[PF + 3.5] Cleric (Archer)

[Blarmb]

Hey folks. I'm going to be starting up a new game soon, and was hoping to get a bit help with working out the character.

This is a Pathfinder game, however the GM is allowing all 3.5 content for everything but Races. This doesn't matter as I'm not generally interested in playing anything but humans anyway. This is a first level start, and we'll be leveling up fast (I generally suspect loot will be a sparse) though I wouldn't anticipate going much past 7th or 9th level really as the game is only running for the summer.

The stats were rolled and I have the following to work with: 18,11,15,14,11,14.

I'm primarily interested in playing a cleric (though I'm willing to consider other classes if they might better fit my specific goals below):

Goal 1-) Take anything boosts my ability to buff. Things like the Evangelist Cleric Archetype, the 3.5 Divine Power feat (the one that increases caster level) appeal to me.

Goal 2-) Archery. I've always like the idea of ranged combat and this probably as good a time as any to try it, as I'll probably not be joining any  other games as a player in the near future.

I'm particularly challenged on part 2, simply because it's a bit hard to get a grasp on where all the interactions between Pathfinder and the 3.5 material are. Clearly Zen Archery is superior to Guided Hand, which has a dead feat for an archery build. Pathfinder stuff like Deadly Aim is very nice here. However obviously things like the old Elf Domain are off the table here.

In general it can be assumed that Channel Energy uses can substitute for Turn Undead for Divine Feats, however sources of more uses are going to be limited. As such Divine Metamagic, particularly [Persist] is probably off the table.

My current musing is something along these lines:

Evangelist Cleric
Domain: Travel

STR: 14
DEX: 15
CON: 11
INT: 11
WIS: 20 (18+2)
CHA: 14

Flaw: Noncombatant
Flaw: Feeble

Feats:
Level 1: Point Blank Shot
Human: Precise Shot
Flaw Bonus: Rapid Shot
Flaw Bonus:
Level 3: Zen Archery
Level 5:  Deadly Aim
Level 7:
Level 9: Manyshot

I'm assuming I'll be able to get my hands on +2 DEX item to give me the bump to 17 to qualify for Manyshot by 9th Level. This lets me put my racial bonus and level up increases in WIS for those sweet, sweet bonus spells and DC increases.

My Concerns:
-Feat Crunch: I'm not even getting extend spell here. I don't like that. What here can be given up (if anything) and remain a component Archer, as that's kind of subjective here. Is the +2 to +3 afforded by Zen Archery in this level range worth giving up some other more support oriented feat?

NOTE: I may be able to get access to Flaws ( I give it a 50/50 shot with my GM). Which would really make this a non-issue, as I could cram rapid Shot and a support feat like extend spell in at 1st level. Which would free up the 7th level for another support feat.

The Divine Power Nerf worries me. It's always been something I've relied on as a Combat Cleric, I'm not sure how i'll weather the storm. (Are there any 3.5 replacements, so long as it hasn't been updated in Pathfinder I can use it)?.

Any points on how to improve, or sanity checks on something I've done totally wrong here are appreciated.

Noteworthy 3.5 Feats/Spells that might have interesting interactions under the pathfinder rules also interest me greatly.

EDIT: As a side note. I'd be willing to totally drop the whole archer thing if having both sets of material enable some crazy WTF combo from the support angle, that'll really let me juice my allies. Though I probably wouldn't be open to the whole Dragonfire Inspiration for the Orator ability though - it's just not appropriate for the game.

As a final note, I'm not sure it's relevant to either build angle but in the setting we're doing undead aren't considered evil and the whole necromancy thing is A-OK with polite society. ""

EDIT: Flaws OK.

[StreamOfTheSky]

You definitely want to be a cleric of Erastil to get that longbow proficiency, and his domains are nice.  You also may want to be a cloistered cleric (are 3E prestige classes available?  if so, you DEFINITELY want to be a cloistered cleric).  You'll want Knowledge Devotion for the boosts it grants.  If you can get flaws allowed, it is certainly to your benefit.  I would not take any PF cleric archetypes, they all take away more than they give.  If you did choose one, take the one that gives bonus feats ("Crusader"?) perhaps, since archers are feat starved.

I would switch either Int or Con with Cha; channel energy is pretty bleh, no reason to pump cha.  More hp or skill points is much more handy.

You don't need Extend Spell, as long as you're able to find/purchase meta rods of extend.  They're very inexpensive.

Divine Power wasn't "nerfed" unless you expect to spend most of your combats hasted.  The bonuses are very comparable and at high levels, superior.  And the extra attack at highest BAB is definitely at least as good as old DP's +1 to +5 bonus to BAB.

Not sure if any divine feats are worth your time.  I really like Divine Spell Power feat.  Only burns one turn undead / channel energy use per attempt, and gives a +1 to +4 (depending on your roll, it uses the TU effective level table rules) bonus on CL for a spell.   So Magic Vestment might give you a +4 enhancement instead of a +3 or something.  I assume that's the feat you meant in your "goal 1"?

One especially notable new PF feat is Divine Interference, which is available at level 11 feat slot or higher.  Buy a bunch of 1st level pearls of power and proceed to burn 1st level prepared spells to make an enemy w/in 30 ft reroll his attack roll (use it to undo crit threats, basically).  Also, unless it was nerfed, the Glorious Heat feat (it's on the d20pfsrd.com site) + Spark orison = unlimited out of combat healing.  Just buy a few candles.  Standard action light the candle w/ Spark, move action to blow it out, rinse and repeat.  One ally heals CL / 2 hit points per round that way.  Candle burns for 1 hour which...is a lot of rounds of use per candle.

[Blarmb]

You definitely want to be a cleric of Erastil to get that longbow proficiency, and his domains are nice.  You also may want to be a cloistered cleric (are 3E prestige classes available?  if so, you DEFINITELY want to be a cloistered cleric).  You'll want Knowledge Devotion for the boosts it grants.  If you can get flaws allowed, it is certainly to your benefit.  I would not take any PF cleric archetypes, they all take away more than they give.  If you did choose one, take the one that gives bonus feats ("Crusader"?) perhaps, since archers are feat starved.

Crusader is Interesting, though I feel like it basically boils down to trading 1 spell of each level for Weapon Focus and Weapon Specialization. I don't need to worry about the weapon proficiency here, the setting is using a nonstandard system of worship so I just get to assign my favored weapon.

Am I missing something on the Evangelist? It trades things I probably either wouldn't use much (Medium Armor) or not at all (Shields) for Bardic Performance which as Competence bonus, probably isn't going to clash with my of my spells. The domain really strikes me as the only loss here, cure spells & healing have always seemed pretty 'meh' to me (an ounce of prevention is worth a lb of cure, as they say).  Though some of the Domain powers are very nice in Pathfinder.

I'm a bit curious if anyone else has input on these two archetypes.

I would switch either Int or Con with Cha; channel energy is pretty bleh, no reason to pump cha.  More hp or skill points is much more handy

I agree. I was operating under the assumption I was going to be tanking a Divine Feat and Evangelist. Without these I'd probably take INT, as Cleric has a fair spread of nice skills I wouldn't want to ignore. Having 2 more per level would be a nice bonus.

You don't need Extend Spell, as long as you're able to find/purchase meta rods of extend.  They're very inexpensive.

Per my first post, I'm going in with the assumption that loot is going to be rather sparse. I may be without these for a while, even my assumption that I'll be able to get my hands on a +2 DEX item by 9th might be a bit of a risky bet.

Divine Power wasn't "nerfed" unless you expect to spend most of your combats hasted.  The bonuses are very comparable and at high levels, superior.  And the extra attack at highest BAB is definitely at least as good as old DP's +1 to +5 bonus to BAB.

A fair point. I do suspect we'll have haste however.

Not sure if any divine feats are worth your time.  I really like Divine Spell Power feat.  Only burns one turn undead / channel energy use per attempt, and gives a +1 to +4 (depending on your roll, it uses the TU effective level table rules) bonus on CL for a spell.   So Magic Vestment might give you a +4 enhancement instead of a +3 or something.  I assume that's the feat you meant in your "goal 1"?

You're correct and I like that feat. Things that Improve or Increase the duration of my Buffs is indeed what I meant by "Goal 1" divine spell power is a prime example of this.

One especially notable new PF feat is Divine Interference, which is available at level 11 feat slot or higher.  Buy a bunch of 1st level pearls of power and proceed to burn 1st level prepared spells to make an enemy w/in 30 ft reroll his attack roll (use it to undo crit threats, basically).  Also, unless it was nerfed, the Glorious Heat feat (it's on the d20pfsrd.com site) + Spark orison = unlimited out of combat healing.  Just buy a few candles.  Standard action light the candle w/ Spark, move action to blow it out, rinse and repeat.  One ally heals CL / 2 hit points per round that way.  Candle burns for 1 hour which...is a lot of rounds of use per candle.

Nice. If we get up to 11th it's defiantly a contender.

[trezac]

Per my first post, I'm going in with the assumption that loot is going to be rather sparse. I may be without these for a while, even my assumption that I'll be able to get my hands on a +2 DEX item by 9th might be a bit of a risky bet.


take the creation feat as soon as possible and make it yourself