Rogue-Cleric Build Critique

[Mad Gene Vane]

In a home brew campaign set in the northern River Kingdoms and spilling over into Numeria.

Party is made up of an Artificer, Ranger, and two Magus (I think Blade Bound).

Went rogue-cleric to fill a gap, as I didn't have any character set in my mind to play.

Starting at level 1.

Stats assigned from a (generous) stat block/array 17, 16, 15, 14, 13, 12

Stats assigned after racial (halfling) adjustments:

Str: 13
Dex: 18
Con: 13
Int: 14
Wis: 17
Cha: 14

What I am in doubt about is my character progression, i.e. how many levels of Rogue versus Cleric to take.

My initial reaction was to go levels 1-2 rogue, level 3 cleric, levels 4-5 rogue and the rest as cleric.

Upon reflection, I might go levels 1-2 as rogue and the rest as cleric.

A more rogue heavy build was appealing because of the added skill points. Cleric heavy build is more appealing because of getting more powerful spells faster.

Cleric deity: Desna. Domains - Travel and Liberation.

Race: Halfling. ARG alt trait taken to move 30 ft/round at level 1.

In short, I'd be filling the role of skill monkey, trap defuser and healer.

The trade-off is coming between skill monkey (esp. for all the cleric knowledge skills others don't get as class skills) and healer. I can always go Skill Focus: Disable Device to make-up for losing 1/2 Rogue levels on my DD checks.

Any thoughts/comments on what you guys think is better would be welcome.

[blackbloodtroll]

What do you want from Rogue?

What do you want from Cleric?

[EldonG]

Multiclassing will always be weaker except in specific rare cases. I'd just settle on one. Rogues get UMD, and with the 17 in Cha, you could specialize in it and carry healing wands...and scrolls, at higher levels, for things like Heal.

[Byrdology]

Rogue 2/ cleric 3/ rogue 2/ cleric 5/ rogue 4/ cleric 4. A slightly cleric heavy build, but good to go! As a halfling it is important to mix your bonuses well. You will be relying on stat items a little more because of MADness, but you have a great starting point.

Str: 17 (-2, + 1 at lvl 4)
Dex: 14 (+2) you will want that mithril b-plate
Con: 16 because you will spend alot of time on the line, and no one expects a tough halfling rogue
Int: 12
Wis: 15 + 1 at lvl 8, 16, and 20
Cha: 13 (+2, +1 at lvl 12)

Final tally without stat items: 16, 16, 16, 12, 18, 16. Truly a force to be reckoned with! Build toward a reach cleric and kick some A! A +2 str/ dex belt, and +6 wis/ cha (or vice versa for a more melee focused build) and you will be fine. Rogue/ cleric combo is one of the gestalt builds that check all the important boxes, and with these stats and base saves, I dare you to fail a saving throw! Pick up darkness and travel domains and you will be a true AoO/ debuff champ...

Now I want one...

[davidernst11]

Clerics make awful multiclassers. Outside of the Domain abilities, they don't really get much at low levels. Your main goal should be to get to your high level spells as quickly as possible. You could allow yourself to take one level of something else to gain something like martial weapon proficiency or a few extra skill points, but I would limit it to one level.

Clerics have lots of minor spells, but it's really your 4th + level spells that are going to help (and perhaps save) the party.

[blackbloodtroll]

What about Inquisitor?

It will likely fill the roles you want to fill, without crippling yourself with bad multiclassing.

What do you want to be able to do?

[Byrdology]

While it is true that multi classing any full caster is sub-optimal from a full casting standpoint. If the goal of the character is to be one thing that dabbles in another, then this should work out fine. I would personally go ninja instead, but this is far from a weak character. With a str reach build, you have tons of options and flavor! Stay away from save or sucks and summoning, of course; but you will be front lining and picking up AoOs, tumbling to provide flanks for your allies and SA for yourself, buffing, healing, debuffing, and if someone gets in your reach, then give them a nasty touch spell.

I you go with rogue, use your talents to pick up feats like weapon focus, combat trick, and the ninja combat trick. If you go ninja, pick up unarmed strike, vanish, and the str dmg SA trick. Any foe would be a fool to ignore you, but have a hard time bringing you down as well. You will have enough SA to pack a punch, and enough channeling power to save your skin and terrorize undead!

Disclaimer: you will not be as good at being a full caster as a full caster! But you will be pretty damn versatile and pack enough offense/ defense to give ANY full caster a run for his marbles. Lvl 1-4 will be shaky but survivable, but after that you will be fine. And by lvl 10 and on, you will be on god-mode

[blackbloodtroll]

You can pull off all the Vanishing, Teleporting, and being sneaky, as a straight Inquisitor.

[Mad Gene Vane]

blackbloodtroll wrote:

You can pull off all the Vanishing, Teleporting, and being sneaky, as a straight Inquisitor.

Inquisitor isn't allowed per house rules, same with Oracle and a few other classes.

Wand wielding Rogue is an interesting idea.

Thanks for the suggestions.

[Cathulhu]

a single level of rogue with Cleric isn't going to gimp your build as badly as some say. No, its not optimal, but at mid to high levels, you will hardly notice the difference.