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I'm trying to figure out a build for a character concept I've been workshopping around here for a long time now.
I'm finally applying for a run of Age of Ashes with this concept and actually getting the character put together now that the Remaster has made Warpriests so much more fun to play and it even has Free Archetype in the recruitment, which is quite freeing, but I'm once AGAIN struggling with how best to get the concept working without compromising too much of the class' core competencies to do it.
In order to properly depict the character's belief system, I'd been planning to use the Syncretism feat to pair the elven goddess Yuelral with a dwarven god, and then use Magus to add some more fire-based spells to the character to reflect the prophetic visions of fire and destruction he receives from Dahak that manifest into real fires under stress, counteracts by his parents steeping him in dwarven and elven crafting techniques to use fire as a tool of creation, transformation and purification (the fires of the forge, forest fires burning dead wood to make room for new life, etc.). The eventual plan would be to take the Crystal Keeper archetype as soon as it becomes available in Age of Ashes' storyline, because generally an archetype introduced in an AP is best used in that AP itself from a narrative perspective.
A problem arose when I realized how tight archetypes are with actually granting spells, so I figured in order to better reflect the theme, I should probably bite the bullet and get the Fire Domain, but that kind of complicates deity selection.
The initial concept was going to syncretize Torag and Yuelral, as they both have Earth and Creation as part of their domain selections and are kind of two sides of the craftsmanship coin (Torag for metal, Yuelral for wood, both for gems and other stones). But Torag doesn't have Fire as an option, so to get it, I would need the Splinter Faith feat. And while that DOES fit with the theme, as it's an unusual focus on something that's ultimately just a component to the forges Torag blesses, but it would mean needing to take Syncretism at a later level, potentially wasting a feat slot that could be going to a more "meat and potatoes" cleric feat, especially since they're already tightened by taking Crystal Keeper as a multiclass. Plus I'm not sure if by RAW Splinter Faith acts as a substitute for Domain Initiate, or if I have to take both.
The other option would be to instead start with Torag's brother Angradd, who DOES start out with Fire as a domain and thus I can just take Domain Initiate. Angradd and Yuelral also gel in a different way, with Yuelral's edicts to teach magicians and jewelers, preserve elven knowledge and magic, and to use magic responsibly with Angradd's edict to instruct others in righteous ways and his position as a god of traditions. The problem THERE is that it lessens the focus on the other aspect of the character's theme, using crafting as a way of taming fire (especially since Angradd's divine skill is Athletics rather than Crafting), and it kind of encourages the character to be more "aggressive" than I'd initially imagined them, like they should be boldly seeking out Dahak's influence to stamp it out rather than the kind of fearful "I have to protect Breachhill or my nightmares will come true and everyone I love will die!" mentality and a character arc of gaining more confidence and mastering his power over fire.
So I'm not sure which direction I should be taking this guy in, what's the more satisfying option from a narrative perspective, and how to build him beyond that as I have very limited experience actually playing 2e and character building, and I don't think any of the current optimization guides for Cleric have been updated for the Remaster yet. So I am once again seeking advice on finally realizing this character, and hopefully setting him off into Age of Ashes so he stops living rent-free in my head. Thank you in advance for putting up with me asking about this so many different times.