I expect to start accruing some GM credit for PFS soon, and I'm planning out the character I'm going to apply it to. I like the Caves subdomain, because I want the Pit spells, so I'm building my concept around that, having him fight with a shovel. I'm envisioning him as being adopted by dwarves, sort of like Carrot Ironfoundersson, mixed with The Shoveler from "Mystery Men." Any advice is welcome, and I have some questions to make sure I understand everything:
1. Does the 2-level lag for my separatist domain apply to domain spells? (e.g., do I get my level 1 domain spell at level 1, or level 3?)
2. Can I take a subdomain as a separatist domain?
3. Can I have my holy symbol inscribed on just anything?
4. Do I still need a material focus component for the Pit spells, since I'm a divine caster? If so, would a masterwork shovel (a tool for Profession (Miner)) qualify?
5. Are Domain spells considered to be on my spell list, e.g. for the purpose of the Missionary trait?
6. What feats are good for a casting-focused cleric?
[Name]
Human
Separatist Cleric of Torag
STR 14
DEX 14
CON 12
INT 7
WIS 17
CHA 14
Domains: Caves, Exploration (Separatist)
Feats:
Human: Cosmopolitan (Kn(Eng) and Perception as class skills, Dwarven and Terran for languages)
1: Selective Channeling
3: Catch Off-Guard
???
Skills:
Profession (Miner)
Knowledge (Engineering)
Perception
Traits: Adopted by Dwarves (Tunnel Fighter), Faction trait?
I know that. It's the Exploration subdomain I wanted, because I didn't especially like any of Torag's other domains. Plus, you know, +10' movement rocks.
I have a similarly-themed wizard, the pit spells are awesome although flying/floating enemies are more common than you might expect, at which point I usually cast haste and hide under a bush.
Anyway
1: No, it applies only to the granted powers.
2: Unclear
3: A holy symbol is a specific item, not just a picture. Using your hammer-inscribed shield as a holy symbol would require something like Craft Reliquary Arms and Armor, which banned and the items aren't listed as independently purchasable.
4: I'm pretty sure you still need it as the spell does not list F/DF as a component. The spell does specify a miniature shovel so you may just need two shovels. Again, the reskinning rule. I wanted to do the very same thing, and stupid premade Ezren gets to use a club reskinned as a cane.
5: Nope
6: Augment Summoning, Improved Initiative, later Spell Penetration, Selective Channel so you don't feel the need to give up spells, maybe Combat Casting
@blackbloodtroll: Torag is the only non-evil deity with the Caves subdomain. I suppose I could make that my separatist domain, but flavor-wise, I think Torag fits better. I picture him as growing up in a mining community, but developing a wanderlust that drives him to join the Pathfinders, which fits with Exploration/Travel as a separatist domain. Is there some reason I should pick a different deity?
@Take Boat: Thanks for the tips. I'll have to dig for more info on holy symbols. And really, miniature is a relative term. I could always use a miniature Large-sized shovel, right? :-P
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Check out Channel Foci, which are PFS legal and work as Holy Symbols:
"The cleric can use the focus as a holy symbol (whether activated or not), though if it is a worn item rather than a held item she must touch the item with a free hand."
http://www.d20pfsrd.com/equipment---final/goods-and-services/channel-foci
@blackbloodtroll: Thanks for that info; I must have missed them. However, as far as I can tell Mhar isn't legal for PFS, and I'm not sure I want an Asian flavor for this character. I still think Torag works best for this concept.
@Tristan: Thanks, but I don't really see anything there that I want for this character.
If you're going to fight with a shovel, save yourself a feat and take the Rough and Ready (miner) trait. You will gain a +1 trait bonus on attack rolls (and ignore the standard -4 penalty) when using the tools of Profession (miner) as improvised weapons.
For a casting-focused cleric, Extra Channel is handier than you might think. When you use your channels to heal, it means you're not dropping spells to do it.
Heighten spell + preferred spell are also handy feats to have. I don't know if it's PFS-legal to pick a domain spell as a preferred spell, though. Good choices for preferred spells are the spells you cast most often, or the spell you never want to get caught without. (I just hit level nine with my own cleric (not PFS), and picked Breath of Life as a preferred spell. I might not always need it... but when I do need it, I don't want to have too few prepared.)
Thanks for the tips. I had no idea about the Rough and Ready trait; that's a shoe-in, I think. Extra channel seems nice, but I think I'd rather wait until I see how he plays, and if I end up using all my channels. I know my monk never uses up all his ki or elemental fists for the day, but I've never played a cleric before. Heighten Spell looks like my kind of feat, though.
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If you are married to the shovel concept (which I like a lot, by the way), you might consider the Monk's spade. It is a two-handed martial weapon that does mediocre damage, but would fit the flavor of your build very well. A real-life monk's spade would be a reach/polearm, but the stats on the Pathfinder version seem to represent something more like a real-world spade.
Getting proficiency with YOUR shovel is going to be a lot better than spending a feat (rough and ready) and still taking a -3 to hit.
We have a local PFS PC who wields a shovel. I've never asked, but I would guess it is probably a monk's spade.
Getting proficiency with YOUR shovel is going to be a lot better than spending a feat (rough and ready) and still taking a -3 to hit.
I think you misread my previous suggestion. Rough and Ready is a trait from Adventurer's Armory, not a feat, which both removes the -4 improvised weapon penalty and gives you a +1 trait bonus on attack rolls with improvised weapons based on your Craft or Profession skill.
I thought about the Monk's spade. There's a Lantern Lodge trait that gets me proficiency with a monk weapon. But on the other hand, using the shovel as my Profession tool and focus for the pit spells was kind of the point, and it wouldn't be either of those. Although, I suppose I could have the monk's spade, masterwork mining shovel, and miniature shovel focus on some kind of keychain. ("Yo dawg, I heard you like shovels...")
RPG Superstar 2015 Top 32, RPG Superstar 2012 Top 32
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Okay, I haven't read everything in the thread, but I have some thoughts:
1. 17 WIS? Even if you're focusing on spells that grant saves, you could easily start it at 15, bump to 16 at 4th level, and eventually buy a WIS headband. The stat points you'd save would be worth FAR more than the +1 to save DCs, which is the ONLY thing the 17 WIS is getting you.
2. 14 CHA? Keep in mind that it influences nothing but Channels and social skills. Don't dump it, but don't overvalue it - if channeling isn't your focus, leave it at a neutral 10. If you want more per day, take Extra Channel. Right now you're spending 1/4 of your build points on a minor increase to a secondary class feature.
I'm building a human (dual-talented) cleric of Iomedae. Here are the stats I'm looking at:
STR 16 (14+2)
DEX 14
CON 13 (bump at 4th)
INT 12
WIS 16 (14+2)
CHA 10
Now, don't you like those better? ;)
OK, I've taken your suggestions into account and created a revised build, more focused on spellcasting.
Human
Separatist Cleric of Torag
STR 12
DEX 15
CON 12
INT 12
WIS 17
CHA 10
Domains: Caves, Exploration (Separatist)
Feats:
Human: Cosmopolitan (Kn(Eng) and Perception as class skills, Dwarven and Terran for languages)
1: Extra Channel
3: Spell Focus
???
Skills (FCB):
Profession (Miner)
Knowledge (Engineering)
Knowledge (Religion)
Perception
Appraise
Traits: Adopted by Dwarves (Tunnel Fighter), Rough and Ready (Miner)
I picked the Caves subdomain because I wanted the Pit spells, so I was considering taking Spell Focus (Conjuration). Are there other good Conjurations spells for clerics that require saves? Is Augment Summoning worth taking? What other schools would be best for Spell Focus (I'm leaning toward Necromancy)?