to respond to that. It's entirely outside of any reasoning I can understand. Are you perhaps a Lovecraftian entity? Should I start making SAN checks?
Well, I wouldn't go that far. One of the rogue's main attributes (arguably THE main attribute) is skill points. They have lower AC and lower HP than a fighter, and must take special measures (flank et.al.) to do near-fighter damage. Rogues do a helluva lot more than fight. I'd put them with Clerics and Druids...they can fight very effectively, but it's not their reason for being.
Then again, maybe we are part of the 1D6 investigators about to be eaten.
DM_aka_Dudemeister
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@ the OP:
Play your character to the hilt, have fun with it. You understand the risks, and the very real possibility that the old codger will die. If that happens, it'll be tragic, but you can roll up something new. If on the other hand he survives the whole campaign?
It'll be the stuff of legends.
Marcus Aurelius
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Unfounded statement. Surprise rounds are based off of Perception, not Dexterity.
Initiative is determined before the surprise round occurs according to my reading and initiative is determined by DEX, feats spells or enhancements. So we have initiative order. In the surprise round he has a Perception check (assuming he has skill ranks in perception) to help against being caught flat footed but his low position in the order of initiative still means he could be potentially taken out of the fight before he gets his act together. The whole process is organic, or at least in practice I have found that it does, especially when clever opponents are making an ambush.
He's vulnerable from many perspectives
All Clerics have bad Reflex saves.
No they don't, I quoted you an example. You obviously do not read what I say either ;)
All healing-focused Clerics are vulnerable to grappling.
Not if they have an average to reasonable STR they aren't.
And, to tell the truth, he's less likely to be affected by area effect attacks because he's going to be outside the cluster of melee characters. When you have an area effect, you generally place it on the biggest concentration of targets. In that respect, he's actually less vulnerable to Reflex saves than a normal Cleric.
So he won't actually be covering the barbarian's back after all, rather he'll stay out the back and run in clumsily at the precise moment when ranged attacks are not being cast and touch heal the wounded in the thick of melee. My he must have some amazing skills that aren't in the core rule book ;) Also in most dungeon situations enclosed spaces will likely catch him unless he doddered off on his own for a smoke.
You'll note he's also going to be resistant to fire by virtue of his Domain choices, meaning the most common area effect damage type will be much less effective against him.
I guess his GM will only be allowing fire based attacks in his campaign then. Besides fire resistance doesn't negate all damage just gives him a slightly better chance of not taking the full whack.
Quote:Rogue's are not normally front line combat characters
---
A rogue for a start is not a combat focused character.
O.o ... o.O ... O.OI don't know how to respond to that. It's entirely outside of any reasoning I can understand. Are you perhaps a Lovecraftian entity?
Ia! Ia! Yog Sothoth. Puh-leze! ;)
Should I start making SAN checks?
(Actually I've been wondering the same thing ;) But seriously this is not a contradiction. The first statement uses "normally" to mean that unless the rest of the party are in dire strokes a rogue will not normally be a front line combat character. However, in such cases he might end up becoming a front line character because things are grim.
Also the rogue may be in the front line to help an opponent get a flank attack but he aint going to stick around if he can help it to deal with the enemy's wrath by his sneak attack. It's kind of like a hit and fade maneuver, which tends to require rogue skills and a good dexterity. Whereas the gnome healing the front line characters once he's back from his smoke can do a hit and fall maneuver ;)
Our gnome, Stuart's character, we know wears a breastplate and a carries a shield which puts him over his strength encumbrance limit for normal movement because of his strength score.
As he's already pointed out, encumbrance and armor penalties don't stack. He'd be moving at 15 with or without the medium or heavy load since he's wearing medium armor.
I guess he won't be carrying much of the loot then. If I was in his party I'd pay him according to a hireling, due to his self-imposed weaknesses
With only three other party members...
For the third or fourth time, there are four other party members. It is a 5, that's FIVE, person party.
You are right I got the impression that you were counting the animal companion as a PC. My bad.
I do notice that you are selecting what you answer to make your point, rather than going back to read all my reasoning behind my opinions.
Zurai, I thoroughly respect your position on this and am enjoying the debate immensely. But there really are two sides to this. If Stuart really wants to play his character so be it. I have provided advice, you have provided advice and the earlier poster's have provided advice.
I think LazarX has come up with a playable compromise and it still retains the flavor of the character Stuart wishes to play, without being a party hindrance.
| Zurai |
In the surprise round he has a Perception check (assuming he has skill ranks in perception) to help against being caught flat footed but his low position in the order of initiative still means he could be potentially taken out of the fight before he gets his act together.
He gets a Perception check regardless of whether he has ranks in Perception, and his massive Wisdom which he'll have from being a Cleric means he'll be much more likely to see something coming than most any other party member except the Rogue (whose class features and role pretty much require that he max out Perception). Regardless, every character is vulnerable when they get ambushed. That's why people try to ambush you. It's rarely all that horrible, though, because you get only a single action in the surprise round, meaning he cannot be full-attacked and most likely won't be attacked in melee combat at all. Furthermore, having a high Perception is much better than having a high Initiative (though naturally worse than having both) for the purposes of not being blown up in an ambush. Characters who fail the Perception check to not be surprised will be flat-footed for two rounds (the surprise round and the first round of combat), while anyone who passes the Perception check will always be "normal" on the first round of combat.
No they don't, I quoted you an example. You obviously do not read what I say either ;)
You did? Can you please link me the post that tells how a Cleric can get a 2+1/2 level base Reflex save?
Not if they have an average to reasonable STR they aren't.
Average Strength + medium BAB = vulnerable to grappling. Anything that's going to be grappling you will have either high strength, full BAB, and more hit dice than you, or high strength, medium BAB, and way more hit dice than you.
So he won't actually be covering the barbarian's back after all, rather he'll stay out the back and run in clumsily at the precise moment when ranged attacks are not being cast and touch heal the wounded in the thick of melee. My he must have some amazing skills that aren't in the core rule book ;) Also in most dungeon situations enclosed spaces will likely catch him unless he doddered off on his own for a smoke.
I guess in your zeal to prove yourself right you missed where stuart said he planned to do most of his healing with Channel Positive Energy and where I told him to invest in the greater status spell?
I guess his GM will only be allowing fire based attacks in his campaign then. Besides fire resistance doesn't negate all damage just gives him a slightly better chance of not taking the full whack.
For the love of God, I wish I had a dollar for every time a person on these boards intentionally twists my words. My student debt would be paid off and I'd have a new car, a PS3 and a nice big HD TV to play it on. I never said either that it would reduce damage from all attack or that it would negate all the damage. I said it would help against the most common area effect damage type (which is a fact -- check the number of area effect spells and area effect damaging attacks in the Bestiary; fire is the most common damage type for them).
The first statement uses "normally" to mean that unless the rest of the party are in dire strokes a rogue will not normally be a front line combat character. However, in such cases he might end up becoming a front line character because things are grim.
I think this is an issue of us using different definitions. To me, a "front line combat character" is a character who engages in melee combat as their primary combat role. The vast majority of Rogues fit that criteria.
I guess he won't be carrying much of the loot then. If I was in his party I'd pay him according to a hireling, due to his self-imposed weaknesses
Wow, that's total asshattery. So do Barbarians automatically get the lion's share because they can carry the most loot? Maybe if you refuse to pay him his fair share, he'll refuse to heal your sorry, greedy ass.
That also does not follow at all from the statement I made. It was a total non sequitur. He can carry loot just fine, especially once your group hits 3rd or 4th level and he can afford a handy haversack or bag of holding. Or at 1st level if he buys a cheap donkey which will explicitly follow the party into dungeons by the rules.
| LoreKeeper |
As I'm small and intend to wear a Breastplate and wooden shield, I can get away with a low strength score, plus the heavy load penalty of -6 Armour Check is the same as what I'll have from the Breatplate and Shield.
Just making sure, but you do realize that the Armor Check Penalty from medium or heavy encumbrance would stack on top of the encumbrance due to breastplate and shield?
| wraithstrike |
Quote:As I'm small and intend to wear a Breastplate and wooden shield, I can get away with a low strength score, plus the heavy load penalty of -6 Armour Check is the same as what I'll have from the Breatplate and Shield.Just making sure, but you do realize that the Armor Check Penalty from medium or heavy encumbrance would stack on top of the encumbrance due to breastplate and shield?
You might want to post a link for a reference. I am not saying you are wrong since I have never had to deal with the issue, since I generally try to avoid encumbrance.
Marcus Aurelius
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Zurai and Marcus Aurelius, thanks for the battle of words, both your insights have been useful.
Could I nudge you to the 4th post on this [page 2] page where I have changed my stats a little and my God, and therefore my Domains also.
Hi Stuart.
Nice to hear from you. Actually I hadn't spotted that post, because I'd been only arguing on the initial post. Lazy of me not to read beyond my dear fellow poster Zurai. I think I could work with the new stats as a GM now that your DEX has gone up.
Zurai, despite our differences of opinion, has made some really useful points and the whole discussion has been thought provoking. He's a jolly clever fellow.
I will reply to him later, as I have to go and entertain the family. Please remember that you can play whatever you wish to play. If your GM and your players are happy. Who cares.
Have a great role playing session and I sincerely hope your new character has lots of wonderful adventures. Kind regards.
| Bill Dunn |
Just making sure, but you do realize that the Armor Check Penalty from medium or heavy encumbrance would stack on top of the encumbrance due to breastplate and shield?
According to the PRD, they specifically don't stack. You take the worse result armor vs encumbrance for each category.
| stuart haffenden |
LoreKeeper wrote:According to the PRD, they specifically don't stack. You take the worse result armor vs encumbrance for each category.
Just making sure, but you do realize that the Armor Check Penalty from medium or heavy encumbrance would stack on top of the encumbrance due to breastplate and shield?
You are quite correct, I did state this earlier in this thread, it's a shame that people don't read the whole thread as many things can change over the duration.
Okugi
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My only thought on this is about the movement. As a small character, with medium or greater encumbrance, he'll have a movement of 15 feet. Looking at the party makeup, the barbarian should have a movement of 40, the druid starts at 30, then he wildshapes, the rest of the party should be at 30 feet. So, fight breaks out, front liners rush up to engage, two round later, the cleric arrives to heal/buff etc (which are touch spells). If it was me, I'd make him use a cane to walk with, give him some boots of Springing and Striding and turn him into a Gummi Bear...
| Caineach |
My only thought on this is about the movement. As a small character, with medium or greater encumbrance, he'll have a movement of 15 feet. Looking at the party makeup, the barbarian should have a movement of 40, the druid starts at 30, then he wildshapes, the rest of the party should be at 30 feet. So, fight breaks out, front liners rush up to engage, two round later, the cleric arrives to heal/buff etc (which are touch spells). If it was me, I'd make him use a cane to walk with, give him some boots of Springing and Striding and turn him into a Gummi Bear...
Thats where the animal domain comes in with a mount. casting from dog back, giving him 40 movement.
| Eric Mason 37 |
I'm actually trying to play a type of cleric that most players wouldn't want to [pretty selfless], but most would like to have in the party [assuming my weaknesses don't become a constant problem for the party as a whole]
I think you are looking at a character who would become a constant problem for the party as a whole to be honest.
I look at your build, and what I see is an NPC. Someone the party could visit in their temple to ask questions, and get spell casting from. Not someone who can take the rigours of "adventuring".
We have a burden character in our party, and it is quite frustrating. They can't melee or do archery worth a damn; their hit points are quite low because they don't have good con (yours is only slightly higher); and put their favoured class bonus into skill points; and like your character, they aren't a wizard or sorcerer so don't have the spells to make up for their lack in melee or missile fire. They have lots of skills, but that's little consolation when our 5 person party is attacked by multiple opponents. He's in constant danger of getting squished, and has been within a round of death on multiple occasions.
I wouldn't want your character in my party.
In your shoes, I would cut back on the skills you are responcible for, and get a few of your party members to take up the slack. It is not unreasonable for some of them to take one or two of those critical skills.
This is just my opinion of course :)
| stuart haffenden |
I think you are looking at a character who would become a constant problem for the party as a whole to be honest.
I look at your build, and what I see is an NPC. Someone the party could visit in their temple to ask questions, and get spell casting from. Not someone who can take the rigours of "adventuring".
We have a burden character in our party, and it is quite frustrating. They can't melee or do archery worth a damn; their hit points are quite low because they don't have good con (yours is only slightly higher); and put their favoured class bonus into skill points; and like your character, they aren't a wizard or sorcerer so don't have the spells to make up for their lack in melee or missile fire. They have lots of skills, but that's little consolation when our 5 person party is attacked by multiple opponents. He's in constant danger of getting squished, and has been within a round of death on multiple occasions.
I wouldn't want your character in my party.
In your shoes, I would cut back on the skills you are responcible for, and get a few of your party members to take up the slack. It is not unreasonable for some of them to take one or two of those critical skills.
This is just my opinion of course :)
I understand your point, but don't forget the value in being told how to effectively fight a monster. Knowledge is everything when it comes to stuff your character hasn't met before. I do appreciate that many GM's are far more lenient when it come to knowledge checks, and there are those players that know the MM or Bestiary inside and out!
If I fulfil my role as the party healer, which is my only focus, I think there will be many more occasions when the "fighter" needs healing and won't get sworn at by the player playing the cleric who just spent 3 rounds buffing himself so he can fight! [Edit: At least I hope!]
| Kaisoku |
I think you'll do fine with the options you've chosen.
I've recently created a "heal-bot" NPC using epic stats (25 point buy), that was similar to this, only human.
Something you might want to invest in is the Toughness feat, or Con-boosting magic.
The reason? Shield Other.
If you have a decent pool of hitpoints, you can either reduce spike damage on the main meat shield, or even make a normally non-meatshield (such as a rogue character) into a decent damage taker.
And since you are using your Channel Energy to heal, which hits everyone with healing equally, you will effectively get more healing done overall by splitting the damage across more players.
For those that need help visualizing this concept:
The Meatshield takes 20 damage.
Channel Energy is healing 10 points.
Without Shield Other, the Meathshield still has 10 damage remaining.
With Shield Other, the Meatshield and the Cleric each have 10, and so you gained an extra 10 points of damage healing from that channel.
If you had enough hitpoints, you could place the spell on two characters, although that gives the danger of spike damage against yourself.
| Caineach |
Kaisoku wrote:
The reason? Shield Other.The downside of shield other are area effects that hit both you and your subject.
This character does NOT want to be using shield other!
-James
I disagree entirely. This character should love shield other, as should any primary healer. But like the previous poster said, toughness is a good feat for him. AoE is no more a problem for him than any other cleric. A failed save is a failed save, and most clerics can't pass the reflex saves anyway. An additional -2 over a typical build wont change much.
| Caineach |
stuart haffenden wrote:Check that trait carefully. I'm pretty sure it's a one time add...not Per Level, which would probably make it the most broken trait ever.I'm taking an AP trait that grants +1 skill point and +1 hit point "over and above" what you would normally receive.
Even if it is 1 or the other, its better than many feats.
| stuart haffenden |
stuart haffenden wrote:Check that trait carefully. I'm pretty sure it's a one time add...not Per Level, which would probably make it the most broken trait ever.I'm taking an AP trait that grants +1 skill point and +1 hit point "over and above" what you would normally receive.
Checked!
"This class is always a favored class to you, and your
dedication to it is such that every time you take a level in
the class, you gain +1 hit point and 1 additional skill point
over and above what you would normally gain. If multiple
PCs take this trait, they should be siblings who were both
protected and raised by Haleen"
| james maissen |
I disagree entirely. This character should love shield other, as should any primary healer. But like the previous poster said, toughness is a good feat for him. AoE is no more a problem for him than any other cleric. A failed save is a failed save, and most clerics can't pass the reflex saves anyway. An additional -2 over a typical build wont change much.
An AoE that hits both the cleric and his shielded ally will be doing empowered damage to him.
While a cleric without shield other running would be able to simply channel to offset this damage, a cleric taking this much damage is likely going to have to spend a direct action healing themselves (only) if they are still conscious.
I've seen AoEs take out shield other clerics before and it's not normally a pretty sight.
Don't get me wrong, shield other is a great spell. But it needs to be used by the right clerics in the right circumstances.
-James
| Caineach |
Caineach wrote:
I disagree entirely. This character should love shield other, as should any primary healer. But like the previous poster said, toughness is a good feat for him. AoE is no more a problem for him than any other cleric. A failed save is a failed save, and most clerics can't pass the reflex saves anyway. An additional -2 over a typical build wont change much.An AoE that hits both the cleric and his shielded ally will be doing empowered damage to him.
While a cleric without shield other running would be able to simply channel to offset this damage, a cleric taking this much damage is likely going to have to spend a direct action healing themselves (only) if they are still conscious.
I've seen AoEs take out shield other clerics before and it's not normally a pretty sight.
Don't get me wrong, shield other is a great spell. But it needs to be used by the right clerics in the right circumstances.
-James
Yes, but this character does not have much more susceptability to AoE death than most other clerics. Shield Other will do that to any cleric, not just this one, and this one has pretty normal HP. No, its not pretty to watch a cleric die because of shield other, but its not more risk to this guy tan others.
| Kaisoku |
Clearly, the trick would be to not stand near the guy you are trying to protect from damage. Healing will be done with Channel Energy anyways, so he only needs to get "just" within range, and even then, only when the guy really needs the healing (remember, you are taking half his damage).
In most situations, it's either been the frontliners OR the casters getting hit with the AoE spell, but not both at the same time.
Plus, with Knowledge skills forewarning, he can get the proper protection up anyways.
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Oh, and if he's Shielding a Rogue, it's likely that Rogue will avoid the AoE.. in which case he's not taking any damage (Evasion). Remember, he only takes from the actual hitpoint damage the shielded ally gets. If the ally can avoid damage, then he's not taking it.
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Something else to consider: Spectral Hand. Get a magic item with it made for you, and send your single target cure spells (right up to Cure Critical) out to 100+ feet away.
This is, of course, if your DM disallows the Greater Status spell (since it's not core pathfinder).
| Steelfiredragon |
a build such as that could work, however, you will be relying on Gauntlets of dexterity and belts of STR.
you have no AB with such stats though, unless you plan on letting them fight, while you stand back and hurl spells.
I think your nuts.
SEe if you DM will increase you points to start with, to add to dex.
| stuart haffenden |
.Something else to consider: Spectral Hand. Get a magic item with it made for you, and send your single target cure spells (right up to Cure Critical) out to 100+ feet away.
This is, of course, if your DM disallows the Greater Status spell (since it's not core pathfinder).
We're primarily Core, but I'm looking at the Priest from Tome of Secret now as it kinda does what I'm trying to do. It frees up stat points, as it grants 6+Int skill points each level.