Entry for UrPriest/ Runecaster

[Gazzien]

I have a build planned out (No, it's not optimized - I'll describe it in a minute) that enters first into Ur-Priest, then into Runecaster. I'm simply unsure as to what to use for the entry - a Cleric doesn't work well, because of UrPriest's flavor (I don't think I could convince a DM to let me worship one god, but steal divine power... Unless one of you has a rational argument?), which would make me lose EVERYTHING from cleric because ex-clerics are just... terrible... Druid wouldn't work well for me either (I'm not a fan of druids, personally) - though they may work for the build.

The build focuses around having Runecaster around to make some permanent runes for on-the-cheap fun things (I don't believe I'll be able to exploit it with the current DM), having the UrPriest for entry into Runecaster (3 levels in UrPriest, then 8 in Runecaster? 11 levels for full-on spellcasting? And with a measly level 16 as well? Perfect.) For damage/ encounters, I found out that (with two flaws), I can get all the prerequisites for Runecaster and UrPriest, then also Transdimensional Spell, Energy Substitution (Cold + Electricity), Energy Admixture (Cold + Electricity), Lord of the Uttercold, and Born of Three Thunders.

I'm open to suggestions for changing the metamagic - but I don't quite understand how Divine Metamagic works (Do you need the metamagic feat first? Or just Divine Metamagic, and then pick one you might not even know?), and I really like the idea of being able to make cold/negative energy/ sonic/ electricity spells (Not sure if I can combine both of them, though...) and also powerful runes.

Basically I'm looking for a base class to enter as, and then metamagic suggestions if you all have any (and being the CO boards, I'm sure you guys have plenty).

(Question: take any given spell, give it Energy Substitution (Cold) and energy Admixture (Electricity). Then give it Lord of the Uttercold, then Born of Three Thunders. Does that make it 1/4 Cold, 1/4 NE, 1/4 Sonic, 1/4 Electricity?)

[BearsAreBrown]

1. Cleric list is pretty lacking on blasty spells. Not a deal breaker but keep that in mind.
2. You need Empower Spell and DMM(Empower) in order to blow turns on metamagic.
3. Ur Priest is actually kind of hard to enter at level 5. But you can really just fill them with anything, what do you want?

[Jackinthegreen]

DMM specifically requires you know the metamagic, then use DMM and apply it to that metamagic.  So for Empower it'd be two feats: Empower Spell and DMM(Empower).  Another example is Persist:  It's 3 since Persist requires Extend first, thus it's Extend, Persist, and then DMM(Persist).  And yes, you can take DMM more than once since it can apply to a different metamagic.

Have you read The Cleric Handbook?  If not, I recommend doing so since it has good general tips though specific spell recommendations seem to be lacking.  You may not get a whole lot of blasting from a cleric base and the handbook doesn't go into that area much, but it's possible with the right spell selection.  Most here wouldn't recommend blasting however because it tends to be sub-par for dealing with many encounters.

Going cleric first might actually work since you could start off as a believer then have a change of heart that means you essentially give the deities the middle finger.  Since you're obviously more interested in actually getting features for those levels cleric is definitely out.  I was originally thinking Hexblade might work with the designer's fix that gave it a good Fort save (and other things) but it won't provide the skills you need.

[Gazzien]

Thanks, you guys. I might end up splitting this into two builds; a warmage (or Wizard) with all the metamagic, and an Artificer/ Urpriest/ Runecaster for the rune-based fun. That'd lower the feat problem, too.