Roleplaying a Cleric: Submit your build ideas!

Remove all ads!

In my estimation, the Cleric is arguably has the most versatility and potential in terms of role-playing a character. Thanks to all the deities available for selection (though they have no effect on gameplay whatsoever, that I know of) and the ability to select 2 domains (which are not only thematic, but grant feats and/or extra spells), there are SO many exciting builds that you can take advantage of. I think this was touched on somewhat in IWD2 and NWN1, but seems to work especially well in NWN2 (thanks to the deity selection).

While I was driving home the other day, I started thinking of some interesting builds one could come up with for Clerics. Here are a few:

Demarch of Mask (neutral to evil)
Travel & Trickery

Gain several abilities that benefit rogues, including great spells a rogue would enjoy using. Toss in a few levels of Rogue for good measure. The feats make you great in dialogue and quicker on your feet.

Stormlord of Talos (chaotic evil)
Air & Destruction

Gain Uncanny Dodge and Smite Infidel (crank your CHA for this) and start your fights by lighting off Chain Lightening or Acid Fog in their faces.

Paragon of Virtue (Good deity like Lathander)
Sun & Evil

An absolute turning specialist, this build is the epitome of good triumphing over evil. These domains allow you to turn both undead AND outsiders, more powerfully, which make up most of the OC's enemies. Plus you get Searing Light earlier, which is one of my favorite Cleric spells.

Fist of Clangeddin (Made for good dwarves)
Earth & War

This class begs for at least a few levels of Dwarven Defender or Warpriest (either is appropriate). Big on the hit points, an excellent tank, and some great battle spells, including Stoneskin. Adding levels of Frenzied Berserker seems way too powergamy here (and inappropriate for roleplay, IMO).

Dewormer of Mystra (good aligned)
Magic & Protection

This build almost makes you an armored wizard. Tons of available spells, many protective, and free Divine Protection once per day that benefits clerics with decent Charisma. Feel free to mix in Sorcerer levels to take further advantage of this.

-----

This is just a short list, off the top of my head. More to come. Start making a few of your own! Use these:

Deities list
Domains list

 

I find the 'Paragon of Virtue' build intriguing. In fact I have one saved to play when I feel like it. Very effective. Choose a human character and you'll get that neat bonus feat on first level and have combat casting and extra turning when you go and take on those bladelings and undead. Very handy character especially for the early parts of the NWN2.
A drow or aasimar character would benefit from the stat bonuses and would fully develop somewhat later in the game.

A healer does simply not make much sense as a main character to me. Maybe for someone interested in a roleplaying challenge.

Fist of Clangeddin sounds great, too. Haven't hought of that, but then, dwarven fighter-clerics or clerics are soooo stereotypical.... Stormlord of Talos, there you go. Wicked build, literally

I like this build, Explorer of Brandobaris:
A halfling ranger-cleric choosing the domains travel and knowledge. The char would be able to open locks and to identify, move fast, and have haste as well. Choose a strongheart halfling, pick two-weapon combat style and give him two kukris or daggers and a high parry skill.

Or make it a rogue-cleric - that would allow you to sacrifice INT for WIS. You don't need open lock skills when you have knock, so you can get along with less INT or focus your skillpoints elsewhere, or both. In case of the ranger that would be even more valid, considering that he gains the two weapon combat feats irrespective of his DEX. Add to that toughness and D8 dice. An unorthodox alternative to the sterotypic halfling rogue.

[ May 26, 2007, 10:43: Message edited by: Ragusa ]

 

i was thinking about making an archer cleric or tank cleric using a Aasimar (+2wis and +2cha). the tank would focus a bit on con and go 16cleric/4 warpriest. taking earth (for stoneskin) and protection. the high char will help with turning and smite infidel (i think)

the archer would take zen-archery and so on. focusing on long or short bows, then take Nature (for animal companion) the other im not sure on what would be.

 

In that case, I would go with an elven priest of Sahanine Moonbow. Your domains could be Protection and Water, or if you really want the animal companion, go Protection and Animal. If it must be an Aasimar, you could make him/her a Champion of Meilliki. But it seems to me the elven gods are more in tune with this kind of build and thus, an elf would be better for roleplay (despite the ability score losses).

 

agreed DR from a pure roleplaying look an elven archer/cleric would be most typical, but an Aasimar could be descendent from race of bow using angels or whatever it is Aasimars are decendens of.(my D&D lore is not on firm ground here )

that said an elven cleric with plant and animal domain could be a pseudo druid/ranger.

 

What about a Priest of the Black Sun:
Servant of Cyric. Chaotic Evil. Domains would be Trickery and Water. Would have decent hp and reasonably high BAB. Water domain would give the spells poison which I find fitting, and the trickery domain would give the whole affair the Cyrician style.

Later you could add Warpriest, Assassin or Blackguard levels to flesh out the character.

 

Has anyone tried making a cleric with the Harper Agent PrC? The skill requirements (as they are here) should not be a big problem, and it can work for clerics of quite a few deities - from Mystra to Shaundakul.

For an alternative ranger, putting some cleric and warpriest levels can also work. 2/8/10 or 6/4/10 is a way to do it... Has anyone else noted that ranger is quite convenient if you want a short dip into a 3/4 BAB class and 10 levels for a PrC, the way it gets those free feats?

 

I've always been thinking of playing a cleric of Akadi --- Air & Travel it would be pretty cool, with lots of alignment choice.

 

You guys need to participate more in this thread, or I'll cut you. CUT YOU!

Here's another few I thought of:

Blade of the East (need an eastern-themed deity), LG or LN
Air & Water

This build is meant to be a samurai in the truest sense. The air and water domains fit the description of a samurai's fighting style ("Clerics who take the Water domain flow like water to avoid danger," and "Clerics of the Air domain move with the subtlety of the breeze"), and the domain spells are some of the best offensively (namely Ice Storm and Chain Lightening). You could make a "Raiden" styled character and give him a farmer's hat if you wanted. Wielding either a staff or katana (no shield) fits this build perfectly. Warpriest levels seem like a must here.

Windrider of Shaudakul
Air & Travel

I played this build the last time I played PnP (ages ago), and it was great fun. This is not an overly offense-oriented build, just very well rounded and perfectly themed to the deity.

 

I'm currently playing a cleric who I plan to end up as Monk 1/Duelist 3/Cleric 16. Taking the healing and magic domains, he is primarily a caster cleric who wears robes and fights with a staff when necessary. In terms of gameplay, he will end up with level 8 spells, great diplomacy, tremendous defensive abilities and mobility in combat.

He is shaping up to be a pleasantly different flavour of cleric to the typical armour clad battle priests that seem to litter the forgotten realms. He is more of a wandering friar who will avoid combat where at all possible and whose combat abilities focus on self defence, leaving him free to support and heal his allies in combat. He doesnt do a tremendous amount of buffed-up melee damage, but his defensive abilities allow him to hold off enemies while his allies retreat and recover. While I have taken some liberties with the domain selection, this seems an appropriate way to roleplay a priest of Ilmater.

 

To pwn everyone and everything, just make it like a warrior, only making allowance for a proper Wisdom stat to cast spells. And then load up on melee buffs and you're going to have better bonuses than a fighter, not to mention all your healing.

 

Right, but that's not really "roleplaying" per se, which is the point of this thread. The point is to use the domains as part of your strategy for your character, especially when garnering it to specific kind of priest or deity, to make a statement about who your character is. Making a dominant melee character is easy enough.

 

Cleric/Warpriest, Tempus, War, Strength... pretty much in-character. Don't forget Practiced Spellcaster for the few DCs you lose.

Obviously, you can always do some kind of Cleric/Harper, Mystra, Knowledge, Magic and focus on the casting. Not like you can't do Cleric/Ranger/HA, Mielikki, Plants, Whatever Else Fits.

You could probably transplant my idea of a total-Evocation, Penetration etc Lathanderian from IWD2. Unfortunately, no Spirit of Flame kind of feat.

What else? Don't know... some Cleric of Waukeen with Skill Focus Appraise and some funny domains?

Not that some clerics, going caster route, will have tons of Wisdom. You could always take a monk level or three for to dispense with armour.

 

Stormlord of Talos
Air and Destruction

 

Silverstar of Selune
Travel and Protection.

It's all I'll ever play

 

Umberlant Priestess (Cleric of Umberlee)

Domains: Water, Evil, Destruction

Alignments: CN, NE, CE

Faiths & Pantheons says that Umberlant Priests often multiclass into Druids, Fighters, and Rogues (along wih other Prestige Classes that are not included with Neverwinter Nights 2)