Author Topic: [Pathfinder Cleric] Optimize it!  (Read 15657 times)

Offline NoobHealPants

  • Lurker
  • *
  • Posts: 2
  • I'm new!
    • View Profile
[Pathfinder Cleric] Optimize it!
« on: December 06, 2012, 07:19:57 PM »
So, like most other folks, I'm looking to break the world. :)

Here are the constraints (play within these all you like):
  • 20-point point buy.
  • No Gnomes (all other standard races are fine, no LA races)
  • Cleric (But no restrictions on deity/pantheon/domains; You want Law/Chaos? Cool; we'll gin up a god for that)
  • Core Rulebooks.
  • No traits, but Archtypes are in.
  • Start at L1...go to 6, feats per-level beyond that (but no capstone stuff from E6).

What I can get away with sparingly, but not to be wildly abused (may provoke DM fiat):
  • Traits (with Additional Traits Feat)
  • Bending starting gold a bit upward.
  • Anything (UM, etc.) from Paizo. He has them all. :)
  • (Very selectively, maybe 1 per character) Stealing feats/tweaking feats/PrCs from WotC 3.5 Books (Practiced Spellcaster would probably be allowed)
  • (Very selectively, maybe 1 per character) Nerf/tweak feats to fit in P6 (Leadership is now allowed at L6).

What I am looking for:

  • A character that is fun, and moderately overpowered. For context, we have a level 2 Alchemist running a brothel/gambling house/scamming the city and slinging 2d6 of burnination per round; Pun-pun is not OK, but CoD-zilla builds are perfect.
  • A character that scales decently well - magically becoming God at L6 (+1 feat) is less good than being consistently awesome L1-6, because this will be a looong campaign.
  • For reference, the DM is throwing all kinds of grab-bag goodies at us - we've seen homebrew critters, plagues, goblinoids, and all. No evil humans yet.....but I'd expect it. Outsiders, too. Combat-biased; not many (1 so far, in several sessions) silver-tongued moments. Gold and magic are low.
  • We have a fairly diverse (Good/Neutral aligned) group; a Paladin, a Fighter, a Druid, two Wizards (Transmutation and Evoker), an Alchemist, a (really bad at it) Rogue, and a Ranger.....but all of these aren't super optimized (Alchemist aside), and no full-Divine caster or battlefield control.

Any and all help appreciated. Thanks! :)

Offline StreamOfTheSky

  • DnD Handbook Writer
  • ****
  • Posts: 1219
    • View Profile
Re: [Pathfinder Cleric] Optimize it!
« Reply #1 on: December 08, 2012, 10:12:08 PM »
I would make the Cleric a Samsaran.  With Advanced Race Guide's mystic past life variant racial feature, you get 1 + [casting modifier] spells on your class list from any other list of the same type (arcane/divine).  And it has +2 wis, so you'll be getting 6 spells.

I suggest plundering from the Inquisitor, with some raiding of Paladin and Ranger lists, maybe.

Don't take an archetype, they're all weaker than base cleric.  DO take good subdomains, there's some really stellar ones out there, although some basic domains (like Travel) are good in their own right.

You need to carefully choose your deity, weighing the free weapon proficiency against available domains, based on if you see yourself more as a caster or a warrior.

Offline Daedrin

  • Lurker
  • *
  • Posts: 6
    • View Profile
Re: [Pathfinder Cleric] Optimize it!
« Reply #2 on: December 11, 2012, 11:28:19 PM »
I have played many a cleric and I find some standard feats that just make life easier: (Selective Channeling) its overlooked about channeling that its everyone in the burst and if you do not have the feat that its only the cleric who can choose if they are targeted or not. Based on alignment and character background if neutral you can try Versatile Channeler the ability to inflict as well as cure when needed is good for control. If you are going to be up close and personal Combat Casting
The sword hums as it goes by