Cleric Build

scroft391_ns3 · Post by **scroft391_ns3** » Wed Sep 14, 2005 11:25 am

One thing I miss now that the forums have been reset and all the history has been lost is the discussions about builds. In particular a cleric based build. I was wondering if anyone would be willing to share some advice on making a good cleric based build. I am not looking for detailed instructions, unless you are so inclined to do it, but instead I am looing for pointers and advice on how to make a good cleric build. Thanks

Dr_Fangorn_ns3 · Post by **Dr_Fangorn_ns3** » Wed Sep 14, 2005 1:31 pm

Lots of choice here...strength builds combined with bard/rdd are nice...as are dexy builds with a monk level or two to take advantage of wis AC bonus and tumble. Multiclassed clerics with some fighter/ranger are nice as well, gets you that 4th attack per round with enough melee class levels, and either fighter or ranger levels can get you enough extra feats for dual wielding, if that's your flavor as well. Another nice option is a zen archer cleric with wisdom boosted to the max.

I'm purposefully being quite general here, part of the fun is starting the build from scratch and doing it your way. I've got half a dozen clerics in my vault, and I could tell you my exact levelup pathway, but then it'd be my build, not your build...

Nefzen_ns3 · Post by **Nefzen_ns3** » Fri Sep 16, 2005 12:03 pm

Casting clerics are just as potent as any others. Throw in a lvl of monk and fighter and you can wear just about anything. Harm is potentially the most devastating spell in the game. Lack of mords/spell breach is annoying, but you can overcome it. Regardless of what was posted before, cleric is a viable class in NS.

-Nef

jwiwchar_ns3 · Post by **jwiwchar_ns3** » Fri Sep 16, 2005 2:23 pm

The lack of mords can be overcome - not that it's often an issue. There's a belt out there that lets you cast it. Of course, if you can't beat SR there's always the option of casting a couple buffs and throwing bullets at things.

Casting clerics are a lot of fun. Sure they don't have as many spells/day as a sorcerer - but with zen archery they can have a reasonable AB to fall back on.

Like Nefzen said, clerics are certainly viable.
(In fact, there's not much that isn't)

scroft391_ns3 · Post by **scroft391_ns3** » Fri Sep 16, 2005 4:34 pm

Thanks for all of the insite. Would you guy say a cleric is more effective as a caster who stays out of the frey like a wizard or as a melee character like a fighter? I would immagine a caster would be harder to level and play solo.

TJ_bear_ns3 · Post by **TJ_bear_ns3** » Fri Sep 16, 2005 11:03 pm

Caster or Melee for the cleric, you asked. Well that totally depends on your build and how you want to play it. You can go either way. A cleric is very versatile as NEF stated and depending on your spell selection and game play. I made four clerics in a row just to experiment with implosion as a caster build and one came out as a very good melee char that I changed in the middle of the build. Cleric by far is my most fun to level and play. For me just seeing what spells work and dont work was the most fun. My healer loves HOD, implosion was a blast except when the creatures run toward me and we both die miserably

). And to piggy back on what Dr_Fanghorn said go out and make one have fun and make it your own, then rebuild it from what you have learned. As far as being soloable you will not have a prob, and in party they can rock. Good luck and experiment.

TJ

Anonymous_ns3 · Post by **Anonymous_ns3** » Tue Oct 11, 2005 9:18 am

I had a level 40 zen-archer Cleric before the wipe and he only had base strength of 8, but when fully buffed didn't have trouble hitting anything with his kamas. If you put at least 35 levels of Cleric into your build then your melee buffs will be so good that you can take normal feats during the epic levels instead of great strength/dexterity. So don't think that you need to add Fighter or CoT levels just to get extra feats, you will have plenty already... you can leave your build with 3 atacks because the divine power spell will give them the maximum number of attacks when cast (and extended at level 35 this lasts for 7 minutes). And remember that for a caster Cleric you would want the Magic domain.

Some basic multiclass combos:

Cleric 28, Bard 2, RDD 10 - strength based
Cleric 35, Paladin 1, Blackguard 4 - strength and charisma based
Cleric 35, Rogue 3, Monk 2 - dexterity and wisdom based
Cleric 38, Monk 1, Paladin 1 - wisdom and charisma based

Forge_ns3 · Post by **Forge_ns3** » Tue Oct 11, 2005 9:48 am

Anonymous wrote:you can leave your build with 3 atacks because the divine power spell will give them the maximum number of attacks when cast

I've been wondering about this. Can anyone else verify that diving power changes your base AB and gives you the extra attack?

Nefzen_ns3 · Post by **Nefzen_ns3** » Tue Oct 11, 2005 5:37 pm

I did a 38 cleric / 1 monk / 1 fighter caster wisdom cleric. The one lvl of fighter works out to three extra feats if you are adding zen archery because of the added proficiencies. It was really easy to lvl, too.

As for the divine power, that's what it says it does, so you should have 4 attacks.

Nef

Post by **DM Fire_ns3** » Wed Oct 12, 2005 7:49 pm

Divine Power DOES give extra attacks equal to that of a fighter of same number of levels and does increase base ab.

Anonymous_ns3 · Post by **Anonymous_ns3** » Mon Nov 14, 2005 6:18 am

And the extra attack(s) are at your highest AB.

Anonymous_ns3 · Post by **Anonymous_ns3** » Thu Nov 17, 2005 3:10 am

... and just to add, the Cleric 35 Rogue 3 Monk 2 build I previously mentioned has 10 attacks per round (using dual kamas), 5 of which are at the highest AB (-2 due to Flurry of Blows) and 2 of them at the second highest AB (which is only -3)... If you're looking to play a Cleric for the first time I would recommend this build.. I just recently got it to level 40 on Midwest and it has all the versatility of a Cleric plus it dishes out more damage than anyone I have partied with so far, especially against crit-immune enemies. Plus with Trickery domain powers it has PP and Open Lock skills through the roof, as well as a non-dispellable improved invis for you and your fellow party members. And having such great melee abilities is important for a Cleric... means you can survive without resting. Also of note is the buffed AB of the Cleric 28 Bard 2 RDD 10 build, which was over 70 if I remember correctly (and closer to 80 when using War domain powers).

lougha_ns3 · Post by **lougha_ns3** » Fri Jan 20, 2006 5:02 pm

a question of clarification on Devine Power...

Does that count only for your Cleric levels? for example, if you have 12 levels of cleric (all pre epic) and 12 levels of Monk, your regular AB would be 17/12/7, but after the Divine Power buff, it would increase to 21/16/11/6?

thanks in advance for the help.

Cirdan [TC]
Mim [TC]
Angcrist the 3rd [TC]

Long Live MW!!!

DM Xero_ns3 · Post by **DM Xero_ns3** » Fri Jan 20, 2006 5:25 pm

Not sure how to figure out what ab bonus you get, but keep in mind that the extra attack is at your highest ab. So if you were getting +4 from divine power, it would be 21/21/16/11.

Anonymous_ns3 · Post by **Anonymous_ns3** » Wed Jan 25, 2006 7:25 am

It counts only for your Cleric levels, yes.

+1 AB for every 4 Cleric levels - I'm not sure if it was intentional but in ns3.5 you will get +8 AB for 37 or more levels of Cleric instead of the +4 AB you might expect.