So. I'm building a devil-spawn tiefling cleric of Malacoda. I'm building him as a battle cleric, so I'm giving him heavy armor and bolstering his Strength.
Current abilities: STR 17, DEX 10, CON 14, INT 10, WIS 16, CHA 8.
Question: can I dump Dex to boost Wisdom?
For a battle cleric you don't need higher than 16 widom, heck 15 is good enough. You also don't need INT at all, might as well dump it all the way because its not like you need int or will be good at skills. I would dump INT before dex IMHO.
Thing is, I like Knowledge skills. It helps identify monsters, and I like my characters to be at least SOMEWHAT scholarly. I'm not overly fond of playing brutes.
Thing is, I like Knowledge skills. It helps identify monsters, and I like my characters to be at least SOMEWHAT scholarly. I'm not overly fond of playing brutes.
In that case the Inquisitor may suit you better.
Inquisitors don't pack animate dead or summon monster. Besides, I think of inquisitors as specializing in ranged combat, due to the automatic proficiency in all things archery.
The tiefling I'm making... well, he's swinging a bastard sword around.
(I apologize if I'm being difficult)
Inquisitors are proficient in the favored weapon of their deity.
That said, battle clerics using negative energy and channel smite can do some pretty boss things, but it requires some investment into CHA or wasting a feat on Extra Channel.
Okay, here's his stats thus far.
I see him as relishing the prospect of combat, preaching the command of Malacoda with the edge of his big ol' sword. And all that armor means that HE WILL NEVER BE INTERRUPTED DURING HIS SERMON, DAMMIT
And I just realized I typo'd hard.
Korda is supposed to be Lawful NEUTRAL. With all the devils flying around in my head, it was an easy mistake to make. He's LN, not LE.
So. How do I make a Lawful Neutral tiefling, born in Cheliax?
That's pretty much the backstory I'm trying to make for Korda. I figure him to actually be a bastard son, and not just a tiefling. He's DOUBLY outcast!
Also, how would an outcast like Korda find religion? Writing backstory is hard. My kobold alchemist wasn't this difficult to write...
So. How do I make a Lawful Neutral tiefling, born in Cheliax?
By having him be a Lawful Neutral Tiefling born in Cheliax?
How can I make that work, though?
Cheliax is Lawful Evil. Devils are Lawful Evil. He's a devil-spawn tiefling. The best I can think of is that he wouldn't be Evil, but still not the nicest guy.
Also, Korda loves fighting.
(I have the feeling that I'm going about this character all wrong, but you can't have a lawful cleric of, say, Gorum)
How can I make that work, though?
Cheliax is Lawful Evil. Devils are Lawful Evil. He's a devil-spawn tiefling. The best I can think of is that he wouldn't be Evil, but still not the nicest guy.
Also, Korda loves fighting.
(I have the feeling that I'm going about this character all wrong, but you can't have a lawful cleric of, say, Gorum)
More like he pushes the rules on people, and doesn't care about how those rules affect people, rather than LE where he pushes rules on people full intending for them to oppress and affect those people adversely. LN and LE are very close.
Hellknights which are an important institution in Cheliax are often LN. The average Chelish person is going to be LN/le anyways, the ruling classes are the ones that push it into full LE territory. Tieflings favor evil but can be any alignment. I would honestly be more concerned with worshiping the wrong devil more than not being evil.
Also on your skills: You will still suck at knowledge checks, you will still have virtually no skill points, investing in intelligence for a battle cleric is like investing in a pool for a battleship. It doesn't serve a purpose and it takes away resources from its primary use. If you want to have skills look elsewhere. A 7 Int battle cleric plays the same a 10 int one.
Keep in mind that the reach cleric is one of the strongest cleric builds, but requires dex and a reach weapon (such as long spear) You could simulate however by taking lunge. This may be a good tactic for you. Get a dex of 14 and combat reflexes then lunge do AO's like a jerk and cast like a bastard.
Edit - Also see if your gm would allow guided weapon property, then you wouldn't need high strength and you become less mad