Marcus Makes Third (This You Already Knew)!

Yeah, it's pretty pathetic when I can crow about having a character make 3rd level. Truth be told, I've been running a lot of games over the past several years, but I've not played in too many over the long term. I think that the longest-lived character I had prior to Marcus was in an AD&D 2nd Edition game, and that was prior to 3rd edition being released.

Edit: How soon I forget! I admit that I'm wrong on this count; I played in a 3.0/3.5 game a few years back, set in the world of Conan, and my character made it to 5th. To be fair, I've also got a 5th level Swashbuckler/Rogue that I played in my friend Dave H's "Tantalus" campaign, and I'm definitely quite fond of that character. So, friends, forgive me for overlooking those games, I wasn't thinking straight. It looks like Marcus has at least two levels to go before I can raise him to the lofty height of "longest-lived character."

[Removes foot from mouth.]

So let me be excited. As for stats, here goes. Not much new since the last upgrade.

Marcus: Human Clr3; CR3; Medium-size Humanoid (Human); HD 3d8+6 (16+1d8+2 hp); Init +1; Spd 20 ft (30 ft w/o armor); AC 17 (+4 armor, +2 shield, +1 Dex), touch 11, flat-footed 16; Base Atk +2; Grp +4; Atk +5 melee (1d8+2, longsword); Full Atk +5 melee (1d8+2, longsword); Space/Reach 5'/5'; SA Turn undead; SQ None; AL NG; SV Fort +5, Ref +2, Will +6; Str 14, Dex 13, Con 15, Int 12, Wis 17, Cha 10.
   Skills and Feats: Concentration +7 (+2 Con, 5 ranks), Craft +1 (+1 Int, 0 ranks), Diplomacy +0 (+0 Cha, 0 ranks), Heal +9 (+3 Wis, 6 ranks), Knowledge (arcana) +4 (+1 Int, 3 ranks), Knowledge (history) +2 (+1 Int, 1 rank), Knowledge (religion) +7 (+1 Int, 6 ranks), Knowledge (the planes) +2 (+1 Int, 1 rank), Spellcraft +3 (+1 Int, 2 ranks); Cleave, Improved Unarmed Strike, Martial Weapon Proficiency (Longsword), Power Attack, Weapon Focus (Longsword).
   Languages: Common, Celestial.
   Possessions: Money (33gp, 6sp, 5cp), Backpack, Bedroll, Dagger, Explorer's Outfit, Flask, Flint and Steel, Heavy Wooden Shield, Wooden Holy Symbol, Hooded Lantern, Light Mace, Longsword, 2 Flasks of Lamp Oil, Belt Pouch, Scale Mail, Waterskin, Whetstone, Healing Kit, Thunderstone, Smoke Stick, 2 Sunrods, 5 Tindertwigs, Vial of Antitoxin.
   Magic: Potion of Cure Moderate Wounds.
   Spells (4/3+1/2+1): 0 – detect magic, guidance, light, resistance; 1st – bless, magic weapon (D), sanctuary, shield of faith; 2nd – bull's strength, hold person, spiritual weapon (D).
   Domains: Healing (Healing spells at +1 caster level), War (bonus feats).
   Spell Saves: DC = 10 + 3 + Spell Level.
   Turning Check: 1d20 + 2.
   Turning Damage: 2d6 + 3.
   Action Points: 6.
   Experience: 3000+.

I've considered some of the available PrCs for Marcus, but I'm ultimately leaning towards a multi-class Cleric/Fighter combination. My original concept for Marcus was a hospitaler -- someone who cares for and defends travelers and pilgrims. The Hospitaler PrC in Complete Divine is far too centered on mounted combat to really mesh with Marcus, and I'm not going to shoehorn him into it.

As you can see, I've taken Improved Unarmed Strike as his 3rd level feat. I'd like to try out some of the close combat-related feats, like Improved Grapple. Seems like we've had lots of critters grappling us lately. Might as well fight fire with fire.

Besides that, I've noticed a distinct lack of 0-level cleric spells (ie, orisons) in the published material. Even the new Spell Compendium lists only one new 0-level divine spell. At lower levels, every spell counts, even the crummy 0-level ones. Oh, well.

Back to the salt mine...