An Optimized Cleric Build


Advice

Grand Archive

So, as a GM I have a lot of chances to look at how my players build their characters. In fact, I can say with a certain amount of confidence that I'm a fairly good authority on building characters.

Except, it seems, for cleric.

I've been trying to build one and I just can't seem to put together an optimal design.

Anyone have advice?

I'm not married to any particular deity, but this is set in the Dragonlance universe and we're playing good/neutral characters.

We're using 20 point buy, standard races with the exception of where they greatly differ from the Dragonlance setting (i/e no half orcs)

The GM is letting us use traits if that helps anyone with offers of advice.


I suggest dwarf

travel and liberation

then heavy armor prof. or a level of fighter.

Dwarf with travel domain goes 30 feet even in heavy armor!
Lonstrider bumps that to 40 for hours!

Liberty's Edge

I know it doesn't get much talk, but I love the plant domain.

The always-on domain ability (the ability to talk to plants) is something that, depending on the DM, may break some things. Plants are EVERYWHERE. A rogue hiding in the bushes? Well, he doesn't have concealment from the bushes, so ask the bushes where he is! Don't know whether or not a group of travelers passed through a grove of trees? Why don't you ask them?

Also, the spells are pretty awesome. Entangle, Barkskin, and Wall of Thorns are all pretty awesome.

In fact, Travel and Plant make a great combo.

Level 1: Longstrider
Level 2: Barkskin
Level 3: Fly
Level 4: Dimension Door
Level 5: Wall of Thorns
Level 6: Repel Wood

I mean, there's a gem at EVERY level, and what makes them so powerful is that they really expand the capabilities of your cleric. Fly, Dimension Door, and Wall of Thorns are particularly amazing for accomplishing goals clerics aren't usually very good at. And Repel Wood is awesome. Just make sure your party's kitted out in metal gear first.

Lantern Lodge

Clerics are one of the easiest classes to put together, partly due to the difficulty in making a bad cleric.

Questions:
1) What "role" is your character? Is he a support, healer, buffer, debuffer, tank, damage dealer, summoner, or some other combination?
Clerics can fulfill any of the above roles, so you need to pick what you want to be.

2) How much do you need to focus on surviving?
Clerics have among the best "get out of trouble" powers/spells in the game. KenderKin's suggestion above, would get you a cleric that is very hard to pin down, as you can get out of nearly any grab or web.

BUT! Is your campaign one where you foresee yourself having to be extremely mobile?

3) What domains/Deity are you looking at?
There are a lot of deities in Dragonlance. There are the Evil, Good and Neutral gods, not to mention the gods of magic. Picking one to follow, would give you a ground upon to build your character.

4) What is your party setup?
Knowing what other classes your fellow players are playing, would help in people giving you advice on what to pick.

------

A properly build cleric can take on a lot of roles and many ways to achieve each role. More information would help.


The key to optimizing a Cleric is knowing what type of a campaign you are going to be in. The choice of domains is really the important part. If you are going up against a lot of undead then choosing Sun and Glory domains will rock, but if there are no undead it will be weak.

One thing you should do is pick up scribe scroll as soon as you can. I would suggest it be your first level feat unless there is something you really need. A Cleric has access to his entire spell list from the very beginning and if you are using all the books it is huge. A lot of the spells are very circumstantial and may not be needed every day, but when they are needed it is usually critical. Restoration comes to mind right away. Spend you spare time and money making scrolls for those times so you can use your daily spells without having to memorize something you will not use. Also never memorize healing

Pickup heavy armor proficiency when you get a chance. You don't need to worry about spell failure and chances are your DEX is not going to be that high.

for stats I would go 13 STR, 10 DEX, 14 CON, 10 INT, 16 WIS, 12 CHA. This is for a general build and depending on what you are looking to go may need to be adjusted. The 13 STR is so you can pick up power attack and for encumbrance.

Deft dodger is a good trait for a Cleric as it their reflex save is usually weak. In an undead heavy campaign Sacred Conduit is a good second trait.

For race I would go for either Human or Dwarf or Half Elf. Human overall will be the strongest and their alternative favored class bonus is really nice +1 vs. the spell resistance of an outsiders rocks. Half Elves can take Ancestral Arms to pick up proficiency in a good weapon. Dwarf gives you a bonus to WIS and CON plus some good weapons, They can also get extra uses of a domain power.


Axebeard wrote:

I know it doesn't get much talk, but I love the plant domain.

The always-on domain ability (the ability to talk to plants) is something that, depending on the DM, may break some things. Plants are EVERYWHERE. A rogue hiding in the bushes? Well, he doesn't have concealment from the bushes, so ask the bushes where he is! Don't know whether or not a group of travelers passed through a grove of trees? Why don't you ask them?

Also, the spells are pretty awesome. Entangle, Barkskin, and Wall of Thorns are all pretty awesome.

In fact, Travel and Plant make a great combo.

Level 1: Longstrider
Level 2: Barkskin
Level 3: Fly
Level 4: Dimension Door
Level 5: Wall of Thorns
Level 6: Repel Wood

I mean, there's a gem at EVERY level, and what makes them so powerful is that they really expand the capabilities of your cleric. Fly, Dimension Door, and Wall of Thorns are particularly amazing for accomplishing goals clerics aren't usually very good at. And Repel Wood is awesome. Just make sure your party's kitted out in metal gear first.

Where are you getting the always on talk to plants from? The plant domain gives only fists of wood at first level


It's in the fluff text. "You find solace in the green, can grow defensive thorns, and can communicate with plants." The thing is, I'm not sure that that's supposed to be rules text. It sounds like they might have just left that text there after changing the ability, or it might be referring to the fact that the domain grants Command Plants as a 4th-level spell. Most of the other domain fluff texts clearly refer to abilities that the domain grants you. If they were separate abilities, they'd be really underspecified as such. (What does "you manipulate shadows and darkness" mean mechanically?)

On the other hand, there's the Glory Domain, which puts a very clear mechanical benefit in the fluff text paragraph. Doesn't even make it a new line. Rune, Trickery, Knowledge, Protection and Travel do the same thing. So I think it's a legit gray area. Is it referring to "command plants", or is it giving you an always-on speak with plants of no specific ability type? Does the fire domain, which says "your flesh does not burn", protect you from the set-on-fire psuedo-status, or is it just referring to the fire resistance it eventually gives you?

Liberty's Edge

It depends what type of cleric you want, clerics can be very good at virtually any role. The loss of half-orcs hurt a bit (they're great battle clerics with the falchion and ferocity) but its not insurmountable. (Half-Elves can do very well in that role as well.)

Probably the most important decision on your cleric is choosing domains (imagine that, its virtually the only decision). Do a search for cleric guides and you'll find several good walk throughs for that.

As to the plant domain I don't believe anyone would rule that by RAW you get talk to plants always on. When there's a mechanical benefit in the fluff text, they make it obvious. (Ie. +10 feet to speed is obviously a mechanical benefit.)

Dark Archive

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Its Dragonlance world... Krynn is low magic and depending on what time period your playing in Clerics are very rare... so just being a cleric in Krynn is powerful as is.

Clerics have alot of versatility. If 3.5 book are open and you enjoy a good melee cleric I would say look at Ordained Champion PRC (complete champion book). its 5 level PRC packed with tons of good stuff.

Another cleric build is Sovereign Speaker from Faiths of Eberron. if you can get a DM to sign off on this 10 level PRC you are in business. They don't pray to 1 god but to a "pantheon" and at each level they gain access to a new Domain no more then 2 from each god. at the end you have 12 domains under your belt... let the games begin!

The only Cleric I have played in straight PF is the Undead Lord.

Your companion is so so

But once you get Create Undead spell and this feat...

Create Reliquary Arms and Shields

Prerequisites: Craft Magic Arms and Armor, ability to cast consecrate or desecrate.

Benefit: When you craft a magic weapon, magic armor, or magic shield, you may add one casting of consecrate or desecrate as part of the item crafting process. The item becomes a reliquary and can be used as a holy (or unholy) symbol divine focus of your deity. If you cast consecrate or desecrate, your reliquary counts as a permanent fixture for that spell while it remains in the spell’s area.

Say hello to a ton of minions...


Hot damn! I can't believe I glossed over that feat when reading through UM.

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