Playable PvE 1-40

Not a terribly inspired build - there are a number of others with similar class selections and close, but not quite, to the same level split.

I built this character with an eye towards being a strength-based, divine caster version of the adept adventurer - able to handle a wide range of roles in and out of combat.

Human, Non-Evil
Str 15
Dex 12
Con 14
Int 14
Wis 14
Cha 8

1 Rog (1): Strong Soul*, Knockdown
2 Rog (2):
3 Clr (1): Weapon Focus (Rapier)%
4 Clr (2): +1 str
5 Clr (3):
6 Clr (4): Extend Spell
7 Rog (3):
8 Rog (4): +1 str
9 Clr (5): Combat Casting
10 Clr (6):
11 COT (1):
12 Rog (5): +1 str, Toughness
13 COT (2): Improved Knockdown+
14 COT (3):
15 Clr (7): Expertise*
16 COT (4): +1 wis, Blind-Fighting+
17 Rog (6):
18 Clr (8): Silent Spell*
19 Rog (7):
20 Rog (8): +1 wis
21 Clr (9): Epic Weapon Focus (Rapier)%
22 Rog (9):
23 Rog (10): Crippling Strike#
24 Rog (11): +1 str, Great Strength 1
25 COT (5):
26 Clr (10):
27 Rog (12): Improved Combat Casting
28 Clr (11): +1 str
29 COT (6): Great Wisdom 1+
30 Clr (12): Great Strength 2
31 COT (7):
32 Rog (13): +1 str, Epic Skill Focus (Hide)#
33 COT (8): Great Strength 3, Epic Prowess+
34 Rog (14):
35 Rog (15):
36 COT (9): +1 str, Great Strength 4
37 Rog (16): Epic Skill Focus (Move Silently)#
38 Clr (13):
39 COT (10): Great Strength 5, Armor Skin+
40 Rog (17): +1 str

* - Optional Feat
% - Any weapon will do; rapier chosen for crit stats and proficiency reasons.
# - Rogue bonus feat
+ - COT bonus feat

About 300 skillpoints - Concentration, Discipline, Tumble, UMD are musts. Hide and MS (obviously from the ESFs). You can, however, customize the skill selection as you like and change the ESFs into things like Improved Evasion and Slippery Mind if stealth isn't your style.

Ending Vitals
Str 28
Wis 17

AB +39 with mundane rapier, +9 damage from strength
Goes up to +43 with divine power active
Note: This build has 4 attacks/round naturally, so it doesn't get the divine power attack.
9d6 Sneak Attack

AC 32 in mundane plate and tower shield
426 max hp
F 29 R 30 W 29

7th level divine spells

FAQ:
Q: You said that this character was meant to be like the adept/adaptable adventurer and fulfill many roles for a party... can you elaborate?
A: Yes. This character came out of a realization that practically every (successful) adventuring party has a tank, a healer, and a rogue. This character can cast the heal spell (and silence it into 7th level spell slots), gets plenty of skill points to invest into rogue skills, and wears heavy armor and uses a shield - and can activate Expertise mode - to tank with.

Topping it all off, his AB's not horrible (buffs to +43 with just divine power), his saves are above-average, and he has plenty of damage potential between strength damage, darkfire, and sneak attacks.

Q: This build's a little funky in its levelling order. Why'd you level it like this?
A: Playability from 1-20 was a concern, since the character is designed around a close split between rogue, cleric, and COT. In order to fill most of the roles I wanted it to for most of its career, the classes are advanced more or less side-by-side, with COT a little more spread out to get significant Discipline skill dumps.

I originally had considered a version that relied on divine power for the fourth attack, and that's still a very viable option - a split like 10 rogue/8 cleric/2 COT up to 20 would manage that.

On the other hand, having the fourth attack naturally is nice if you run out of spells, if you get dispelled, or if you just don't like having to memorize tons of DPs.

Q: Why a sword and board character? And why a rapier? Why not dualwield shortswords?
A: Since arcane failure's not a concern, sword and board is very attractive in order to benefit from the increased AC it brings. Since the character has darkfire and sneak attacks to generate damage with, I felt extra AC beat the damage of a two-hander in this case.

Rapier's chosen to save a feat on taking martial or exotic proficiency but this build has an extra feat or two that could be used that way if you'd like. But the rapier's a fine weapon - good crit statistics.

I didn't dual wield partly because I didn't feel that the character's AB would support it, and partly because I felt that using a shield was right up this build's alley.

Q: Why take ESF in hide and move silently with rogue bonus feats? Why not take, well, anything else?
A: The ESF bonus offsets the penalties for stealthing in heavy armor. At this stage you already have crippling strike, and with your above-average saves, improved evasion and slippery mind aren't as attractive.

If you would rather take those and either forego stealth or use equipment (there are lots of cloaks in the OCs that increase hide/MS) to offset the armor penalties, go right ahead.

In fact for solo play or in a group that has a dedicated stealth rogue type, that might be a better choice. But in the spirit of the adaptable adventurer - this guy can fill the scout role while wearing plate armor.

Q: Cleric domains - is there any reason to take anything besides travel and trickery?
A: Probably not. Trickery, in particular, is very nice with this character since its domain power synergizes well with your rogue skills. Just buff an eagle's splendor before you activate it for a longer duration.

If there are perma-haste items in your environment I might suggest Healing, War, and Plant as alternatives to Travel.

Q: What are this character's weaknesses? It's got some, right?
A: Yes, it has some. For one, the AB isn't horrible, but it's nothing to write home about either. Maximally buffed it will top out at +65. In a low or mid magic world your ability to buff yourself up will bring your AB on par with other melees but in high magic worlds you'll start falling behind.

Your buffs are very dispellable, too, and you don't really have any offensive casting potential - your save DCs will be a joke and you can't even beat token spell resistance. Your cleric spells will be all buffing and healing, really. Extend whatever you can, as well.

Finally, even though it was built with playability in mind, lots of the "good stuff" comes relatively late in the build. Your capabilities as a rogue, cleric, and meleer develop more or less side by side - this is a double-edged sword. You've got versatility as you level up, but some very important abilities - like the Heal spell at level 28 and Crippling Strike at level 22 - are delayed way past when a purer (or even differently-leveled) character would get them.
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Experience is the mother of good judgement; bad judgement is the father of experience. I just thought that i would note the this char can generate sneak attacks nicely through the use of: 1) summoned creatures, 2) darkness and ultravision, 3) word of faith, 4) IKD, 5)stealth or invisibility spells. not too shabby, but as you mentioned the delay in powers is lamentable but necessary for this type of char. whatever role is need in a party, this char can fill it. i love playing around with this class combo. hard to go wrong. well done.

-c