
Pavane |

I hope for your expertise with my cleric build. I want to focus on the roleplaying, not min-maxing. Still, I hope to be of use. And be able to survive. I don’t mind buffing and healing, but will also get up close with the trusted rapier. My background fits with leather armor. The group has two fighters, another cleric (!), a mage and a rogue.
So. I’m thinking a dexterity build, with the following stats, feats and spells on level 2 (I’m human, and we only use the core rulebook):
Stats: Str 12, Dex 16, Con 12, Int 9, Wis 16, Cha 12
Feats: Weapon Finesse, Dodge (to be followed by Mobility at level 3 – I hope to dash in-dash out with buffs, healing and pinpricks)
Domains: Travel and Strength (the last one for RP-purposes: Cayden Cailean will push me towards strength for whatever strange divine reason)
0-level spells: Guidance, Light, Stabilize, Detect Magic
1-level spells: Shield of Faith (2), Command, Enlarge Person (from Strength Domain)
Is this at all viable? And where should I go from here? Thankful for all advice.

Rory |
I hope for your expertise with my cleric build. I want to focus on the roleplaying, not min-maxing.
So. I’m thinking a dexterity build, with the following stats, feats and spells on level 2 (I’m human, and we only use the core rulebook):
Stats: Str 12, Dex 16, Con 12, Int 9, Wis 16, Cha 12
If you are going to focus on role-playing, then skills will help a lot to really make that shine. As such, dropping your DEX to 15 and bumping your INT to 12 will give you +2 skill points per level. At level 4, you can bump your DEX back to 16.
Leather armor is going to be a really huge detriment for getting into combat to "buffs, healing, and pinpricks". It would be better for a stay-away-from-me RP type. A chain shirt is a relatively free +2 AC for you.
Your strengths will be your manueverability. The trick will be to have something worthy to do with this manuevering. Buffing in combat will cause you to be attacked, so Combat Casting might help get those spells off with less AOOs than Mobility actually.
Your weaknesses will be low damage (1d6+1, okay at level 2... will fade in usefulness in a couple levels) and little viability via spells at level 2 (inflict wounds spells will open up while your melee attacks close down).
I would suggest picking up some Alchemist Fire (for some alternate damage with DEX to hit) and a few scrolls (more buffing?) for increased level 2 spell options. Pack a sling for a longer ranged attack to use since you have a decent DEX (Magic Stone can make a neat 1st level spell for a few levels).
A wand of inflict (moderate) wounds might be fun for you if you can find one.

Pavane |

Thanks for the input. Good point with the skills, but I have already introduced myself in the campaign as kind of clueless :). The low intelligence will be its own RP challenge.
I will definitely take Combat Casting. And maybe rethink my rapier-approach for the long run. I guess it would be a good idea to discuss with the other cleric in the group as well. One of us can focus on buffing, and the other on inflicting.

Vicon |

The old cleric standby is the morningstar -- 1d8 damage and does Bash and Pierce damage.
What traits are you taking? This is an important question!
You can still play clueless with a higher intelligence -- having profound thoughts doesn't necessarily mean they are are common or well organized. Remember you are asking experienced cleric players for advice... I am going to reiterate this suggestion -- That extra skill point may likely make the difference between your character being RP viable, and you being somewhat "effect quiet" out of combat. You can also get more skill ranks by being human (skilled racial aspect) and by taking the skill point as your preferred class bonus. A human cleric can with +2 int bonus can get 6 skill ranks per level... and that will make you a STRONG contributor skill wise. Every point you take less than this will give you less of the effect you yourself stated you wanted in your build. Guidance will help by giving you +1 to everyone's skill checks out of combat (cast it constantly!) but seriously... those ranks will translate into knowledges, diplomacy, and sense motive -- and those are going to make your character shine out of combat. You have to pump your spellcraft as well as your religion (because you're the cleric and you need those to do your job) so you're ALWAYS going to be short on skill points.
Take the advice.
Improved Initiative is a nice feat to make sure you go first and get your buffs off so friends can use them. Combat casting you'll need sooner or later. Reach metamagic and Duration Metamagic will also be your friends later in your build (unless you invest in rods to do those feats for you)
If there is another Cleric in the party and/or there are several party members with skills in common with you, you might want to take "Adopted" as a trait as take "Helpful" -- it will give you +4 as opposed to +2 on rolls to aid other players skill checks... out of combat you can cast guidance right before assisting with the check and that gives an addition +1... that's +5 on aiding with other folks skill checks as long as you can make your aid other roll (and if you have at least 5 in a skill this will happen ALL THE TIME. This can further be combo'ed with your Luck Domain's "Bit of luck" skill -- So when you are helping a buddy to the best of your ability they get PLUS FIVE and if you are willing to burn a luck use they get the best of TWO rolls! This will make you VERY popular with your friends, and help you ensure critical skill checks get made. Sure it might take some explanation in your backstory -- but with your build (namely luck domain) this could help a LOT in dozens of situations. (Relgion checks, survival checks, perception checks, heal checks, diplomacy checks, sense motive checks, common crafts and professions... and anything you put ranks into sufficient to make your aid other roll. If your other trait gives you perception as a class skill (and several CAN) perception is a VERY important Wisdom-based skill. Aiding other or making good checks yourself WILL pay off.
You could also work that into your character -- as somebody who is "clueless" you don't come up with your own ideas as much, but by nature run with other people's ideas... and your natural (and divine) luck always seems to make that work out in the end.
Hope that helps.

Pavane |

Thank you for taking the time to write. I assure you that I take the skill advice seriously - I am new to the game and have a lot of respect for the experienced players. The low intelligence is something I have decided to work in even though it hurts the build. But I play a human, and will take the +1 skill point when I level. So that makes the skill situation a bit better.
Also - the game we are playing is kind of stripped down. There are no traits allowed. Just the basic feats, skills and domains.
Thanks for the tip about luck domain. This is something I will look into if I make another cleric. This character follows Cayden though, so that domain is not an option.
I really like your take on the "clueless" character following (= helping) other people's ideas. It makes sense. I will try to work it in.

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I'm just going to put this out there for you. All of the worshipers of Cayden I have ever played have been bards. Not saying bards are better or any thing like that. They just fit better them wise for Cayden.
Dodge, Mobility, Spring Attack look good on paper. They do not play well in game.
If I was to make a cleric of Cayden. Light fighter focused on movement.
Human
Domain : Travel, Liberation
Feet's
Bonus : Weapon Finesse
1: Improved Initiative
3: Step Up
5: Combat Reflexes
7: Following Step
9: Step Up and Strike