17 vs 18 cleric levels, effects on aura.

[matezzo]

I read multiple times that it doesn't worth to take lvl 18 cleric, but aura description said it heals 1 hp per 3 cleric levels. That's a significant 20% boost on aura. Am I right?

Also while we are at it: what enhancements boost the aura?I noticed once that intense healing (+caster lvl on poz. energy spels) seem to be affecting it, but I couldn't test it too much. (maybe it adds cleric level to it? maybe becausei was multiclassed? then whatabout incredible healing?)

My current build is 18clr/1fighter/1ranger. I wana TR it to make it a bit different, but still a cleric with strong aura. He is a halfling and should stay that way, a great axe wielder so i need to spend a feat unless I multiclass something with proficiency. I'm thinking about 18clr/2pal even with the divine grace changes, or maybe 17 clr/3bard (6 points give martial wep prof.-though I will not have too many points to spare, as I want to invest in all 3 cleric trees)

Would like to hear your thoughts, tips.

[unbongwah]

I read multiple times that it doesn't worth to take lvl 18 cleric, but aura description said it heals 1 hp per 3 cleric levels. That's a significant 20% boost on aura. Am I right?
Remember to factor any caster-level bonuses you will have; I think Intense / Incredible Healing apply to auras & bursts, though not 100% certain.

maybe 17 clr/3bard (6 points give martial wep prof.-though I will not have too many points to spare, as I want to invest in all 3 cleric trees)
Bards can get Master's Touch, so no need to pick up martial prof. What else does bard 3 offer to a greataxe build, though?

[matezzo]

Using a spell to get proficiency is not too convenient. 3 Bard would give : skill points, spell points, and the warchanter tree is very nice for 6 ap: 1 con, 6Ac, 6 prr, 10 hp, martial wep prof, +1 attack,/ and for even more ap: + ice dmg, +15 spell power, ironskin chant etc. Then there is inspire courage/fascinate to use occasionally, but not significant.

Would be nice to know how the +caster level enhancements work on aura for sure.

[Makkuroi]

If you really want to use greataxes you should go 2-3 pally, or 2 pally 1 fighter

3 bard is only great if you swashbuckle, and you need to use light 1h weapons for that.

Imho, you shouldnt stick to greataxes, they arent too great nowadays (pun intended). Staves with monk or rogue and swashbuckling weapons with bard have a lot to offer, as have handwraps with 2 monk levels if youre wis-based.

greataxes are mostly interesting for centered kensai and for pallys with holy sword, since the boosts these builds offer are not limited to certain weapon types.

[matezzo]

Bard would give me like 400 spell points(at lvl 20) and other good things. I'm also considering 2 paladin, not sure about that extra fighter lvl. if no need for cleave feats then I can go without it.

And whats wrong with 2handed fighting? I thought with power attack even without the THWF feats it was decent. The build has high str partly from high charisma. It's not justmelee, I have empower, maximize, quicken.. (also we are talking about casual player here)

[unbongwah]

Using a spell to get proficiency is not too convenient.
Why not? You have 3 lvl 1 spell slots on a bard 3 splash: say, Master's Touch, Focusing Chant, and Expeditious Retreat or Feather Fall (or everybody's favorite party buff, Grease).

3 Bard would give : skill points, spell points, and the warchanter tree is very nice for 6 ap: 1 con, 6Ac, 6 prr, 10 hp, martial wep prof, +1 attack,/ and for even more ap: + ice dmg, +15 spell power, ironskin chant etc.
Fair enough: I consider the low-tier WC stuff to be pretty boring since it's mostly just static bonuses, but if that's what you want, go for it.

Bard would give me like 400 spell points(at lvl 20) and other good things.
Pure cleric would have 1,205 base SPs; cleric 17 / bard 3 gets 1,020 base SPs (920 + 100). You can gain +60 SPs from Spellsinger Magical Studies; can't take rank 3 if you have Magical Training feat, which you get from cleric. But I'm not seeing how you come up with 400 SPs, unless you're expecting a ton of bonus SPs (http://ddowiki.com/page/Spell_points#Bonus_spell_points)?

[matezzo]

3 bard 100 sp, 30 cha 290 sp. I haven't tried it but should work this way. And the +400 sp is compared to the 2pal/1fighter build

[EllisDee37]

And whats wrong with 2handed fighting? I thought with power attack even without the THWF feats it was decent.THF is fine, but greataxes may not get you the most bang for your buck. Falchions are generally preferred, or eSoS.

[Enoach]

I read multiple times that it doesn't worth to take lvl 18 cleric, but aura description said it heals 1 hp per 3 cleric levels. That's a significant 20% boost on aura. Am I right?

Also while we are at it: what enhancements boost the aura?I noticed once that intense healing (+caster lvl on poz. energy spels) seem to be affecting it, but I couldn't test it too much. (maybe it adds cleric level to it? maybe becausei was multiclassed? then whatabout incredible healing?)

My current build is 18clr/1fighter/1ranger. I wana TR it to make it a bit different, but still a cleric with strong aura. He is a halfling and should stay that way, a great axe wielder so i need to spend a feat unless I multiclass something with proficiency. I'm thinking about 18clr/2pal even with the divine grace changes, or maybe 17 clr/3bard (6 points give martial wep prof.-though I will not have too many points to spare, as I want to invest in all 3 cleric trees)

Would like to hear your thoughts, tips.

Aura
Level 17 - 5 (Level 5 Divine ED Level 22 - 7)
Level 18 - 6 (Level 5 Divine ED Level 23 - 7)

Anything that raises your Cleric Level enough to get to a greater whole number when divided by 3, such as levels in the Epic Destinies of the Divine Sphere.

Devotion/Devotion Critical enhancements/enchantments effect it. Enhancements like Intense Healing add caster levels and because Aura does not have a MAX level this will add to the Cleric Level/3 number. Incredible Healing Add to the Maximum levels allowed, so spells like Heal that have a maximum caster level can be expanded upon.

Now on the proficiency side - especially how it concerns Great Axes
1 Level of Fighter/Paladin/Barbarian will grant that proficiency with all Martial weapons
1 Level of Fighter will also grant you Tower Shield Proficiency (For those times you know you need to take a hit)

The Bard's 1st Level Spell Master's Touch will grant you Martial Proficiency of the martial weapon you are holding - it only expires on death, anti-magic or rest/quest completion

A Racial considerations for an Axe Wielder would be a Dwarf as they have enhancements that add bonus to damage for using an Axe (one handed or two handed) see Throw Your Weight Around as a Constitution based Dwarven Cleric vs Strength Based. Dwarves also get Enhancements towards Max Dexterity Bonus which could allow a higher Dodge Bonus while wearing heavier armor.

[unbongwah]

3 bard 100 sp, 30 cha 290 sp.
I think you're misreading the bonus SP chart (http://ddowiki.com/page/Spell_points#Bonus_spell_points); it's based on your caster level not your character level. Your bard 3 splash with CHA 30 gets +120 SPs, not +290.

[matezzo]

I think you're misreading the bonus SP chart (http://ddowiki.com/page/Spell_points#Bonus_spell_points); it's based on your caster level not your character level. Your bard 3 splash with CHA 30 gets +120 SPs, not +290.

hmm.. right. It also says even one lvl of paladin would give bonus sp even though paladin don't get spell points at lvl 1.

[matezzo]

Aura
Level 17 - 5 (Level 5 Divine ED Level 22 - 7)
Level 18 - 6 (Level 5 Divine ED Level 23 - 7)

Anything that raises your Cleric Level enough to get to a greater whole number when divided by 3, such as levels in the Epic Destinies of the Divine Sphere.

Devotion/Devotion Critical enhancements/enchantments effect it. Enhancements like Intense Healing add caster levels and because Aura does not have a MAX level this will add to the Cleric Level/3 number. Incredible Healing Add to the Maximum levels allowed, so spells like Heal that have a maximum caster level can be expanded upon.




Good to know this, thanks.

[AtomicMew]

DBF has a bigger AoE and costs less SP after heighten, and has synergy with FvS splash, if you end up doing that.

[Rull]

Aura
Level 17 - 5 (Level 5 Divine ED Level 22 - 7)
Level 18 - 6 (Level 5 Divine ED Level 23 - 7)

This.
Or actually, when you factor in the +3 from enhancements:
17 -> 25/3 -> 8
18 -> 26/3 -> still 8
(19 or 20 cleric would offer 12.5% more,)

17 cleric / 3 paladin offers so much over 18 cleric / 2 paladin at the cost of next to nothing.
25 PRR, 25 MRR, +3 saves. And either +6 STR or +20% HP, whichever you prefer.

[killfor]

I hope you don't mind if I piggy back off this thread but basically the same question. I have a 13clr, 2ftr, 1pal right now. I originally was going for an 18clr, 2ftr but somehow got it in my head that I would throw in 5 pally lvls thinking I would climb the kotc line.
I am a THF and would like to melee.. Should I get rid of the one pally lvl or am I on a good track. When I took the pally lvl I wasn't thinking about how it would affect healing aura. :/
Help me Cleric Forum......your my only hope.

[cru121]

if you go T5 in KotC, you won't be able to take aura (T5) in Radiant Servant. So.... go paladin?

[unbongwah]

I have a 13clr, 2ftr, 1pal right now. I originally was going for an 18clr, 2ftr but somehow got it in my head that I would throw in 5 pally lvls thinking I would climb the kotc line.
I am a THF and would like to melee.. Should I get rid of the one pally lvl or am I on a good track. When I took the pally lvl I wasn't thinking about how it would affect healing aura. :/
It would help if you were more specific about your long-term goals: are you planning to TR right away or run epics? Do you want to be a party healer or is this more of a soloing build? Etc.

[killfor]

Long term would be to run in some epics as a melee THF Cleric. I typically run solo but would like to be viable for groups as well. As far as TR'ing, I'm not sure how exactly that works as this is my first life.

[unbongwah]

It's probably not ideal, but you could go cleric 15 / pal 3 / ftr 2: 32 APs into Rad Serv (auras), 22 APs into Warpriest (Ameliorating Strike), 13 APs into Sacred D. thru Gtr Sacred stance bonuses (+20% HPs or +6 STR), and 4 APs into Kensei for Haste boost, leaving 9 APs to tweak things. Feat-wise you would want the same things as Radiant Titan (https://www.ddo.com/forums/showthread.php/427304-Radiant-Titan-revisited-Clr17-Pal2-Ftr1-melee-healing-spec).

[killfor]

would getting rid of the one lvl of pal with heart of wood and then continue with 18clr, 2ftr be more optimal? If not, what would be optimal....in your opinion. :)
And thank you very much for your help btw. :)

[Theolin]

This.
Or actually, when you factor in the +3 from enhancements:
17 -> 25/3 -> 8
18 -> 26/3 -> still 8
(19 or 20 cleric would offer 12.5% more,)

17 cleric / 3 paladin offers so much over 18 cleric / 2 paladin at the cost of next to nothing.
25 PRR, 25 MRR, +3 saves. And either +6 STR or +20% HP, whichever you prefer.

^^ This 3 paly :)

[firemedium_jt]

I am playing with the idea CLR15/Pal3/FTR2 for Exalted Smite. There are some nice melee and survivalbility in EE with more Pally.

When I drop CLR17 they will hopefully redue the old raids like TOD so that Mass Heal is needed again. But with all the self healing running around maybe not.

Divine grace and Pal2 is needed for saves in EE. It allows u to melee in most epic.

[killfor]

Thank you all for the info. I think I will go with the 15clr, 3pal, 2ftr route. Again thank you . :)