Axel's THF Melee Cleric Build

[skurlock]

Greetings! Returning player after several year break. Have a level 15/1 Cleric/Fighter that I want to bring out of mothball. The video mentions that with some sleight variation this build could be modified for 1H vice 2H fighting. My Cleric has lots of maces and morningstars ... with a couple longswords. Most of my "big five" weapons are maces. The enhancement trees are all new, and currently Greek, to me.

So I'm asking for a little help. How do I convert the build to be 1-hander friendly.

[ArgentMage]

Greetings! Returning player after several year break. Have a level 15/1 Cleric/Fighter that I want to bring out of mothball. The video mentions that with some sleight variation this build could be modified for 1H vice 2H fighting. My Cleric has lots of maces and morningstars ... with a couple longswords. Most of my "big five" weapons are maces. The enhancement trees are all new, and currently Greek, to me.

So I'm asking for a little help. How do I convert the build to be 1-hander friendly.

I'm thinking the main change would be substituting Single Weapon Fighting feats for the Two Handed Fighting feats, and, if you're
serious about using maces, then Improved Critical: Bludgeoning instead of Slashing. Note that SWF has a Balance skill requirement,
and this isn't a class skill for Fighter or Cleric - the most straightforward swap is to drop UMD for Balance. Also, you can't use a shield
with SWF, but you can use an Orb, which probably works out just fine for a Cleric. No change to the list of Enhancements - just
look at the specific enhancements called out in the list and fill out the tree as you see fit to get those. Grab one of the character
planners and make sure everything fits before doing your LR.

[skurlock]

I'm thinking the main change would be substituting Single Weapon Fighting feats for the Two Handed Fighting feats, and, if you're
serious about using maces, then Improved Critical: Bludgeoning instead of Slashing. Note that SWF has a Balance skill requirement,
and this isn't a class skill for Fighter or Cleric - the most straightforward swap is to drop UMD for Balance. Also, you can't use a shield
with SWF, but you can use an Orb, which probably works out just fine for a Cleric. No change to the list of Enhancements - just
look at the specific enhancements called out in the list and fill out the tree as you see fit to get those. Grab one of the character
planners and make sure everything fits before doing your LR.

Many thanks!

[Thrallador]

Hi,

First thank you for the amazing built, I am returning after a very long time and having a change to play an "advanced built" like that and avoid mistakes have been a very rewarding experience! =)

I can see that this built is focused in end game content, raids, etc. But I wanted only to get to level 20 to unlock favor and have my first TR (so that I can run it again later on perhaps my third life...).

Would there be any recommended changes (feats, level order?) on it? I think I will probably play mostly sole discovering and rediscovering quests and areas... I am happy resetting the enchantments through the leveling progress (to test, learn, and having fun!)

Also, I chose the Follower of the Sovereign Host feat as sugested but was thinking if there was something I could have instead (change with the free change feat) that would increase the fun (since I will use mostly two handed stuff anyway...).

Thanks for the help again! =D

[Undeadraver]

Any one know if this is still viable today.

This sound fun any one have a breakdown of Enhancements beside the number of point into them. Going to be my fourth life and only did range characters so no clue about melee.

Thanks

[unbongwah]

Any one know if this is still viable today.

There are higher DPS options, of course; and the PDK Silvanus version is superior to regular human for the +2 crit range bonus from Blessing of Silvanus which stacks with Pulverizer. But otherwise it should be fine, IMO.

[Undeadraver]

There are higher DPS options, of course; and the PDK Silvanus version is superior to regular human for the +2 crit range bonus from Blessing of Silvanus which stacks with Pulverizer. But otherwise it should be fine, IMO.

Do you have a link to that one with feats and such please. it would help a newbie out.

[unbongwah]

Do you have a link to that one with feats and such please. it would help a newbie out.

If you're sticking with the cleric 15 / pal 4 / ftr 1 split, you can just follow Axel's advice in the OP.

If you're looking for a more DPS-focused build, see my Champions of Silvanus thread. The cleric 13 / ftr 6 split gets a significant DPS boost from Kensei but loses lvl 8 spells.

[Zoblefu]

Just thought I'd mention, that the middle column in warpriest does work with Mauls if you're worshiping Sylvanus.

If you're exclusively using Mauls its not a bad way to get a decent dps increase. For now I have taken out the second tier of healing amp and the exalted smite out of the knights of the chalice for extra maul enhancements in warpriest. I don't find the smite to be that great, but the healing amp is a tradeoff for dps. I'm soloing a lot so like the extra bit of DPS for now.

For reference, I just got to 20. I'll likely adjust as gear and destinies evolve.

[Vindraxx]

Returning player here, looking to TR my ranger tempest and thinking about trying this build. I have a pretty large supply of various level khopeshes stocked up. Do you think this build would work TWF? What changes would you make? I realize that would also mean fitting in an extra weapon proficiency feat. My goal would be to do another 5000 favor life before TR'ing, so it wouldn't need to be end game optimized but good enough not to struggle through elite content (mostly solo). I have some tomes (at least +2's to all stats) and a few past life feats (mostly epic melee combat focused).

I wanted to jump into try some reaper difficulty content and figured heroic groups would welcome a healer. Otherwise I may just reroll my tempest trapmonkey that followed EllisDee's build which I absolutely love.

[Sitka_Kitty]

Hello Axel,

I was wondering if I could get screenshots of your enhancement tree's? For some reason when I watch the video on youtube at that point in time of it, it gets blurry for me and can't figure out the number's of how many points placed for each location. Thank you, much appreciated!

[Zoblefu]

Got to 27 recently with this build, and I thought I would mention that it will be difficult for a first lifer (or first epic life...) to get the epic feat pre-requisites for the 26 and 28 feats.

I figure I'll epic TR later and get them the second time around, but for now I'm planning on just toughness at 26 and the healing spellpower boost at 28 from the divine sphere.

Also @Sitka_Kitty, I can see the enhancements very well in his video if you go to youtube for it: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N1cfc9zwh1A

If you need, I can take screenshots from his video but it looks rather clear to me there (at about 9 minutes in).

[Sitka_Kitty]

Got to 27 recently with this build, and I thought I would mention that it will be difficult for a first lifer (or first epic life...) to get the epic feat pre-requisites for the 26 and 28 feats.

I figure I'll epic TR later and get them the second time around, but for now I'm planning on just toughness at 26 and the healing spellpower boost at 28 from the divine sphere.

Also @Sitka_Kitty, I can see the enhancements very well in his video if you go to youtube for it: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N1cfc9zwh1A

If you need, I can take screenshots from his video but it looks rather clear to me there (at about 9 minutes in).

I would love that! That would be awesome and I appreciate that!!

[Zoblefu]

I would love that! That would be awesome and I appreciate that!!

http://imgur.com/a/0pIWa

[TDarkchylde]

Hey Axel, loving the build. I recently ran a PDK version of it up to 30 and wanted to share the gearset I'm using/building, since the list in the OP is probably a little out of date by now. With it, I have enough Strength to get the lever in Tempest's Spine, and I'm looking at a Dire Charge DC over 90 once the Slave Lords set is done. It's taking hits like a champ and dishing them out just as hard, while the healing aura's keeping me and the auralocks and other melees up even in Legendary Reaper.

Body: Shadow Dragonplate - Shadow Guardian, Deathblock, Fort 130%, Ghostly, From the Shadows, (Good Luck +2), (Draconic Soul Gem)
Goggles: Legendary Lenses of the Orator - Linguistics 10%, Quality Diplo +5, Quality Intim +5, Insightful CHA +8, (WIS +8) - (Swap in Epic Glimpse of the Soul in Mark of Death)
Head: Legendary Pansophic Circlet - Potency 131, Ins. Potency 65, Qual. Potency 11, Magical Efficiency 10%, (Crushing Wave Guard) - (Swap in Epic Seraphim for turning trash in Riding the Storm Out)
Back: Legendary Slate-Scale Capelet - STR +18, Qual. STR +4, Vitality 60, Qual. Fort 45%, (Protection +8)
Gloves: Cannith Crafted Doublestrike +17, Healing Amp +61, Ins. Stunning +8, (Blindness Immunity)
Ring 1: Legendary Band of Insightful Commands - Profane Well-Rounded +2, Ins. Accuracy +13, Qual. Deadly +4, Intim +22, (Feather Falling)
Belt: Legendary Many-Pouched Belt of the Healer - Ins. Devotion 92, Qual. Devotion 45, Healing Lore 27%, Speed 30%, (Golem's Heart)

Five-piece Slave Lords set: Endurance (+2 CON, +4 PRR, MRR, Resistance, Spell Saves)
Neck: Legendary Chains - CHA +17, Qual. CHA +4, Heal +22, Resistance +14, (Water Breathing)
Wrists: Legendary Shackles - CON +17, Qual. CON +4, Stunning +20, Deadly +14, (Nat. Armor +8)
Feet: Legendary Shackles - Sheltering +45, Qual. PRR +11, Spellcraft +22, Radiance Lore 27%, (DEX +8)
Ring 2: Legendary Five Rings - False Life +68, Seeker +17, Tendon Slice +14, Qual. MRR +11, (Globe of True Imperial Blood)
Trinket: Legendary Symbol of the Slave Lords - Ins. CON +8, True Seeing, Lesser Displacement, (Power +250), (Master's Gift)

Weapon: Thunderforged Maul - 1st Degree Burns, Dragon's Edge, Draconic Reinvigoration, (Meridian Fragment), (Good), (Ins. CHA +2) - (Swap in a crafted maul for portal beating, or Sireth for DR/Slash or Pierce)

[Kaisheng21]

Could you possibly put the new players' guide on page 8 in the original post? Or at least link from it to there.

[Kaisheng21]

Also, my human damage boost and my fighter haste boost seem to be sharing a cooldown now, meaning I can't double stack them.

[unbongwah]

Also, my human damage boost and my fighter haste boost seem to be sharing a cooldown now, meaning I can't double stack them.

WAI: dual-boosting was nerfed a couple of updates ago.

[Kaisheng21]

WAI: dual-boosting was nerfed a couple of updates ago.

How should I change around enhancements then? I'm guessing you just don't use Kensai any more?

[Kaisheng21]

Assuming Silvanus PDK maul user, what LGS maul would you recommend? I was thinking either affirmation, radiance or salt.