Help me build a Cleric of Mystra (3.5e)

[damoncasale]

I looked through the min-max forum to see if there was already a thread on an Initiate of Mystra-based build.  There was one, but the other guy was doing something significantly different from me, so I'm starting a new thread.

So...I'm already playing in a campaign with a currently 6th level Uldra (LA +1) Cleric of Mystra:

Str 12 Dex 8 Con 16 Int 14 Wis 18 (+2 from periapt of wis for 20) Cha 16
(Yes, we had a very high starting point buy.)

Flaw - Vulnerable (AC -1)
Reach Spell (CD p84; flaw)
Divine Metamagic (CD p80; level 1)
Zen Archery (CW p106; level 3)
Initiate of Mystra (PGtF p81; lvl 6)

So far I've just taken cleric levels, and originally I was just going to take a single level of Contemplative at 11th, but then I started doing some more websurfing about Initiate of Mystra and came across some references about how it can be a very powerful build.

Here's how I'm playing my build so far:

My build is mainly for utility in the party.  It's average at healing, average at buffing, and average at debuffing and battlefield control, but does well enough to make fights less difficult than they otherwise might be.  I generally memorize Web and Glitterdust (using a spellbook and Anyspell), have Lesser Vigor and two pearls of power to retain it twice, and use Bewildering Substitution to good effect as well.

Here are things I'm considering:

1) Divine Disciple (PGtF p51) in another couple of levels for full progression, as I'll just be able to cast 4th level spells next level.  The idea of later being able to polymorph into a Planetar as per the Cheater of Mystra build sounds cool.  Also, grab the Spell domain at DiD level 4.  Might seem redundant with Initiate of Mystra, but having access to Limited Wish is incredibly awesome.
2) I'm possibly considering a Contemplative (CD p30) one-level dip for another bonus domain, then swapping it out with Heretic of the Faith (Power of Faerun p46).  Suggestions on a good domain to get?
3) I'm also possibly considering a one-level dip in Swift Wing (Dragon Magic p50) only because the Dragon domain looks fairly useful at higher levels.  Greater Magic Fang (our party has a monk), true seeing, stoneskin, dragon ally, mass suggestion and dominate monster all look worth the loss of a single caster level, but only a few levels down the road.  As it is, this build is suffering from not enough spells to generally go the distance, averaging about 2-3 combats between rests.
4) I'm not really interested in the Dweomerkeeper prc.  I haven't done a lot with DMM other than reach (for more effective in-combat healing, mainly).  Plus, changing some of my spells to SU abilities seems to benefit only situationally.  The only thing that MIGHT be worth it is getting limited wish as a SU ability, but at higher levels, spending 300 xp isn't going to be a big concern.

All WotC-legal sources including web enhancements but except for LA buyoff in UA are allowed in this campaign.  As far as that goes, losing a caster level to LA was worth it for darkvision 120' alone, even though my cleric is limited to a speed of 20'.  (She's wearing mithril breastplate +1 with the easy travel enhancement, so fortunately her armor won't slow her down even more.)  Also, in this campaign, the PCs are members of a guild where we can, for instance, pay for a psion to use Psychic Reformation to alter character choices, in case you'd care to suggest changes to make my build more effective.

The party currently consists of:
Uldra cleric of Mystra-6 (me)
Human psion egoist-7, going for a gish build with Metamorphosis and Metamorphic Transfer (also me; each player has 2 chars)
Duskblade-7 (swift invis, nice occasional bonus damage from shocking grasp, etc.)
Spellthief -7 (specializing in spiked chain and flanking from unusual angles)
Dragonborn lesser aasimar monk-7 (the only actual PC with decent damage output all of the time)
Druid shapeshifter (PH2 class variant; focusing on summoning cracked-out creatures with GREAT damage output but low AC)

Also, we rotate DMs every couple of months or so.  The old DM's players go on vacation or something, and the current DM's players are brought into the game.  Plus, we're allowed to "replace" characters in between adventures, meaning that there are new builds showing up in the party on a regular basis (altho I'm hoping that my cleric of mystra will be in it for the long haul!)

What I'm looking for are ways to increase my build's versatility without sacrificing too much in the way of caster levels or junk feats.  (For example, not interested in Divine Oracle because of the Skill Focus Religion junk feat requirement.)  More spells or other ways to regularly contribute to encounters (I've got an eternal wand of benign transposition, for instance) would be REALLY helpful.  Extend/persist/DMM persist might be worth it later on, but please explain how that would be useful enough to burn 7 turns to DMM persist a spell.  I currently only have 6 turns and I normally end up using at least three of those on reach-healing a party member who just got crit with 30ish points of damage in a single round.  Oh, and other ways to enhance healing would also be helpful.  (Just got a ring of mystic healing as treasure in the last combat, so that'll help.)

Suggestions?

Damon

[DavidWL]

For Versatility, you already have anyspell, which is great.  You could also look at changing races (+1LA hurts anyway) and going Shadowcraft Gnome, which has powerful versatility.

Have you seen this?
http://brilliantgameologists.com/boards/index.php?topic=420.0

Also, I vaguely remember a feat that maximizes? cure spells in one of the Eberron splat books.

Best,
David

[KellKheraptis]

Cloistered Cleric 3/Church Inquisitor 3/Dweomerkeeper 10/Divine Oracle 4

Gets all the goodness of the Cheater of Mystra, plus evasion in heavy armor, uncanny dodge, and Inquisition domain.

Cloistered Cleric 3/Church Inqusitor 2/Dweomerkeeper 10/Spelldancer 1/Divine Oracle 4

As above, only with auto-metamagic.  Feat starved a bit, though, but Spelldance is AWESOME.

Cloistered Cleric 3/Church Inquisitor 2/Dweomerkeeper 10/Contemplative 1/Divine Oracle 4

Extra domains are nice...

Just a few builds for you.  Remember, DMM : Persist and Initiate of Mystra are your friends.  At say level 14, you can run around with 9th level spells in the form of a Planetar within your own AMF.

[Rebel7284]

@damoncasale,

1. Your build seems to be trying to do too many things at the same time. You have Zen Archery while you seem to want to focus on spellcasting.  I would drop Zen Archery and Reach Spell for better metamagic, see 2.
2. Divine Metamagic is applicable to a single metamagic feat when you take it.  Assuming you're applying it to reach spell, you are not using it to it's full potential.  DMM Persist is the most widely used tactic on these boards, but for a casting focused cleric, DMM Quicken is also good.  DMM Chain Spell can also be great for buffing and debuffing.
3. It is a consensus on these boards that healing in combat is a very weak tactic.  Ending combat by using a spell slot to severely weaken or kill an enemy is often better than using the same spell slot to heal a small number of hit points. If you want to heal, memorize a few Close Wounds from Spell Compendium.  They are immediate action and are castable at range (again, Reach Spell is weak.)
4. Dweomerkeeper really IS that good and fits perfectly flavor wise.  Just take that feat that gives you a few Wizard Cantrips as arcane spells to qualify.

edit:

Extend/persist/DMM persist might be worth it later on, but please explain how that would be useful enough to burn 7 turns to DMM persist a spell.  I currently only have 6 turns and I normally end up using at least three of those on reach-healing a party member who just got crit with 30ish points of damage in a single round.

Because spells lasting all day are good.  Let me give you a short list:
Vigor, Mass Lesser: Never have to heal out of combat.  Fast healing during combat offers very minor benefits, but it can still be useful (stop bleeding attacks, characters knocked down to -1 can get up again and fight next round, etc.)
Cloud of Knives: FREE ranged attack each round for the whole day is good.
Channeled Divine Shield: Dr10/Evil all day is REALLY GOOD at early and way into mid levels.  Not many monsters have Align Weapon spells.
Prayer: +1 to most rolls for the whole party.  Totally adds up during a day.  Enemies within 40 feet get -1 to most rolls, which is also nice.
Darkfire: If you ultimately DO want to blast, this works way better than Zen Archery since this targets touch AC from 120 feet and deals more damage.

Also note that by the rules, you have to stack metamagic effects in the most beneficial way.  This means if you get a lesser rod of extend spell, you can use that and DMM persist to make your spells last for 48 hours, effectively doubling the number of persisted spells.

Oh, and other ways to enhance healing would also be helpful.  (Just got a ring of mystic healing as treasure in the last combat, so that'll help.)

The best way to enhance healing is to kill your opponents before they hurt you.  Also, Healing Belt from Magic Item Compendium is cheap and other characters can use it on themselves instead of making you waste actions on being a walking bandaid when you can instead be contributing by debuffing/controlling.  Just 1 or 2 close wounds a day is MORE than enough.

[DavidWL]

+1.  I gave a late-at-night brief reply.  But what they say is exactly right. - David

[kalaskaagathas]

Also note that if you have an Acorn of Far Travel keyed to a Temple of Mystra, you get a free metamagic feat for every spell you cast.  This is probably better for you than DMM: Persist because it works on all your spells and doesn't eat Turn Attempts like a hungry pride of lions (assuming you're not using nightsticks, then that's less of a problem).