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Tim Tam · 06-04-2002, 02:33 AM

Still amazed at the amount of misinformation being posted.

The best way to play a cleric depends on your style of gaming. Are you a powergamer, or do you prefer roleplaying?

Powergamer clerics go for the dual or multi class. Beserker or Ranger dualed to Cleric, or Ranger/Cleric, or even Cleric/Mage. These mixed classes take a lot longer to level up and become useful, but when they reach high level they are very powerful. Dualed fighters get a lot more hit points, more weapon proficiencies and are slightly more useful at the start of the game.

As this is the SoA forum I'll assume you dont have ToB, which rules out the multi classes and probably the Beserker dualed. You are left with Ranger dualed to Cleric at level 9 (300,000 xp). If you wait to dual at level 13 (when you get +1/2 attack and better saves) you'll be 1,500,000 xp into the game and wont have enough xp left to regain the Ranger abilities (need 1,500,000 more xp to hit Cleric level 14). Even in ToB dualing at level 13 for a Ranger isn't recommended, you'll spend half the game being useless, just so you can have an extra half attack in ToB. 1,200,000 xp is a lot to ask for half an attack and minor saves improvement.

Rangers dualed to Cleric do get the Druid spells. IMO this is a bug, as the Druid spells should be linked to the Ranger level, not the Cleric level. Powergamers don't mind about this though, and the Iron Skin and Insect Plague are very useful spells.

Dualed fighter/clerics are able to spend as many weapon proficiencies as whatever class can, that is active. Good, but you still need to place stars as a cleric while the fighter class is inactive, so the higher you want the fighter class to be, the more stars you will have to distribute to useless spots. Ranger/Clerics get 2 stars max in weapons, 3 in dual weilding (starts with 2 already there). Beserker/Clerics get 5 stars and 3 in dual. Pure clerics only get 1 star.

Roleplaying characters prefer to be pure clerics or kits, or they may dual from a fighter, but not at the optimum level or with the best proficiencies. Pure clerics are good, but the Kits have no disadvantages so they are better. The best kit is the Priest of Lathander, followed by Talos, then Helm.

Lathander gives you the mage spell Hold Undead every 5 levels and Boon of Lathander every 10. Boon raises your attack abilities to almost that of a dualed Ranger/Cleric (not dual weilding) for 1 round per level and grants immunity to level drain. Nice, someone else can wear the Amulet of Power, or weild the Mace of Disruption +2.

Talos gives you lightning bolt/5 levels, and Storm Shield/10. Storm Shield is pretty good, 100% resistance to fire, cold and lightning, and protection from normal missiles. Great for lower levels, and even has some uses at high levels for a little bit of extra protection.

Helm gives you True Sight/5, and Seeking Sword/10. The extra True Sight means you wont have to make room for True Seeing, a level 5 cleric spell that does the same thing. Seeking Sword is good at low levels, and absolutely useless at mid to high levels. It stops you from casting spells, and better weapons are available fairly early on, although the 3 attacks per round are usually better than you can do on your own.

Clerics get only the 1 star maximum in any weapon slot, thats why Boon of Lathander is good, +1 attack per round.

In SoA, a dualed Ranger/Cleric ends up levels 9/19, pure Cleric ends up level 21 (with an extra level 4 spell, and 2 each extra level 5 and 6 spells). Being a powergamer though you would remove the xp cap and nullify this advantage.

In ToB, the differences between dualed Ranger/Cleric and Pure Cleric/Kit are a lot less noticable. Levels end up 9/39 vs 40 (or 13/36 if you really want to dual at level 13 Ranger). Being a Ranger for 300,000 xp then switching leaves you pretty close to a normal cleric in spell casting, about 60 HP ahead, extra half attack (plus weapon proficiency and dual weilding capability for even more attacks), all the Druid spells (bug, but powergamers don't mind) and you are more useful early on when fighting is better than casting.

In summary, powergamers dual a Ranger at level 9 to Cleric, roleplayers take a cleric kit, Lathander preferred (or Talos if evil).

06-04-2002, 02:33 AM	#13
Tim Tam Dungeon Master Join Date: March 29, 2001 Location: Australia Posts: 60	Still amazed at the amount of misinformation being posted. The best way to play a cleric depends on your style of gaming. Are you a powergamer, or do you prefer roleplaying? Powergamer clerics go for the dual or multi class. Beserker or Ranger dualed to Cleric, or Ranger/Cleric, or even Cleric/Mage. These mixed classes take a lot longer to level up and become useful, but when they reach high level they are very powerful. Dualed fighters get a lot more hit points, more weapon proficiencies and are slightly more useful at the start of the game. As this is the SoA forum I'll assume you dont have ToB, which rules out the multi classes and probably the Beserker dualed. You are left with Ranger dualed to Cleric at level 9 (300,000 xp). If you wait to dual at level 13 (when you get +1/2 attack and better saves) you'll be 1,500,000 xp into the game and wont have enough xp left to regain the Ranger abilities (need 1,500,000 more xp to hit Cleric level 14). Even in ToB dualing at level 13 for a Ranger isn't recommended, you'll spend half the game being useless, just so you can have an extra half attack in ToB. 1,200,000 xp is a lot to ask for half an attack and minor saves improvement. Rangers dualed to Cleric do get the Druid spells. IMO this is a bug, as the Druid spells should be linked to the Ranger level, not the Cleric level. Powergamers don't mind about this though, and the Iron Skin and Insect Plague are very useful spells. Dualed fighter/clerics are able to spend as many weapon proficiencies as whatever class can, that is active. Good, but you still need to place stars as a cleric while the fighter class is inactive, so the higher you want the fighter class to be, the more stars you will have to distribute to useless spots. Ranger/Clerics get 2 stars max in weapons, 3 in dual weilding (starts with 2 already there). Beserker/Clerics get 5 stars and 3 in dual. Pure clerics only get 1 star. Roleplaying characters prefer to be pure clerics or kits, or they may dual from a fighter, but not at the optimum level or with the best proficiencies. Pure clerics are good, but the Kits have no disadvantages so they are better. The best kit is the Priest of Lathander, followed by Talos, then Helm. Lathander gives you the mage spell Hold Undead every 5 levels and Boon of Lathander every 10. Boon raises your attack abilities to almost that of a dualed Ranger/Cleric (not dual weilding) for 1 round per level and grants immunity to level drain. Nice, someone else can wear the Amulet of Power, or weild the Mace of Disruption +2. Talos gives you lightning bolt/5 levels, and Storm Shield/10. Storm Shield is pretty good, 100% resistance to fire, cold and lightning, and protection from normal missiles. Great for lower levels, and even has some uses at high levels for a little bit of extra protection. Helm gives you True Sight/5, and Seeking Sword/10. The extra True Sight means you wont have to make room for True Seeing, a level 5 cleric spell that does the same thing. Seeking Sword is good at low levels, and absolutely useless at mid to high levels. It stops you from casting spells, and better weapons are available fairly early on, although the 3 attacks per round are usually better than you can do on your own. Clerics get only the 1 star maximum in any weapon slot, thats why Boon of Lathander is good, +1 attack per round. In SoA, a dualed Ranger/Cleric ends up levels 9/19, pure Cleric ends up level 21 (with an extra level 4 spell, and 2 each extra level 5 and 6 spells). Being a powergamer though you would remove the xp cap and nullify this advantage. In ToB, the differences between dualed Ranger/Cleric and Pure Cleric/Kit are a lot less noticable. Levels end up 9/39 vs 40 (or 13/36 if you really want to dual at level 13 Ranger). Being a Ranger for 300,000 xp then switching leaves you pretty close to a normal cleric in spell casting, about 60 HP ahead, extra half attack (plus weapon proficiency and dual weilding capability for even more attacks), all the Druid spells (bug, but powergamers don't mind) and you are more useful early on when fighting is better than casting. In summary, powergamers dual a Ranger at level 9 to Cleric, roleplayers take a cleric kit, Lathander preferred (or Talos if evil).