Fun cleric builds?

[White Shadow]

Hello, all. So I am a crusty old D&D player, and I have only recently started playing this game. I have never played PnP Pathfinder, so I apologize if I lack a complete understanding of this game's nuances and advanced mechanics.

That being said, I used to play clerics religiously... if you'll pardon the pun. I can play the stereotypical healer/support role very well, but I really enjoy the lightning bolt smiting, undead animating, negative energy channeling types of clerics.

There are a few very big changes to what I am used to with clerics; things like no heavy armor proficiency out of the gate, a reliance on touch attacks, limited necromancy, watered down divine spell list (they took away my blade barrier!), the need for a very wide ability score spread, deities that have schizophrenic domain lists... I could rant and rave all day.

But, surely this class in Pathfinder can do more than healing, buffing, and swinging a stick around, right? Are there any players out there that have found a good build for "offensive divine spellcasting?" If so, what are your secrets?

[1ttffsse]

-cleric is probably the class that one is most pressured to play without ever going multiclass as far as their effectiveness in this game

Ranged/ evil damager
-I find the "best" cleric at least in terms of oomf and efficiency to be the unarmored one - ecclesi when built as a ranged nuker/ healer. :deity gozreh, primary domain air, secondary animal. you get animal companion at level 4 and have access to good evocation spells + blade barrier. Negative energy channel is good early game with the negative phylactery you get early in the Oak area but loses its effectiveness at later levels unless you are running with Jaethal - maybe then it is good to heal her up, but still positive energy is better for the party. at that point it is better to cast inflict wounds mass etc. obviously you take spell focus: evocation to maximize the effectiveness of the spells you get through the air domain.
-maybe one level dip into traditional monk is good for extra armor and saves since your wisdom will be sky-high.

Melee:
-probably Herald Caller with focus: conjuration, spell specialization conjuration and lots of summons. or alternative necromancy and you summon skelies. (animate dead)

[White Shadow]

Originally posted by 1ttffsse:

-cleric is probably the class that one is most pressured to play without ever going multiclass as far as their effectiveness in this game

Ranged/ evil damager
-I find the "best" cleric at least in terms of oomf and efficiency to be the unarmored one - ecclesi when built as a ranged nuker/ healer. :deity gozreh, primary domain air, secondary animal. you get animal companion at level 4 and have access to good evocation spells + blade barrier. Negative energy channel is good early game with the negative phylactery you get early in the Oak area but loses its effectiveness at later levels unless you are running with Jaethal - maybe then it is good to heal her up, but still positive energy is better for the party. at that point it is better to cast inflict wounds mass etc. obviously you take spell focus: evocation to maximize the effectiveness of the spells you get through the air domain.
-maybe one level dip into traditional monk is good for extra armor and saves since your wisdom will be sky-high.

Melee:
-probably Herald Caller with focus: conjuration, spell specialization conjuration and lots of summons. or alternative necromancy and you summon skelies. (animate dead)

Yeah, Gozreh "hippie cleric" does seem to be about the only option, though for roleplay options I don't really want a neutral alignment. Whenever I build my clerics that way it always feels as though I am playing a druid, which from a gameplay point of view I may as well play instead if I'm summoning animal companions and such anyway.

[GrandMajora]

As I understand it, the vast majority of the PnP's spell book has been gutted from this game. For example, they have Stone to Flesh, but not Flesh to Stone (one of my top 3 favorite spells). If you played PnP version, you'd probably have far more options for characters than you would playing Kingmaker.

As for schizophrenic domain, the closest you can get to that would be Madness. I don't remember which deities have it right now, though.

Gozreh isn't really a hippie cleric. That would be more of Irastil's personality. Since his followers prefer the simple things in life, and are encouraged to form strong bonds with their family and friends. Gozreh's more of a chaotic, gender fluid kind of entity.

[Kyutaru]

So if there are radiant-style positive energy support heal buffer clerics and there are shadow-style negative energy attack debuff clerics, what would be the grey role neutral cleric like? When every Cleric out there is channeling either the Light Side or the Dark Side, what does a Gray Cleric Jedi get to use?

[GrandMajora]

Originally posted by Kyutaru:

So if there are radiant-style positive energy support heal buffer clerics and there are shadow-style negative energy attack debuff clerics, what would be the grey role neutral cleric like? When every Cleric out there is channeling either the Light Side or the Dark Side, what does a Gray Cleric Jedi get to use?

Neutral Clerics get to choose whether they channel Negative or Positive Energy, if they follow a Neutral deity.

If they follow a Good or Evil one, then they channel either Positive or Negative energy respectively.

[White Shadow]

Originally posted by GrandMajora:

As I understand it, the vast majority of the PnP's spell book has been gutted from this game. For example, they have Stone to Flesh, but not Flesh to Stone (one of my top 3 favorite spells). If you played PnP version, you'd probably have far more options for characters than you would playing Kingmaker.

As for schizophrenic domain, the closest you can get to that would be Madness. I don't remember which deities have it right now, though.

Gozreh isn't really a hippie cleric. That would be more of Irastil's personality. Since his followers prefer the simple things in life, and are encouraged to form strong bonds with their family and friends. Gozreh's more of a chaotic, gender fluid kind of entity.

I mean "schizophrenic domain lists" as in, "domains that don't pair well with each other from the same deity."

And yeah, I think the watered down spell list does play a big impact in sucking the fun out of clerics.

And, well, this is what I have on Gozreh:

Originally posted by https://pathfinder.fandom.com/wiki/Gozreh:

Gozreh (pronounced GOHZ-ray) is a dualistic god of nature, a god of the storm and sky and also a god of the wave and surf. Born of the ocean's fury and the wind's wrath, Gozreh is a fickle deity.
Gozreh is an ancient deity, thought to have existed for as long as the wind has blown and the waters swelled. His faithful are to be found in all places of nature, doing her will as they have for eons. He is counted among one of the original gods that fought against Rovagug in the defense of all creation.

So when I say "hippie," I don't mean peaceful or happy. I mean hippie as in, "let's embrace nature, man!"

I want a Lawful Evil deity that is fun to play.

[Daidre]

Asmodeus is a good choice then. Go Ecclesithurge with main fire domain and burn everything that stands in your way.
Greatly supported by RP too with a chance to make it state religion.

[White Shadow]

Originally posted by Daidre:

Asmodeus is a good choice then. Go Ecclesithurge with main fire domain and burn everything that stands in your way.
Greatly supported by RP too with a chance to make it state religion.

Yeah, I've thought about going fire magic, too, but then I feel like a sorc. But I guess I'd rather feel like a sorc than a druid. Especially if I can get behind a deity that fits from an RP angle. I just can't shake the fact that I won't be able to wear armor or even a shield. It just doesn't feel like a cleric to me.

[Daidre]

It will work as melee Herald Caller too. Evil summoners have a better creatures (melee vs Archers/Casters) than a good ones.
For melee I'd probably took a monk level for extra attack with quartestaff. But pure also works.
Or vanilla cleric with Heavy Armor prof or Fighter dip (Like Aldory for Dueling Sword).
Crusader is trashy, loses one spell slot on every level.

[White Shadow]

Originally posted by Daidre:

It will work as melee Herald Caller too. Evil summoners have a better creatures (melee vs Archers/Casters) than a good ones.
For melee I'd probably took a monk level for extra attack with quartestaff. But pure also works.
Or vanilla cleric with Heavy Armor prof or Fighter dip (Like Aldory for Dueling Sword).
Crusader is trashy, loses one spell slot on every level.

Is there a list anywhere that describes what you actually get to summon with the summon monster spells? Possibly even their base stats? That'd be amazing! I have looked and looked, but can't seem to find it on a wiki or anything. Is it pretty close to the same as the PnP versions?

[Nero]

I love my ranged cleric of Erastil with animal domain.

[GrandMajora]

Originally posted by Daidre:

It will work as melee Herald Caller too. Evil summoners have a better creatures (melee vs Archers/Casters) than a good ones.
For melee I'd probably took a monk level for extra attack with quartestaff. But pure also works.
Or vanilla cleric with Heavy Armor prof or Fighter dip (Like Aldory for Dueling Sword).
Crusader is trashy, loses one spell slot on every level.

Speaking of melee Clerics, I always have a habit of trying to equip my Clerics exclusively with their deity's favored weapon. I know that in the context of gameplay, the only thing favored weapon does is expand your profeciency list. But I just can't shake the feeling like the character is encouraged to use that particular weapon.

This poses a problem with me, since Groetus' favored weapon is the Heavy Flail, and yet Harrim starts out with a mace and shield! I try to buy the acidic one for him by the time I go face Trollbold, though.

[Daidre]

Originally posted by Charles George Gordon:

Is there a list anywhere that describes what you actually get to summon with the summon monster spells? Possibly even their base stats? That'd be amazing! I have looked and looked, but can't seem to find it on a wiki or anything. Is it pretty close to the same as the PnP versions?

In character creation screen you can check on Monster Tactician Inquisitor archetype - this class has all Summon Monster spells as class abilities with a list of creatures for alignments. No stats, alas.

[InEffect]

Animal+Community Erastil ecclesi should be decent enough to play. You can also dip him a level of monk and he'd be decent with a staff if enlarged and have some ok-ish AC.

[Happygamer]

I am in the same situation. A very fun and easy to role-play cleric is a cleric of Erastil with the Community and Animal domains. In this build it is best to take Martial Proficiency and choose a reach weapon to assist the front line, or go for a ranged weapon.