Cleric-Archer

[The Great Hairy]

Gidday all,

I've been reading The Gaming Den forums (as posted by Mr.Waesel) and a common PC build over there (to show how "broken" DnD is) is the Cleric-Archer. This build is used to show how a cleric can out-shoot any ranger or archery specialising fighter.

Now I've not seen this build - does anyone know how it actually works? What the construction progress for this class actually is?

Cheers,
TGHO

[jopperm2]

I've never seen an actual build for this, but I would think a straight fighter would be best.

I personally use a lot of elven clerics that use a lot of archery though.

[Mr.Waesel]

Cleric Archer isn't broken, just very powerful.

Here's the 3.0 version. The 3.5 one isn't very different, except that it makes liberal use of Divine Metamagic.

gate[/i] invoked wishes adding +1 to all stats (13200)
Karma Bead (5000)
Boots of Striding and Springing (6000)
Eyepatch of True Seeing (75000)
Gloves of Storing (4400)
Headband of Intellect +2 (4000)
10 Pearls of Power I (10000)
Darkwood Morningstar (388)

Attack
+1 Weapon Focus
+2 Morale
+6 Luck
+10 Enhancement
+2 Competance
+8 Dexterity
+20 BAB
DaMaGe
+6 Luck
+10 Enhancement
+1 Competance
+8 Divine Might
+4 Strength
Saves
+5 Resistance
+8 Charisma
+3 Luck
+1 Competance
+2 Insight (Reflex Only)
AC
15 Cover
+7 shield
+9 Armor
+5 Natural Armor
+6 Dexterity
+5 Deflection
+2 Insight
+4 Haste
10 Base


Ranged Attacks: +49, +47/+47/+42/+37/+32
Ranged Damage: d8+3d6+29 (average 44 19-20 threat, critical adds 2d8+58 average 110) + spell effect (such as 3d8+15 damage of inflicted wounds - 28.5 damage save for half)
Melee Attacks: +33, +33/+28/+23/+18
Melee Damage: d8+33 (average 37 19-20 threat)
Saves: Fort: +31, Ref: +25, Will: +36
AC: 63

Every morning prayer begins with the activation of the karma bead - meaning that each day's worth of prayers are at caster level 24. The first greater dispelling cast upon her is automatically dispelled, and since she is hasted at all times, restocking the ring of counterspells is a trivial matter.

She is immune to poison, death effects, charm effects, critical hits, alignment detection, surprise, flat-footedness, 6 HD or less vermin (including that generated by creeping doom), disease (even magical disease), and effects that restrict movement such as paralysis or hold.

She can breathe water or air, and can walk on earth and sky with impunity. She can see the invisible and in the dark and through illusions for 120 feet. She can assume cloud form or detect evil at will and is resistant to fire, acid, sonic, electricty and cold.

She can speak with plants, animals, or any creature which has a language, and has a diplomacy bonus of over +30. She can dispel illusions with a touch at will, and gains a +4 bonus on all dispelling checks. She is resistant to possessing entities - but that generally doesn't matter because she is constantly in a MCaE effect that prevents possession and bodily contact from extraplanar creatures.

She still has spells left over, and her Implosion has a not-inconsiderable Save DC of 31, but primarily she is a warrior and diplomat, leaving the "spellcasting" to wizards. Several of her stats are given a range, as they are based on multiply empowered enhancement spells that last for two days. I have assumed that between the two copies of each which are active on her at all times, she rolled at least a '2' on the d4 - obviously her stats would rise considerable were she to roll a 4 instead. Note Also: when engaging in melee she has to store her animated tower shield, which drops her AC - a lot.

PS: Her Spot bonus is very large, over +30 before adding any actual ranks to the skill.

P.S: Cool that you're a denner as well What's your SN?

[The Great Hairy]

Hmm, quite a powerful build, thanks for posting that, Mr.Waesel. Frank certainly has mighty cheese-fu powers. Although I'd expect a 20th level PC to pretty damn powerful, to be honest. I thought that the Cleric-Archer was something which was more viable at lower levels, like 5th or so. And I would have expected Zen Archery in the Feats listing.

I'm not a Denner. I only lurk and read. If I posted there, I'd probably blow a fuse and go nuts, as many of the discussions there tend to infuriate me.

Cheers,
TGHO

[Rob-hin]

I find that the 2 class don't mix.
There are to many contridictions. Heavy vs light armor. Blunt weapons vs arrows. Nature vs religion. Chaotic vs lawfull.

I would never play it, plus I don't care if my character is strong or not, as long as he is'n't weak...

[The Great Hairy]

@Rob-hin
It's not a mutli-class, it's a straight cleric who uses bows rather than melee weaponry. I wasn't sure how such a PC would be set up, not having seen the build in any game I have played or run. I'm tempted to try it myself, but I'm still not 100% sure how it would work without all the PRCs that Frank used in his build - no GM I know would allow that combination (I certainly would not).

Cheers,
TGHO

[Rob-hin]

I woudn't allow it neigther.

I still feel that it's a combination I don't like too.