cleric guide?

[StarVid]

I've seen all the posts and tips on how to build a sorc, a paly, a kensai/mage, and so on, but are there any guides on the clerics? The only thing I've read about them is how you should either dual a ranger over for the druid spell picks, or dual a fighter over for the extra weapons skills. What I never read is anything involving good spell picks and such. I hear about negative plane protection and doom a lot, but that's it. I'd like to think there's more to playing a cleric than that, but maybe I'm wrong.

[Helspanth]

Clerics have many cpmbat boosting spells such as Draw upon holy might,Rigtheous magic.
Also they are mainly undead blasters with spells such as false dawn,sunray,sols searing orb.
Their main mission however is to heal other party members.

[Grindar Silvermane]

Sorry to disagree with you Hellspanth, since imho clerics are the best combo of fighter/spellcaster available. I know this is asking to rejuvenate the eternal discussion about mages vs clerics, but that's the way I feel. In one of the pnp games I played our party was on a vessel that was being attacked by a larger pirate ship. At the level we were on the entire ship was taken out by three spellcasters only. A mage to burn away the sails of the pirates, a druid to shapeshift to dolphin and take the cleric with him to the pirates. The druid returned to his human form and used a Warp Wood spell to weaken the keel of the vessel and the cleric using a create water to weigh down the weakened area before using a lower water beneath the weakend part of the vessel: Instant Titanic

[Dundee Slaytern]

Grindar Silvermane, I think he wants on how to play a Cleric in the BG2 game, not in PnP.

[Lanthir]

Star um one thing there are no "spell pics" for a cleric. The spells are given to the cleric at each lvl you do not get to pick them [img]smile.gif[/img]
Myself I like to armor my cleric up with plate then a good hammer till I get the Crom latter on. Then she is good to go. I tend to then use the palidin agressive scrpit. I let her tank and heal the party. Later when she gets her abilites I tend to go for Devas. They rockk against anything in the game. I am sure it makes the dragons made when they get ineffectives against one

[Grindar Silvermane]

Originally posted by Dundee Slaytern: Grindar Silvermane, I think he wants on how to play a Cleric in the BG2 game, not in PnP.

Sorry 'bout that Dundee. I know you're right. Looking at Lanthir's posting I agree with his suggestions, although I'm not using the agressive paladin script. (Never thought of using that actually, so I might change that now). As for spells I keep a lot of healing spells available, as well as restoration. Flame Strike is also one that I can recommend.

[SixOfSpades]

The problem with Clerics is they just don't have the depth that Wizards do. Still, you can get very beefy characters out of them, by Dualing from a Berserker or Stalker, or being Multiclassed Ranger/Cleric (although this last is only truly viable if you have ToB). Of course, you already mentioned that these were the only reccommendations you've seen for Clerics, but let me assure you, they REALLY work.

My favorite: Stalker->Cleric. Wear any of the really good Leathers in ToB, which are surprisingly plentiful. Cast Harm, then go Stealth. Your Ranger THAC0, plus the Crom in your offhand, plus being in Stealth, will almost guarantee making your hit. I'm pretty sure Harm will penetrate Stoneskins & Ironskins, and an instant later, the 5 electrical damage from the Crom will get through as well. Instant death to anything, even if they're immune to Backstab. Meanwhile, you can run away, giggling, protected by your Ironskins.

Is that the kind of "there must be more to playing a cleric" thing you were looking for?

[drewal]

The strongholds and quests for cleric PCs are quite interesting, and I believe Clerics lend themselves to roleplaying. I used a CE priest of talos my second time through SOA - though I didn't finish out. With his evil bhaal abilities, offensive cleric spells and a nasty morning star or mace, he was truly a force for destruction. The converse could be said for a good or neutral cleric.

As for spells that are of interest, I think the undead summoning spell is outstanding for cannon fodder. Doom works well when coupled with the cleric's melee abilities (imagine a mage casting malison on something and then actually attacking it).

Entangle works as well as web. Horror is useful for a Talosite.

You also need a good sound set to roleplay a priest, as the ready-made ones just don't cut it. I used Vhailor's sound set for the priest of talos. My favourite line was: "You are merciful and weak. Steel your heart before the disease takes you."

[Lanthir]

oh the undead summoning is a must works really well against mindflayers. I also found the mass raise dead great it will not only raise any dead in your party but heals the living as well. Works great in big fights even though the ones that were rasied can't armor up durign the fight. Group heal is a big one to load up on. Dispeal magic is great to have loaded in case someone in your party gets enchanted. I always like to keep a zone of sweet air loaded along with a group protection from evil along with gate ( when i get it) Also false dawn is nice for all those undead I mean 6D6 with no saving for an area is not to bad. I also found plague and silence to be very very usefull.

Now I myself tend to put my cleric into plate. However,like I said before I do use her asa back up tank.

[drewal]

The insect swarm spell works well. There are two versions. The lower-level version, I am certain you obtain in SOA. The higher-level version may not be available till TOB.