The Lonely Bishop (a build by request)

[sigtrent]

This build is from Sigtrent's build request thread

The Lonely Bishop a Lawful Good Human Rogue 3, Cleric 13
Requested By: Orin2

Introduction
This request was for another primarily solo only character, 28pts, that can do traps, is resistant to lag issues, and is for a pretty much brand new character. That’s pretty difficult to do, especially for a new character. For my money a soloist must have a way to do elemental resists and for a new players its best if they can actually cast them. Wizards and sorcs are hard to start with unless you go WF and even if you do they are challenging. Wizards need scrolls and sorcs take a long time to develop. So we have clerics/rangers/paladins. For a new guy soloing getting wands isn’t easy so I’m pretty much left with cleric.

So rogue cleric it is. I’ve heard good things about them but I rather doubt those are 28pt builds. I need to be able to do some melee, have a strong AC at lower levels, and have good defensive spell/healing options, oh ya, and do traps/locks. Thankfully cleric buffs can compensate for weaker stats to some extent and augment rogue skills. On the down side skill points are hard to come by. I started with a dwarf but I couldn’t make the skills work and still have a good combat option. In the end I went human for the extra skill points and human versatility to bump skills.

For skills I had to focus only on the trap skills, there just weren’t the points for anything more. Combat wise I decided to go with sword and board + cleave and great cleave. I’ve found these to be great soloist feats at lower level where you often have to cope with a huge horde of kobolds and the like. At higher levels you can use it with curse spewers or paralyzers as a nice defensive option. The requirements for them are also pretty easy to meet and the humans extra feat can be used for the power attack prerequisite (the build would rarely actually use it).

As you go up in levels spell use becomes more important. Whomever plays this will really want to play around with spells and learn which works on what monsters and the like. I wouldn’t anticipate this character making it to very high levels as solo play is a slow grind for a new player. But if they did you would switch over to a more blade barrier oriented offense. Late game you are a decent cleric & decent trapsmith (although your reflex saves are going to be a hinderance on some quests.) Concentration is also an issue. The idea is you cast buffs ahead of time and then when you need to heal up you first run away, then heal, then come back. Once you get quicken you can turn that on before fights and not sweat concentration at all.

I strongly recommend the player find and read the various solo guides. Their advice will be invaluable in making this build work for you. The main key is don’t get into fights you don’t need to in order to finish the quest. It will keep you alive and make your mana last much longer. When you over level them you can come back and clean them out. Also keep in mind that as a soloist you will often be doing quests below your level which makes the so/so trap skills much more relevant than you might think.

---------- Build Basics ----------

Starting Statistics (28pts)
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
:14 :12 :14 :12 :15 :08

Feats
Power Attack, Cleave, Great Cleave, Extend Spell, Maximize Spell, Quicken Spell, Improved Critical Slashing

Enhancements
Soverign Host, Unyielding Sovereignty, Human Wisdom 1, Human Strength 2, Improved Recovery 1, Human Versatility 4, Disable 1, Open Lock 1, Search 1, Spot 1, Life Magic 4, Zealot 2, Dex 1, Wisdom 3, Trap Sense 1, Wand Mastery 3

Skill Ranks
Concentration 2, Balance 4, Disable 19, Hide 4, Jump 4, Move 4, Open Lock 10, Search 19, Spot 14, Heal 2

---------- Number Crunching ----------

Final Statistics (Tomes: +1 for str, dex, and wis)
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
:22 :20 :20 :18 :30 :08

Hit Points ~250 / Spell Points ~1000
Fort ~20 / Reflex ~18 (20) / Will ~25

Melee Attack Profile (+5 Longsword)
BAB 16, Str 6, Weapon 5, Sovereign 1, Divine Favor 3, Recitation 2, Bless 1
34/34/39/44/44 1d8 + 15(17-20 X2) & 2d6 Sneak attack

Full Armor Class (+5 Mithral Breast Plate and +5 Heavy Shield)
Armor 10, Dex 5, Barkskin Potion 3, Deflection 4, Shield 7 = 39

---------- Leveling Guide ----------

1st Level: Rogue
Power Attack, Cleave : Concentration 2, Balance 4, Disable 4, Hide 4, Jump 4, Move 4, Open Lock 4, Search 4, Spot 4, Heal 2

2nd Level: Cleric
Search 1, Disable 1

3rd Level: Cleric
Extend Spell : Search 1, Disable 1

4th Level: Cleric
Wis +1 : Search 1, Disable 1

5th Level: Cleric
Search 1, Disable 1

6th Level: Rogue
Great Cleave : Search 1, Disable 1, Spot 5, Open Lock 3

7th Level: Cleric
Search 1, Disable 1

8th Level: Cleric
Wis +1 : Search 1, Disable 1

9th Level: Cleric
Quicken Spell : Search 1, Disable 1

10th Level: Cleric
Search 1, Disable 1

11th Level: Cleric
Search 1, Disable 1

12th Level: Cleric
Wis +1 : Maximize Spell : Search 1, Disable 1

13th Level: Cleric
Search 1, Disable 1

14th Level: Rogue
Search 1, Disable 1, Spot 5, Open Lock 3

15th Level: Cleric
Improved Critical Slashing : Search 1, Disable 1

16th Level: Cleric
Wis +1 : Search 1, Disable 1

[Impaqt]

Breast Plates are Medium Armor and would Nullify anybenefit he might receive from Evasion. You'd need a Mithral breastlate.

[cdbd3rd]

Breast Plates are Medium Armor and would Nullify anybenefit he might receive from Evasion. You'd need a Mithral breastplate.

Which will also allow you to squeeze those other two points of AC out of that dex.

[sigtrent]

Breast Plates are Medium Armor and would Nullify anybenefit he might receive from Evasion. You'd need a Mithral breastlate.

Heh... thats what I had and then I though... nah too fancy for a solo build and promply forgot I was taking away the light armor...
I'll put it back on, although I actualy htink the character would wear full plate for its early levels and just heal/resist its way through most traps when nessesary.

[Arianrhod]

Assuming this really is someone's first character, and going to be soloing, the lack of spot skill means they'll really have to master the "inch forward till the trap goes off then jump back" method of trap detection. [edit - nm, I see there is some spot in there, it's just in chunks rather than a bit every level]