Does intelligence matter for a Priest?? Also some second party questions...

[Gimli]

Heya - am going on to make party #2 [img]smile.gif[/img] Am going to
include a Rawulf Priest this time around, and was
wondering if Intelligence matters for a priest at all?
Want him to also have a nice speed to be able to heal
first if needed. After looking carefully at all the
spells I am going to have the Priest really concentrate
on the Divine/Earth/Water/Air realms and have the Bishop
try to master everything he can (my old party had one
and I think I can do it more effectively this go-around).

If the priest "tops out" before the game's end, any good
classes to multi him to?

Here will be the new crew:

1) Liz Fighter - polearm/flank char
2) Dwarf Fighter - reluctantly sword/mace (Sir Tech,
how about some cool dwarven axes in Wiz 9?? [img]smile.gif[/img] - front line
3) Mook Ranger - bow/rear rank
4) Hobbit Bard - music/rear rank
5) Rawulf Priest - staff/middle rank
6) Faeire Bishop - ??/middle rank

Want to add Vi on another flank and Myles, then the
monk robot in the front; should end up with a nice
protective buffer for the priest and bishop.

I don't think any of the fighter hybrids can hit like
a pure fighter so I am going to pass on the Lord/Valk/
Monk/Samurai. Also I like the idea of the Fighter being
able to use all the weapons/armor I find as opposed
to just using bare hands/feet like the Monk does.

I am torn though on the Bard choice, considering a
Gadgeteer or a Ninja there instead - how good are
the gadgets in the game compared to the bard instruments?
Are there enough thrown weapons available to justify
the ninja? I thought my Bard from the old group was
pretty damned useful as it was though.

Thanks in advance, this forum is toooo cooool.... [img]smile.gif[/img]

[Ridgid]

Piety is Important for a Priest, Intelligence isn't that big factor for the priest.

[Gimli]

Well you unlock the power casting skill with a 100 int right? Does that help the priest much? Considering he'll be a defensive/healing guy it doesn't seem too important.

Would multi-classing to a ninja be a good choice late in the game, would guess his ranged and sling/thrown will be decent just from the occasinal practice in combat? Might be nice to get some criticals in there and add stealth as well?

[Ridgid]

What i found with my old game was the I used the Priest primary for healing, rest all, armorplate, magic screen, and heal all. Once in a while I would use DeathWish [img]smile.gif[/img] Lightning, Lifesteal. Wasn't till very end that I got Falling Stars, but by then if really didn't make a big deal cause my Mage could cast a high level NuclearBlast and Blizzard.

Also when I did get up that high he could swing a good Staff.. not any where near my Fighter or Rogue with 2 Thieves Daggers but he wouldn't sit idle for a round.

[ice3]

My actual Dwarf Priest is strong in Divinity (who guest hey ) and it's her primary job to heal and restore. But I pushed her as well in Earth and Water (just in combat) quite well. She is level 10 now and can cast all Divine magic level 1 at full power without backfire. Neraly each combat she takes a bonus.

But bacically the priest is never without a Job and when I know I don't need her I just let here use her weapon to hit. But a spell caster should focus on what he can and not try to become a fighter.

Also don't forget to use the special class bonus. Turn Undead and Pray. Pray is very good but avoid to cast it at the first round since most of the time it's a healing or stamina.

[Warhammer]

I can't comment on the Bard vs Gadgeteer, never used them event though I have finished the game twice and I am half-way through my third run.

Intelligence for Priest means more Spellpoints in the Elemental realms. Maxing up intelligence does give Powercast which is a good skill even for priests, not only because it boosts direct damage spells (Banish, Falling Stars) but it also affect ALL the other spells in more subtle ways.

I class changed Priest -> Lord, at level 18. In my first game. It worked awsomely, the mace skill the Priest has been practicing since level 1, made him a really good dual mace wielder, while keeping access to all his Priest spells. (You have to forget about Intelligence if you choose this path though)

I almost never used Pray - Turn Undead abilities of the priest, because unlike the equivalent spells, you do not practice your skills when using them and Practice is utterly important in Wiz 8.