Help Building a Cleric Tank

[Father Sebastian 42992-3]

I like playing my Archer/ Healer cleric, level 8. I don't get the chance to play PFS very often, so I will not be getting to higher levels. I want to build a Mele Combat cleric. I don't like the "diminished casting ability" with archtypes. I have Pre-gen character credit(games) to apply.

I thought about Multi-class with 1 level of Fighter to get heavy armor use and access to Feats that require BAB +1.
I plan to get Mytheral armor when the character can get the gold.

Is Multi-classing this character a Bad Idea?

This will be my first Character that will use a shield. I was thinking of using a Morning star. I like the bonus: skills,feat,stat of Humans.
I have not selected traits. The Cleric Domains will be Healing and Luck with no diety favored weapon.

I am still working on ability stats but Wis,Str and Con will be important. A chr of 12 will give me selective channel of 1. Although I am use to not having that feat.

My main character is a Buff/Healer and I like that role. With this new character, I can use Bull strength on myself now

[Chris O'Reilly]

Plan your character out and see just how contested your feat choices are. I dont know what deity gives those domains but you can consider a pally dip for armor and better will saves. If you start fighter you can take the plus one ac trait though. I find it hard to fit cha and selective channel into an already mad melee cleric build but I think for pfs you shouldnt have problems if you run with what you have. I do have to say the liberation domain is pretty good for a frontliner with auto freedom of movement when you need it

[TarkXT]

Crusader's not a good archetype anyway.

Evangelist is great even for a "Tanky" cleric.

Multiclassing one level in something like Ranger or Cavalier(Gendarme) is fine. Ranger lets you use wands from the ranger list and a good boost to skill points you can apply . Cavalier (Gendarme) nets you power attack, heavy armor, a selection of martial weapons and a horse you can pretty much ignore and more skill points then a dip in fighter would. One level is okay 2 levels is the max I'd ever do.

I'd just straight up dump charisma. You don't really want to be trying to channel in melee anyway so all it gives you is some extra uses of it which you don't need anyway.

Your domains are also fairly unsuitable. When will you have the time to use touch of luck if you're trying to melee? That and since you are one handing you really need damage more than anything so consider a better pair.

In fact I'd seriously consider Cayden Cailean (you have to have a diety in PFS anyway) and grab Strength(Ferocity) and travel Domains. You end up with an excellent selection of spells that don't require a high wisdom (the max you'll ever need in PFS is 16) to work well.

Lastly, I'd use a longspear/cestus over a morningstar/shield set up. More damage overall and the benefits of using a two hander with reach is rather good.

[plaidwandering]

don't want reduced casting, but considering multi-classing seems like a conflict

[Khrysaor]

I made a tank like cleric for my current campaign that ended abruptly due to time constraints and weddings.

My idea was a war singer who buffs allies while pushing enemies away from allies and gets in the way. Evangelist cleric with a 1 level dip in fighter for the bonus feat and heavy armor. Reach weapon, pushing assault, enough charisma to go Eldritch heritage feats with items to get access to the rest as I level. Went orc bloodline for the inherent Str boost and eventual ability to enlarge with good bonuses.

Glory domain was a boon

[Magda Luckbender]

Magda is a 10th level PFS Evangelist (Cleric) Tank. Other people who frequent this board also have cleric tanks. If you've not already done so you should read the Cleric Class guides, which have quite a bit of info on this topic.

Fighter multiclassing is very tempting at low levels, but seriously gimps your casting ability by about 5th level. PROS: extra 1-3 HP damage/attack, option for +3 AC in exchange for reduced movement. CONS: Gimps your casting & other class advancement.

Multi-classing a Cleric tank is not a bad idea, but neither is it a super-good idea. It's certainly not required to be effective. For some specialized builds the fighter level is totally worth it. Usually it's not worth it.

I know of two basic weaponry approaches for a Cleric Tank:

1. Shielded & Armored to the teeth with a one handed weapon. Excellent AC for moderate damage.

2. No shield & a two handed reach weapon. Moderate AC for excellent damage. Can harvest AoOs while still casting a spell every round. This is a Reach Cleric, which might play like this at low levels.

Option 1 is less likely to die from HP damage, but option 2 has more battlefield control options, as a result of reach. Both approaches require some tactical finesse, as 'I charge them' is less likely to be a wise tactical choice.

If you want to be a capable tank it's probably not possible to also channel well, and anyway you won't want to. A Cleric Tank can easily fill the Buff/Healer role while also inflicting big damage at the same time.

[AndIMustMask]

i choose option C: dwarf cleric with shield-and-dwarven waraxe for reach/melee threatening and only improved shield bash and combat reflexes down for it. best of both worlds.

play cleric as normal, AoO folks who pass or get too close and shieldpunch those who get closer.

[Wiggz]

Father Sebastian 42992-3 wrote:

I like playing my Archer/ Healer cleric, level 8. I don't get the chance to play PFS very often, so I will not be getting to higher levels. I want to build a Mele Combat cleric. I don't like the "diminished casting ability" with archtypes. I have Pre-gen character credit(games) to apply.

My main character is a Buff/Healer and I like that role. With this new character, I can use Bull strength on myself now

Just to clarify, do you want to build a 'Tank Cleric' or a 'Melee Cleric' because the two could be very different things.

Honestly, a well-built Paladin is probably the best divinely powered tank there is, with far better self-buffs than Bull Strength, but they definitely have a diminished casting ability...

[Father Sebastian 42992-3]

Thanks for the input. Bit of luck does seem lame for a melee cleric. I did not think of dumping chr. Channel healing are extra spells. I am looking at the lower tier. A huge gaol is to get the charcter to 6th level (cleric). I don't get the opportunity to play PFS very often. No games in my area.
I mostly play at game cons, 7 or 8 games a year. (I am looking into getting more play time;My home game group couldn't handle D&D 3.5)
My current cleric is a buff/Archer/ Healing machine. Mostly support. He took 2 years to reach 8th level.
I wanted to start another character becasue I can use a new character to apply pre-gen credits to. Also, last game we lost 3 characters. I want to get into the thick of it and live. My first character for PFS is a Fighter/archer with a 2handed weapon. None of my characters use a shield.
I looked at a Paladin but it has to be too high level to cast spells (for the amount of games I can play)

I plan to Make Another archer cleric wond user. Healing and Fire domains.
I will read over all of your input again and goto any links.
Thanks and Yes, " tell me about your character"

[Ubercroz]

I made an angel-blooded aasimar cleric with the intent of making him like a planetar.

He only started with a 14 WIS, the rest is basically STR and only a 12 DEX.

His domains were Destruction and Travel (seperatist, deity Ragathiel). I took a 1 level dip in fighter for the greatsword and full plate, since I move so slow I needed that Travel Domain.

I took some wildly unnecessary feats (like angel blooded, and wings) but it adds to the mystique of a 7 foot ball green skinned aasimar who claims to be an agent of Ragathiel and a harbinger of the angels themselves.

Righteous Might is really what brings it all together though.