Cleric Build Questions

[Zealot_ns3]

I have looked at tons of cleric builds, but none seem to fit what I am looking for.

Trying to figure out what is needed and what is optional. Like Maximize spell vs. Empower does a cleric need both or is one of the other better. Combat casting needed? Improved Combat casting? Epic spell all dazzle? Some stats I was playing around with

Gnome Str 6 dex 8 con 10 wis 18 int 12 cha 16

Human str 8 dex 10 con 10 wis 18 int 12 cha 14

Was looking at the cleric 38/1pal/1monk

Trying to figure out a good way of getting a casting Cleric that can do decent range with high casting ability...

Domains: Evil and Destruction <can>

Both builds end with 38 wisdom

Any imput or build ideals would be welcomed...

"Even a wiseman seeks wisdom."
~Zealot~

_________________
"Victory has nothing to do with winning."
~Zealot~

[Dr_Fangorn_ns3]

If you scroll down this forum about a quarter/third of the way down, you'll find this thread:

http://www.nsrealm.com/public/ns3/viewtopic.php?t=8196

Which has some good tips about Cleric builds.

[Zealot_ns3]

If you scroll down this forum about a quarter/third of the way down, you'll find this thread:

http://www.nsrealm.com/public/ns3/viewtopic.php?t=8196

Which has some good tips about Cleric builds.

That thread had helpful information, but failed to answer some of my questions.

"When knowledge is not forth coming, one must search for it themself."
~Zealot~

[DrakhanValane_ns3]

Meh. Just experiment. How do you think others know what they do?

"When a shotgun is not within reach, a strangling must suffice."
~DV~

[Acara_ns3]

seriously.. why monk? you're probably going to use heavy armor and shield anyway, take rogue or bard instead if you want the tumble and skip paladin.. you'll get high saves if you're using high-end equipment anyway, so go with cleric/rogue, 39/1, instead if you're going to use shield and armor. for casting clerics i'd say you should take magic and trickery domain instead of those you picked. trickery for improved invis and magic for negative energy burst and ice storm. you should take maximized and extended spell.. no spells worth to empower for clerics. you must have epic spell penetration if you're a caster (spell penetration and greater spell penetration at pre-epic levels). i'm not that fond of epic spells.. but hellball is nice to have. you should have 8 cha instead and put those points into constitution. and be human so you'll get that extra feat at level 1. you don't really need combat casting.. you'll most likely have 70+ concentration anyway..

[DM ex Machina_ns3]

on whether or not to take the combat casting feats, there's a couple things. first, clerics don't have the concentration bonuses on their gear that sorc/wiz does, so a casting cleric -will- get disrupted more often. however, defensive casting kinda cures this. i often take the combat casting feats on my casting clerics simply do I don't have to click that extra button cause i'm lazy, but a maxed build wouldn't take them.

in terms of maxed/empowered, the most important one to take is still or silent. Because you can still or silent a harm, but not max, extend, or empower it. silent/still doubles your slotted harms.

adding 1 lvl of ftr adds an extra feat and doesn't take much away. so 1 ftr 38 cleric 1 [insert tumble class]. you prolly won't get the monk ac bonus cause you're gonna use a shield and armor (if nothing else, armor to max your spell slots. i use mith stuff until ns armor and helm for the slots).

implosion pwns a few key places, so you want great wis X and the evocation feats to max your DC.

need a source of mords. either belt, helm, or scrolls. cause SR can be a problem cerain places.

i take plant and magic cause imp invis is on all the shield, and earthquake and creeping doom (from plant) can be useful (if nothing else, while lvling).

don't bother with CHA (esp for divine shield, unless it's a 1 cleric 38 sorc 1 monk-cause your CHA will never be high enough to make it worthwhile). Max wis. Str will be your ab stat (cause you don't wanna waste a feat on finesse or zen and b/c you're going to be using the triton cleric staff anyway). cleric buffs will jack it up, and the only thing you need it for is beating touch ac (which is lower), so don't bother with the weapon feats. however, concealment will still stop harms, so take the feat to get around that.

[Acara_ns3]

imp invis on items is useless, cause it gets dispelled almost instantly if there's a enemy caster nearby..

[Charon_ns3]

I leveled a caster cleric (maxing wis, using the cleric staff, etc.) and a more well-rounded melee cleric to 40 and the melee cleric kicked the caster's butt in almost every situation. Maxing wis is nice for Implosion DC, but the melee guy could still implode things. The biggest problem was bonus spells...you'd think a cleric with 48 wis would have bunch more spells, but the tables stop at 41 so the difference between a cleric with 32 wis (with the +12 from gear) and one with 48 is actually only one more spell for each level, 4-9. The staff gets you a few more, but don't expect to actually be able to kill something with it if you are forced into melee. You can switch to something else if that happens, but it's a huge pain since you have to reset your spell slots because the bonus ones get emptied.

I usually take monk as my tumble class because I get Cleave for free and I don't find Imp Invis on items to be useless. Clerics prolly shouldn't be tanking anyway, so the concealment isn't that important--especially when you consider the benefits of the Plant Domain...

[Zealot_ns3]

Meh. Just experiment. How do you think others know what they do?

"When a shotgun is not within reach, a strangling must suffice."
~DV~

As for how others learn more about builds, by building, tweaking, and by the community of NWN. Guess you never seen the long threads where someone post a build and then everyone dissucess how it could be improved.

"If the words you speak add little to the conversation then why bother speaking them?"

~Zealot~

[Zealot_ns3]

Acara, DM ex Machina, Charon,

Thanks for all your imput this has helped me out greatly!!!

"Knowlege gain only by self is often times egotistical and flawed."
~Zealot~

[DrakhanValane_ns3]

I guess you were the type of person in school that wouldn't let anyone see your notes because they should have taken their own, rather or not they were in class that day or not.

1) I never took notes. That made sharing them difficult. I have always been the type to help someone understand a subject instead of just handing them the answers.

"Lighting a fire for a person does little for them compared to lighting a person on fire."

2) Your little asinine quips really bug me. They sound like someone young attempting to sound old and wise.

3) Input does not contain an 'm'.

4) I like hearing myself talk (and reading what I type).

5) Your questions here are highly subjective. This means any answers you receive need to be tempered by personal taste . . . almost to the point where it's pointless to ask in the first place.

6) I'm tired and sick. Leave me alone.

7) Acara is a n00b with no soul.

[DM Iris_ns3]

The n00b must have some form of soul, otherwise I would not be on his signature!

[Zealot_ns3]

DrakhanValane is just bitter.

[Acara_ns3]

7) Acara is a n00b with no soul.

:( stop being mean dv

[DM Iris_ns3]

*waiting for the "name calling" "people bashing" "Im better than you" issues to start so she can lock the thread*