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I'm playing a cleric of Abadar and I'm getting ready to level up. I'm thinking I might want to go into a prestige class but there don't seem to be many good ones at all for cleric.
The only one that seems obviously geared for a cleric is the Holy Vindicator from the APG, but honestly ... the whole stigmata, bleeding wounds aspect of that prestige class just leaves me king of cold.
Am I missing any good cleric oriented prestige classes???
Nope, holy vindicator is about it. I think that loremaster MIGHT work, but its got some pretty strict requirements and it probably isn't the feel that you are going for.
As James says, there are two Abadar-specific PrCs. Both are rather unusual in PrC-terms, considering they're 3-level and 6-level classes.
Justiciar in AP #8 is a 3-level class, and is more of a Paladin-choice than a Cleric-choice (since it doesn't advance spellcasting). Its most useful (to my eyes) feature is based around crossbow-use.
Balanced Scale of Abadar in Dark Markets is a 6-level class, and is primarily a Cleric-choice since it requires 3rd-level spells. This class is pretty cool, especially the "access the vault" and "vault jump" abilities.
Prestige classes in Pathfinder are lacking (in number/choices). The pendulum has swung too far back the other way from 3.X
Prestige classes in Pathfinder are lacking (in number/choices). The pendulum has swung too far back the other way from 3.X
All old Prestige classes work with Pathfinder, so if you're allowed old content, that might provide some cool options.
Marc, why do you feel the need to prestige? Cleric all the way is pretty awesome.
Since James is here, I'd just like to say:
I'd like a non-terrible Mystic Theurge.
I'm playing a straight Cleric now, and I'd *love* to go into MT.
But even at 20 (despite the fact that our AP ends around lvl 16)
3 Wiz/3 Cleric/ 10 MT / 2 Cleric / 2 Wiz would leave me with what?
Terrible in 2 things. Or to go 7/3/10 leaves me way behind in one and terrible in the other?
Why not stick with one, and then pick up Leadership?
I recognize that any PRC has to come with some trade offs...but having to accept that picking up a certain class basically guarantees you'll be terrible at high levels doesn't seem that 'prestigious' to me.
Prestige classes in Pathfinder are lacking (in number/choices). The pendulum has swung too far back the other way from 3.XI'm gonna be swinging that pendulum back!
YES!
more levels of cleric
I'm playing a cleric of Abadar and I'm getting ready to level up. I'm thinking I might want to go into a prestige class but there don't seem to be many good ones at all for cleric.
The only one that seems obviously geared for a cleric is the Holy Vindicator from the APG, but honestly ... the whole stigmata, bleeding wounds aspect of that prestige class just leaves me king of cold.
Am I missing any good cleric oriented prestige classes???
Taking a prestige class nerfs your character in pathfinder most of the time.
Why do you want a prestige class? What's your character concept and what do you want to do with it? There may be ways of accomplishing that without a prestige class.
Prestige classes in Pathfinder are lacking (in number/choices). The pendulum has swung too far back the other way from 3.XI'm gonna be swinging that pendulum back!
This fills me with so much joy, I can hardly describe it.
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Prestige classes in Pathfinder are lacking (in number/choices). The pendulum has swung too far back the other way from 3.XI'm gonna be swinging that pendulum back!
Ever since I picked up Pathfinder, I have yet to play or see others play a Prestige class. Other then 1 case of a Battle Herald, none of my friends feels PrCs are worth playing for RP or PP reasons.
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The cleric, with its two domains is very customizable.
For example, a cleric of Pharasma, with the Repose domain and channel energy would be quite effective against undead.
Of course you have your traditional cleric of Sarenrae with the Sun and Healing domains who is good at well healing and burning up undead.
A third combination might be a LN cleric of asmodeus with the Trickery and Fire domains....
you get a couple of nifty domain powers, namely copy cat, and fire bolt. Your domain spell lists include such interesting spells as invisibility and fire ball. Oh yes with the selective channel feat, and channel negative energy, you can do some very interesting things, in terms of damaging your enemies, and with the "command undead" feat, you can gain control of those pesky skeletons and put them to productive use, like guarding the party instead of the treasure they are protecting. In terms of skill use, my cleric of asmodeus has bluff ( from trickery domain) Diplomacy, Sence Motive, Knowledge Religon, Linguistics, and Profesion Barrister. I didn't spend a single rank in heal.....he's not that kind of cleric.
So all im saying, is that you can have plenty of variation within the cleric class based on where you put your good rolles for ability scores, ( ie if you don't want a combat cleric put your good scores in INT, WIS and CHA) and what deity and yes domains you pick, so i think the cleric, almost doesn't need prestige classes.
I will say, if you want to do a more learned character, say a monk who is illuminating manuscripts, that character concept is probably best expressed by the Priest class from the Tome of secrets, or possibly the Cloistered cleric class variant found in 3.5 Unearthed arcana.
in summation they give you poor base attack bonus, d6 hit points, light armor, and in exchange for that, you get 6 skill points a level, bardic lore, and an extra domain: knowledge.
Well I apologize for the long ramble and i hope this was helpful
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Since James is here, I'd just like to say:
I'd like a non-terrible Mystic Theurge.I'm playing a straight Cleric now, and I'd *love* to go into MT.
But even at 20 (despite the fact that our AP ends around lvl 16)
3 Wiz/3 Cleric/ 10 MT / 2 Cleric / 2 Wiz would leave me with what?
Terrible in 2 things. Or to go 7/3/10 leaves me way behind in one and terrible in the other?
Why not stick with one, and then pick up Leadership?I recognize that any PRC has to come with some trade offs...but having to accept that picking up a certain class basically guarantees you'll be terrible at high levels doesn't seem that 'prestigious' to me.
It's not being a Mystic Theurge that sucks, it's deciding to take two different magical progressions at the same time that sucks. Mystic Theurge just makes it a better choice than a Cleric 10/Wizard 10.
I don't think you should be able to cast as a Cleric 20/Wizard 20, especially when you've got pure Cleric 20s and pure Wizard 20s wandering about. Cleric 15/Wizard 15 or Cleric 13/Wizard 17 looks about right to me. You trade focus for flexibility, and that's the way it should be.
I think it's better to choose your focus within the scope of the party and enjoy from there.
When it comes to prestige classes in general, I think Pathfinder did them right. In 3e, it was really a focus of sticking with the inferior base classes until you could qualify for more powerful prestige classes, and you were rewarded with judicious early choices with more power later. Instead, Pathfinder's goal of offering prestige classes as other possible development paths without making them true sources of over-power allows them to be interesting choices.
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I'd recommend the Pathfinder Savant. You lose 1 caster level, but the abilities you can gain are just cool. Estoric Magic allows you to add spells from other class lists to your spell list at the price of one level higher spell level. Clerics with magic missle and lightening bolt, anyone? You also get the most awesome ability from the class at level 3, any scroll you use is considered your caster level. Forget meming magic missle as a level 2 spell, just BUY 50 scrolls of it and go to town blasting away with your 9th level caster self. There were some requirement changes for the class for PFS, but that is on this website somewhere, so you should be able to find it. I have an 8th level wizard that currently has taken the class and thanks to the cypher magic feat I have I read scrolls of as a 9th level caster with a UMD of 24 because of required class ranks and feats and the 1st level ability that allows you to take a 10 on UMD every time. The 24 UMD allow me to use upto 4th level spell of class lists I'm not familiar with. Just an option, but really, a comparably better option than the Mystic Theurge, if slightly more expensive.
Prestige classes in Pathfinder are lacking (in number/choices). The pendulum has swung too far back the other way from 3.XI'm gonna be swinging that pendulum back!
Yay! :)
I'd like a non-terrible Mystic Theurge.
I played a Mystic Theurge in LG organized play, and it was amazing. AMAZING.
Creative Director
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Since James is here, I'd just like to say:
I'd like a non-terrible Mystic Theurge.I'm playing a straight Cleric now, and I'd *love* to go into MT.
But even at 20 (despite the fact that our AP ends around lvl 16)
3 Wiz/3 Cleric/ 10 MT / 2 Cleric / 2 Wiz would leave me with what?
Terrible in 2 things. Or to go 7/3/10 leaves me way behind in one and terrible in the other?
Why not stick with one, and then pick up Leadership?I recognize that any PRC has to come with some trade offs...but having to accept that picking up a certain class basically guarantees you'll be terrible at high levels doesn't seem that 'prestigious' to me.
If what you're asking for is essentially "A mystyc theurge that is better than playing a conjoined twin wizard/cleric..." you won't get one.
You HAVE to lose something if you multiclass (this includes prestige classes), otherwise there's no point to singleclass.
A better solution for your problem, honestly, would be to get the GM's permission to play two characters—one a wizard, and one a cleric. Or barring that, one with the Leadership feat with a cohort of the other class.
Oh hello there Witch.
Since James is here, I'd just like to say:
I'd like a non-terrible Mystic Theurge.I'm playing a straight Cleric now, and I'd *love* to go into MT.
But even at 20 (despite the fact that our AP ends around lvl 16)
3 Wiz/3 Cleric/ 10 MT / 2 Cleric / 2 Wiz would leave me with what?
Terrible in 2 things. Or to go 7/3/10 leaves me way behind in one and terrible in the other?
Why not stick with one, and then pick up Leadership?I recognize that any PRC has to come with some trade offs...but having to accept that picking up a certain class basically guarantees you'll be terrible at high levels doesn't seem that 'prestigious' to me.
If what you're asking for is essentially "A mystyc theurge that is better than playing a conjoined twin wizard/cleric..." you won't get one.
You HAVE to lose something if you multiclass (this includes prestige classes), otherwise there's no point to singleclass.
A better solution for your problem, honestly, would be to get the GM's permission to play two characters—one a wizard, and one a cleric. Or barring that, one with the Leadership feat with a cohort of the other class.
I think what he's saying is that going mystic makes you worse then going straight cleric or straight wizard.
You could also 1level dip a fighter, cavalier or monk? Clerics only lose 1CL and don't lose any channel or capstone. You could add quite a bit of flavour and a bit of power with a single dip.
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I think what he's saying is that going mystic makes you worse then going straight cleric or straight wizard.
You trade power for flexibility. Clearly the flexibility is very desirable, since he says he wants to go into mystic theurge. The breakdown occurs because he wants to do more than a Clr5/Wiz5/MT10 or a Clr20.
"Worse" is dependent on the campaign, and not an objective item in this case. A mystic theurge can do things a pure cleric or wizard cannot do, and a pure cleric or wizard can do things a mystic theurge cannot do. That's the way it should be.