Multiple Issues (Cleric Build, Paladin Spells & Mount Feats)

[BigTony]

I am currently planning on bringing in the following character as a replacement for a character I'm playing in. It'll probably be a month or so until I can use him, as the game does not meet often and It'll take a few sessions to get where the DM can introduce a character:

Sources Allowed: Any 3.X Official, Including Dragon Magazine

Currently Planned Build


Race: Lesser Aasimar
Class Levels: Cleric 4/Church Inquisitioner 3/Prestige Paladin 3/Fist of Raziel 10
Starting Stats (before racial mods):
STR 17
DEX 10
CON 16
INT 12
WIS 16
CHA 15

Domains:
*Planning
*Spell

Feats:
Planning Bonus: Extend Spell
Level 1: Power Attack
Flaw: Persist Spell
Flaw: Divine Metamagic [Persist Spell]

Level 3: Mounted Combat

Level 6: Servant of the Heavens

Level 9: Holy Mount

Level 12: Practiced Spellcaster [?]

Level 15: ?

Level 18: ?


I'm looking for help with a few aspects of this character:

1-) I really don't know what the best choices would be for my level 15 and 18 feats. Level 12 may change as well, there is a small chance I may be able to "Recover" my lost caster levels at some point, but I'm not counting on it.

2-)For that matter is there any other build that will net me a Mount (or sufficiently mount-like feature that can net a Lion or Dire Lion) as well as smite (or a suffiently smite-like feature) and lose fewer cleric caster levels? Those are central to the character thematically and so I can't lose them, but the two-level hit is brutal.

3-)My mount will be a Dire Lion, this is for thematic reasons and really isn't open to change unless there is a better sort of Lion out there. What feats will be good for me to assign to this mount?

4-)What are some good paladin spells? I've looked over spell comp for the most part, but ones from other sources may have escaped me. The character particularly likes defensive group buffs.

[Emy]

No Extra Turning? I assume that means you'll be allowed to stack nightsticks?

2 - Well, if you don't mind it being a normal animal rather than a class feature, you could buy a Magebred Warbeast Horrid Dire Lion (advanced as many HD as you can) or similar animal. There's a variant that trades Turn Undead for Smite Evil + Aura of Courage.

3 -
Mighty Steed [Bestiary of Krynn] - Increased carrying capacity
Martial Study (something in Shadow Hand) and Martial Stance (Island of Blades) [Tome of Battle] - Mount = flanking buddy 
Fleet of Foot [SRD]
Distracting Attack [Miniatures Handbook]
the standard selection of charging feats to take advantage of Pounce?

[BigTony]

No Extra Turning? I assume that means you'll be allowed to stack nightsticks?

I don't know, I haven't asked.. and probably won't. Despite the limited ability to persist I'm still fairly happy with what I'm getting out of it. Even with just 2 spells (what I can managed at 8th).

I have 2-3 feats open (depending on if that "Recovery" of caster levels happens) they certainly could be filled with extra turning. The DM also gives opportunities for earning bonus feats, that could also be dedicated to extra turning.

Thanks for the confirmation. I was already considering taking it. If there are no better options that immediately pop to anyone's mind, I'm certainly going that route.

2 - Well, if you don't mind it being a normal animal rather than a class feature, you could buy a Magebred Warbeast Horrid Dire Lion (advanced as many HD as you can) or similar animal. There's a variant that trades Turn Undead for Smite Evil + Aura of Courage.

I can already say I couldn't buy it like that. The DM a bit of a simulationist in some regards and I'd have to jump through all sorts of hoops to actually import an animal like that, if I even could.

Also I kind of like having it as a class feature for two reasons: 1) Sharing Buffs. 2) Even Growth. I'm dealing with a group that has a pretty wide power spread. As such something that starts mild, and grows with me is better than a big lump of power all at once. However I am applying the warbeast template to my special mount. It has room for one more CR+1 template though, if there are any worth taking I'm open.

I've looked at that variant before. The main problem is how it messes up the feat progression, since I can't pick up TU till later from a PrC any Divine Feats are clashing with things I can't take until around that time.

3 -

Mighty Steed [Bestiary of Krynn] - Increased carrying capacity

Hmm. Interesting. Will this really come up? I'm already looking at 1,200lb light load on the sucker. Me + My Gear are probably around 400lbs tops, at least what I'd take into battle at any rate. Is there some advantage to larger carrying capacities I'm not seeing?

Distracting Attack [Miniatures Handbook]
Martial Study (something in Shadow Hand) and Martial Stance (Island of Blades) [Tome of Battle] - Mount = flanking buddy 

These two are awesome, and really the direction I want to go in. The more support/buffs I can bring to the group the better. If everyone else is happy to see my cat, I'm happy. Thanks a lot, if there are others like this I'm all for hearing them.

Fleet of Foot [SRD]

Nifty. Not as good as the previous two, but I like it.

the standard selection of charging feats to take advantage of Pounce?

I'd rather not honestly. The Island of Blades & Distracting Attack are awesome suggestions since they make everyone better. I've got enough personal power really, I need to spread the love.

[Emy]

I don't know, I haven't asked.. and probably won't. Despite the limited ability to persist I'm still fairly happy with what I'm getting out of it. Even with just 2 spells (what I can managed at 8th).

Really? You have 14 turn attempts?

I have 2-3 feats open (depending on if that "Recovery" of caster levels happens) they certainly could be filled with extra turning. The DM also gives opportunities for earning bonus feats, that could also be dedicated to extra turning.

Thanks for the confirmation. I was already considering taking it. If there are no better options that immediately pop to anyone's mind, I'm certainly going that route.

You could also take Martial Study and Martial Stance to get some stance that's beneficial to allies that your mount doesn't have, like Leading the Attack / Tactics of the Wolf. That way, whenever you're next to an enemy, it's auto-flanked by you, your mount, and any allies next to it - and all of those people get bonus damage. Also you can hit things with Leading the Attack to make them easier for other people to hit.

3 -
Hmm. Interesting. Will this really come up? I'm already looking at 1,200lb light load on the sucker. Me + My Gear are probably around 400lbs tops, at least what I'd take into battle at any rate. Is there some advantage to larger carrying capacities I'm not seeing?

Eh, not really. It would allow your dire lion to carry you while you're under the effects of Righteous Might, but if it's a paladin mount you can just Share Spells and have it get bigger too~

These two are awesome, and really the direction I want to go in. The more support/buffs I can bring to the group the better. If everyone else is happy to see my cat, I'm happy. Thanks a lot, if there are others like this I'm all for hearing them.

Depending on how your DM interprets the Dutiful Guardian feat [Drow of the Underdark] (prereq: Constant Guardian, same book), it might be a good choice for your mount.

If the DM thinks it's teleportation or something, it's not a good choice... but if it's normal movement (so your mount can keep carrying you while using that ability), great! Increased movement capability and ally-saving.

[BigTony]

Really? You have 14 turn attempts?

Yep, exactly 14. 3[Base] +4[Nightstick] +2[Reliquary Holy Symbol] +5[Charisma]. Works out to exactly 14. Between my racial bonus and an enhancement to charisma.  I just hit it. Even if you aren't stacking the suckers, the one nightstick does come in very handy.

You could also take Martial Study and Martial Stance to get some stance that's beneficial to allies that your mount doesn't have, like Leading the Attack / Tactics of the Wolf. That way, whenever you're next to an enemy, it's auto-flanked by you, your mount, and any allies next to it - and all of those people get bonus damage. Also you can hit things with Leading the Attack to make them easier for other people to hit.

Nifty. Hadn't thought of that. Certainly worth considering.

Eh, not really. It would allow your dire lion to carry you while you're under the effects of Righteous Might, but if it's a paladin mount you can just Share Spells and have it get bigger too~

Noted, should I dump it as a feature somehow/for some reason. Though that is also one of the reasons I love it as a feature. Me growing to large? Badass. Me growing to large on top of an angry carnivore that's growing to huge? Very Badass.. That and some of the paladin spells that target a special mount specifically are cool as well.

Depending on how your DM interprets the Dutiful Guardian feat [Drow of the Underdark] (prereq: Constant Guardian, same book), it might be a good choice for your mount.

If the DM thinks it's teleportation or something, it's not a good choice... but if it's normal movement (so your mount can keep carrying you while using that ability), great! Increased movement capability and ally-saving.

Looking over it, it seems pretty clearly  state that it's movement. Even then, knowing my DM it's not sort of the thing he'd have trouble with. Especially since it's so in-character (my character is big on that whole protection thing). Now it's getting to the point where I've got choices to make, thanks.

[Arcane-surge]

Since Dragon is allowed, I recommend Serenity (not sure what number, but it's in the Dragon Compendium). It'll key all of your paladin abilities (Divine Grace, Smite, Lay on Hands, even Turn Undead I think) to Wisdom instead of Charisma.

[BigTony]

Since Dragon is allowed, I recommend Serenity (not sure what number, but it's in the Dragon Compendium). It'll key all of your paladin abilities (Divine Grace, Smite, Lay on Hands, even Turn Undead I think) to Wisdom instead of Charisma.

That is awesome. Sadly though, after checking it out though it requires Rao as a patron deity.Not really the sort of thing I'd want to bring up with my DM. I'll keep it mind though, as fictional gods go, I like Rao. It might be useful for a future character.

Totally Unrelated: WTF were they thinking with that magazine cover?


Still hoping for some hidden gems in the paladin spell list. Sacred Haven seems nice, as do the mount-spells and holy/lawful sword.I figure there must be a few others out there.

[telehax]

Since Dragon is allowed, I recommend Serenity (not sure what number, but it's in the Dragon Compendium). It'll key all of your paladin abilities (Divine Grace, Smite, Lay on Hands, even Turn Undead I think) to Wisdom instead of Charisma.

That is awesome. Sadly though, after checking it out though it requires Rao as a patron deity.Not really the sort of thing I'd want to bring up with my DM. I'll keep it mind though, as fictional gods go, I like Rao. It might be useful for a future character.

It got "updated" (if Dragon feats can do that) in Dragon Compendium; it no longer requires Rao.

[BigTony]

Since Dragon is allowed, I recommend Serenity (not sure what number, but it's in the Dragon Compendium). It'll key all of your paladin abilities (Divine Grace, Smite, Lay on Hands, even Turn Undead I think) to Wisdom instead of Charisma.

That is awesome. Sadly though, after checking it out though it requires Rao as a patron deity.Not really the sort of thing I'd want to bring up with my DM. I'll keep it mind though, as fictional gods go, I like Rao. It might be useful for a future character.

It got "updated" (if Dragon feats can do that) in Dragon Compendium; it no longer requires Rao.

Ah  I see. In that case It'd make a pretty good late-game feat. The DM is kind of stingy on the loot,having fewer stats to boost would be a big help at that stage.

EDIT: Any betters spell-based sources of critical immunity than Stone Body (SpC)? The DM uses a variant where a 20 on a crit confirmation is an instant kill, the only way around it is to be crit immune. Given the number of attacks mooks can roll in big battles it's bound to come up sooner or later.

[Negative Zero]

Living Undeath (SpC) has the same duration as Stone Body and is a much lower level spell.

[BigTony]

Living Undeath (SpC) has the same duration as Stone Body and is a much lower level spell.

That's going to run me into hard wall when it comes to RP restrictions. However the DM is open to spell creation/research, I might be able to use that as a template for a similar spell that doesn't actually involve pseudo-zomebifying. Thanks for pointing it out.

[The_Mad_Linguist]

Living Undeath (SpC) has the same duration as Stone Body and is a much lower level spell.

That's going to run me into hard wall when it comes to RP restrictions. However the DM is open to spell creation/research, I might be able to use that as a template for a similar spell that doesn't actually involve pseudo-zomebifying. Thanks for pointing it out.

Hey, not all undead are evil.  Look at ghosts, for example: Alignment:Any. Heck, back in the good ol' days mummies were predominantly chaotic GOOD.

This message has been paid for by the Negative Energy Anti-Defamation League.

[BigTony]

Living Undeath (SpC) has the same duration as Stone Body and is a much lower level spell.

That's going to run me into hard wall when it comes to RP restrictions. However the DM is open to spell creation/research, I might be able to use that as a template for a similar spell that doesn't actually involve pseudo-zomebifying. Thanks for pointing it out.

Hey, not all undead are evil.  Look at ghosts, for example: Alignment:Any. Heck, back in the good ol' days mummies were predominantly chaotic GOOD.

This message has been paid for by the Negative Energy Anti-Defamation League.

All the same, It's not the sort of thing I'd dare risk bringing up. While we've never discussed the topic specifically, he doesn't strike me as the type that would be to happy Paladin using any spell titled "X Undead" where is anything but "Burn" "Destroy" "Vaporize" "Obliterate" "Destructorize" "Make-go-goodbye-y".

Avoiding a possible death isn't worth risking the whole character concept. In fact, not being able to run the character at all kind of defeats the whole point of finding ways for him not to be insta-gibbed, heh.

[Negative Zero]

Flavor is always mutable.

[The_Mad_Linguist]

Just say it's named "living undeath" in the same way that they named the ability "turn undead".

[BigTony]

Flavor is always mutable.

To the extent that the person running the game thinks it is. As I said, not the sort of thing I'd even risk bringing up. I'm certainly open to any other non-expensive sources of crit immunity.

(Fortification & the like just isn't practical, after character creation awarded treasure/money tends to be a fraction of WBL)