P1E To P2E Conversion Guide For Undead Lord Cleric

Jul 26, 2025 by redditftunila 51 views

Undead Lord Cleric P1E to P2E Conversion Guide

Hey guys! Are you looking to bring your awesome Undead Lord Cleric from Pathfinder 1st Edition (P1E) into the exciting world of Pathfinder 2nd Edition (P2E)? You've come to the right place! This guide will walk you through the process, highlighting the key changes and choices you'll need to make to ensure your character remains as compelling and effective as they were in P1E. We'll cover everything from ancestry and class feats to spells and equipment, making sure your transition is as smooth as possible. So, grab your character sheet, and let's get started!

Understanding the Core Changes from P1E to P2E

Before diving into the specifics of your Undead Lord Cleric, it's crucial to understand the fundamental shifts between Pathfinder 1st Edition and Pathfinder 2nd Edition. P2E is not just a simple rules update; it's a reimagining of the Pathfinder system. Let's break down the major differences:

Three-Action Economy: This is perhaps the biggest change. Instead of standard, move, and swift actions, you now have three actions per turn, which can be spent on almost anything. This significantly increases tactical flexibility and decision-making. You might be thinking, "How does this affect my spellcasting and melee combat?" Well, the three-action system allows you to mix and match actions in a single turn, such as casting a quickened spell and then moving or striking an enemy. It opens up a world of possibilities, making each turn more dynamic and engaging.
Ancestry and Background: In P2E, your character's ancestry (race) and background play a much more significant role in defining their abilities and skills. Ancestry provides core traits and abilities, while background offers skill proficiencies and a bonus feat. Think of it this way: your ancestry sets the stage for your character's inherent strengths, while your background fills in the gaps, reflecting their upbringing and past experiences. For an Undead Lord Cleric, choosing an ancestry that complements their undead theme can be a strategic move, adding layers to their character's backstory and abilities.
Class Feats and Archetypes: P2E utilizes a class feat system, allowing for greater customization and specialization. You'll choose feats at various levels, tailoring your character to your specific playstyle. Archetypes, another key feature, provide additional paths for character development, allowing you to gain abilities from other classes or concepts. This means your Undead Lord Cleric can become even more unique, blending different aspects of power and flavor. For instance, you might consider an archetype that enhances your connection to the undead, or one that bolsters your healing abilities – or perhaps even an archetype that gives you martial prowess.
Proficiency System: P2E's proficiency system is more granular, with five levels: untrained, trained, expert, master, and legendary. This applies to skills, weapons, armor, and saves. Proficiency directly affects your character's success in various activities, making it essential to invest in the right areas. For an Undead Lord Cleric, focusing on skills like Diplomacy (for interacting with the living and undead), Religion (for understanding divine magic and lore), and perhaps Intimidation (for commanding undead or striking fear into your enemies) will be crucial. Your proficiency in weapon and armor will also shape your combat effectiveness, influencing your choices in terms of equipment and fighting style.
Spells and Spellcasting: Spellcasting has been streamlined in P2E. The spell list has been revised, and many spells have been rebalanced. The focus system allows clerics to cast a limited number of powerful spells more frequently. This adds a layer of strategy to spellcasting, as you must decide when to use your focus spells versus your regular spell slots. For your Undead Lord Cleric, understanding the changes to necromantic spells and the cleric's spell list is paramount. You'll want to identify the spells that best capture the essence of your character's theme and abilities, ensuring you have a potent arsenal at your disposal.

Step-by-Step Guide to Converting Your Undead Lord Cleric

Now that we've covered the core differences between P1E and P2E, let's dive into the practical steps of converting your Undead Lord Cleric. This section will guide you through each aspect of character creation, making sure you make the right choices to reflect your character's original concept.

1. Choosing Your Ancestry and Heritage

In P2E, your ancestry is the foundation of your character. For an Undead Lord Cleric, consider ancestries that have a strong connection to death, undeath, or divine power. Some excellent choices include:

Human: Humans are versatile and gain an additional general feat, making them a solid choice for any class. They also have versatile heritages that can be customized to match your concept. This versatility can be particularly useful for an Undead Lord Cleric, allowing you to tailor your character to specific strengths or to compensate for any weaknesses. For instance, a human cleric could choose a heritage that grants them greater resilience or one that enhances their spellcasting abilities. The additional general feat provides further customization, allowing you to select feats that bolster your character's skills, defenses, or utility.
Dwarf: Dwarves are hardy and resistant, making them excellent front-line clerics. Their connection to the earth can also tie into themes of death and burial. Dwarves are known for their toughness and resilience, traits that can be invaluable for a cleric who expects to be in the thick of combat. Their resistance to poisons and diseases, common threats in undead-infested environments, makes them particularly well-suited for the Undead Lord archetype. The dwarven connection to the earth can also be thematically relevant, aligning with the cleric's dominion over life and death, burial rites, and the final resting places of the deceased.
Elf (especially the Death Warden Elf): Elves have a natural affinity for magic and can be a great choice for a more spell-focused cleric. Death Warden Elves have a particular connection to death and undeath. The elven connection to magic, combined with the Death Warden elf's specific affinity for death, makes this ancestry an excellent choice for a cleric specializing in necromantic magic and commanding undead. Elves are often depicted as beings with a long lifespan and a deep understanding of the mystical arts, which can translate into powerful spellcasting abilities for a cleric. The Death Warden heritage further enhances this connection, providing unique feats and abilities that bolster the cleric's power over life and death.
Dhampir: A relatively new ancestry, Dhampirs are born from the union of a vampire and a living being, giving them a natural connection to both life and death. This ancestry perfectly embodies the themes of an Undead Lord Cleric, blurring the lines between the living and the undead. Dhampirs possess unique abilities and vulnerabilities related to their dual nature, making them a compelling and flavorful choice for a character who straddles the line between life and death. Their innate connection to both worlds can manifest in various ways, such as increased resistance to certain types of damage, heightened senses, or the ability to draw power from negative energy. Dhampirs offer a rich tapestry of roleplaying opportunities, as they often grapple with their identity and their place in the world.

Your heritage further refines your ancestry. For example, a human could be a Skilled Human (gaining an additional skill feat) or a Versatile Human (gaining an additional skill proficiency). Think about what aspects of your character you want to emphasize and choose accordingly. The choice of heritage can significantly impact your character's abilities and playstyle, so it's essential to consider the options carefully. A Skilled Human might excel in social interactions or lore-based skills, while a Versatile Human could be proficient in a wider range of activities. For an Undead Lord Cleric, heritage choices that enhance their spellcasting, survivability, or connection to the undead are often the most beneficial.

2. Selecting Your Background

Your background represents your character's life before becoming an adventurer. It provides skill proficiencies and a bonus feat, shaping your character's skill set and backstory. For an Undead Lord Cleric, consider backgrounds that reflect your character's connection to death, the church, or the study of forbidden knowledge. Some suggestions include:

Charlatan: If your cleric used deception and trickery to gain power or influence, this background is a good fit. This background provides skill proficiencies in Deception and Diplomacy, which can be invaluable for a cleric who prefers to manipulate situations and people rather than engage in direct combat. The Charlatan background also offers a bonus feat that enhances your deceptive abilities, such as the ability to create convincing disguises or to lie with greater ease. For an Undead Lord Cleric, this background might represent a character who initially used their charisma and cunning to rise through the ranks of the clergy, only to later embrace darker powers.
Cultist: This background is perfect if your cleric was part of a death cult or worshiped an undead deity. This background provides skill proficiencies in Occultism and Religion, reflecting your character's deep knowledge of forbidden lore and the divine forces that govern death and undeath. The Cultist background also grants a bonus feat that aligns with this theme, such as the ability to perform dark rituals or to better understand the nature of undead creatures. An Undead Lord Cleric with this background is likely to have a complex and perhaps troubled past, having been exposed to the darker aspects of faith and magic from a young age.
Scholar: If your cleric spent their time studying ancient texts and lore, this background provides valuable knowledge skills. The Scholar background provides skill proficiencies in Lore (specific to your field of study) and another skill of your choice, reflecting your character's intellectual pursuits and academic background. This background is ideal for a cleric who values knowledge and understanding, perhaps seeking to unravel the mysteries of life, death, and the undead. The bonus feat granted by the Scholar background could further enhance your knowledge skills or provide access to magical abilities related to your area of study.
Wanderer: A Wanderer background could represent time spent among different cultures, understanding different beliefs about death. The Wanderer background provides skill proficiencies in Survival and another skill of your choice, reflecting your character's resourcefulness and adaptability. This background is well-suited for a cleric who has traveled extensively, learning about different cultures and beliefs, including those related to death and the afterlife. The bonus feat granted by the Wanderer background could enhance your survival skills, your ability to navigate unfamiliar environments, or your understanding of different cultures.

Consider how your chosen background fits into your character's backstory and how it informs their motivations and personality. Did your character's background lead them to embrace the power of undeath, or did they stumble upon it later in life? Answering these questions will help you create a more compelling and nuanced character.

3. Choosing Your Class: The Cleric in P2E

The Cleric class in P2E remains a powerful divine spellcaster, but it has been updated with new features and options. Here's what you need to know:

Divine Font: Your Divine Font determines the type of spells you can cast more frequently. You can choose Healing Font (allowing you to cast more healing spells) or Harm Font (allowing you to cast more harm spells). An Undead Lord Cleric will almost certainly choose Harm Font, as it aligns perfectly with the theme of dealing with the undead and channeling negative energy. The Divine Font is a cornerstone of the cleric's abilities, shaping their role in the party and their overall effectiveness. Choosing Harm Font not only enhances your ability to damage enemies but also strengthens your connection to the undead, allowing you to heal them with your harm spells.
Deity: Your deity grants you access to specific spells and determines your domains. For an Undead Lord Cleric, deities of death, undeath, or darkness are ideal. Some excellent choices include: Urgathoa (the goddess of undeath, gluttony, and disease), Pharasma (the goddess of death, fate, and prophecy), or even a more neutral deity with a strong association with the cycle of life and death. Your deity is a central aspect of your cleric's identity, shaping their beliefs, values, and the source of their divine power. The choice of deity will also influence the types of spells you have access to and the domains you can choose, further defining your character's abilities and roleplaying opportunities.
Domains: Domains grant you additional spells and abilities related to specific aspects of your deity's portfolio. For an Undead Lord Cleric, consider the Death, Darkness, or Void domains. These domains provide spells and abilities that enhance your connection to undeath and your ability to command and control undead creatures. Domains are a key element of the cleric's versatility, allowing you to specialize in specific areas of divine power. The Death domain, for instance, might grant you additional necromantic spells or abilities that enhance your connection to the undead. The Darkness domain could provide spells that obscure vision or create areas of magical darkness, while the Void domain might offer abilities related to entropy and the destruction of life.

4. Selecting Class Feats

Class feats are the primary way you'll customize your cleric in P2E. At each even-numbered level, you'll choose a class feat that grants you new abilities or enhances existing ones. Here are some feats that are particularly well-suited for an Undead Lord Cleric:

Channel Negative Energy: This feat allows you to unleash a burst of negative energy, harming living creatures and healing undead creatures. This is a core ability for any Undead Lord Cleric, allowing you to efficiently damage your enemies and bolster your undead allies. Channel Negative Energy is a powerful tool for crowd control, dealing damage to multiple living targets while simultaneously healing any undead creatures in the area. This feat is a must-have for any cleric who focuses on commanding and supporting undead forces.
Command Undead: This feat allows you to command undead creatures, forcing them to obey your orders. This is essential for an Undead Lord Cleric who wants to build an undead army. Command Undead is the cornerstone of the Undead Lord archetype, allowing you to control and direct undead creatures, turning them into loyal servants and powerful allies. This feat opens up a wide range of tactical possibilities, allowing you to create undead minions, bolster your ranks with captured foes, and even turn undead creatures against their former masters.
Healer's Blessing: While seemingly counterintuitive for an Undead Lord, this feat allows you to heal more effectively with your spells. This can be useful for keeping your party alive, even if your primary focus is on harm spells and undead minions. Healer's Blessing is a versatile feat that enhances your healing capabilities, making you a more effective support character for your party. While it might seem unusual for an Undead Lord Cleric to prioritize healing, this feat can be invaluable in ensuring the survival of your allies, allowing you to maintain a strong and cohesive group.
Necromantic Expertise: This feat enhances your necromantic spells, making them more potent and effective. This is a great choice for a cleric who wants to specialize in necromancy. Necromantic Expertise is a specialized feat that directly enhances your necromantic spells, making them more damaging, more difficult to resist, or more versatile. This feat is essential for a cleric who wants to focus on commanding undead, inflicting negative conditions, and manipulating the forces of life and death. By investing in Necromantic Expertise, you can transform your necromantic spells into a formidable arsenal, capable of turning the tide of battle and striking fear into the hearts of your enemies.

Consider how your feat choices synergize with your deity, domain, and Divine Font. Do you want to focus on commanding undead, dealing damage, or supporting your party? Choose feats that align with your overall strategy and character concept.

5. Spells and Spellcasting

Clerics in P2E are powerful spellcasters, with access to a wide range of divine spells. When choosing your spells, consider your deity, domains, and overall character concept. For an Undead Lord Cleric, necromantic spells are a must. Some key spells to consider include:

Harm: This is your bread-and-butter damage spell, dealing negative energy damage to living creatures and healing undead. Harm is a versatile spell that can be used both offensively and defensively, making it an essential tool for any Undead Lord Cleric. As a Harm Font cleric, you'll be able to cast this spell more frequently, making it a core part of your combat strategy. The ability to deal negative energy damage to living creatures while simultaneously healing undead allies makes Harm a powerful and efficient spell in a variety of situations.
Heal: While you may focus on harm spells, having access to healing magic is still important for supporting your party. Heal is a classic cleric spell that restores hit points to living creatures, making it a valuable tool for keeping your allies alive. Even for an Undead Lord Cleric who primarily focuses on harm spells and undead minions, having access to Heal provides a crucial safety net, ensuring that you can support your party in times of need. The ability to switch between harm and heal spells allows you to adapt to different combat situations and maintain a balanced approach to spellcasting.
Raise Dead: This spell allows you to bring a dead creature back to life, creating a powerful undead servant. Raise Dead is the quintessential spell for an Undead Lord Cleric, allowing you to create powerful undead minions to bolster your ranks. This spell is a cornerstone of your ability to command and control undead creatures, turning fallen foes into loyal allies. The versatility of Raise Dead allows you to create a variety of undead minions, each with its own unique abilities and strengths, ensuring that you can adapt your undead army to any challenge.
Command Undead (Spell): This spell is similar to the Command Undead feat, but it allows you to control more powerful undead creatures. Command Undead (Spell) is a potent tool for expanding your control over the undead, allowing you to dominate more powerful creatures and add them to your undead army. This spell is essential for an Undead Lord Cleric who wants to command a large and diverse force of undead minions, ensuring that you can handle any threat that comes your way. The ability to control powerful undead creatures, such as vampires or liches, can significantly enhance your overall power and influence.
Spirit Leech: A potent necromantic spell that drains life force from enemies and heals you. Spirit Leech is a powerful necromantic spell that allows you to siphon life force from your enemies, dealing damage while simultaneously healing yourself. This spell is a perfect fit for an Undead Lord Cleric, embodying the theme of drawing power from the life force of others. The ability to damage enemies and heal yourself with a single spell makes Spirit Leech a highly efficient and versatile option, allowing you to sustain yourself in combat while weakening your opponents.

Remember that P2E uses a spell slot system, so you'll need to manage your spell slots wisely. Focus spells, granted by your deity and domains, can be cast more frequently, so make sure to utilize them effectively. Spell selection is a crucial aspect of character optimization in P2E, as the right spells can significantly enhance your capabilities in combat, social encounters, and exploration. Experiment with different spell combinations and tactics to discover the spells that best suit your playstyle and character concept.

6. Equipment and Gear

Your equipment plays a crucial role in your character's effectiveness. As a cleric, you'll want to prioritize armor, weapons, and magical items that enhance your spellcasting and survivability. For an Undead Lord Cleric, consider items that enhance your connection to the undead or protect you from negative energy. Some examples include:

Shield: A shield provides valuable protection in combat, increasing your Armor Class and making you harder to hit. A shield is an essential piece of equipment for any cleric who expects to be in melee combat, providing crucial protection against physical attacks. The additional Armor Class granted by a shield can significantly improve your survivability, allowing you to withstand more damage and remain effective in battle. Consider choosing a shield that is made from a durable material, such as steel or adamantine, to further enhance its protective capabilities.
Mace or Warhammer: These are common cleric weapons, dealing bludgeoning damage that is effective against many types of creatures. A mace or warhammer is a classic cleric weapon, dealing bludgeoning damage that is effective against a wide range of creatures. These weapons are simple to use and maintain, making them a reliable choice for clerics who prefer a straightforward approach to combat. The bludgeoning damage inflicted by a mace or warhammer is particularly effective against skeletons and other undead creatures, making them a fitting choice for an Undead Lord Cleric.
Potions of Healing: These potions can quickly restore hit points, providing a valuable source of healing in a pinch. Potions of Healing are a staple of any adventurer's inventory, providing a quick and reliable source of healing in emergencies. These potions are particularly valuable for clerics, who can use them to supplement their spellcasting abilities and ensure that their party remains healthy throughout a long and challenging encounter. Potions of Healing are a must-have for any Undead Lord Cleric who wants to support their party and maintain their effectiveness in combat.
Scrolls: Scrolls allow you to cast spells without expending spell slots, providing a valuable way to expand your spellcasting repertoire. Scrolls are a versatile tool that allows you to cast spells without expending your precious spell slots, providing a valuable way to expand your spellcasting repertoire and adapt to different situations. For an Undead Lord Cleric, scrolls of necromantic spells, such as Raise Dead or Command Undead, can be particularly useful, allowing you to bolster your undead army or control powerful undead creatures without draining your daily spell slots. Scrolls are a valuable addition to any cleric's inventory, providing flexibility and adaptability in a variety of situations.
Amulet of the Devout: This magical item enhances your divine magic, making your spells more potent. An Amulet of the Devout is a powerful magical item that enhances your divine magic, making your spells more potent and effective. This amulet is a must-have for any cleric who wants to maximize their spellcasting abilities, providing a significant boost to their overall power and effectiveness. The Amulet of the Devout can enhance your healing spells, your damage-dealing spells, and your control over undead creatures, making it a versatile and valuable addition to your equipment loadout.

As you progress in levels, you'll gain access to more powerful magical items. Look for items that enhance your chosen playstyle and complement your character's abilities.

Final Thoughts: Embracing the Undead Lord in P2E

Converting your Undead Lord Cleric from P1E to P2E is an exciting opportunity to reimagine your character and explore new possibilities. By understanding the core changes between the systems and making thoughtful choices about your ancestry, background, class feats, and spells, you can create a compelling and effective Undead Lord Cleric in P2E. Remember to focus on the aspects of your character that you enjoy the most, whether it's commanding undead minions, dealing devastating damage, or delving into the mysteries of life and death. Have fun, and may your undead army rise!

FAQ: Undead Lord Cleric P1E to P2E Conversion

What are the best ancestries for an Undead Lord Cleric in Pathfinder 2nd Edition?

For the best ancestries for your Undead Lord Cleric in Pathfinder 2nd Edition, consider options that align with themes of death, undeath, or divine power. Humans offer versatility with an extra general feat and customizable heritages. Dwarves provide hardiness and a connection to earth, thematically fitting for death and burial. Elves, especially Death Warden Elves, have a natural affinity for magic and death. Dhampirs, with their dual nature of living and undead, perfectly embody the Undead Lord concept. Each ancestry offers unique traits and abilities that can enhance your character's connection to the undead and divine magic.

Which deities and domains best suit an Undead Lord Cleric in P2E?

The most suitable deities and domains for your Undead Lord Cleric in P2E are those associated with death, undeath, or darkness. Urgathoa, the goddess of undeath, gluttony, and disease, is an excellent choice. Pharasma, the goddess of death, fate, and prophecy, offers a more neutral perspective on the cycle of life and death. Deities with a strong connection to these themes will provide access to relevant spells and domains. Domains like Death, Darkness, and Void are ideal, granting additional spells and abilities related to undeath, negative energy, and control over undead creatures. These choices align with the Undead Lord's focus on commanding undead and manipulating the forces of life and death.

What are some essential class feats for an Undead Lord Cleric in Pathfinder 2nd Edition?

Key class feats for your Undead Lord Cleric in Pathfinder 2nd Edition include Channel Negative Energy, which damages living creatures while healing undead, and Command Undead, essential for controlling undead creatures. Necromantic Expertise enhances your necromantic spells, making them more potent. While it may seem counterintuitive, Healer's Blessing can also be beneficial for supporting your party. These feats enhance your ability to command undead, deal damage, and support your allies, ensuring a well-rounded and effective Undead Lord Cleric.

What spells are crucial for an Undead Lord Cleric in P2E?

Crucial spells for your Undead Lord Cleric in P2E include Harm, a versatile spell that damages living creatures and heals undead, and Raise Dead, essential for creating undead servants. Command Undead (Spell) allows control of more powerful undead. Spirit Leech drains life force from enemies to heal you. While focused on harm, having Heal available is important for party support. These spells provide a balance of offense, control, and support, essential for an effective Undead Lord Cleric.

How does the three-action economy in Pathfinder 2nd Edition affect my Undead Lord Cleric's gameplay?

The three-action economy in Pathfinder 2nd Edition significantly enhances tactical flexibility for your Undead Lord Cleric. Instead of being limited by standard, move, and swift actions, you have three actions per turn, allowing you to mix and match actions. This enables you to cast a spell and move, command an undead minion and strike an enemy, or perform other combinations in a single turn. This system promotes dynamic decision-making and allows for greater customization of your character's actions in combat and other situations.