Dwarf Crusader Cleric

[Debbin]

Building a dwarf cleric for my son and could use some advice on it. The idea of the campaign is nautical based.

20pt build starting at level 4.

Here is what I have at the moment

Male Dwarf Cleric (Crusader) 4
CN Medium humanoid (dwarf)
Init +1; Senses darkvision 60 ft.; Perception +12
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Defense
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AC 20, touch 11, flat-footed 19 (+9 armor, +1 Dex)
hp 31 (4d8+8)
Fort +7, Ref +4, Will +10; +2 vs. poison, spells, and spell-like abilities
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Offense
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Speed 20 ft.
Melee +1 greatsword +9 (2d6+4/19-20/×2)
Special Attacks channel energy, destructive smite
Cleric (Crusader) Spells Prepared (CL 4th; concentration +9):
2nd (2/day)—bull's strength, bull's strength, hold person (DC 17)
1st (4/day)—divine favor (x2), true strike, bless (x2)
0 (at will)—read magic, guidance, vigor
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Statistics
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Str 14, Dex 12, Con 14, Int 10, Wis 20, Cha 6
Base Atk +3; CMB +5; CMD 16 (16 vs. bull rush, 16 vs. trip)
Feats Armor Proficiency (Heavy), Channel Smite, Guided Hand
Traits deft dodger, militant merchant
Skills Knowledge (religion) +5, Perception +12 (+13 to determine if surprised), Profession (sailor) +10, Spellcraft +7
Languages Common, Dwarven
SQ aura, domains (rage), greed, hardy, saltbeard, slow and steady, spontaneous casting, stability
Combat Gear Pearl of power (1st level) (1/day); Other Gear Masterwork Full plate, +1 Greatsword, Cloak of resistance +1

[XMorsX]

I see a serious issue: You max Wisdom while choosing an archetype that actually diminishes its caster prowess. These are contradicting.

I will suggest to build either a battle cleric or a caster one. Trying to combine both of them will not work as effectively.

Since it is a nautical campaign, I will also suggest going with an archetype that forfeits medium armor proficiency, as you will probably wear only light armor. Evangelist is an excellent archetype, granting inspire courage for melee combat and spontaneous enchantment spells for a more caster oriented cleric.

Which aspect of your cleric is more important? The martial or the caster one? Are you set on dwarf (which is a great race for a cleric indeed)?

EDIT: A marial cleric with high DCs would be best served with a two lvl dip in Wild Rager barbarian. This way you can satrt with maxed Wisdom and rage when you need to deal melee damage. The wild rage alos grants an idditional attack and does not expend rage rounds if you intentionally fail your saving throw against confusion.

Since you make this build for your son though, I would suggest to make him straight-forward and build him as a battle cleric, capitalizing on his great buffs and spells that does not require a saving throw, like several battlefield controlling spells and Summon Monster spells. A reach cleric variation (uses a reach weapon for AoOs in combination with standard action summoning) would also be interesting.

[Debbin]

Dwarf isn't really set in stone, though martial is. The class needs to be rather straight forward too as its being built for a 12yr old.

[bfobar]

swap wisdom and strength and get rid of hold person in favor of something without a save. Also if you're building for a novice player, sticking to easy buffs and bashing is easier to play.

Also, the War (Tactics) Domain might be worth a look. Initiative bonus! The high strength will offset not having the rage domain smite.

Finally, if you're going dwarf, look at the dwarven longaxe and longhammer to have a high damage weapon with reach. It might be better than the greatsword if you're on boats and swinging around another melee pc.

[XMorsX]

Debbin wrote:

Dwarf isn't really set in stone, though martial is. The class needs to be rather straight forward too as its being built for a 12yr old.

Nice, I was thinking the same. What is the maximum lvl he will reach in this campaign?

[williamoak]

If it is a nautical campaign, maybe a point in the skill swim? Death by drowning is never fun.

[Debbin]

XMorsX wrote:

Debbin wrote:

Dwarf isn't really set in stone, though martial is. The class needs to be rather straight forward too as its being built for a 12yr old.

Nice, I was thinking the same. What is the maximum lvl he will reach in this campaign?

Hopefully level 20.

[Reynard_the_fox]

Switch Wis and Str for a melee Cleric - 20 Str will make you one heck of a powerhouse in combat. It will also boost your Swim score, which you should almost certainly max out. I would also stick to Medium or Light armor for a nautical campaign. Keep an eye out for spells that are usually somewhat useless - for example, Lighten Object could become very handy.

[XMorsX]

Good point point about Swim. Unfortunately it is not a class skill, so one point will not change much unless a serious investment is done. I beleive that the swim check in rough waters should be eventually be achieved without a chance for failure.

Now on the build. A martial cleric without reach will certainly want at least medium armor, just make it mithral asap. Also, since he will reach high lvls, I suggest that you avoid the crusader archetype as it will greatly hamper his spellcasting abilities. I will post a build in a while.

[Captain K.]

If it need to be simple for a 12 year old, why not Barbarian? There is a swim rage power, a crazy Dwarf is a fine barbarian, you can fight good and not drown.

The only spellcasters for beginners are Sorcerer and maybe Oracle. Clerics have too many options.

You can make a Dwarf battle Oracle which will feel like a Cleric but be simpler to run (after you build the PC).

[Kjeldor]

I would say try to stick with medium or light armor and get at least a point or two into swim being nautical. That will help immensely in case of disaster by giant squid, water elementals, a slight breeze, and then it will make life easier climbing up ropes as all great nautical movies include. The reach weapon might be nice, and its not too hard of a concept to grasp.

I don't understand why you buff wisdom so high when you are diminishing casting ability through archetype, trying to do too many things at once end up with a not so fun character most of the time. Id recommend dropping your wisdom score and buff charisma a little bit so he can heal more then once a day or str a bit.

My opinion though.

[XMorsX]

Human Cleric of Gorum

STR 19 (+1 at 4th lvl)
DEX 14
CON 14
INT 7
WIS 14 (+1 at 8th, 12th, 16th and 20th lvls)
CHA 7

Traits: Reactionary, Birthmark

Domains: Ferocity (assosiated with Strenght), Destruction

1 Improved Initiative
3 Power Attack
5 Toughness
7 Combat Reflexes
9 Furious Focus
11 Divine Interference
13 Quicken Spell
15 Dazing Assault
17 Critical focus
19 Staggering Critical

Pretty straight forward: Use a greatsword, buff yourself, hit the enemy with power attack and the domain abilities for tons of damage.

The domains give great first lvl powers. The 2nd lvl power of the destruction domain has greater potential than rage IMO. The spells of the strenght domain are solid too, especially enlarge person at first lvl. I would choose tactics over destruction in another circumstance, but the 8th lvl power will certainly make the charcater more complicated so I chose to avoid it.

A headband of wisdom +2 will become necessary at some point for casting. It is not a big deal, by then it should have already been bought.

Combat Reflexes for AoOs when he is enlarged.

[Debbin]

Captain K. wrote:

If it need to be simple for a 12 year old, why not Barbarian? There is a swim rage power, a crazy Dwarf is a fine barbarian, you can fight good and not drown.

The only spellcasters for beginners are Sorcerer and maybe Oracle. Clerics have too many options.

You can make a Dwarf battle Oracle which will feel like a Cleric but be simpler to run (after you build the PC).

I keep thinking oracle, but the dm is limiting the classes and races to main book. Other than that, everything else is open game.

[XMorsX]

Debbin wrote:

Captain K. wrote:

If it need to be simple for a 12 year old, why not Barbarian? There is a swim rage power, a crazy Dwarf is a fine barbarian, you can fight good and not drown.

The only spellcasters for beginners are Sorcerer and maybe Oracle. Clerics have too many options.

You can make a Dwarf battle Oracle which will feel like a Cleric but be simpler to run (after you build the PC).

I keep thinking oracle, but the dm is limiting the classes and races to main book. Other than that, everything else is open game.

Clarify the "main book" please. Is it just the core rulebook (which is sad, it is too limiting when you can find so many resourses on the internet) or the core series (which is core rulebook, advanced player guide, the ultimate series etc). I assumed that it is the latter because it will make for a more interesting and specialized character.

[Debbin]

Just the core rulebook classes and races are allowed, but all the other options that are available, for the core rulebook classes and races, in the core series are open for use.

So, we can't make oracles, ninjas, ect. Nor can they be tieflings, catfolk, ect. Just the core classes and races with everything else open game.

[XMorsX]

I see. Then the build I posted is legal. You could change the destruction domain for the rage subdomain, but the addition of rage powers will make for a more complicated character. I find it best to avoid it.

[Skull]

I like dwarves, and clerics are a nice fit.

I do however also suggest switching to a barbaria. Or if you want some spell: ranger

Swim is a must, and a full plate at see is looking for trouble. Unless you make a vanilla fighter (acp gets refuced)