Here is an interesting topic for all debate-o-holics: Cleric Vs. Druid. Defensive and offensive advantages?, at the end of the day, who will ensure the survival of the group? Prowess in battle?
Take all of these into account!

LET THE ARGUME- I MEAN DEBATING, BEGIN!!!

Druids no
Cleric no
Ranger level8 dual to Cleric yes.
Thats it byebye
Debate over...

Hah Why
Ranger/cleric get druid spell aswell and even more then druid because of th3re higher levels
Druids get level 14 or 15 if cheated with only adventage shapeshifting
I personly don't like that...
Ranger druids will get like 3 creeping dooms

Kael:

Yeah the ranger cleric dual is a good idea, but ummm, can you read? the title says Cleric Vs Druid, no Ranger dual classed to cleric at level 8 Vs Druid!

Do you mean within the limits of the game, or just hypothetically?

within game limits

within game limits

If it is one on one combat, cleric will definitely have an edge on defense over druids. In this case, the cleric can wear better armour and can use a decent shield. But in offence, I think they are pretty much the same. Both can become decent tanks if cleric have the right warhammer/mace and druid have the right staff/club. But what made the druid stands out is the spells available. Although the druid lacks (at least I think) the range of anti-undead spells available to the cleric, they have spells that will prove to be very useful through out the entire game, such as summon fire elemental, and a load of insect summoning spells. The elemental summoning spells for druids are better than the mages since the elemental will not have the possibility to turn on you unless you attack it. The insect summoning spells are excellent mage distracters.
In terms of contributing to the health of the party (ie. healing spells), it all depends on the style of game play you use. I usually have my party drink potions instead of casting healing spells during hostile encounters.
When it comes to overall contribution to a party, I would definitely pick the druid.

Druid of course, because of spells.

I'd have to disagree, I think cleric's rock, dual classed or not. I have two heavy duty fighters with twin katana's and they are only slightly better fighter's than my cleric with the flail fo ages and the war hammer versus giants. In early game my cleric was to only one who could damage the larger golems. What's also great about the cleric is he/she can go roaming about your currently fighting party and cast things like heal all which is incredibly helpful. Could someone who knows more about druids like to tell me all the great things about them? I just never thought them useful enough to have.

the cleric is almost as good a fighter as the fighters?? weird.. my (admittedly extremly limited) experience of clerics is that they suck big time as fighters.. they can't hit anything because of crappy thac0 .. wonder what I did wrong..

b

even with differing max lvls, the druid spell ironskins gives HUGE attvantage in the race to cast spells.It effectivly nuetralizes the Thaco/weapon-armor attantage the cleric has. If the hypothetical contest were outdoors the druid would have the "call lightning" atvantage. Not to mention the quite useful nymph and elemental summoning. Some of the more powerful cleric spells are vs undead or good/evil alignment, giving the druid another atvantage: Neutrality. Shapeshifting may actually be useful as here as well, giving a better attack and renewed hp the druid needs after ironskins wears off.
I put my gold on the druid in the 10th round.

On the other hand a cleric can kick some undead ass-Seriuosly, plus become very fighter-like using spells like holy power and call upon holy might. If no one in your party has strength above 18/76 then "strengh of one" is an awesome spell in terms of party melee effectivness.And if your only gonna have two summon spells, gate outa be one, just for kicks, although I dont get why a good priest would ever wnat to cast it?

Druids can not only use club and staff but Scminars as well so steal then of Drizzt and you'll have a (one the other is for good only) good Druid weapon

Unfortunately you can only use the normal +3 Icedeath (I think that's the name....) since you must be in good-alignment to use the +5 Twinkle and you get that only in Chp 6 of the game, but I would still go with druids, there are some decent clubs and staves out there in earlier part of the game.

jahera, as much as she whines, has saved my ass against mages many a time. it is a beautiful sight when you cast summon plague of insects on a group of mages that would otherwise have hit you with chaos, mental domination, or some other spell early in battle. i would be more inclined to use a druid in front lines then a cleric, but that kinda defeats the spell casting purpose. i'll keep jahera around for her anti mage tacktics, her and keldorn in my party can make any mage's day a very, very bad one.

Hmm, tough decision ther, but what is this I read? Druids without good armour? Druids without good shields?
Is this because Jaheira is a fighter/druid or can´t Druids use shields and heavy armour otherwise?
Well , my position is that they´re both can be what you want, a druids shapeshift abilities can be really good and the oriest is also good but the druid can make the life very uncomfortable for a mage and thus is vital for good parties.. A cleric is the fighting ambulance in my parties mostly, good healing capabilities and can be made as a tank too, I would have to go for a draw, most classes in ADoD are very useful, as long as you are aware of their individual weaknesses and strengths...

Aye its true Druids cant wear any good armour shapeshifters cant wear any armour, but that doesnt matter since they can shapeshift into Greater werewolf and kick anybodys b.... Clerics on the other hand is good to have in a group with their healing abilities and they can fight. But i still say Druids will rule the world one day and Arak will be the greatest of them all, all will bow be for me and i shall... heh sorry wrong board

Within game limits? Get a pure class druid and a pure class cleric, give them both 2,950,000 EP. The druid is now at level fourteen, and the cleric is at level twenty-one. These polls rarely ever prove anything because it comes down to which spells are used. Let's see...
In the first round, the druid will either cast iron skins or an insect spell. If it was iron skins, the cleric should respond with fire storm or finger of death. If it was an insect spell, the cleric should attack with a sling or hand to hand to disrupt the spell, since it will take a full round to cast. That's about as far as my prediction goes, since after that it's all random. I'd say the cleric will win, however, since they can at any time cast sanctuary and heal if they're injured.

personally i like clerics better, but since i haven't had much experience with a druid then my opinion doesn't have much evidence backing it up. one great thing about my lvl 20 cleric is his anti undead ability.
him and keldorn just wipe the floor with those blood suckers.
i actually used turn undead for the first time today and its really cool!!
especially at lvl 20!

here is a little tidbit outside of "game parameters" I installed the lvl 50 patch recently and my avenger druid's(Leif Mojo) exp chart changed to that of a cleric. ie. 14th lvl a 1,350,00. Now Lief is 15th lvl(and gaining spell slots) and going strong. Incidently the first time I installed the patch I accidently used the BG1 lvl 50 patch. I just let it be and installed the correct bg2 patch soon after. I dont know which patch did this or if the bg1 patch even had any effect,considering its for bg1 not bg2.

I think druids are better because of the elemental spells they can get very handy before a big battle and aswell they can get insect plague so if in the event druid vs cleric all the druis has to do is 1st cast insect plague and then ironskins and start summoning elementals.and eventually when all the spells have worn off shapeshift and the druid will destroy the cleric.

Yes, especially since the cleric's just stood there like a statue for the entirity of the fight.

I think the cleric an the druid are even good , but in a party is a cleric more use full , becouse they have more defensive spells have , and mabey a little more heal spells but i think a cleric dualed with a mage is the best in a party (just like me).

And druids may use Scminars but Clerics may use Crom Faeyr , and some funny hammers , i love warhammers. but they are even good .

I have 3 healers in my party , Jaheia , Aerie and my self (cleric/enchanter).

And my opinion is : healers ROCKS