I am looking at making a support cleric probably an evangelist. This means I would only get access to one domain. So it would need to count
What are the best for this kind of supporting role ?
Right now I assume Heroism is probably the best followed by maybe Protection (Defense). Protection has the useful boon of adding in a free cloak of resistance effectively
Does anyone have any experience with this kind of character? Have I overlooked anything obvious
I think this character would start at level 7 (so alas one off the reduced action economy performance).
I am also trying to blend in this character idea with a concept by thinking of which deities are most likely to have outspoken evangelist clerics. I am sure they all can have them but some I am having an easier time picturing than others. E.g. I would have thought Norgorber is too secretive
But this is wandering of the domain topic
I would appreciate any help
There's always Animal (probably the Feather subdomain for the fly spells) if you want to be sure of having someone handy to buff.
Depends a bit on what kind of game you're playing.
I'm playing an Evangelist with the Glory domain in our Kingmaker game and it's totally amazing.
Yes Heroism is more offensive with access to the spell and the aura of heroism
I hadn’t properly read the sanctuary effect. I would be concerned that that might be too easily resisted / overcome
Feather veers closer to not being true support if I am buffing a melee pet
I am kind of considering pure support and not trying to steal any thunder from other players
EDIT: despite the above - what is the best feathered animal companion? I would find it weird to pick feather domain and not have a feathered companion
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For feather you don't have to pick a feathered AC, but RP-wise it makes sense. Deinonychus or other feathered Dino works. Giant owl and heron are both great.
Here are some ways to make 'support' animal companions.
If you go animal or fur domain pick Deinotherium. Use sweep and trample to make the enemy go prone, and provide flank with menacing amulet for a +4. This net -4 ac and +4 attack. Make the animal a bodyguard (bodyguard, in harm's way) so it can buff people's ac and take some attacks for them. This will also provide an extra target for channeling making that more efficient.
The alternate option is something with grab. Take dirty fighting and improved grapple with the evangelists buff you should beagle to grapple well which let's other hit much more reliably which is you providing more support via an AC.
One aspect of having an AC for a support character is the increased mobility. Being able to move (your mount) perform a move equivalent (pull out your remove blindness scroll) and cast (the archer can see again) can be a pretty big deal.
Usually for a mount that I don't plan on getting into combat directly with, I find the character level - 3 AC to be sufficient, saving you a feat for something else.
I suppose it depends on what sort of support you mean to give.
However...
If you take in the Chaos domain, then you could cast a couple of buff/de-buff spells, then engage in melee. Then use:
Touch of Chaos (Sp): You can imbue a target with chaos as a melee touch attack. For the next round, anytime the target rolls a d20, he must roll twice and take the less favorable result. You can use this ability a number of times per day equal to 3 + your Wisdom modifier.
This can really mess up a enemy boss. (One without Spell Resistance, as it's an SP.)
Evangelist is also particularly synergetic with a summoning build.
Go separatists and Evangelist for dark tapestry domain.
Level 1 spell focus conjuration
Level 3 augment summoning
Level 5 superior summoning
Level 7 sacred summons
First round standard action summon 1d3+1 celestial leopards, move action sing for +2 to attack and damage.
Add a dervish sikhe in for 5000 to turn that +2 into a +3.
Watch the blenders as they go "grawr grawr grawr"
I’m having a blast with trickery domain and spell focus enchantment.
My evangelist cleric has the (war)tactics domain.
Rolling twice for initiative or letting an ally roll twice was nice enough and Besmara, his deity, doesn't have the best domains.
Besmara is saved by getting familairs.
Right, but as the evangelist only gets one domain taking a familiar would have meant having no domain at all and by that having one spell per level less.
My Evangelist has the Travel domain. I do like the personal mobility, and the domain spells. I recently dimension hopped to the far side of a 20' giant squeezing in a 10' tunnel, setting up flanking for the rogue. Good thing, as this seriously debuffed the major bruiser of the fight.
Add a dervish sikhe in for 5000 to turn that +2 into a +3.
Watch the blenders as they go "grawr grawr grawr"
The Dervish Sikke is 10,000 gp.
I want one.
While I can craft it for half, I don't have either needed spell as they are not on the cleric list and our GM requires it for crafting. Sigh.
/cevah
Revelry is a really great subdomain for party support. Free Extend Spell Good Hope.
However, an Evangelist focused on party support as a caster is maybe most useful taking something like Deception Domain for Confusion or Fire Domain for Fireball, then specializing with Preferred Spell and Magical Lineage. An Evangelist throwing Dazing Fireballs or Persistent Confusions is really strong support...
Just remeber this is not a archetype that can spontaneously cast domain spells with normal slots or prepare domain spells in normal slots so you get 1 casting at each level per day. They can be hard to depend on.
That's where Preferred Spell comes in, letting you sacrifice any spell slot of equal or higher level to spontaneously cast your Preferred Spell, even with Heighten Spell and other metamagic. Which even frees up Domain slots for other spells - a Deception subdomain Cleric could take Preferred Spell: Confusion, and fill all Domain slots from 2 up with Mirror Image.
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I’m going to breakdown the metamagic control to help the op.
You can use the feats the BadBird suggest committing two feats, one domain, a rod or a third feat and then a trait or two so you don’t have to wait until level 11 for dazing fireball or persistent confusion but I would recommend a few things (traits included) to shorten the wait a bridge the gaps. Badbirds options are good I'm just going to elaborate to fill in intermediate levels.
The first thing to do is find class spells that work:
Screaming flame, searing light, Admonishing Ray, sound burst, spiritual weapon, trail by fire, Trial of Fire and Acid, wall of bone, bleeding strike/sun metal (some debate), boneshaker, burning disarm, burst of radiance, healing flames, holy smite. These will get you much sooner with less investment while you work towards fireballs.
One of the best tricks for Dazing is that you can alter the save of the daze effect by changing the spell you use. I like to have a ref spell and a no save spell to target ref and will respectively.
For persistent and bouncing save or suck and control casting there are many spells. I would recommend focusing on spells below third level to start the reason is persistent rods are 9000gp. At this price, you can start throwing out persistent spells from a rod around level 6 or 7. If you need the next rod up for 4th level spells that is 35000gp. That’s affordable around level 11. I have found them to be very economical for how powerful they are. For example, bouncing/persistent extended murderous command is pretty fun. Persistent burst of radiance is great against poor ref evil creatures. The evangelist gets a few save or suck spells they can spontaneously cast so this route is extremely attractive.
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It’s not as attractive for an evangelist cleric (who only gets one domain), but you can take an inquisition in place of your domain. (A vanilla cleric can still fill the domain slot with a spell from her other domain.) Conversion and Reformation are great for a really outspoken cleric. The Tactics inquisition is a really good buffing inquisition, especially at 8th level.