Help building a cleric tactician

[dunebugg]

My group is starting Wrath of the Righteous next week, and I've decided to play a cleric tactician..

Reason why:

I play with a group of fairly new people, and I'm by the the most rules-savy and tactical-minded of the lot. So instead of trying to dumb down, I just embraced the role into my character concept instead.

Things I want in the build / Restrictions:
- I want it to be a cleric (domain, spell list)
- I'm leaning heavily towards Mendevian Priest archetype
- Has to be able to function in melee (we only have a cavalier and me for melee)
- I only have 15 point buy, but this build is super MAD
- Probably going to dual path Hierophant/Marshal

I'm completely lost as to what kind of feats would benefit this build.
- Guided Hand would help the melee MAD issues somewhat

Are there some PrCs (with at least 7/10 casting) that would help this?

Any other suggestions to help pull this off?

[TarkXT]

dunebugg wrote:

- I'm leaning heavily towards Mendevian Priest archetype

I honestly wouldn't bother. It's basically heavy armor proficiency which you don't need.

Quote:

- I only have 15 point buy, but this build is super MAD

Stuff channeling then. You don't have time for it.

Str: 15
Dex: 12
Con: 14
Int: 10
Wis: 14+2=16
Cha: 7

Either put all your points into wisdom or all your points into strength. Items can make up for the rest.

Quote:

- Guided Hand would help the melee MAD issues somewhat

No. No it would not.

I suggest looking at the Reach Cleric guide and the big book of clerical optimization for some ideas. Reach cleric may suit your group better since it will allow you to play a good static foil to your cavaliers mobility.

Domain wise I'd consider Law or Archon and the Destruction domain worshipping Ragathiel. This will let you get some nasty damage in the later levels that with your weapon of law power will drive right through demonic DR with terrible ease. You'll want a longspear as a main weapon of course but a bastard sword makes a fine back up weapon if in an occurrence where your spear is a liability or you simply don't have a hand free.

Ultimately you want to act as the defensive bulwark your team revolves around your cavalier can act as the offensive front smashing into enemeies and hopefully retreating abck towards you to set up more charges. You handle the enemies that come to you.

Hope that helps.

[ChainsawSam]

Here is a link to the Reach Cleric Guide that Tark mentioned. It is a pretty solid and versatile playstyle.

Edit: Pretty tired. Screwed that one up good.

[dunebugg]

Hadn't seen the reach guide, thanks. Seems to have some solid advice.

What is wrong with Guided Hand, for curiosities sake. It would burn two feats I guess, but I could have it online at level 1 as a human.

Would Holy Vindicator be a good option for this?

[dunebugg]

Hadn't seen that guide before - thanks.

If I'm supposed to be up in melee, do you think Holy Vindicator would be a good direction to head eventually? The HD, BAB, and big bonus to AC would be worth the cost of a feat, but not sure about the lack of domain progression.

[Magda Luckbender]

Yep, for what you requested the reach cleric is the build you want. The Reach Cleric build thrives on tactical play. Make sure both you and your GM understand the rules for Attacks of Opportunity. I have a 12-point build PC reach cleric who is highly effective, even playing with 25 point build PCs who are less tactical. The handicap is just right. This thread contains some tips on maximizing effectiveness.

Note that Tark literally wrote the book on Clerics. He also wrote this sequence of articles about building a balanced group, which it sounds like your group could benefit from.

dunebugg wrote:

If I'm supposed to be up in melee, do you think Holy Vindicator would be a good direction to head eventually? The HD, BAB, and big bonus to AC would be worth the cost of a feat, but not sure about the lack of domain progression.

No. When you fight reach-style foes rarely get full attacks against you, so the extra HP and AC don't matter as much. You also do not want to multiclass. You will probably be most effective with no archetype. If your party had more martial types, and no bard, you might consider the Evangelist archetype. Domains are great, you don't want to weaken them. Good domain choices for you might be Tactics (lets you skip Improved Initiative), Growth, Feather (requires Boon Companion as a feat tax), and Luck. Too bad you can't take all four. Good feats will be Combat Reflexes, Power Attack, Toughness (since you will have to fight front line), and possibly summoning feats.

You don't HAVE to dump Channeling, but it's probably for the best. You still get at least one channel per day.