Question about migrating a character from 2nd edition to 3.5

[Mystwalker]

We are currently transitioning from 2nd edition campaign into 3.5 edition. I have been playing a Holy Champion of Torm (F.R. Faiths and avatars). I am trying to figure out the best pathway for this cleric, as far as cross-classing/ prestige classes. We are transitioning to Faerun pantheon (as in PH). I want to keep him as a melee type cleric, not turn into a healbot, but I do want to maintain strong casting ability. I intend for him to be something of a mystery solver/lore master type background, searching for items of legend, so to speak.
Any suggestions?

[Keldar]

Just being a cleric will largely accomplish what you want.  AfterCrescent's Cleric Handbook will give you plenty of good information.  Mostly, just keep your strength good, cast buffs and whack things with your morningstar or whatnot.  Healing is for after the fight, and for cheap wands.  Only Heal its mass version get used in a fight by sane clerics.

I'll dig up Torm specific material for you.
(Forgotten Realms Campaign Setting [FRCS], 253) and (Faiths and Pantheons [F&P], pg 74) Torm :  Favored Weapon: Greatsword, Domains: Good, Healing, Law, Protection, Strength  No great domains, but law and protection can be traded for good devotion feats, see Complete Champion.
(Champions of Valor, pg 31) Initiate of Torm, not so impressive.  Triadic Knight, pg 133, seems a bit like Holy Champion of Torm, last level isn't worth the casting loss.

Cloistered Cleric (Unearthed Arcana, 50) can really help with the lore master angle, buuut it really hurts the cleric melee.  Unless you PrC out quickly, or use a racial class (also UA) after level 2.

Simplest build would be Cleric 7into Triadic Knight with Endurance, Initiate of Torm and Power Attack or Weapon Proficiency (Greatsword).
More complex, Cloistered Cleric 4/ Church Inquisitor 4(Complete Divine, 26)/ Triadic Knight  If human taking Able Learner to continue with investigative skills.

Really nothing else to add right now.

[Mystwalker]

Thanks for the input.  I looked at what you suggested, but they didn't really fit the campaign well, and the DM isn't allowing a whole lot of deviation from  3.5 core books. I ended up going with cleric 10/warpriest 10/church inquisitor 3. Seems to fit the direction of the character better. I'll put stats and feats up later to see what you think, and let you know how it plays.

[stanprollyright]

Why Warpriest? 5/10 spellcasting is no good.  Also, 10 levels of Cleric don't get you anything, so you'll want to get into Church Inquisitor ASAP.

[Mystwalker]

I went with warpriest because I felt it fit better with the campaign. I see him as more of a martial type character based on what I have read of Torm and his followers. Also, I am trying to focus a bit more on the melee side, just wanted to maintain a useful spellcasting ability. In our campaign, he is actually going to become a commander of sorts in the city's High Guard. We are fighting against the incursion of a Demon Lord, and those classes seemed to fit well.

We ran our first session in 3.5 with the transitioned characters last night, and the mixture actually played quite well. The domains granted by WP and CI are actually pretty useful.

Here's his stats and feats
st 13
dex 10
con 15
int 12
wis 19
cha 9

feats - imp init, combat casting, eschew mats, extra turning, Imp Crit (greatsword), ext spell, persist spell, divine meta, weapon focus(greatsword), and of course, the class feats from each class.

Using a +2 Keen Greatsword of Defending, and Mithril Fullplate of Speed are only Magic items worn at this time.

Domains are Good, Strength, Glory and Inquisition.

[stanprollyright]

Imp Crit and Keen don't stack

[Mystwalker]

Never saw anything in the books saying they didn't, but won't dispute it. Maybe a homebrew rule? DM allows it to stack, so I'm not gonna argue against it. Other than that, What do you think of the build?

[kitep]

Improved Critical, PHB-95

This effect doesn’t stack with any other effect that expands the
threat range of a weapon (such as the keen edge spell).

Keen, DMG-225

This benefit
doesn’t stack with any other effect that expands the threat
range of a weapon (such as the keen edge spell or the Improved
Critical feat).

I think they did stack in 3.0, but they changed it in 3.5