Need Help Deciding on Melee Cleric Build

[SirWolfKnight]

I am a returning player and I myself am interested in playing a melee cleric, but I am unsure what combination would be most efficient.

Firstly, I am unsure between the races which to pick:
As drow I would like to go dual wielding shortswords
Or go as warforged and have deity of greatswords
Or would human be best because of extra feat and skill point
Or half elf with dilettante in fighter?

Secondly, I have been looking and other people's builds and everyone's differing opinions and picked a class split but not sure if that would be efficient for the following builds I have in mind.

17 cleric/2 paladin/1 fighter


Thirdly, I looked through the enhancement split I had this in mind:

34 AP into Radiant Servent
27 AP into Warpriest
8 AP into Knight of the Chalice
4 AP into Kensei
7 AP extra for Racials or other

Here are the enchantments I would pick up from those lists:

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

Level 20 Lawful Good Drow Male
(1 Fighter \ 2 Paladin \ 17 Cleric) 
Hit Points: 261
Spell Points: 957 
BAB: 15\15\20\25\25
Fortitude: 21
Reflex: 9
Will: 15

                  Starting          Feat/Enhancement
Abilities        Base Stats          Modified Stats
(28 Point)       (Level 1)             (Level 20)
Strength             16                    17
Dexterity            10                    10
Constitution         14                    14
Intelligence         10                    10
Wisdom               12                    13
Charisma             14                    16

                  Starting          Feat/Enhancement
                 Base Skills         Modified Skills
Skills           (Level 1)            (Level 20)
Balance               0                     0
Bluff                 2                     3
Concentration         2                     2
Diplomacy             2                     3
Disable Device        n/a                   n/a
Haggle                2                     3
Heal                  1                     1
Hide                  0                     0
Intimidate            2                     3
Jump                  3                     3
Listen                1                     3
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                  1                     3
Swim                  3                     3
Tumble                n/a                   n/a
Use Magic Device      n/a                   n/a

Level 1 (Fighter)


Level 2 (Paladin)


Level 3 (Paladin)


Level 4 (Cleric)


Level 5 (Cleric)


Level 6 (Cleric)


Level 7 (Cleric)


Level 8 (Cleric)


Level 9 (Cleric)


Level 10 (Cleric)


Level 11 (Cleric)


Level 12 (Cleric)


Level 13 (Cleric)


Level 14 (Cleric)


Level 15 (Cleric)


Level 16 (Cleric)


Level 17 (Cleric)


Level 18 (Cleric)


Level 19 (Cleric)


Level 20 (Cleric)
Enhancement: Kensei (Ftr) - Kensei Focus: Heavy Blades (Rank 1)
Enhancement: Kensei (Ftr) - Haste Boost (Rank 1)
Enhancement: Kensei (Ftr) - Haste Boost (Rank 2)
Enhancement: Kensei (Ftr) - Haste Boost (Rank 3)
Enhancement: Radiant Servant (Clr) - Healing Domain (Rank 1)
Enhancement: Radiant Servant (Clr) - Pacifism (Rank 1)
Enhancement: Radiant Servant (Clr) - Positive Energy Burst (Rank 1)
Enhancement: Radiant Servant (Clr) - Improved Empower Healing (Rank 1)
Enhancement: Radiant Servant (Clr) - Extra Turning (Rank 1)
Enhancement: Radiant Servant (Clr) - Bliss (Rank 1)
Enhancement: Radiant Servant (Clr) - Bliss (Rank 2)
Enhancement: Radiant Servant (Clr) - Bliss (Rank 3)
Enhancement: Radiant Servant (Clr) - Improved Turning (Rank 1)
Enhancement: Radiant Servant (Clr) - Intense Healing (Rank 1)
Enhancement: Radiant Servant (Clr) - Intense Healing (Rank 2)
Enhancement: Radiant Servant (Clr) - Intense Healing (Rank 3)
Enhancement: Radiant Servant (Clr) - Unyielding Sovereignty (Rank 1)
Enhancement: Radiant Servant (Clr) - Wisdom (Rank 1)
Enhancement: Radiant Servant (Clr) - Endless Turning (Rank 1)
Enhancement: Radiant Servant (Clr) - Incredible Healing (Rank 1)
Enhancement: Radiant Servant (Clr) - Incredible Healing (Rank 2)
Enhancement: Radiant Servant (Clr) - Incredible Healing (Rank 3)
Enhancement: Radiant Servant (Clr) - Charisma (Rank 1)
Enhancement: Radiant Servant (Clr) - Positive Energy Aura (Rank 1)
Enhancement: Warpriest (Clr) - Smite Foe (Rank 1)
Enhancement: Warpriest (Clr) - Resilience of Battle (Rank 1)
Enhancement: Warpriest (Clr) - Divine Might (Rank 1)
Enhancement: Warpriest (Clr) - Divine Might (Rank 2)
Enhancement: Warpriest (Clr) - Divine Might (Rank 3)
Enhancement: Warpriest (Clr) - Toughness (Rank 1)
Enhancement: Warpriest (Clr) - Toughness (Rank 2)
Enhancement: Warpriest (Clr) - Toughness (Rank 3)
Enhancement: Warpriest (Clr) - Righteous Weapons (Rank 1)
Enhancement: Warpriest (Clr) - Smite Weakness (Rank 1)
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) - Righteous Weapons (Rank 1)
Enhancement: Warpriest (Clr) - Strength (Rank 1)
Enhancement: Warpriest (Clr) - Ameliorating Strike (Rank 1)
Enhancement: Warpriest (Clr) - Righteous Weapons (Rank 1)
Enhancement: Warpriest (Clr) - Charisma (Rank 1)
Enhancement: Knight of the Chalice (Pal) - Slayer of Evil I (Rank 1)
Enhancement: Knight of the Chalice (Pal) - Extra Turning (Rank 1)
Enhancement: Knight of the Chalice (Pal) - Extra Turning (Rank 2)
Enhancement: Knight of the Chalice (Pal) - Extra Smite (Rank 1)
Enhancement: Knight of the Chalice (Pal) - Extra Smite (Rank 2)
Enhancement: Knight of the Chalice (Pal) - Exalted Cleave (Rank 1)
Enhancement: Knight of the Chalice (Pal) - Exalted Cleave (Rank 2)
Enhancement: Knight of the Chalice (Pal) - Exalted Cleave (Rank 3)

I got no clue on the feats as they would be different for TWF and THF.
Also, I am unsure of which skills to pick each level do I just put them into heal and jump or should I do some type of pattern for other skills?

I am honestly don't know if it is possible to make this build feasible and don't mind shifting class split, but I would like to at least know weather is better to go TWF Drow or THF WF or human something for melee cleric.

[cru121]

TWF is not too popular these days.
Battle clerics that rely on cleric enhancements often suck.
Defensive stance (fighter, paladin) is very useful.

Here's a THF build: https://www.ddo.com/forums/showthread.php/454776
I could also see Bard 3-5 / Fighter 3-4 / Cleric~12 SWF swashbuckling.

[SirWolfKnight]

TWF is not too popular these days.
Battle clerics that rely on cleric enhancements often suck.
Defensive stance (fighter, paladin) is very useful.

Here's a THF build: https://www.ddo.com/forums/showthread.php/454776
I could also see Bard 3-5 / Fighter 3-4 / Cleric~12 SWF swashbuckling.

I am interested why TWF isn't popular anymore, my guess is that it requires a lot of feat wasting to make them efficient?

Why do the clerics who rely on cleric enchantments suck? I think ameliorating strike and righteous weapons for the enhancement bonus are good if I were to use drow for TWF or WF for THF.

[cru121]

Somehow, TWF is less popular than earlier. I don't think it's related to the feat investment / dexterity requirement. It's probably more about often being lower DPS than other options. Some builds still excel with TWF. There is indeed some great synergy in Ameliorating Strike and TWF. Racial / righteous weapons synergy is less important, the enhancements are perhaps a bit expensive for the benefit.

Also, taking upper cleric levels is less important than earlier (for a battle cleric). Mass Heal is no longer that important. Cleric level still does affect the strength of your Radiant Servant aura though.

As a minimum change to your proposed split, consider three levels of pally or fighter to pick up defensive stance. To find the AP, stop at 22 AP in Warpriest for ameliorating strike and blur.

If you go with TWF, note that the feats require up to 17 base dexterity. So plan accordingly.