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My cleric of Iomedae (domains are Sun and Glory/Heroism) has just hit 8th level. As you'll notice if you click my name and look at my profile, I'm a melee-oriented cleric, so some of my spell slots each day are devoted to some self-buffs. For the rest of my slots, I tend to stick with non-save-dependent spells (my WIS is 18, *after* a +2 headband). My general preference is that my spells would either take out an enemy's advantage, or create one for my team. For instance, daylight takes out the advantage of a darkness-dependent foe (though I don't think I'll prep it anymore now that I have Nimbus of Light from the Sun domain), and pilfering hand can yank an enemy caster's spell component pouch or holy symbol and make life hard on them.
With all that said, the nature of PFS is that you don't usually know ahead of time what you'll be facing, and more than that, you don't know who else will be in the party. With that in mind, I'm trying to come up with a "standard preparation list", so that I arrive at the table with most of my spells already prepared by default (with a few empty slots, in case we have in-game time to prep something more specific).
So! This thread is to solicit advice on what my "standard spell selections" should be. Here's where I'm at so far:
1st: 5+1
D: Shield of Faith
Divine Favor
Divine Favor
Liberating Command
Obscuring Mist
OPEN SLOT
2nd: 4+1
D: Bless Weapon
Pilfering Hand
Pilfering Hand
Shatter
OPEN SLOT
3rd: 4+1
D: Heroism
Invisibility Purge
Stone Shape
Dispel Magic
OPEN SLOT
4th: 3+1
D: Holy Smite
??????
??????
??????
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Any feedback (whether for the unknowns in the 4th-level slots, or on changing up the other levels) would be much appreciated. Thanks!
I'd prep a couple of blessing of fervor at 4th level. It's the divine version of haste, which also helps casters. I'd also recommend a second liberating command for the open 1st-level slot; if you need one, there's a good chance you'll need another.
And since you worship Iomedae, inheritor's smite. Like, 3 of them.
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Just some minor changes. From what you have. I tend to change out spells if I know there is something needed. Leaving slots open is nice if you have time. That is a big if. I don't count on happen.
2nd: 4+1
D: Bless Weapon
Pilfering Hand
Pilfering Hand
Spear of Purity
Burst of Radiance
3rd: 4+1
D: Heroism
Invisibility Purge
Resist Energy, Communal
Dispel Magic
Bestow Curse
4th: 3+1
D: Holy Smite
Spiritual Ally
Forceful Strike
Freedom of Movement
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Other choices
level 1 - Remove fear, protection from evil
level 2 - lesser resoration, silence, grace, align weapon
level 3 - magic vestmentany level - summon monster
Summon monster is amazing, you can gain access to other spells, create battle field control, add impressive brutes, gain party members with specail abilities like water breathing, burrow, and flight, aura of menace, overcome damage resistance, etc.
You beat me to it on most of my recommendations. Most of those work just as well with scrolls and wands, though, so they don't need to take up spell slots. Grace is totally worth having prepped, though, especially for a melee cleric.
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I'd prep a couple of blessing of fervor at 4th level. It's the divine version of haste, which also helps casters. I'd also recommend a second liberating command for the open 1st-level slot; if you need one, there's a good chance you'll need another.
Been considering both of those ideas, actually.
And since you worship Iomedae, inheritor's smite. Like, 3 of them.
Source and text?
And since you worship Iomedae, inheritor's smite. Like, 3 of them.Source and text?
Inheritor's Smite
School transmutation; Level cleric/oracle 2, paladin 2
CASTING
Casting Time 1 swift action
Components V, S, DFEFFECT
Range personal
Target you
Duration see text
Saving Throw none; Spell Resistance noDESCRIPTION
You channel sacred power into your weapon arm, allowing you to strike with great force.Your next melee attack (if made before the end of the next round) gains a +5 sacred bonus on the attack roll. If it hits, you may immediately attempt a bull rush (with a +5 sacred bonus on your check) against the target without provoking an attack of opportunity; if your combat maneuver check exceeds the defender’s CMD by more than 5, you do not need to move with the target to push him back more than 5 feet.
It's from Book 2 of the Council of Thieves AP, so it'll cost you $14 for the PDF to be legal. But it's boss. All the battle oracles in my area spam it.
Did you miss the part where it gives you a +5 bonus to your attack roll?
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Huh. I never knew about that one. Just checked Additional Resources to confirm that it's Society legal, and it is.
Swift action spell for a +5 to hit is pretty nice even without the free bull rush, which is more situational. I could totally see taking this for my battle oracle. The only down side is it will eat through all my spell slots.
Just one question, since I don't have the book, and the SRD leaves out Golarion specific fluff. From the name, I'm assuming paladins and clerics have to worship Iomedae to get this one, but how does that work with oracles?
Actually, my battle oracle does get his powers from Iomedae, but he doesn't know it. He thinks he was cursed by devils. But he's pretty ignorant of religious matters in general (no ranks in knowledge (religion)).
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@RainyDayNinja: I don't find myself in need of even more to-hit bonuses very often. I'm 2 points of BAB behind a fighter, but almost always (and even more consistently now that I have my 8th level aura) have heroism running, putting me even. Then if it looks like I'll mainly be doing melee for a given fight, divine favor adds another +2 on top of that. So in any situation where I'm likely to want to use inheritor's smite, I'm already hitting like a 20STR fighter with Weapon Focus (or a 22STR fighter without Weapon Focus, I suppose). I don't need to be spending 2nd-level spell slots on a one-time to-hit bonus.
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Greater Magic Weapon has a fantastic duration, especially if you get a metamic rod of extend. You will face endless puns from your fellow players though.
Communal Protection from Energy is another good "keep it handy" 4th level spell. I use Forceful Strike a lot, but I can't remember the source right now and am far to lazy to look it up, so you'll have to see if that is allowed to you.
I don't have any metamagic rods, and my sword is already +1 anyway, so GMW seems a poor choice.
I prefer communal resist energy over protection; resist 20 is very nearly immunity, and it's a lower-level spell to boot.I'm seriously considering Forceful Strike (I have the book it's in).
level 1 - Remove fear, protection from evil
level 2 - lesser resoration, silence, grace, align weapon
level 3 - magic vestmentany level - summon monster
I'll probably pick up scrolls of PfE, and maybe Remove Fear. I already have some Lesser Restoration scrolls I think; plus I could always fill the empty slot later if someone takes ability damage. I've considered Silence, but the 1 round casting time is killer for anything you'd actually want to do with it. Grace is an option, but I don't find myself worrying about AoO's all that much; solves a problem I don't have. Align Weapon seems redundant when I have Bless Weapon as a domain spell (and a couple of scrolls besides); I don't think I've ever encountered alignment DR other than DR/good.
Magic Vestment? Are you serious? I'm an 8th level melee guy; I already have +2 armor and a +2 shield.
Summoning... One of these days I'll give it a go. The idea of 1d4+1 lantern archons surrounding an enemy and opening fire sounds nice. On the other hand, so much bookkeeping...
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Protection from Evil makes a great wand. Remember, 2 prestige points buys a wand of any level 1 spell, not just Cure Light Wounds. ;)
I love Silence against spellcasters. Cast it near them instead of directly on them, so they don't get a saving throw. Trust me, there are definitely times in higher level PFS scenarios where you're faced with a caster who has meat shields keeping you from getting to him immediately, so shutting him down this way can help the party live long enough to reach him.
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RPG Superstar 2012 Top 32
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Protection from Evil makes a great wand. Remember, 2 prestige points buys a wand of any level 1 spell, not just Cure Light Wounds. ;)
Yeah, but on the other hand, am I really going to need 50 charges? 1PP would get a scroll with 6 castings of it...
I love Silence against spellcasters. Cast it near them instead of directly on them, so they don't get a saving throw. Trust me, there are definitely times in higher level PFS scenarios where you're faced with a caster who has meat shields keeping you from getting to him immediately, so shutting him down this way can help the party live long enough to reach him.
If Silence were a standard action, I'd be all over it. But since it's not, that's what Pilfering Hand is for. Succeeding against some half-BAB caster type is practically a given, and then they have to figure out whether any of their prepared spells don't require material components. Or against a casty cleric it's a little less certain, but still not hard, and then you shut down their channeling and all their DF spells.
Even so, Silence is pretty strong... Maybe it's worth prepping a lot of anyway...
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So it's like forceful strike, but as a 2nd-level spell and without the force damage. Interesting. Not sure it's worth $14.00 to me, though. :/What is forceful strike? I don't see it in the PRD ...
It's from Inner Sea Magic: 4th level spell, casts as a swift action when you hit with a melee attack. You deal 1d4/lvl force damage (on top of your normal damage). They get a fort save for half, and if they fail, you also get to bull rush them with a bonus equal to your caster level (though you don't get to follow them).
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Inner Sea Magic is a great book. I keep using stuff from it for my PFS characters, starting with the Tattooed Sorcerer archetype and Dawnflower Dervish bard archetype. Isn't that the book that has Pugwumpi's Grace, too?
One of these days, I need to get around to reading that book from cover to cover. But I keep saying the same thing about the Core Rulebook.
RPG Superstar 2012 Top 32
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I finally got around to reading through (most of) Ultimate Equipment. I was shocked to discover that for most of the "big six" items (stat belts/headbands, cloak of resistance, etc) there was at least one new item that gave the same benefit plus a little something special on top of it (for a higher price, of course). An excellent step towards being able to get "cool" items without having to "sacrifice" a key slot. Definitely give those wondrous items a read.
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Alright, here's what I'm looking at now:
1st: 5+1
D: Shield of Faith
Divine Favor
Divine Favor
Divine Favor
Liberating Command
Liberating Command
2nd: 4+1
D: Bless Weapon
Pilfering Hand
Pilfering Hand
Silence
OPEN SLOT
3rd: 4+1
D: Heroism
Invisibility Purge
Stone Shape
Dispel Magic
OPEN SLOT
4th: 3+1
D: Holy Smite
Forceful Strike
Blessing of Fervor
OPEN SLOT
Thoughts?
Your #1 priority for your 4th level spells is Freedom of Movement.
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Your #1 priority for your 4th level spells is Freedom of Movement.
I'm sure that's one of the spells I mentioned. As it is the only spell that prevents a hole slue of high level crowed control spells and abilities from affecting you. So you cast black tentacles in my area. Is that suppose to slow me down or hurt me? Mass Hold Person nope not stopping me. Grab constrict combo fail no damage. The list go's on.
Resist Energy, Communal is in the same category. If you don't need it you can swap it for a Cure Serious Wounds. How ever if you come across something doing elemental damage. Lest say a demon that has extra fire damage for all attacks. You can cast resist energy communal and give each member of your group. energy resist 20 for 10+min. Well worth haven as a just in case spell.
Burst of Radiance I'm amazed it made it in to PFSP. This spell is so over powered. For a level 2 spell it's a 10ft radius ref save or be blind for 1D4 rounds. If there evil they take 1D4 per level (5D4 Cap) no save on the damage.
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A few spells I really like:
Bless: large area, group buff, nice to start out with, and now stacks with Bards.
Burning Disarm: might not be so great at your level, but one of the great things about it is that even on a Save, it still has a fairly decent effect.
Command: if used wisely, it can be an extremely tactical, life-saving spell. Either draw in archers and ranged attackers, or cause a close enemy to flee through the gauntlet of AoO's.
Burst of Radiance: strong, but not OP/broken. Probably should have a close range at best, but still a very useful little blast, and better against Evil.
Soundburst: decent area, deals Sonic damage, which is least resisted type, but the true awesomeness of this is that it Stuns for 1 round, which means anyone affected drops anything they are carrying, which means you can essentially take enemies out of a fight effectively for 2 rounds and possibly force them to draw some AoO's and take damage.
Magic Circle vs Evil/Law: Another nice party buff, but it can also keep certain baddies from even attacking you, and sort of making a wall of no entering for party members behind you.
Blessing of Fervor: sort of the new iconic Cleric spell in my opinion. Just great once you get it, and other casters will love you.
From your spell list, I would drop Holy Smite if you have other reasonable options. It just isn't that great, very underpowered for it's level, though it sounds very cool, in reality it isn't so much. Might even be worth it to prep a second Heroism spell in a higher Domain slot.
I would also really consider getting a Wand + Spring Loaded Wrist Sheath of Divine Favor, (swift action draw wand, use it as standard action, move action either move or put it away), and possibly even a second one for Liberating Command.
I really like to have Invis Purge prepped just in case, but (in PFS anyway) I just haven't had use for it. That might just be me, and I'm hitting 8th+ level now, but never used it once so far. Silence and Dispel Magic, though, are very useful, and I'm tempted to suggest another Dispel Magic. Additionally, Clerics tend to be garbage at sneaking, but a combined Obscuring Mist and Silence (self) can sometimes completely bypass that.