I'm starting a 3.5 campaign soon. Gonna be a human cleric of Kord, Luck and Strength domains.
Rolled 4d6, rerolled 1s, dropped lowest.
16 Str, 14 Dex, 14 Con, 12 Int, 15 Wis, 13 Cha.
Boosting Wis at 4, 12, 16, 20, Cha at 8.
Skills: Concentration, Diplomacy, Knowledge Religion, Spellcraft.
Planned feats:
1. Combat Reflexes
1. Divine Vigor (divine feat: +10 ft speed, +2 hp/level)
3. Fiery Burst (reserve feat: 1d6/spell level mini-fireball)
6. Power Attack
9. Quicken Spell (plan on using Quickened divine favor)
12. Improved Counterspell? (I used it a lot with a druid once)
15. ???
18. ???
I plan on using a longspear and acting like a Reach Cleric, mostly casting and relying on AoOs to do melee. Will probably use domain granted enlarge person to get some 2d6+6 spear attacks.
I plan on preparing cause fear, comprehend languages, enlarge person at 1st level.
Any advice? Any really great 1st level spells I should be considering?
We can use any 3.5 material.
Thanks!
The question is: how powerful are the other characters?
You have the ability to stay competitive with the wizards, and outshine everyone else.
Just be careful with things like Divine Metamagic abuse and Nightsticks.
And read the handbook:
link
Grab Divine Defiance. Crazy good.
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Best?
Okay, your going to want to grab Divine Spell Power, Divine Metamagic for Persistent Spell and as many Nightsticks as you can get a hold of. You'll want to craft your Karma Beads and Pearls of Power when you can to make sure that all your buff spells are up all day at 4-8 CL higher then you are and you've got lots of magic available.
You'll probably want your 16 in your wisdom and a big more charisma for more turning attempts. Don't forget your skill synergy bonuses (you'll want the 5 ranks in Knowledge Religion one especially).
There are a few spells you'll want as you go up. there's one that lets people reroll failed saving throws, an instant healing one, delay death, etc. Comet Fall but that's like level 6-7 so a ways off.
Also make spell lists for situations so your more prepared if your say, On a Boat, In a City, Underground, etc. Don't rely on one static list. You've got thousands of spells available, try them out. Change things up all the time to find the spells you like.
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You have a fine character design there. I played a very similar 3.5 reach cleric, and learned that it works very well. Do be careful not to outshine everyone else (except the wizard), because you've chosen a very strong character template. My 3.5 reach cleric rolled abominable ability scores compared to everyone else (would be an 11 point build) and can STILL outshine everyone else except the wizard. You inflict nearly as much martial damage as a Fighter of equal level, plus you are a full spell caster.
Since you very rarely use your spells offensively it's fine to have a low (14 or 15) wisdom. My reach cleric has faced a lot of undead, yet 2 turns per day (9 CHA) has sufficed. For maximum power stay a single classed cleric. PrCs might be fun, but you already have such a strong class they will only make you weaker.
I encourage you to learn how to maximize your AoOs,if you haven't already worked on this.
You'll only benefit from one Nightstick at a time, PERHAPS two if your DM lets you spellcast with both hands full (most won't). They aren't batteries, providing you free turn attempts...they give you +4 turns. If you use 4 turns, and ditch the Nightsticks, you are still down 4 turn attempts, and picking up another Nightstick does squat for you.
Are you allowed Persistent Spell and Divine Metamagic? Because those are the deal breakers for any cleric build. From there, it's just Extra Turning, Extend spell (pre req for Persistent) and picking the spells you want on you all day.
And no offense, but while a Reach Weapon build sounds nice, you aren't going to be getting anywhere near as many AoO's as you think you are without Thicket Of Blades. After all, a DC 15 Acrobatics check thwarts you every time.
A cleric's strength in 3.5 is his awesome self-buffing ability. From Divine Favor giving him +1 th & dmg for every 3 levels, GMW taking care of the enhancement bonus on his weapons while GMV does it for his armor, Divine Power and Divine Might giving him more offensive Power then a fighter, and copious other buffs (Mass Lesser Vigor for Fast healing/1 for everyone in the party, the save feat which gives +6 to everyone's saves all day, etc etc), the buffing is where the cleric shines in 3.5
In PF, most of those spells don't stack AND were nerfed in total power.
==Aelryinth
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Any advice? Any really great 1st level spells I should be considering?
We can use any 3.5 material.
Thanks!
3.5 handbooks. Doesn't hurt to look through them.
You'll only benefit from one Nightstick at a time, PERHAPS two if your DM lets you spellcast with both hands full (most won't).
Imo, your lucky if your GM lets you benefit from one.
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And no offense, but while a Reach Weapon build sounds nice, you aren't going to be getting anywhere near as many AoO's as you think you are without Thicket Of Blades. After all, a DC 15 Acrobatics check thwarts you every time.==Aelryinth
This has not been my experience. I've played reach-style PCs in many sessions with a variety of GMs. While it is true that Acrobatics (tumbling) can cancel your AoOs, it's a rare foe that has this ability and uses it successfully. I can count on one hand the number of times this has happened, in hundreds of fights. Actually, I've found that the worst enemy of a reach-style fighter is ... the other PCs. Until they understand how your AoOs work they will constantly get in your way.
A cleric's strength in 3.5 is his awesome self-buffing ability. ... buffing is where the cleric shines in 3.5
==Aelryinth
Full agreement!
I really don't want to outshine the rest of the party, which are probably a pair of rogues and a rangery class. One of the rogues is a total newby--with videogame experience--he actually doesn't realize how different 4th Edition and the 5th Edition are from 3.5!!! :-O ;-)
So I want to be useful, but not too shiny.
Actually, when I'm enlarged, I'll be a great flank-buddy. I can even just boost AC and hp and stand there, letting the rogues be the damage dealers. And step in if they need the help.
Are Devotion Feats any good?
Are Devotion Feats any good?
They definitely are. Though there are some stinkers in the bunch. Its not hard to get a few extra domains through dipping too. Knowledge and travel are pretty awesome. This handbook has a section talking about them under feats, in their own spoiler.
I'm going with Luck and Strength, and both seem pretty cool: Average or Better damage dice (weapon AND spell) for 1 minute, and a scaling slam attack (no more spiked gauntlets!).
Would this thread not make more sense in the actual 3.5 forum, or am I missing something due to lack of coffee?
I was wondering the same thing, on both counts.
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Please don't cheat. Use the errata for Devine meta magic. That means you must have the regular feat before the divine version of it. No straight to Devine meta quicken, the errata requires you to have the regular quicken feat as a prerequisite.
Also pay attention to the errata for the divine favor/power, the first level one. It was scaled down to a max of +3/+3. The +2/+2 does not kick in till caster level 6. Cannot recall how many cheaters I found who could not do the simple math word problem and cheated/misunderstood and thought they gained the +2/+2 at caster level 4, wrong.
I concur that your allies will often get in the way of your attacksof opportunity, which cancels them from. Going off at all. I think.there was errata for the execution of reach AOO. You cannot execute an AOO if the enemy has cover against you, which your allies will give them. The other players will often do this even if they understand they are taking away your strengthbecause they just do not care. They are out to score some damage themselves.
I play with reach in many of my current characters and find that I rarely get to make an AOO. I think.the most common reason why is because the gm would rather attack/approach a squishy PC than one with both heavy armor and reach.
Do not blow your load pissing away too many spells too fast. I hate it when my PC dies because even after I tell the sorc/wiz to conserve spells and let melee mop up the last one or two threats, they instead blow their load and act surprised when wehave to take on a third fight of the day and they have no more offense to contribute. It is better to spend your spells and heal people so you all go into fight 3 and 4 of the day fully healed but you do nit need to spend three rounds/spells buffing yourself every combat.
If he's got Divine Metamagic for Persistent Spell, blowing spells on buffs isn't going to be a problem. He'll buff one to three spells at the start of the day, and not need to do so again.
Also, he's using 3.5 Divine Favor, which tops out much higher (and stacks with the Divine Might, etc)
==Aelryinth
The rest of the party is an archer rogue, a melee rogue, and a 3rd party mercenary class that is a ranger/rogue combo. Probably some kind of magic-user too. We did a meet up tonight, will start next week.
Well, I have at least 11 levels to go before I need to worry about that...
I get the feeling this new group is more interested in "cool" than "balance," so I'll probably get to keep the bonus increasing to +6/+6 at 18th, +7/+7 at 21st (it sounds like we might go epic), etc. And since I'm the party tank, that should be OK. We only have one other Full BAB PC, and it's that new mercenary class (rogue/ranger type).
The problem is that it is a first level spell.
If it was 3rd, you might be able to justify a +5 (same as Greater Magic Weapon), except for the fact it's a very rare bonus type.
but +6? It should require at least a level 5 Slot.
==Aelryinth
Not a problem! :-)
And it will be using a 5th level slot--quickened divine favor! :-D
I don't know, but I can find out.
Mercenaries from Alrich Entertainment
Actually AEG. My friend's autocorrect messed it up!
Oy. My DM wants my cleric to tithe 10% to my church.
He doesn't get that priests don't tithe, they get tithed to.
:-P