| mrandrewk84 |
First post!
I rolled a reach cleric for a campaign on Roll20, and the first session was a smashing success, literally. The DM homebrewed our stat rolls so that on a 4d6 roll, we could drop the lowest two stats for 16s, or the lowest stat for 18. So needless to say my scores are not an issue here (I'll list the scores below including racial bonuses).
Race: Dwarf
Level: 1
Stats: STR:18,DEX:14,CON:15,INT:12,WIS:17,CHA:14
Deity: Kurgess (NG)
Domains: Travel, Ferocity
Weapons: Longhammer, Spiked Gauntlets
Feats: Combat Reflexes
My plan is for Power Attack at Level 3 and Improved Initiative at Level 5. After that I am at a bit of a loss. Do I pick up Vital Strike? Channel Force? Sacred Summons? I don't want to have a stellar build for 5 levels and then screw it up because I took feat X instead of feat Y... Advice?
| SmiloDan RPG Superstar 2012 Top 32 |
http://paizo.com/threads/rzs2m612?Guide-to-the-Class-Guides has a Guide to Reach Clerics that's really good.
| mrandrewk84 |
http://paizo.com/threads/rzs2m612?Guide-to-the-Class-Guides has a Guide to Reach Clerics that's really good.
I should have probably mentioned that I used Brewer's Guide as a foundation. I feel that I am riding the line between a reach build and a two-hander which are compared in the document given that I'm using a Dwarven Longhammer. I suppose the advice I am looking for is am I going to fall flat in later levels if I ignore casting feats early on, or am I safe to feat more towards melee and AoO in early levels and pick up my caster feats later on?
| mrandrewk84 |
which caster feats are you looking to get? I don't feel that clerics have a ton of feats to help their casting
The Superior Summoning line is a three feat clump. Spell Focus, Augment Summoning, Superior Summoning. It also is contingent on having Sacred Summons to cast it as a standard action. That's 4 feats. I am told that the campaign is written up to about level 16.
Magda Luckbender
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I'd imagine the standard
Offensive casting-Spell focuses and spell pen. Spell Perfection
Non-enemy interactive casting-Metamagics and spell perfectionClerics do have some cool offensive spells that require saves.
Sounds to me like to OP is on a reasonable path. He knows that martial is most important for the first 9 levels, and spell casting for the 7 levels after that. That's probably why he chose a build that does both at the same time. He will need to decide which feat chains to pursue, but the best ones have already been mentioned. A reach cleric only has 2-3 discretionary feats through 12th level, so make them count. The Summoning sequence is very good, but is not your only good option.
The martial feats Combat Reflexes & Power Attack should be sufficient through even high levels. Improved Initiative is a combined martial/caster feat that is fantastic for a reach cleric. No need for more, when your self-buffs constantly improve. The only additional martial feat even worth consideration is Lunge at 9th level. Probably not, though, since you can accomplish much the same thing with a readied action. Dwarven Longhammer is an excellent weapon for a reach cleric. Your best martial buff is typically Enlarge Person, so carry several 50 gp potions.
Do not pursue any feat that eats your Standard Action. That should always be reserved for casting a spell. For that reason Vital Strike is right out.
11th level feat should be reserved for Divine Interference.
I mostly agree that reach clerics need not use SoD builds, but a really optimized murderous command is a really fun tool for a reach cleric.
I totally agree! Also just regular command and Greater Command, which are both spontaneously available to an Evangelist Cleric. These spell can all be so magnificently effective, in the right situation, that they are totally worth using even with inferior DCs. A successful first level Command spell might force a foe to provoke several AoOs for hundreds of HP damage. That's good action economy. Obviously, mostly do this against foes with a poor will save.
Magda Luckbender
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OP may have his own answer, but the Heirloom Weapon trait works. Ordinarily it's not worth a trait to get a slightly bigger damage die, but in this case it almost certainly is. This is because this Cleric will often fight Enlarged. An Enlarged Longspear does 2D6 = average 7 HP, while an Enlarged Dwarven Longhammer does 3D6 = average 10.5 HP. So this trait gets an extra +2 HP average on all weapon attacks normally, and an extra +3.5 HP when Enlarged. Only drawbacks are that the weapon can never be made of special material, and you must never let it be destroyed or stolen.
| mrandrewk84 |
Aren't weapons with dwarven in the name considered martial for dwarves? How is a cleric proficient in the dwarven longhammer?
GM ruled longhammer as a type of "Warhammer" and as dwarves are proficient with "Warhammers" he was good with it. I kept the heirloom weapon trait in my back pocket during the discussion, but he had no issues with it.
| mrandrewk84 |
Insain Dragoon wrote:I'd imagine the standard
Offensive casting-Spell focuses and spell pen. Spell Perfection
Non-enemy interactive casting-Metamagics and spell perfectionClerics do have some cool offensive spells that require saves.
Sounds to me like to OP is on a reasonable path. He knows that martial is most important for the first 9 levels, and spell casting for the 7 levels after that. That's probably why he chose a build that does both at the same time. He will need to decide which feat chains to pursue, but the best ones have already been mentioned. A reach cleric only has 2-3 discretionary feats through 12th level, so make them count. The Summoning sequence is very good, but is not your only good option.
The martial feats Combat Reflexes & Power Attack should be sufficient through even high levels. Improved Initiative is a combined martial/caster feat that is fantastic for a reach cleric. No need for more, when your self-buffs constantly improve. The only additional martial feat even worth consideration is Lunge at 9th level. Probably not, though, since you can accomplish much the same thing with a readied action. Dwarven Longhammer is an excellent weapon for a reach cleric. Your best martial buff is typically Enlarge Person, so carry several 50 gp potions.
Do not pursue any feat that eats your Standard Action. That should always be reserved for casting a spell. For that reason Vital Strike is right out.
11th level feat should be reserved for Divine Interference.
Create Mr. Pitt just below wrote:I mostly agree that reach clerics need not use SoD builds, but a really optimized murderous command is a really fun tool for a reach cleric.I totally agree! Also just regular command and Greater Command, which are both spontaneously available to an Evangelist Cleric. These spell can all be so magnificently effective, in the right situation, that they are totally worth using even with inferior DCs. A successful first level...
Thanks for your response Magda - my original concept was drawn from one of your older posts on the reach cleric, even before I found Brewer's Guide!