Hello people. I wanted to ask your opinions about my character. I am currently playing Rise of the Runelords and the role I play is that of a nobleman who is a cleric of iomedae. We are currently at level two and my group has a rogue, a sorcerer and a paladin. And after presenting all this, I wanted to ask you how I should approach my character into the future. I have to say that so far I'm leaving with a bastard sword and a shield, in armor seen a quota of scales. I do both the role of healer and offtank. And my feats are hardness and selective channeling. My question is, what feats do you think would be best for my character?
Ability scores?
Hello people. I wanted to ask your opinions about my character. I am currently playing Rise of the Runelords and the role I play is that of a nobleman who is a cleric of iomedae. We are currently at level two and my group has a rogue, a sorcerer and a paladin. And after presenting all this, I wanted to ask you how I should approach my character into the future. I have to say that so far I'm leaving with a bastard sword and a shield, in armor seen a quota of scales. I do both the role of healer and offtank. And my feats are hardness and selective channeling. My question is, what feats do you think would be best for my character?
First off Channeling feats on a cleric are typically bad unless you're building for the Hangover cleric build. But you are Not so I would not invest in any more feats for it and I would ask to retrain it if possible. A good majority of healing happens outside of combat with Wands of Cure Light or spells/channels. Look to be Proactive and prevent damage instead of healing through it. There are many guides on this and you should read them. Here is the motherload of GUides for Classes and other aspects of the game. My recommended reading would be Tark's Big Holy Book, Brewer's guide to reach clerics, and The Forge of Combat down in tips and tricks section.
The issue with sword and shield is that you must have 1 hand free to cast spells. Which means your going to have to juggle your weapons. There are 3 ways to combat this. First is weapon chords and wasting action economy. Worst option IMHO because you waste one of the most precious things, action economy. Next solution drops the sword and grab Improved shield bash. You get the AC for using a shield and can get bashing put on it and go to town. This is the 2nd Best solution but burns up a feat and gold. The last and best solution IMHO is to use a long spear. Your damage will be higher, you will pick up Attack of Opportunity, and you can remove a hand as a free action to cast. Usually, your standard will be to cast/buff with the Longspear you can move into position and pick up AoOs to help recover the loss of your standard action. By far one of the best simple weapons.
Hardness...did you mean toughness? Which is a good pick up to keep you alive. A few recommendations on Feats. Power attack @ level 3 for damage. At level 5 grab sacred summoning (Standard action summons). At Level 11 your Feat should be Divine Interference which allows you to possibly negate criticals for a small sacrifice. This can keep people alive. Extend spell is worth it whether on a rod or as a feat. Quicken Spell should come around at Level 13.
A much cheaper and more obvious solution to the casting is simply using a light shield. It's 1 A.C. less than a heavy shield, but the options it opens is well worth the cost.
A much cheaper and more obvious solution to the casting is simply using a light shield. It's 1 A.C. less than a heavy shield, but the options it opens is well worth the cost.
It does but he did not state Light Shield so I assume he is trying the Heavy shield for more AC. But since he has a paladin in the group I feel he is fine without the +1-+2. The Paladin will be the one running ahead and starting the melee, while the cleric's first turn will probably be a buff of some sort. This is the typical way things go down.
Casting with a sword and light shield works just fine; you simply hold the sword in the light shield hand until done casting. Its a free action to move the sword to your other hand and another free action to move it back. Same applies to bucklers. With a heavy shield or two weapons, you can use Quick Draw to go move action to put away weapon, cast spell, free action to draw.
With a heavy shield or two weapons, you can use Quick Draw to go move action to put away weapon, cast spell, free action to draw.
This is what I am referring too as wasting action economy. It doesn't seem bad but if you needed that move to keep up with a group member it really hurts. Something I found out the first cleric I made. I just bucked up and grabbed a spear. I know later in RotRL he will enjoy having the reach weapon for sure since a majority of enemies will have reach too.
My Stats are:
Str:16
Dex:10
Cons:12
Int:8
Sab:16
Char:14
Well, since your build is pretty basic and you went bastard sword instead of Iomedae's favored weapon, you're probably just looking at basic combat feats like Weapon Focus and Shield Focus on the fighting side. For spellcasting, metamagic could be useful down the road maybe. If you were able to change you bastard sword proficiency to another feat, I'd say you should take Disciple of the Sword, and then later Guided Hand. This would let you use wisdom for attack rolls (so you could put your ability score increases and item-buying into wisdom), and grant stronger longsword skills (Disciple of the Sword makes longsword better than bastard sword for an Iomedae Cleric).
Channel or combat focussed clerics are a waste of time IMO....
A tank cleric is fine but only in the sense of being able to cast with a minimal risk of injury..... NOT in the sense of making you more survivable whilst trying to hit things...
I always like the ability of clerics to be atom bombs when it comes to the undead, so don't knock the Turn Undead feat. With the party being a rogue, sorcerer and paladin, I'm imagining that you are one of the front line fighters, so I'd also consider basic combat oriented feats.
How are you using a bastard sword and shield? Using a bastard sword one handed requires a feat. Also clerics are not proficient in martial weapons so you are taking a penalty even if you use it two handed without spending a feat. As a cleric of Iomedae you get proficiency in long sword not bastard sword for free.
Use a weapon with the Reliquary property and it counts as a divine focus.
