The Battle Priest
The Battle Priest
Battle priests carry the protections and punishments of their faith directly into the melee. Their magic keeps allies standing, tears vitality from enemies, and turns a shield wall into sacred ground. They are not as singularly martial as a crusader or as devoted to spellcraft as an advanced caster, but they can answer either kind of danger without stepping away from the front line.
Basic Detail
HD Type: d10
Bonus HP Per HD: +4
Attack Curve: Medium; expands to High at 10 HD
Magical Prowess: Standard with the Divine spell list
Sub-Type: Combat Focus
Skill Growth: 4 + Intelligence Modifier (x4 at first level)
Suggested Skills: Concentration, Diplomacy, Discern Intent, Heal, Knowledge (Arcana), Knowledge (The Planes),
Knowledge (Religion), Listen, Profession (Priest), and Spot.
Known Skills: 8 + Intelligence Modifier
Weapon Proficiency: The Battle Priest weapon group: Longsword (One-Handed Straight Sword), Spear (Pole Weapon: Spear Head), Mace (One-Handed Simple Blunt), and Short Bow
Armor Proficiency: Light, medium, and shields (except tower shields)
Saves: 2 High and 2 Low
Primary Mental Attribute (PMA): Wisdom
Suggested Attribute Distribution: Str 16, Dex 12, Con 16, Int 14, Wis 18, Cha 14
Progression
| HD | Perk | Base Attack | High Save | Low Save | Spell Proficiency |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | DevoutD, Lay on Hands (Healing)A, Weapon Group Training (Battle Priest)F, and Weapon Fixation (Mace)F | +0 | +2 | +0 | +1 |
| 2 | - | +1 | +3 | +0 | +1 |
| 3 | Weapon Casting (Mace)F | +2 | +3 | +1 | +1 |
| 4 | Weapon Offensive (Mace)F | +3 | +4 | +1 | +1 |
| 5 | Resistive FocusD | +3 | +4 | +1 | +1 |
| 6 | Spell FocusF | +4 | +5 | +2 | +1 |
| 7 | - | +5 | +5 | +2 | +1 |
| 8 | Improved Weapon Fixation (Mace)F | +6/+1 | +6 | +2 | +2 |
| 9 | Bolster SpellF | +6/+1 | +6 | +3 | +2 |
| 10 | Mystic WarriorD and Ally ShieldingA | +10/+5 | +7 | +3 | +2 |
| 11 | - | +11/+6/+1 | +7 | +3 | +2 |
| 12 | Improved Weapon Offensive (Mace)F and Greater Spell FocusF | +12/+7/+2 | +8 | +4 | +2 |
| 13 | - | +13/+8/+3 | +8 | +4 | +2 |
| 14 | - | +14/+9/+4 | +9 | +4 | +2 |
| 15 | InhibitorD and Spell PenetrationF | +15/+10/+5 | +9 | +5 | +2 |
| 16 | Weapon Defensive (Mace)F | +16/+11/+6/+1 | +10 | +5 | +3 |
| 17 | - | +17/+12/+7/+2 | +10 | +5 | +3 |
| 18 | Improved MetamagicF | +18/+13/+8/+3 | +11 | +6 | +3 |
| 19 | - | +19/+14/+9/+4 | +11 | +6 | +3 |
| 20 | Magic ResistantD, ApotheosisA, and Weapon Mastery (Mace)F | +20/+15/+10/+5 | +12 | +6 | +3 |
F Feat, A Ability, and D Definition
The Breakdown
The Battle Priest should make Fortitude and Will their high saves. Wisdom should receive most attribute increases, with Strength and Constitution remaining high enough to keep the Battle Priest effective in melee. The build fixes on a mace, but Longsword, Spear, or Shortbow can replace it. If another weapon is selected, every feat marked “(Mace)” should use that same weapon instead.
Devout: Gain access to the Divine spell list and proficiency with the favored weapon of the Battle Priest's deity. Every Heal and Wound spell also becomes a known spell at the appropriate level.
Divine Providence: After failing a saving throw, use an immediate action to reroll it with a divine bonus equal to +1, plus +1 per 4 HD. The second result must be accepted. This can be used 1 + 1 per 7 HD per day.
Lay on Hands (Healing): Gain Lay on Hands as a pool of healing points equal to twice the Battle Priest's HD multiplied by their Wisdom modifier. These points can also close wounds and remove stronger afflictions once the pool is large enough.
Weapon Group Training (Battle Priest): Become proficient with the Battle Priest weapon group: Longsword, Spear, Mace, and Shortbow.
Weapon Fixation (Mace): Gain a +1 training bonus to attack with the mace. Longsword, Spear, or Shortbow can be selected instead, but the choice applies to the entire Weapon Fixation and Weapon Mastery feat line.
Weapon Casting (Mace): Motions made with the selected weapon replace focus components and material components that cost less than 1 gp. The weapon itself becomes a spell focus.
Weapon Offensive (Mace): Gain a +2 training bonus to damage with the selected weapon.
Resistive Focus: Change one low save to a high save. Ego is the suggested choice, leaving only Reflex on the low progression.
Spell Focus: Select the Battle Priest's most frequently used Heal, Wound, and protective spells. They are cast at +1 caster level and can exceed their normal damage, healing, or warding die limits by one die.
Improved Weapon Fixation (Mace): Increase the selected weapon's training bonus to attack to +2.
Bolster Spell: Increase a spell's slot level by 2 to add four damage or healing dice. This cannot modify attribute damage.
Mystic Warrior: At 10 HD, expand the Battle Priest's Base Attack Bonus from Medium to High. Because the definition is taken after first level, it does not replace the Battle Priest's Medium skill growth or save arrangement. The Base Attack column uses the Medium curve through 9 HD and the High curve from 10 HD onward.
Ally Shielding: Gain the ability Ally Shielding. Allies within 30 ft. gain regenerative warding equal to the Battle Priest's HD multiplied by their Wisdom modifier.
Improved Weapon Offensive (Mace): Increase the selected weapon's training bonus to damage to +4.
Greater Spell Focus: Choose two spells already selected for Spell Focus. They gain another +1 caster level, are always signless and soundless, and can each be cast once per day as a swift action without consuming a spell slot.
Inhibitor: Gain a scaling competency bonus on dispels, counterspells, and Knowledge (Arcana). The same bonus applies to the save DC of every variation of Dispel Magic.
Spell Penetration: Gain +2 when rolling against spell resistance or defending against a counterspell.
Weapon Defensive (Mace): Gain a +1 parry bonus to AC while wielding the selected weapon.
Improved Metamagic: Reduce Bolster Spell's additional spell-slot cost by 1.
Magic Resistant: Gain spell resistance equal to the Battle Priest's HD + 10, producing SR 30 at 20 HD.
Apotheosis: Gain the ability Apotheosis. When below half health, heal to full and become a temporary vessel of divine power, gaining combat bonuses and the ability to cast two spells each round at the cost of 50 bleed damage at the end of every round.
Weapon Mastery (Mace): The selected weapon now provides a total +3 training bonus to attack, +6 training bonus to damage, and +2 parry bonus to AC while wielded.
Spell Casting
Caster Level: The Battle Priest's caster level is equal to their HD.
Spell List: The Battle Priest casts Divine spells through the Devout definition.
Simplex Spells: The suggested Simplex spells are Bless, Resistance, and Tend.
Spells Known: Every Divine Heal and Wound spell is automatically known. The spells-known table represents additional known spells selected from the Divine list. Other Divine spells can be recorded in a prayer book and prepared normally.
Spells Per Day: These are the Battle Priest's base spell slots before bonus spells from Wisdom.
| Spells Known | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| HD | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | 5th | 6th |
| 1 | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 2 | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 3 | 1 | - | - | - | - | - |
| 4 | 1 | - | - | - | - | - |
| 5 | 1 | 1 | - | - | - | - |
| 6 | 1 | 1 | - | - | - | - |
| 7 | 1 | 1 | 1 | - | - | - |
| 8 | 2 | 1 | 1 | - | - | - |
| 9 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | - | - |
| 10 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | - | - |
| 11 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | - | - |
| 12 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | - |
| 13 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | - |
| 14 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 | - |
| 15 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 |
| 16 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 |
| 17 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 1 |
| 18 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 1 |
| 19 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 1 |
| 20 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 2 |
| Spells Per Day | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| HD | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | 5th | 6th |
| 1 | 0 | - | - | - | - | - |
| 2 | 1 | - | - | - | - | - |
| 3 | 2 | 0 | - | - | - | - |
| 4 | 3 | 1 | - | - | - | - |
| 5 | 3 | 2 | 0 | - | - | - |
| 6 | 3 | 2 | 1 | - | - | - |
| 7 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 0 | - | - |
| 8 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 1 | - | - |
| 9 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 2 | - | - |
| 10 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 0 | - |
| 11 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 1 | - |
| 12 | 5 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 2 | - |
| 13 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 0 |
| 14 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 1 |
| 15 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 2 |
| 16 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 2 |
| 17 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 2 |
| 18 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 2 |
| 19 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 3 |
| 20 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 3 |
Suggested Spells by Level
Devout already makes every Heal and Wound spell known. These selections use the Battle Priest's remaining known spells for weapon enhancement, warding, restoration, and answers to hostile magic.