Core (PH, DMG & MM) Cleric advice

[balluga]

I am building a cleric for an upcoming campaign with a first time DM. I am trying to fill two roles in the party, primary melee and divine spell caster. For the melee part I was going to focus on tripping because it is the best thing a melee character can do in core.

I have read both the Cleric Handbook and a few Horizon Tripper builds. I am just trying to bring everything together now.

We will start at 3rd level and I do not know where we will end, but the DM has grand plans about this campaign.

From what I can gather the party will consist of the following:

Human Sorcerer
Human Rogue
Fighter/Ranger? Archer
Bard (Melee focused?)
(Me) Human Cleric

I am looking for a way to help shore up the party's weaknesses. I know that the party may not be the best group, but I am trying to work with them.

We are using a 28 point buy and this is what I have so far:

Str: 14
Dex: 08
Con: 14
Int: 14
Wis: 15
Cha: 10

I am ending up quite MAD, needing a high Wis, at least a 13 Int and good Str and Con scores. And if I dump Dex I cannot use Combat Reflexes which may hurt.

Feats:

H: Combat Expertise
1: Improved Trip
3: EWP(Spiked Chain) - Not sure here. Is there a better weapon for the Cleric to trip with?

After 3rd, I was looking at picking up Power Attack then some metamagic spells like Heighten, Empower, Extend or Quicken. While crafting may be good, I do not think there will be enough down time to make use of it. Also, he said that we would level up when appropriate, so I may not have the XP to spend on crafting.


My domain choices are nice because I cannot worship a deity (they are either dead or do not respond) so I can pick the best and go with it. I was looking at Strenght (enlarge person), Travel (good spells), Trickery and Magic but I am not sold on any of them.

This is also my first time in a long time playing a spellcaster of any sort, so advice on what spells to have memorized is welcome. I do not need to break the campaign right now, but it is always nice to have some tricks ready just in case.

Thanks in advance for any advice.

[ninjarabbit]

I wouldn't bother with tripping since it is pretty MAD for your character. You'd need str, dex, int, and wis and I think you're spreading yourself too thinly.

I'd just make a melee brute with spells to buff you.

Half-Orc cleric 3 Domains: travel, luck

Feats: improved initative, power attack

Str 18 (16 +2)
Dex 10
Con 14
Int 6 (8-2)
Wis 16
Cha 6 (8-2)

Grab yourself a morning star or a longspear and go to town. Your spells should mostly be buffs: divine favor, magic weapon, aid, bull's strength, and have one or two utility spells handy just in case depending on the campaign.

[PhaedrusXY]

The Magic domain is good in core because you lack ways to buff yourself quickly and cheaply (or semi-permanently), and it provides access to Contingency via a Staff. Of course, you could also just take a few cross-class ranks in Use Magic Device, since the DC is only 20. Quicken is also pretty much a "must have" in core, also. I'd also suggest being neutral so you can use Animate Dead if you feel like it. If your partymates don't mind (and I don't see any paladins...), having a few decently powerful melee-bruiser undead around (even just as mounts) can be a big help.

[Gavinfoxx]

I prefer Travel and Trickery for core campaigns, myself.