Cleric Build for an undead campaign?

[Armaros]

Hello there, I am new on the boards by registration, but I read them from time to time for tips or fun. I find myself in need of advice for the new campaign that my group will begin soon.

We're quite a large group, 8 people in fact, but the dm is able to keep us from stomping everything in our path without creating monsters that could one-hit us.

Our new campaign is going to be centered in an Egyptian-style theme, and he already told us that undead foes will be the most common thing we'll find ourselves against.

Against common practice for my group, this time it seems we'll have an overabundance of clerics, three from an eight people party, and another guy as a mystic theurge on top of that.

I have to admit this is the first time I try to be a divine spellcaster, and as such I find myself a little stumped.

Now, some details:

• Manuals are chosen on a case-to-case for the most part, with the Complete series and Draconomicon all-in by default, and only Exated Deeds and Vile Darkness banned for sure. Dragonlance is in, Frostburn is maybe (they were not published in Italy).
• Friendly stat-rolling, getting a couple of 18s won't be a problem.
• No Polymorph-family spell allowed. No Nightsticks.

I read some of the handbooks out there, and I had started making a build of some sort, but it's still incomplete, and it's been done by someone as myself, who never really tried to create a powerful build. This was my idea as of now, major points included:

Human Cleric 4/Divine Oracle 2/Radiant Servant of Pelor 10

• Cleric 1     --        --       -- Feats: Dynamic Priest (Spells to Cha), Divine Charisma (DC to Cha), Extend Spell (From Domain); Domains: Sun, Planning
• Cleric 2
• Cleric 3     --        --      -- Feats: Focus (Knowledge (Religion))
• Cleric 4
• Cleric 4/DO 1       --      -- Domain: Oracle
• Cleric 4/DO 1/RSoP 1   -- Feat: Extra Turning;
• Cleric 4/DO 1/RSoP 2   -- Empower Healing (Healing spells get free Enpower Spell metamagic on it)
• Cleric 4/DO 2/RSoP 2   -- Prescient Sense (if you get a successful Reflex save that would halve, you take no damage instead)
• Cleric 4/DO 2/RSoP 3   -- Feat: Persistent Spell; Aura of Warding (+2 morale to Will STs for me and allies in 10ft radius)
• Cleric 4/DO 2/RSoP 4
• Cleric 4/DO 2/RSoP 5   -- Bonus Domain: Glory
• Cleric 4/DO 2/RSoP 6   -- Feat: Divine Metamagic (Persistent Spell); Maximize Healing (Healing spells get free Maximize Spell metamagic on it)
• Cleric 4/DO 2/RSoP 7
• Cleric 4/DO 2/RSoP 8   -- Positive Energy Burst (1d6/CL damage to undead in 100ft from caster)
• Cleric 4/DO 2/RSoP 9
• Cleric 4/DO 2/RSoP 10 -- Supreme Healing (Healing spells get free Enpower and Maximize Spell metamagic on it

Dynamic Priest and Divine Charisma to get all the casting on Charisma; the Divine Oracle is to get the Servant of Pelor a level before usual and the Prescient Sense stuff. The Glory Domain helps with Turning Undead. Also, usual Metamagical Persistent Spell Cheese.

The problems I have is both having never done a Cleric, and as such being not sure of what role I want to be in the party, and how to continue/improve the build. As such, I would appreciate your opinions on it and suggestions. Thanks.

[Halinn]

How are you qualifying for divine oracle that early? You don't get 8 ranks in knowledge (religion) until level 5. If you want some early access prestige classing, consider instead the Church Inquisitor for three levels.

[Janthkin]

Radiant Servant is a good choice, though you could completely skip other prestige classes without hurting yourself.

You'll want the "Spontaneous Domain Casting" ACF from PHB2 & you must have the Healing domain for the "Empower/Maximize/Supreme Healing" abilities to do you any good - they don't apply to EVERY Cure spell you cast, but rather to casting "a domain spell from the Healing domain."  Casting a domain spell is not the same as casting a spell that appears on a domain list - it actually is referring to casting out of your domain slot (usually 1/level/day).  Spontaneous Domain lets you spontaneously cast domain spells, e.g., from the Healing domain.

Once you have the Radiant Servant's Extra Greater Turning, destroying the undead is a matter of preparation.  You'll want a Rod of Defiance (MIC p. 56), probably a Reliquary Holy Symbol (MIC p. 120), a Circlet of Persuasion (DMG p. 252), and likely a Cloak of Charisma (DMG).  If you know you'll be facing undead, check out the "Light of ___________" line of spells from the SPC: they are specifically designed to boost your ability to crush the undead. 

DMM Persist if you can; I actually got great mileage out of DMM Quicken with my last RSoP, as it let him do things like a Quickened Divine Power before hitting things. 

[Jackinthegreen]

Make sure to check with your DM on whether spontaneously casting from the Healing domain will still give you the benefit of empower/maximize.  Some people will enforce that the domain spell must be used from a domain slot to count as a domain spell, which means you'll have issues doing the spontaneous domain approach.

[Maat Mons]

If you can use Expedition to Castle Ravenloft, destroy undead is an option.  It's an alternative class feature that replaces turn undead.  It deals 1d6 damage per cleric level to all undead within 30 feet (will save for half damage).  It can't outright destroy an undead, but it still does something to an undead you would have failed to turn. 

The mastery of day and night feat (Player's Guide to Eberron, p125) maximizes all cure and inflict spells you cast for free. 

[JohnnyMayHymn]

1. Cleric 20 go nuts
2. Be sure to be on the 'Rebuking' side of the alignment matrix
3. ???
4. Profit!

[Armaros]

Ok, replying to a few of the comments:

• @Halinn: About the Divine Oracle, it seems I made a mistake on that; I do qualify for that at level 6, not 5. As such, the build would go straight to RSoP at level 7.
• @Janthkin: The wording of the "Empower/Maximize/Supreme Healing" abilities is different in the Italian version, and as such they play in my favour: Translated, it goes "When a RSoP of at least X level cast a spell from the Healing domain (...)", and it doesn't say it has to be a domain spell of that domain; as such, I can cast them without the Healing Domain and the ACF that Janthkin suggested. I am sure that the Master agrees with me, since the italian version is the only one they know and we already had a RSoP in game with him. Thanks for all the items you linked me, though.
• @Maat Mons: Dunno about those two, I'll have to ask, but if you read my comment to Janthkin you'll see that the Day and Night feat is useless to me, still thanks for the tip.

As per the suggestions, the build right now looks like this:

• Cleric 1     --        -- Feats: Dynamic Priest (Spells to Cha), Divine Charisma (DC to Cha), Extend Spell (From Domain); Domains: Sun, Planning
• Cleric 2
• Cleric 3     --        -- Feat: Extra Turning
• Cleric 4
• Cleric 5
• Cleric 6     --        -- Feats: Persistent Spell
• Cleric 6/RSoP 1
• Cleric 4/RSoP 2
• Cleric 4/RSoP 3   -- Feat: Divine Metamagic (Persistent Spell)
• Cleric 4/RSoP 4
• Cleric 4/RSoP 5   -- Bonus Domain: Glory
• Cleric 4/RSoP 6   -- Feat: ??? (Extra Turning maybe?)
• Cleric 4/RSoP 7
• Cleric 4/RSoP 8
• Cleric 4/RSoP 9   -- Feat: ??? (Extra Turning maybe?)
• Cleric 4/RSoP 10

I still miss a choice of what class to be the last 4 levels, and the feats that should go for level 12, 15 and 18; Extra Turning is always a good choice since DMM Persisting is ok. Any suggestions?

[Halinn]

Pure cleric levels aren't that good., so I suggest levels 4-6 be Church Inquisitor, if you can manage the flavor requirement. An extra domain, detect evil at-will and the immunity to charm are all good abilities, and automatically getting to save against illusions is nice to have. After RSoP, you can also continue it for more nice immunities (though some other prestige might be better at that point. It's an option)
Per Complete Champion, the inquisition domain can trade for Knowledge Devotion, if you don't care for the +4 bonus to dispel checks.

[Armaros]

The problem with the Inquisitor is, one of the requirements is being Lawful Good/Neutral, and the RSoP requires Neutral Good. I don't think the DM is going to give me the chance to ignore the different alignments.

[Bananaphone]

Complete Champion has a whole series of swift action cleric spells that boost your Turn Undead.  One of them raises your effective cleric level and another adds to your turning damage roll.

1 level of Paragnostic Apostle would be good.  Easy to qualify for, no lost caster levels, level stacks with Cleric for turning, and if you take the "Seeing through the veil" ability you get +2 to your effective turning level.

[Janthkin]

• @Janthkin: The wording of the "Empower/Maximize/Supreme Healing" abilities is different in the Italian version, and as such they play in my favour: Translated, it goes "When a RSoP of at least X level cast a spell from the Healing domain (...)", and it doesn't say it has to be a domain spell of that domain; as such, I can cast them without the Healing Domain and the ACF that Janthkin suggested. I am sure that the Master agrees with me, since the italian version is the only one they know and we already had a RSoP in game with him. Thanks for all the items you linked me, though.

That's a significant (and beneficial!) difference; enjoy it!

The alignment differences on Inquisitor & RSoP are unfortunate, as they can fit thematically very easily - the RSoP slots very easily into the "church troubleshooter" role.  A re-imagined Ordained Champion would be fun (if you can get your DM to let you swap the religious affiliation - the alignment already matches up fine).  Sacred Exorcist is an obvious thematic choice, if Undead are still an issue by the time you hit level 17.  Heck, just finishing off with more Cleric doesn't exactly suck.

Bananaphone is right - the "Light of __________" spell series is from Complete Champion, not the SpC; sorry.

[Armaros]

The Paragnostic Apostle is nice, but the 1-level dip for "Seeing Throught the Veil" is not that good; my idea now is going Cleric6, RSoP until 6 so that I gain the Maximized heals, then take a Contemplative level for Divine Health (Immune to all diseases including magical ones) and a bonus Domain, then finishing the RSoP at level 17.

About that Bonus Domain, I can take it from any domain since this campaign has a monoteistic setting. I was looking for some good Domains, ranging from Travel for the Freedom of Movement ability and nice spells, to Earth for the spells (I mean, Iron Body Persisted? Whoa). Any other Domains I should be aware of / Domains you warmly recommend?

[Agnostic Paladin]

[deleted cause I'm wrong]

[Janthkin]

The Paragnostic Apostle is nice, but the 1-level dip for "Seeing Throught the Veil" is not that good; my idea now is going Cleric6, RSoP until 6 so that I gain the Maximized heals, then take a Contemplative level for Divine Health (Immune to all diseases including magical ones) and a bonus Domain, then finishing the RSoP at level 17.

The RSoP picks up Divine Health at level 2.  Contemplative is still nice for the Domain, but you don't need it for antibiotics. 

Travel is nice.  The Spell domain is possibly one of the best, as it unlocks (Greater) Anyspell, which in turn gives you access to most spells in the game that being a Cleric didn't already get you, Level 5 & below.

[Havik_Stormcrow]

Go with a LN human Mnk1/CloClr2/MoS X
you can rebuke w/o being evil, with the domains planning and undeath you can have extend and extra turning. 

1-Monk (stunning fist), SF:conjuration(1st lvl), Energy sub:Cold(human)
2-3 Cloistered Cleric (Augment summoning)
4-6 MAster of Shrouds (Lord of the Utter Cold)
7-9 MoS (get the feat that allows you to cast negative energy with your spells that way u can cast AoE sprells with the negative and cold descriptor so u can heal ur skeletons.

[CaptRory]

Ok, so I was looking through this thread and got to thinking. I know, never a good sign.


Reach Spell and Chain Spell. And maybe Zen Archery so you can use your Wisdom bonus to shoot zombies with healing rays. 

I'm not sure it all comes together. My thought was, if you ray'd one undead target for damage, you could chain it through any other undead guys around him, and cut your own party into the circuit and heal them at the same time. Unless there's some errata somewhere it only specifies that damage is cut in half on secondary targets and that for spells that don't do damage, the saving throws are easier to make.

So if you zap Undead Boss A, chained it through his minions for half damage, then healed your party in combat with them at the time for the full value... Its a +5 spell level modifier but when I was poking around someone mentioned a reach metamagic rod.


Anyway, sorry to interrupt. Its rather late and I couldn't get the idea of a cleric making gun fingers and zapping mummies out of my head

[wotmaniac]

I'll go ahead and drop THIS off -- did it a few years ago for the hell of it.
It is sans magic items, so there's plenty of room to play around on that front.

/2cp