Starting in a level 2 game in the near future and I was looking to play the party cleric, yet I'm quite divided on how I should actually go about building it.
Relevant info: I'm interested in having a melee-ish or perhaps stealthy cleric. I would like something that's effective now, but grows well for the future. Houserules for the game includes fractional BAB and gives automatic proficiency with a deity's favored weapon, as well as allowing a choice of a non-class skill or two as a class skill for free (with the notable exception of UMD). My deity's domains are Fate, Travel, Law, and Retribution, and favored weapon is a bastard sword. DMM:Persist is not allowed (But DMM:Anything Else is). The rest of the party includes a Beguiler and a Warblade/Swordsage, and both are no slouches as optimizers. My race will be Human. My alignment is LN, but alignment restrictions for PrCs and stuff are negotiable with the DM (e.g. I could take Prestige Paladin if I wanted to). I have access to pretty much any sourcebook desired, but things like Nightsticks will be rejected. Flaws are considered dirty. Attributes are determined by 32 point buy.
Right now, I'm pondering the possibility of Cloistered Cleric / Church Inquisitor / Divine Oracle / Ordained Champion / Prestige Paladin / something (Bone Knight? Contemplative?), but I'm completely open to other ideas. Other things I've been looking at include Ruby Knight Vindicator, Abjurant Champion (see "Adaptation" for the divine version), a few other things.
As my initial domains I was thinking of taking Law and Travel (with free Knowledge), and switching out Law for Law Devotion and Knowledge for Knowledge Devotion. As attractive as Travel Devotion is, the domain itself is pretty good and I feel I should have at least on domain for the extra spell slot per day.
Future plans: At level 4, I'd get Church Inquisitor and Inquisition Domain, then grab Divine Oracle and Oracle Domain, then grab Ordained Champion and switch out the Oracle Domain and my old Weapon Focus feat for 2 combat feats (Power Attack and... I don't know. If I can't think of anything I'd just keep the Oracle Domain). However, giving up a caster level or two for Ordained Champion makes me uneasy.
I figure I'll rely on Blade of Blood / Knowledge Devotion to at least dent things, try to keep myself alive with a good AC (3 law, 4 chain shirt, 2 heavy shield, 1 dex = 20), and have Longstrider as my only option in a domain slot since Travel's the only domain I didn't switch out. Guidance in level 0 slots for that +1 bonus when I get the drop on something. Don't really know what else there is to do at level 2.
Feats:
Domain Switch: (Law Devotion), (Knowledge Devotion)
Human: Extra Turning?
Level 1: Travel Devotion? (Worth an actual feat slot?)
Level 3: Weapon Focus (for Ordained Champ)
Ordained Champion combat feats: Power Attack,
Level 6:
Level 9: Holy Warrior
Level 12:
Level 15:
Level 18:
Prospective stats: Str 14, Dex 12, Con 14, Int 10, Wis 16, Cha 12
Anywho, please help! Thanks in advance.
PS: If I do go Ordained Champion, what are good things to use for Channel Spell? What about hidden gems from the Paladin spell list?