The 3.5 Cleric Handbook

[snakeman830]

My bad, I meant Complete Arcane.  Fixed it.

[phil500]

hi,

im new to 3.5 and im joining a group as a level 3 cleric.  i played a lot of ddo, but there it was different since buffing rarely came at the expense of swinging.  i feel like in 3.5 you have to spend a few rounds casting buffs, so i'd rather not b/c by the time im done i would need to be healing.

how can i build a tough pure cleric?  I think i want dorf, b/c i prefer the iconic races. I want someone who can melee safely while throwing out heals, but then later on in levels has enough wisdom that he can start casting aoe and instant kills spells.

what is divine metamagic?  i looked for it in the d20 srd and couldnt find it.

whats a good starting stat distribution?  thanks.

[stenver]

Im sorry, but can anyone tell me what book is SC and where can i get a complete book key list?

[McPoyo]

Im sorry, but can anyone tell me what book is SC and where can i get a complete book key list?

Spell Compendium.

[PhaedrusXY]

Im sorry, but can anyone tell me what book is SC and where can i get a complete book key list?

SC= Spell Compendium. As for a key... I think WotC has a list on their website, actually. I don't have a link to it, though...

[Strego]

I'm not sure if it is still listed on there site, but here is a link to download the 3.5 FAQ which has them. http://www.wizards.com/dnd/files/Main35FAQv06302008.zip

[stenver]

Thank you. On a side note. Any way to get pounce to a cleric?

[snakeman830]

Thank you. On a side note. Any way to get pounce to a cleric?

Miracle to use Lion's Charge is the easiest way.  Animal or Transformation domains have Shapechange, and Transformation has Polymorph.

[Sinfire Titan]

Thank you. On a side note. Any way to get pounce to a cleric?

Miracle to use Lion's Charge is the easiest way.  Animal or Transformation domains have Shapechange, and Transformation has Polymorph.

Or just use Travel Devotion.

[ninjarabbit]

Thank you. On a side note. Any way to get pounce to a cleric?

Miracle to use Lion's Charge is the easiest way.  Animal or Transformation domains have Shapechange, and Transformation has Polymorph.

Or just use Travel Devotion.

Or a level of lion totem barbarian. If fact my first ever 3rd edition character was a half-orc barbarian1/clericx and it worked out since most of his spells were long term buffs so the raging was not much of an issue.

[stenver]

THank you, but Lion totem barbarian. What book is it from?

[McPoyo]

Unearthed Arcana, iirc. Variant Classes section, in chapter one.

[Havok4]

Unearthed Arcana, iirc. Variant Classes section, in chapter one.

No, complete champion, there are different varients in UA but lion totem for pounce is in CC.

[Optimator]

Right, there's two Lion Totems IIRC.

[Havok4]

Correct, but the first level of the UA version only grants the Run feat.

[McPoyo]

Good point. Posting when tired ftl

[StrangeLight]

you can also get pounce with the feral template from savage species (p. 116). it's a +1 level adjustment, but in my opinion it's well worth it. you get +2 wisdom, +4 strength, and +2 constitution (and -2 dexterity and -4 intelligence). you get +6 natural armor, fast healing, darkvision, +10 ft to your land speed, 2 claw attacks at 1d8, and improved grab, pounce, rake, and rend. with all that goodness, it's hard to resist, unless you were planning on being the skillmonkey or stealth character.

i love that template. i think savage species is still 3.0, though, so you'd have to get your DM to allow it in a 3.5 game.




i've got a question: for a level 10-12 party, what's the ideal AC? what spells are best for increasing AC?

my party has a feral wild elf cleric (me!), a half-elf druid, a human rogue, and a dwarf fighter. with gear plus one AC-buffing spell persisted, the cleric has 33 AC, the fighter 32 AC, the rogue has 27 AC, and the druid has 23 or 24 AC (he plays like a ranged character except when he's in wildshape). we're at the point where we're facing creatures that easily hit ACs over 40 and do around 30 hp of damage with each hit. my cleric and the fighter are the only ones that take more than 3 hits and stay in the battle. i know, i know, kill them before they kill you, but if the baddies win initiative and get a full attack in, that can come dangerously close to killing half our party. most of the creatures we're facing also have huge saving throws, so things like plane shift and dismissal aren't always gonna cut it.

everyone's already got a ring of protection (deflection bonus) and i persist the recitation spell on the party (+3 to attacks, saves, and AC, luck bonus). i don't really want to prepare magic vestment 6 times (4 sets of armor, 2 shields) but i guess i have to. what else can i do?

[McPoyo]

you can also get pounce with the feral template from savage species (p. 116). it's a +1 level adjustment, but in my opinion it's well worth it. you get +2 wisdom, +4 strength, and +2 constitution (and -2 dexterity and -4 intelligence). you get +6 natural armor, fast healing, darkvision, +10 ft to your land speed, 2 claw attacks at 1d8, and improved grab, pounce, rake, and rend. with all that goodness, it's hard to resist, unless you were planning on being the skillmonkey or stealth character.

i love that template. i think savage species is still 3.0, though, so you'd have to get your DM to allow it in a 3.5 game.




i've got a question: for a level 10-12 party, what's the ideal AC? what spells are best for increasing AC?

my party has a feral wild elf cleric (me!), a half-elf druid, a human rogue, and a dwarf fighter. with gear plus one AC-buffing spell persisted, the cleric has 33 AC, the fighter 32 AC, the rogue has 27 AC, and the druid has 23 or 24 AC (he plays like a ranged character except when he's in wildshape). we're at the point where we're facing creatures that easily hit ACs over 40 and do around 30 hp of damage with each hit. my cleric and the fighter are the only ones that take more than 3 hits and stay in the battle. i know, i know, kill them before they kill you, but if the baddies win initiative and get a full attack in, that can come dangerously close to killing half our party. most of the creatures we're facing also have huge saving throws, so things like plane shift and dismissal aren't always gonna cut it.

everyone's already got a ring of protection (deflection bonus) and i persist the recitation spell on the party (+3 to attacks, saves, and AC, luck bonus). i don't really want to prepare magic vestment 6 times (4 sets of armor, 2 shields) but i guess i have to. what else can i do?

Prepare it once, and cast it with Chain spell.

[StrangeLight]

i've got a question: for a level 10-12 party, what's the ideal AC? what spells are best for increasing AC?

my party has a feral wild elf cleric (me!), a half-elf druid, a human rogue, and a dwarf fighter. with gear plus one AC-buffing spell persisted, the cleric has 33 AC, the fighter 32 AC, the rogue has 27 AC, and the druid has 23 or 24 AC (he plays like a ranged character except when he's in wildshape). we're at the point where we're facing creatures that easily hit ACs over 40 and do around 30 hp of damage with each hit. my cleric and the fighter are the only ones that take more than 3 hits and stay in the battle. i know, i know, kill them before they kill you, but if the baddies win initiative and get a full attack in, that can come dangerously close to killing half our party. most of the creatures we're facing also have huge saving throws, so things like plane shift and dismissal aren't always gonna cut it.

everyone's already got a ring of protection (deflection bonus) and i persist the recitation spell on the party (+3 to attacks, saves, and AC, luck bonus). i don't really want to prepare magic vestment 6 times (4 sets of armor, 2 shields) but i guess i have to. what else can i do?

Prepare it once, and cast it with Chain spell.

chain spell only works with spells that have a range greater than touch, so it won't work with magic vestment. thanks, though.

[Solo]

Sounds like you need eyebeams.