Shadow Priestess Build: Finalized Chart

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Drow4d20
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Shadow Priestess Build: Finalized Chart

Post by Drow4d20 » Sun Dec 31, 2017 1:30 am

Thank you,
To everybody for all the help with this build. I am sorry my head was all over the place with this build progression. I haven't played the game in years and it's been a lot of fun trying to jump back in with a cool character I really will enjoy playing. Without your help this build would not be what it is, and I am very pleased with it.

*Thank you, Falafel. Your build chart is the foundation of my own. Without it I would not have done this... And you're a delicious food.*

Suliss'urn Ssin Veldrin
By: Drow4d20 ;D

Shadow Priestess: Death/War Cleric 17>Monk 3>Cleric 5>Shadowdancer 5
Subclass: Healer
Alignment: Lawful Evil
Weapon: Tauntaun's Cold Critter Cutter (Rapier: Keen, Cold damage) (Lol...)

Starting Ability points:
STR 8
DEX 18 (+3=21)
CON 10
INT 16
WIS 16 (+4=20) ;D
CHA 10

-------------------------------

Ability and Feat Progression:
Start with Rapier & Heavy shield

>Cleric:
1 Feat: Dodge
2
3 Feat: Weapon Finesse
4 +1 WIS,
5
6 Feat: Mobility
7
8 +1 WIS
9 Feat: Extend Spell
10
11
12 Feat: (Spell Focus: Necromancy), +1 WIS
13
14
15 Feat: (Greater Spell Focus: Necromancy)
16 +1 WIS
17
>Monk: (Drop Heavy shield and maybe weapons)
18 Feat: Skill Focus: Hide or Move Silently
19
20 +1 DEX
>Ceric:
21 Feat: (E. Spell Focus: Necromancy)
22
23
24 +1 DEX Feat: Epic Spell: Mummy Dust
25
>ShadowDancer:
26
27 Feat: Great Skill Focus Hide or Move Silently
28 +1 DEX
29
30 HIPS, Feat: Epic Skill Focus Hide or Move Silently


Skill Set: (Lesser gift: Sneak {+4 Hide, +4 MS})

Concentration
Discipline
Heal
Hide
Move Silently
Spellcraft
Tumble
"Do what thou wilt shall be the whole of the law."

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Re: Shadow Priestess Build: Finalized Chart

Post by Drow4d20 » Sun Dec 31, 2017 1:35 am

I may possibly swap out 'Epic Skill Focus: Hide or Move Silently' for Empower Spell if I feel it is worth it to x2 Empower my Death Domain's Harm spell.
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Re: Shadow Priestess Build: Finalized Chart

Post by High Primate » Sun Dec 31, 2017 1:43 am

OK, so fair warning, you're basically a weaker caster cleric with very low hit points, fewer spells, and lower spell DCs, who is more vulnerable to dispel and will get steamrolled by anyone with True Seeing. Again, I'm not saying that to be mean. Skill Focus and Epic Skill Focus in Hide is probably the least necessary feat, because you'll be stealthy enough without it. You'll generally be OK in PvE until you get dispelled, at which point you'll be that guy who everyone has to drag to an altar and raise. You probably will have a very hard time in epics, and may not even be able to get to level 30, because this build won't be able to keep up with the mobs in epic dungeons.

My general thoughts are that this build is not viable; it won't be able to pull its weight on Arelith, which is bad news for a Drow since you're only as valuable as you are useful. That's the inevitable fate of any cleric that tries to go dex-based. Also, if you still intend on being a Vhaeraunite, priests of Vhaeraun cannot be lawful evil.

If you insist on playing this build, at the very least get rid of skill focus and epic skill focus in Hide/MS and take some metamagic feats. The skill focuses will be utterly useless and waste feat slots that could be used on something much more valuable. You also want your stats to finish on even numbers (you end with 21 dex, which is a waste of a skillpoint that could go elsewhere).

Edit:

I have three suggestions:

1. If you really want to play a cleric, play something more durable and strength-based, and tweak it slightly to fit your RP concept.
2. If you want to go dex-based, don't play a cleric.
3. If you want to go dex-based but really want to play a "divine" character, you might check out my 13/12/5 Rogue/Ftr/BG which is a dex-based character that gets divine might, shield, and dark blessing. It's not optimal--in fact, the build I've posted could be improved, especially depending on your preferences--but it's certainly viable.
Some builds I've worked on (not recommended):
Charisma Battlecleric
"E-Dodge Brycer"

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High Primate
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Re: Shadow Priestess Build: Finalized Chart

Post by High Primate » Sun Dec 31, 2017 2:09 am

Another thing I just noticed: you won't even be able to cast that many spells due to your low wisdom score and relatively low cleric levels. I guess being a healer helps a bit, but even as a "support" build, this is not going to be that effective at anything.
Some builds I've worked on (not recommended):
Charisma Battlecleric
"E-Dodge Brycer"

Improv
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Re: Shadow Priestess Build: Finalized Chart

Post by Improv » Sun Dec 31, 2017 10:53 am

You do need a different deity or a different build.

I'd point out drow can craft an amazing weapon, a "Hand Spinneret" crossbow that grants 5d6 sneak attacks. A wisdom based drow cleric with zen archery and crossbow feats is a powerful thing. That could be a healer/monk or it could be a cleric/rogue or ranger (modified dex at 14 and medium armor lets you sneak pretty well and gives decent protection.)

I'd still say make a second character who's a dedicated shadowdancer and keep your cleric at 26 with a 4 level dip, that's almost mandatory here with the dispel-crazy monsters and other players.

But at the same time most of us burn through a few characters before finding the one and I don't want to be a dream killer. What I might suggest is top loading cleric with "safe" feats you know you need initially, and saving the shadowdancer feats for later in case you change your mind (or in case you want to rebuild later.)

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Re: Shadow Priestess Build: Finalized Chart

Post by Aren » Sun Dec 31, 2017 12:41 pm

Drow4d20 wrote:I may possibly swap out 'Epic Skill Focus: Hide or Move Silently' for Empower Spell if I feel it is worth it to x2 Empower my Death Domain's Harm spell.
Harm cannot be 2x empowered. Just FYI.

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Re: Shadow Priestess Build: Finalized Chart

Post by Jack Oat » Sun Dec 31, 2017 6:36 pm

If this is the finalized build then you have my condolences.

You shouldn't be taking the Gift of the Sneak, you should be taking the Gift of the Melee Magthere (-2 CHA, +2 CON).

You shouldn't be ending at an uneven (21) DEX score, you should be dropping 1 starter point and investing them into Constitution to boost that.

You shouldn't be taking the pre-epic Skill Focus: Hide or Move Silently, you should be taking Toughness.

The build you posted barely gets over 400HP with the way you have it set up right now. That's 3-4 crits from a WM, and all it takes to gank you at this point is a Trueseeing scroll and a Truestrike potion. Invest something more into your survivability.

Additionally, drop a Cleric level (you're dispel bait as is tbh), push SD back 1 level, and pick up another Monk level at 30 to dump Discipline. You badly need it. I might even go so far as to recommend you ditch ESF: Hide or Move Silently and pick up ESF: Discipline, elsewise you're Knockdown bait.

Overall this build is going to hurt to play, I think, until basically you get Monk and can just sit back and let your Ghasts do all the heavy lifting from stealth, and then later change that over to your Vampires. It's low CL and that's always painful. That said you do get some solid use out of EMD because Vampires on Clerics are powerful, and the Harm 1.5x multiplier from Death Domain will have you doing over 300 damage on a Harm. Which is nice.

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dallion43
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Re: Shadow Priestess Build: Finalized Chart

Post by dallion43 » Sun Dec 31, 2017 9:40 pm

It is great to see you are closer to what you want -).
Some practical recommendations:
Subclass: Healer
Healers lose all weapon and armor proficiencies, including racial proficiencies, but with the exception of Simple weapons. They cannot regain these lost proficiencies.
Means if you take healer as a cleric path, you can't wield rapier or Heavy shield.
Feat: Great Skill Focus Hide or Move Silently
Feat: Skill Focus: Hide or Move Silently*2
PCs will see you regardless with True sight scrolls. NPCs won't without the focus or will regardless if you have the focuses.
Consider;
WF:X, GWF:X, ESF:Disc(X being hopefully kama :p(non-healer), or light crossbow(can sneak damage, simple weapon, healer).
or ambidexterity and two-weapon fighting, ESF:Disc if you go with quarterstaff(it has good synergy with both monk(ubab,+2ab) and cleric path.(quarterstaff is a simple weapon).
Cleric 17>Monk 3>Cleric 5>Shadowdancer 5
You lose 1ab due to uneven 3/4 progression and your concentration and spellcraft and disc aren't maximized.
Consider Cleric 20>Monk 3->4SD->1Cleric->1SD->1monk.
Lesser gift: Sneak {+4 Hide, +4 MS}
Consider Gift of the Melee Magthere (-2 CHA, +2 CON). +4 hide/MS won't change much. Your build aren't exactly a burst sneaker that plays everything or nothing style. +30hp will help.
Starting Ability points:
STR 8,DEX 18 (+3=21),CON 10,INT 16,WIS 16 (+4=20) ;D,CHA 10
Consider;
Start: str 8, dex 17, con 12, wiz 16, int 14, cha 8
End: str 8, dex 20, con 14, wiz 20, int 16, cha 8(with Gift of the Melee Magthere (-2 CHA, +2 CON)

The above tweaks, except weapon, has 0 RP meaning, but will allow your game to be easier :p. Imho of course.

I would personally go with light crossbow and zen archery like Improv mentioned focusing on Wiz only allowing for monk ab, somewhat good spell DC and a ranged sneak for your HIPS and summons strategy;
Sithyrr'tyne (Hand Spinneret)
Ab +4,Bonus Feat: Point Blank Shot,Bonus Feat: Sneak Attack (+5d6),Massive Criticals 2d6,Web (3) 3 uses/day,Runic,Alignment Restriction: Evil,Race Restriction: Elf, half-elf,UMD Requirement: 50

Even if the above weapon isn't a thing anymore(5d6 sneak equals 9 lvls of rouge sneak damage after all) a light crossbow is a simple weapon(healer path), can sneak within 30 feet(great for us and our corner sneaker strategy while HIPS is on KD :p), can sneak behind summon from afar and the most important of all a poisoned light crossbow is popular RP Drow weapon -).
The feats and stats will look a bit different, if you want to consider, someone will post it for you here.

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Lorkas
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Re: Shadow Priestess Build: Finalized Chart

Post by Lorkas » Mon Jan 01, 2018 8:28 am

Means if you take healer as a cleric path, you can't wield rapier or Heavy shield.
Healers can use shields, just not any non-simple weapons or any armor other than cloth. In the long run, that doesn't matter since they'll get more AC from WIS once they get a monk level than they would from the shield, but it can help a little in early levels.

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Re: Shadow Priestess Build: Finalized Chart

Post by Beneidalus » Mon Jan 01, 2018 12:05 pm

The hand spinneret as a Zen Archery cleric, while your summons do your dirty work, is an amazing thing. Especially with monk levels.

You might consider going 25 cleric, 5 monk.
Four monk pre-epic, just before level 20 for a discipline/tumble dump, then your final monk level at level 27, to cap out tumble and discipline (and stealth skills, if your INT is high enough). Pickup Arcane Defense: Abjuration, at some point, (it requires Spell Focus: Abjuration), so you won't be dispelled as easily.

Keep with the necromancy foci, and let your undead horde do the dirty work as you cast support spells from the back, and Zen Archery your Hand Spinneret at times in-between (getting some gnarly sneak attack as you do).

The only other necessary feat at this point is Epic Skill Focus: Discipline, and Blind Fight.

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Re: Shadow Priestess Build: Finalized Chart

Post by Drow4d20 » Mon Jan 01, 2018 2:26 pm

You guys are right and I did make some changes. I am using a crossbow like suggested, but also got high DEX and weapon finesse for touch attack spells like harm. I will use range when I need to and sneak in for harm touch attacks when it's safe to. According to the wiki, harm and inflict wound spells for death domain clerics are able to be double empowered. http://wiki.arelith.com/Deity#Domains

I decided to take 21 cleric levels, 3 assassin, and 6 SD (17 Cleric>3 Assassin>4 Cleric(ESF:Necro & Epic Mummy Dust)>6 SD (Sub par shadow for +2d6 sneak damage). +2d6 death attack and guaranteed poison application. I am taking the herbalism profession to make poison and carpentry to make crossbows and bolts. Perhaps there is a poison I can use on a bolt to try and silence or paralyze casters from a distance.

I will rely on my ability to summon undead and cast necromancy spells really well. If I can get close enough to my enemy I'll cast harm on them, then pull out a rapier and heavy shield for death attack. I ditched healer subclass because I'd rather have a rapier with keen and improved critical.

I did not take trickery, but I will get an item later on that has greater invisibility on it like this displacer beast cloak I saw earlier.

With the 7 ability points I planned to get base dex to 24 and base wisdom to 19 (+1 Great WIS=20). I thought with death/war domains, higher DEX was the way to go. It aids my skills and attacks more over all I think.


All extra skill points aside from skills listed will likely go into Unlocking and/or Discipline


Final cut. Character is already rolled this way and is level 5.

Suliss'urn Ssin Veldrin
By: Drow4d20 ;D

Shadow Priestess: Death/War Cleric 17>Assassin 3>Cleric 5>Shadowdancer 5
Alignment: Chaotic Evil
Weapon: Tauntaun's Cold Critter Cutter (Rapier: Keen, Cold damage)

Description: A young drow female stands before you. She may not be outgoing, but is by no means stupid. She may seem a bit short-tempered, stuck-up, and unaccustomed to a trade city like Andunor.

A small red pendant with a black spider upon it holds her cloak together.


Starting Ability points:
STR 8
DEX 18 (+4=24)
CON 10
INT 16
WIS 16 (+1GW+3=20)
CHA 10

-------------------------------

Ability and Feat Progression:
Light Crossbow/Rapier(Keen) & H. Shield

>Cleric:
1 Feat: Dodge
2
3 Feat: Weapon Finesse
4 +1 WIS
5
6 Feat: Empower Spell
7
8 +1 WIS
9 Feat: Extend Spell
10
11
12 +1 DEX Feat: (Spell Focus: Necromancy)
13
14
15 Feat: (Greater Spell Focus: Necromancy)
16 +1 DEX
17
>Assassin:
18 Feat: Mobility, Class Feat: Apply Poison, Death Attack
19
20 +1 DEX
>Cleric:
21 Feat: (Epic Spell Focus: Necromancy)
22
23
24 Feat: Epic Mummy Dust
>Shadowdancer:
25
26
27 Feat: +1 Great WIS
28 +1 DEX
29 HIPS
30 Feat: Improved Critical: Rapier


Skill Set:

Lesser gift: Sneak (+4 Hide, +4 MS)

Concentration
Heal
Hide
Move Silently
Spellcraft
Tumble
(Any Extra can go to Unlock and/or Discipline)
"Do what thou wilt shall be the whole of the law."

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Lorkas
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Re: Shadow Priestess Build: Finalized Chart

Post by Lorkas » Mon Jan 01, 2018 3:30 pm

I am using a crossbow like suggested, but also got high DEX and weapon finesse for touch attack spells like harm.
Weapon finesse will not make your touch attacks use DEX instead of STR. A melee touch attack always uses STR, and a ranged touch attack always uses DEX, regardless of feats like weapon finesse or zen archery.

You shouldn't have too much trouble getting your touch attacks to land at high level though.

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Re: Shadow Priestess Build: Finalized Chart

Post by Drow4d20 » Tue Jan 02, 2018 1:35 am

Dang. I thought that maybe because touch was considered unarmed weapon finesse would apply. Oh well. I think weapon finesse would still be worth it if I have to get close enough to make a touch attack. It'd be nice to hit with a high crit sneak attack afterwards. Lol and you didn't say anything bad about my new chart so Im just going to go with it. Worse comes to worst I learn firsthand why the build sucks and why not to do this lol.

I tried the build test server, but can only get up to level 9. How to I test full 30 level progression?
"Do what thou wilt shall be the whole of the law."

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Re: Shadow Priestess Build: Finalized Chart

Post by dallion43 » Tue Jan 02, 2018 2:22 am

Lol and you didn't say anything bad about my new chart so Im just going to go with it.
Final cut. Character is already rolled this way and is level 5.
Anyway, if you want to test a build;
Click on direct connect during nwn multiplayer server selection and type:
138.201.20.77:5120
A somewhat close to Arelith test server. Doesn't have all Arelith has, but still better the nothing and closer then the rest.

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Re: Shadow Priestess Build: Finalized Chart

Post by Drow4d20 » Tue Jan 02, 2018 10:37 am

Veldrin Del Elghinn
The Shadow Priestess


Classes: Trickery/Travel Cleric 17, Shadowdancer 13
Alignment: Chaotic Evil
Deity: Vhaeraun
Weapon: Crossbow
Skill: Carpentry(Major)/Herbalism(Minor)
Gift: Sneak (+4 Hide, +4 MS) to balance low DEX mod
Background: Wild Child (+1 Hide, +1 MS, +1 Tumble)

Description:
You see a young drow female dressed in chain armor. She keeps part of her face hidden. She may seem a bit antisocial, short tempered, or stuck up... If she even speaks to you... A small red pendant with a black spider upon it holds her cloak together.


Starting Ability points:
STR 8
DEX 18 (Use Chain Armor & have the base +4 for skills)
CON 8
INT 16
WIS 16 (+1GW+7=24)
CHA 10


Skill Set: Concentration, Heal, Hide, Move Silently, Open Lock, Tumble

-------------------------------
Ability and Feat Progression:
>Cleric:
1 Feat: Point Blank Shot
2
3 Feat: Dodge
4 +1 WIS
5
6 Feat: Zen Archery
7
8 +1 WIS
9 Feat: Mobility
10
11
12 +1 WIS Feat: (Spell Focus: Abjuration)
13
14
15 Feat: (Arcane Defense: Abjuration)
16 +1 WIS
17
>Shadowdancer:
18 Feat: Extend Spell
19
20 +1 WIS
21 Feat: Armor Skin
22 HIPS
23
24 Feat: Improved Critical: Light Crossbow
25
26
27 Feat: +1 Great WIS
28 +1 WIS
29
30 Feat: Sring Attack, Bonus Feat: Shadow Lord
Last edited by Drow4d20 on Tue Jan 02, 2018 11:49 am, edited 2 times in total.
"Do what thou wilt shall be the whole of the law."

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