Cleric/Priest early in game

[WolfgarJr]

I was wondering who decided on the type of NPC's in this game. This is just my opinion but there is not enough Healing in the game. I am in the 4th chapter and have only seen two cleric/priest characters. Branwen who is good, but she is True neutral and complains all the time because I am good and have a heroic rep. Viconia is evil and thus pisses off everyone in my party. There is also no "Rest until healed" option which sucks. I have to memorize cure light wounds, and she is low level so I don't get many spells anyway. I have come across at least 4 or 5 different types of mages. One good fighter Minsc, and a somewhat good fighter Khalid. With Khalid comes the pain in the butt Jaheira. Also, you don't even get a chance to meet all the npc's which is ridiculous. I have been to many areas where websites say NPC's will be and I can't find them. Oh well, that is enough ranting.

Does anybody know a good cleric in the game and where i might find them?

[Animal]

Actually, Jaheria (sp?) has access to healing spells being a Fighter/Druid and all. Make sure she is proffecient with missile weapons and give her a sling. Let her pelt enemies from the back and run up and heal as necessary. Being multi class she can wear decent armour and as she levels up gains access to some decent spells. This doesn't help if your rep gets to high, as she will whine, but I find her to be a well rounded character.

[Lioness]

There is also Yeslick, who is a fighter/cleric, and therefore goes up levels very slowly, but he's good. I would take Branwen over him though, she gets access to cure serious wounds at some point, he doesn't.

[The Ozzman]

Of course Yeslick gets cure serious wounds, he is in my party right now and he has that spell. Just takes a while to get to that level of experience with a multi-classed character.

[Luther]

If you want Khalid but don't want Jaheira simply strip her of items and make her walk out into the middle of nowhere. Eventually she should be killed one monster or another. This way Khalid stays in the party 9as opposed to him leaving with Jaheria if you kick her out). Your rep won't go down either. To make things easier you can just kill her yourself (heh, or in a blatant abuse of the AI, make Khalid kill her), but I guess some might say that that isn't good role playing. Basically I don't like the idea of 'paired' NPC's (such as Khlaid and Jaheria, Xzar and Montaeron, Minsc and Dynaheir etc) so it's an O.K. way of working your way around the games restrictions without actually 'cheating'.

A few minor spoilers in here...

Branwen, Jaheira, Yeslick, Viconia and Quayle are all healers, so I think there's enough choice.

Don't be too quick to dismiss Jaheira though... I usually give her full plate mail, a +1 staff, a ring of protection, a decent helmet and the gauntlets of dexterity... and that makes her pretty tough.

Yeslick is a very useful NPC - you'll come accross him later in the Cloakwood mines, but certainly an option if you want a decent fighter/cleric.

Branwen isn't bad, but Jaheira is better. You'll find her at the carnaval, near the Naskel mines. She has low strength and doesn't quite cut it as a fighter. I also cannot stand her voice, but that is my own personal bias.

Viconia is quite good, but she is an evil NPC, as you've already discovered. This doesn't make her worth it, in my view - best to leave her where she is, I'd say.

Quayle I would not recommend. He is a rather inadequate cleric/illusionist and is quite weak in combat, but does have a few useful spells at his disposal. You'll find him in Baldur's Gate, next to the Flaming Fist compound.

So for me, it's a toss up between Jaheira and Yeslick - I like them both equally. But it's up to you, just decide on whoever you wish.

[Midget Gems]

Clerics and Druids tend to be Neutral aligned so you may have to put up with their complaints when your rep reaches 20. Yeslick is the exception and he is a Good Companion. As for healing there is an abundance of ways to stay healthy, what with all those potions and spells. From a strictly role-playing point of view I hate the idea of 'Rest until Healed' (as can be done in IWD) unless it is at an Inn over a period of several days. The correct thing to do would be a visit to the Temple and get fixed up by spending some of your spare cash.

[NihilisticCrusader]

Branwen does have better spells, but I prefer Yeslick because I like to use my clerics to fight as well. There are really no decent priests in BG1, though. I would make the main character into a priest to suit your needs. There are already some very good fighters, mages, and thieves.

[SixOfSpades]

Arledrian is mixing up Quayle and Tiax--easy to do, as they're both healers, both Gnomes, and both annoying.

Quayle is a Neutral Cleric/Illusionist you meet right before entering Baldur's Gate. Tiax is an Evil Cleric/Thief inside BG city itself. Neither of them have an impressive Wisdom score, as I recall, and by the time you get to them you've probably already put a pile of EXP into one of the other Priests anyway.

Generally, I like Branwen: She's got a good WIS and I can get her early. Jaheira is better on the front lines, but as a Druid she doesn't get the spells that are only for Clerics, some of which I really happen to like. Yeslick is good, but you have to wait a while to find him, and Faldorn has the problems of Jaheira and Yeslick combined.

BUT:

Canderous.

Originally posted by SixOfSpades: Arledrian is mixing up Quayle and Tiax--easy to do, as they're both healers, both Gnomes, and both annoying.

Thank you. It's been a while since I've played