riky, el_kalkylus:
You're both right. A Ranger/Cleric is a better rounded spellcaster and a better fighter than a Druid of any kit. But no matter how you slice 'em, they take a long time to get to where they can summon fire elementals.
My main point is that fire elementals are *VERY* useful early on. Moreover, we're talking about Insane dificulty. I don't care how tough a character you've got -- you're NOT smart to use it as a tank at Insane. That's when I'd focus on Archers & Summoners (Druids & Conjurers) with any fighters being fighter / mages who can cast multiple Stoneskins, Mirror Images and have those same spells in their Contingency and Trigger slots.
A side point is that Ranger/Clerics must be good. Goodness is not your friend when you're fighting evil clerics. At those times a Druid's neutrality is superior.
For a conventional game (non-Insane) where you can survive as a tank for a while, sure, try the Ranger/Cleric. I'm playing an Archer/Cleric (dual'd at level 9) through the Underdark right now. I wouldn't recommend this combo -- it's annoying that one can only place two '+'s in Slings as an Archer, and of course it takes a long time to level up, blah blah blah.
Anyway, tastes vary. Druids are very good bang/buck early on, but they don't go much farther in the late game. IMO that isn't really an issue -- the place they end up works fine for me. And a single fire elemental can make some early encounters (e.g.: the party above the Seven Veils) significantly easier. That's an encounter where one bad guy can do 58 HP per hit, if he can hit you. Sure, when you get back from Spellhold (or finish 4-6 major quests) you'll be able to take them -- but who couldn't? IMO it's useful to get good stuff early, and Druids deliver just that.
End of rant. Good luck with your Ranger/Clerics.
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