tryiin to rebuild old lvl 10 Battle Cleric

[farsight]

hasn't been played in years.

here's what she looks like now:

Character Plan by DDO Character Planner Version 04.23.01
DDO Character Planner Home Page

Level 10 Lawful Good Drow Male
(10 Cleric) 
Hit Points: 137
Spell Points: 580 
BAB: 7\7\12
Fortitude: 8
Reflex: 3
Will: 12

                  Starting          Feat/Enhancement
Abilities        Base Stats          Modified Stats
(28 Point)       (Level 1)             (Level 10)
Strength             16                    20
Dexterity            10                    10
Constitution         11                    12
Intelligence         10                    10
Wisdom               17                    20
Charisma             10                    10

Tomes Used
+4 Tome of Strength used at level 1
+1 Tome of Constitution used at level 1
+1 Tome of Wisdom used at level 10

                  Starting          Feat/Enhancement
                 Base Skills         Modified Skills
Skills           (Level 1)            (Level 10)
Balance               0                     6
Bluff                 0                     0
Concentration         5                    10
Diplomacy             0                     0
Disable Device        n/a                   n/a
Haggle                0                     0
Heal                  7                    10
Hide                  0                     0
Intimidate            0                     0
Jump                  5                     5
Listen                3                     7
Move Silently         0                     0
Open Lock             n/a                   n/a
Perform               n/a                   n/a
Repair                0                     0
Search                0                     2
Spellcraft            0                     0
Spot                  3                     7
Swim                  5                     5
Tumble                n/a                   n/a
Use Magic Device      n/a                   n/a

Level 1 (Cleric)
Feat: (Selected) Extend Spell
Feat: (Deity) Follower of Vulkoor


Level 2 (Cleric)


Level 3 (Cleric)
Feat: (Selected) Toughness


Level 4 (Cleric)


Level 5 (Cleric)


Level 6 (Cleric)
Feat: (Selected) Empower Healing Spell


Level 7 (Cleric)


Level 8 (Cleric)


Level 9 (Cleric)
Feat: (Selected) Mental Toughness


Level 10 (Cleric)

and here's me trying to tweak her back with an LR:

Character Plan by DDO Character Planner Version 04.23.01
DDO Character Planner Home Page

Level 7 Lawful Good Drow Male
(7 Cleric) 
Hit Points: 79
Spell Points: 343 
BAB: 5\5\10
Fortitude: 4
Reflex: 2
Will: 8

                  Starting          Feat/Enhancement
Abilities        Base Stats          Modified Stats
(28 Point)       (Level 1)             (Level 7)
Strength             16                    18
Dexterity            10                    11
Constitution          8                     8
Intelligence         10                    10
Wisdom               16                    16
Charisma             16                    16

                  Starting          Feat/Enhancement
                 Base Skills         Modified Skills
Skills           (Level 1)            (Level 7)
Balance               0                     0
Bluff                 3                     3
Concentration        -1                    -1
Diplomacy             3                     3
Disable Device        n/a                   n/a
Haggle                3                     3
Heal                  3                     3
Hide                  0                     0
Intimidate            3                     3
Jump                  3                     4
Listen                3                     5
Move Silently         0                     0
Open Lock             n/a                   n/a
Perform               n/a                   n/a
Repair                0                     0
Search                0                     2
Spellcraft            0                     0
Spot                  3                     5
Swim                  3                     4
Tumble                n/a                   n/a
Use Magic Device      n/a                   n/a

Level 1 (Cleric)
Feat: (Selected) Extend Spell
Feat: (Deity) Follower of Vulkoor


Level 2 (Cleric)


Level 3 (Cleric)
Feat: (Selected) Empower Healing Spell


Level 4 (Cleric)


Level 5 (Cleric)


Level 6 (Cleric)
Feat: (Selected) Quicken Spell


Level 7 (Cleric)
Enhancement: Divine Disciple (Clr) - Divine Emissary of Light (Rank 1)
Enhancement: Divine Disciple (Clr) - Divine Vitality (Rank 1)
Enhancement: Divine Disciple (Clr) - Divine Vitality (Rank 2)
Enhancement: Divine Disciple (Clr) - Divine Vitality (Rank 3)
Enhancement: Warpriest (Clr) - Smite Foe (Rank 1)
Enhancement: Warpriest (Clr) - Resilience of Battle (Rank 1)
Enhancement: Warpriest (Clr) - Sanctuary (Rank 1)
Enhancement: Warpriest (Clr) - Righteous Weapons (Rank 1)
Enhancement: Warpriest (Clr) - Sacred Touch (Rank 1)
Enhancement: Warpriest (Clr) - Sacred Touch (Rank 2)
Enhancement: Warpriest (Clr) - Wall of Steel (Rank 1)
Enhancement: Warpriest (Clr) - Wall of Steel (Rank 2)
Enhancement: Warpriest (Clr) - Wall of Steel (Rank 3)
Enhancement: Warpriest (Clr) - Righteous Weapons (Rank 1)
Enhancement: Warpriest (Clr) - Inflame (Rank 1)
Enhancement: Warpriest (Clr) - Inflame (Rank 2)
Enhancement: Warpriest (Clr) - Inflame (Rank 3)
Enhancement: Warpriest (Clr) - Inflame: Saving Throws (Rank 1)
Enhancement: Warpriest (Clr) - Inflame: Saving Throws (Rank 2)
Enhancement: Warpriest (Clr) - Inflame: Saving Throws (Rank 3)
Enhancement: Warpriest (Clr) - Righteous Weapons (Rank 1)
Enhancement: Warpriest (Clr) - Strength (Rank 1)
Enhancement: Warpriest (Clr) - Strength (Rank 1)

[axel15810]

Could you be more specific as to what you're going for in the character? There's lots of ways to build a battle cleric. Some things I can say for sure, definitely splash. You need more feats, profciencies and access to enhancements. I'd recommend splashing paladin for saves and access to the KoTC tree. After pally, splash either monk or fighter for extra feats. Fighter if you don't care about evasion, and monk if you want to go for evasion.

As for split you really can't go wrong with most combination. I'd keep fighter or monk at 1 or 2 levels. Pally can be 1-4 levels or even more depending on what you want.

As for feats, I like these generally -

Empower heal
Maximize
Quicken

Power attack
THF
ITHF
GTHF
Improved Crit: Slash
Stunning Blow
Cleave
G Cleave

Overwhelming Crit
Blinding Speed / Epic DR
Perfect THF
Perfect TWF


May not be able to fit all them in depending on your race/# of fighte and /monk levels you splash. If you want to go SWF or TWF simply replace the THF line with that line.

I don't like your feat selection so far. Quicken you took too early, I think it's too costly SP wise to use at that low a level. Toughness isn't really needed unless you want epic toughness. Extend is not needed either IMO - just recast the spells and as you get up to higher levels the duration will be long enough anyway.

[unbongwah]

Your second build confuses me: you appear to go STR-based with a heavy investment into Warpriest; yet you take only metamagic feats - nothing to boost your melee DPS. That's what we call "mixed signals."

Also: CON 8? No - just...NO.

So let's step back a bit and ask: what exactly is your focus here? Healing? Melee DPS? Caster DPS (possibly with a side of CC)? Maybe even a bit of tanking?

Do you have access to any P2P classes (i.e., monk) which we could add to the mix? Do you have any tomes at your disposal? TWF clonk using short swords is one option.

[farsight]

thanks for the replies. i have tried to clarify a bit of the past and present with this character below, but having just reread it for editing i am realizing that being doped up on flu meds is not helping

==========

you are both correct in that there are completely mixed signals in both builds. perhaps i have been thinking too narrowly in a 'pure' build and not expanding out some more.

i think rattling around in my addled brain in the original DDO build from a few years ago was a picture of a pnp cleric i had played even more years previously in a 3.5 game. basically, i suppose it was a swiss army knife build that could fill in the gaps in a group while still able to solo.

however, after returning from a few years DDO hiatus i am realizing the need (by playing other characters i have been freshly creating) to stay much more focused on end goals, whereas pnp was typically more of an organic growth process to fit a tabletop campaign as it progressed.

i think perhaps i had, in the first older DDO build shown above, decided to avoid going deep into Turn Undead and had hoped to soften mobs up with aoe casting (flamestrike, bladebarrier, etc.) followed up by a melee sword and board mop up with some basic survivability heals in the mix. having poked around on the standalone character generator this got me a bit lost as you can see.

another issue for me has been the entire Reincarnation process and what carries over and what does not. i have the LR and the +20 Reincarnation hearts of wood that were ingame gifts from a while back, but was concerned about using up the +20 on a level 10 character.

at the time i chose shortswords it was based on the race and the previous enhancement system where going deeper into the "Vulkoor line" had some fun benefits for Drow clerics.

the age of the original DDO build and my current knowledge also shows in my use of Extend as at the time most folks i knew who could buff themselves or a group were using that feat to keep rebuffing down to a minimum.

=========

as for where i am now, i am a VIP, but would rather not spend the money on a race change, which tbh would be the first thing i think i would change. however, i do have access of course to Monk and Druid along with the 32pt build and the Vet Status level 7 start. i do not currently own any Tomes. the few i had from back in the day were used up on the original build.

i am still interested in the original idea of softening mobs up with spells like flamestrike and bladebarrier and following up with a melee clean up.

=========

feel free to have at it using the building blocks that i do have available. and honestly, while i would hate to see her go, a complete reroll (even delete) would be understandable at this point due to my previous build process.

[farsight]

Character Plan by DDO Character Planner Version 04.23.01
DDO Character Planner Home Page

Level 10 Lawful Good Dwarf Male
(2 Fighter \ 8 Cleric) 
Hit Points: 154
Spell Points: 386 
BAB: 8\8\13
Fortitude: 11
Reflex: 3
Will: 9

                  Starting          Feat/Enhancement
Abilities        Base Stats          Modified Stats
(32 Point)       (Level 1)             (Level 10)
Strength             17                    20
Dexterity            13                    13
Constitution         14                    15
Intelligence          8                     8
Wisdom               16                    16
Charisma              6                     6

                  Starting          Feat/Enhancement
                 Base Skills         Modified Skills
Skills           (Level 1)            (Level 10)
Balance               1                     5
Bluff                -2                    -2
Concentration         2                     2
Diplomacy            -2                    -2
Disable Device       n/a                   n/a
Haggle               -2                    -2
Heal                  3                     3
Hide                  1                     1
Intimidate           -2                    -2
Jump                  3                     5
Listen                3                     3
Move Silently         1                     1
Open Lock             n/a                   n/a
Perform              n/a                   n/a
Repair               -1                    -1
Search               -1                     1
Spellcraft           -1                    -1
Spot                  3                     3
Swim                  3                     5
Tumble                n/a                   n/a
Use Magic Device     n/a                   n/a

Level 1 (Fighter)
Feat: (Fighter Bonus) Precision
Feat: (Selected) Two Handed Fighting


Level 2 (Fighter)
Feat: (Fighter Bonus) Shield Mastery


Level 3 (Cleric)
Feat: (Deity) Follower of the Sovereign Host
Feat: (Selected) Power Attack


Level 4 (Cleric)


Level 5 (Cleric)


Level 6 (Cleric)
Feat: (Selected) Cleave


Level 7 (Cleric)
Enhancement: Dwarf - Dwarven Toughness (Rank 1)
Enhancement: Dwarf - Dwarven Constitution (Rank 1)
Enhancement: Dwarf - Dwarven Toughness (Rank 1)
Enhancement: Dwarf - Axe Training (Rank 1)
Enhancement: Dwarf - Axe Training (Rank 1)
Enhancement: Divine Disciple (Clr) - Divine Emissary of Light (Rank 1)
Enhancement: Warpriest (Clr) - Smite Foe (Rank 1)
Enhancement: Warpriest (Clr) - Resilience of Battle (Rank 1)
Enhancement: Warpriest (Clr) - Sacred Touch (Rank 1)
Enhancement: Warpriest (Clr) - Sacred Touch (Rank 2)
Enhancement: Warpriest (Clr) - Sacred Touch (Rank 3)
Enhancement: Warpriest (Clr) - Wall of Steel (Rank 1)
Enhancement: Warpriest (Clr) - Wall of Steel (Rank 2)
Enhancement: Warpriest (Clr) - Wall of Steel (Rank 3)
Enhancement: Warpriest (Clr) - Inflame (Rank 1)
Enhancement: Warpriest (Clr) - Inflame (Rank 2)
Enhancement: Warpriest (Clr) - Inflame (Rank 3)
Enhancement: Warpriest (Clr) - Inflame: Saving Throws (Rank 1)
Enhancement: Warpriest (Clr) - Inflame: Saving Throws (Rank 2)
Enhancement: Warpriest (Clr) - Inflame: Saving Throws (Rank 3)
Enhancement: Warpriest (Clr) - Inflame: Energy Absorption (Rank 1)
Enhancement: Warpriest (Clr) - Inflame: Energy Absorption (Rank 2)
Enhancement: Warpriest (Clr) - Inflame: Energy Absorption (Rank 3)
Enhancement: Warpriest (Clr) - Strength (Rank 1)


Level 8 (Cleric)


Level 9 (Cleric)
Feat: (Selected) Improved Two Handed Fighting


Level 10 (Cleric)

[unbongwah]

Just to clarify a few things:

• You cannot change your race, gender, or alignment when you Lesser Reincarnate. Alignment changes are available thru the DDO Store; but you must lvl to 20 and HTR your char if you wish to change races (or genders). So switching your current lvl 10 drow cleric to another race is, for better or for worse, not an option.
• The Enhancement system was completely overhauled last year. I suggest you take a look at the new cleric PrEs, Warpriest (melee DPS and party buffs) and Divine Disciple (caster DPS, focused on light / Evocation or dark / Necromancy spells). While it's possible to do melee / caster hybrids, I suggest picking a focus and sticking with it. If you decide to go DiDi-specced, have a look at EllisDee37's Necro cleric.
• Since you're only lvl 10, I recommend you bank your LR +20 for a later date. The LR +0 should suffice once you decide which path to take.

[axel15810]

Bad news is that in DDO you really have to pick a route (either melee or casting) and go all out. If you try to do both, you'll be mediocre at both. It's best to be really good at one or the other.

Good news is your build is definitely salvageable (although you certainly could improve it some by LRing).

This is what I suggest -

If you want to go melee and with the warpriest tree, Drow is not a bad choice at all. I'd definitely go with dual wielding shortswords - as a drow you can pick them as your favored weapon, and as a result take the related enhancements in the warpriest tree.

two weapon fighting is very good for warpriests - as it makes your ameorilating strikes proc twice. You could also go single weapon fighting but I'd go two weapon fighting for a better ameorilating strike proc rate as I mentioned.

See if you have 2 raiders reward boxes in your inventory (this is free raid loot the devs gave out a while back because they screwed up everyones raid counters). If you do, take 2 celestias - http://ddowiki.com/page/Celestia

This is an awesome short sword and this character would be in excellent shape DPS wise at endgame with them.

The marketplace quest "hall of the mark" gives you a free feat respec token. Use it to swap out mental toughness - bad feat for a melee cleric.

You should be good from there. Don't put any more points into WIS. Max your STR. Make sure you get enough DEX for the TWF feats. Splash some fighter/pally and get all the melee feats you need. Character won't be a gimp, you can still turn it around. No the character probably isn't 100% optimal by most peoples' battle cleric standards (most people wouldn't go drow because of the CON penalty) but it will do just fine as long as you get in the correct feats/enhancements and have some decent gear.