clerics/priests

cybercat · Post by **cybercat** » Sun Sep 29, 2002 6:24 pm

Okay, maybe this subject has been done to death in this forum but ... what are the advantages of a cleric/druid/priest ???

The only thing that they are good for it seems are their healing spells. Sure they got pretty snazzy higher level spells but I don't use them very much since mage spells are way cooler !

I hardly ever use priest spells in a game except to heal, so usually Viccy, Jaheira or Aerie just stand around during battle (casting the odd bolt of glory, flamestrike blah).

I admit that it's partly (mostly?) my gameplaying style (give me fighters and mages .../thief any day !) so am keen for any suggestions on how to enhance playing the priestly class. Thx.

Aqua-chan · Post by **Aqua-chan** » Sun Sep 29, 2002 6:52 pm

It all depends on what kit you're using. Druids shapeshift (except the Totemic, of course), and Clerics can turn Undead (with marvelous results against certain creatures in the game).

Druids such as Avengers and Totemics are fun to play, as they have nifty little special abilities that only thier own kits recieve. I never used Healing spells too often, or shapeshifting, for that matter. But thier spells are pretty dang nice.

Clerics... I never played through with a Cleric (seeing as how there are plenty of them in BG2), but with thier Turn Undead abilities and Summon Undead spells, they make pretty well-balanced charactors.

Healing is a major factor to these two classes, but don't forget the offencive. Firestorm is a nice, high-level cleric spell. You can summon Wyverns with the right scrolls, too. THere are a bunch of neat things in both classes.

Coot · Post by **Coot** » Sun Sep 29, 2002 11:23 pm

You depend om your priest and druid for buff spells. Protection from whatnot. Ever tried to conjure up fiends and demons without ptotection from evil? Resist fear, chaotic commands... I'd hate to get into a fight with liches or dragons without those,

Jaesha · Post by **Jaesha** » Mon Sep 30, 2002 6:33 am

In ToB, the druids rock with their new elemental transforming abilities. Clerics get some really good high level spells too, like aura of flaming death and g elemental summoning.

Alson · Post by **Alson** » Mon Sep 30, 2002 10:41 am

Minor ToB Spoilers...

Druids gets all the Cleric's High Level Abilities (excluding the ring, of course, but they get the Heartwood ring anyway), and the additionals:

Elemental Trasformation (Fire)
Elemental Trasformation (Earth)
Greater Elemental Summoning

JSPCHIEF · Post by **JSPCHIEF** » Mon Sep 30, 2002 11:03 am

IMHO the alacrity for healing spells should be much shorter. In battle by the time I heal an injured fighter..he's recieved more damage than I heal...healing spells are useless in battle. After a battle I'd rather rest than heal. So the only time healing spells are needed is when you're in the city and don't want to use an Inn or the rare places that don't let you rest. Buffs are always nice, but they're kind of cheese (unless your scout told you there was a Demon and Lich and Mind Flayer (oh my!) in the next room. Anomen is basically just another fighter for me.

Jaesha · Post by **Jaesha** » Mon Sep 30, 2002 11:27 am

Not true. The heal spell heals all of the damage sustained, and IIRC the deva can cast it faster than clerics/priests. I don´t think devas´ spells get interrupted when they are hit, either.

Firinflablaze · Post by **Firinflablaze** » Mon Sep 30, 2002 7:49 pm

I see no disadvantage to clerics. Because of their heavy armor, they can stand up in the melee, with certain flails or morning stars they can still deal out heafty damage, and they also get their healing & more party oriented spells. Wizard spells are much more offensive, while priest spells are mainly defensive (exceptions to both rules of course) meaning they are needed for buffs like bless, negative plane protection and death ward. I don't find them cheese because my clerics aren't stupid (we're walking into a vampire guild, but of course there wouldn't be any level draining vampires around, would there?)

I from a RPing perspective dislike resting, and thus use lots of healing spells, making them useful that way as well.

EtherImp · Post by **EtherImp** » Mon Sep 30, 2002 9:27 pm

I agree with whats been said above concerning clerics.. They make valuable "Backup fighters", and they can truly support a party with their turn undead abilities, healing, and protective spells.. But, beyond that, if you wanna talk about Druids (which, is considered a "Priest"), I have 2 words for you:

Insect

Swarm

That spell alone makes having a druid in your party worth it. I have never met a Mage that liked Insect Swarm. There's only a rare occassion when it won't work, and that is when the opponent is invisible, but even then, if there are OTHER enemies on the screen, you can cast it on one of them and the insects will move over to the invisible mage. It also causes fear/panic.. 100% spell failure is nice.. Buys you time so your fighters can neutralize the other characters in an opponents party before you have to worry about taking down the mage.. Plus it deals damage. I just can't say enough good things about Insect Swarm..

After Jaheira cast it I have her and the tanks (and Anomen) rush in and bash the hell outta everything in their way, always sending Jaheira after the Mage with her Club of Gnashing. Now that REALLY pisses mages off.

After you hit them once and disrupt ONE of their spells, if it takes you a while to hit them again the club will deal 2 more damage to them within a few seconds, two times in a row.

Not to mention the fact that Druids shapeshift, cast healing/protective spells, and have decent HP.

This isn't to say I would use a pure druid as my primary character, but I definately don't mind having ONE of them in my party, especially if it's that fine little PoA, Jaheira. My Harper Muffin of Love..

fable · Post by **fable** » Tue Oct 01, 2002 9:23 am

If you mean, what are the advantages of a priest/wizard in SoA, I'd say availability to a broader range of spells: look at Aerie. However, the disadvantages of slow progress outweigh everything else, IMO. You really need those higher level spells early on.

The situation's different when you add on ToB. There's more experience to gain, and a higher level to achieve in each profession, with many more spells. In addition, multiclass priest/mages can use sequencers to cast several priest spells instantly, which no priest-only character can do. Definitely worthwhile.

Jaesha · Post by **Jaesha** » Tue Oct 01, 2002 11:51 am

Originally posted by UncleScratchy
Dwarven cleric/fighter multi equipped with Dwarven throwing hammer is awesome.

You mean there´s a hammer that can really throw dwarves? How come we didn´t know?

UserUnfriendly · Post by **UserUnfriendly** » Tue Oct 01, 2002 1:28 pm

how come no one has ever modded a hammer that throws the dwarf???

use the wing buffet toss animation, and it would be so much fun...

i gotta admit, aerie beats druids hands down...

storm of vengence has insect swarm and even creeping doom beat hands down....it for 3 rounds, all you really need disrupts all spell casting ....each mage in area of effect gets hit with elemental damage, and poison, so they cant cast any spells...

and aerie can chain contingency them....if only she had natures beauty...

well, potion swap a chain contingency scroll and jahiera can chain triple natures beauty...

a triple has a really good chance of bypassing any dragon magic resistance...

and lets not for get triple earthquake...

yep...a cleric mage fighter is a figure of awe....

load up a triple earthquake, cast aura and globe of blades, and draw on holy might, righteous magic (kai, long duration) and whirlwind into battle with staff of ram...or magi for stoneskins...or dual wield clubs....wes item upgrade has 2 killer ones....

Littiz · Post by **Littiz** » Tue Oct 01, 2002 5:39 pm

Not true. The heal spell heals all of the damage sustained, and IIRC the deva can cast it faster than clerics/priests. I don´t think devas´ spells get interrupted when they are hit, either.

Both untrue. They cast at the same speed, and may be interrupted.
At least, this happens for Planetars. Who are better than Devas..

fable · Post by **fable** » Tue Oct 01, 2002 7:45 pm

Originally posted by Jaesha
You mean there´s a hammer that can really throw dwarves? How come we didn´t know?

There's an entire thread devoted to throwing dwarves, halflings, and gnomes. Large one, too. I think I dusted it off, added a nice blue bow to it and moved the thing down to the SYM (Speak Your Mind) area, a few months back.

UserUnfriendly · Post by **UserUnfriendly** » Tue Oct 01, 2002 8:04 pm

well, guys, i just posted a request in the forums for wes's item upgrade mod and item requests for jason about a dwarven thrower...

one that would throw the user...

and cause interjections (like tashia's morning wakey wakey comments like "can we not sleep for another hour...")
like...

"oh no, not again!!!!"
"%^$#!!!!"
"whooohooooo!!!"
"up up and away"

so cross your fingers and hope either wes or jason, or both will find the idea interesting....

and funny enough to do the mod.....

i cant get this image of korgan and his avatar being thrown across the room and boinking a goblin on the head...

sorry, sorry, bonking....

Phantom Lord · Post by **Phantom Lord** » Thu Oct 03, 2002 11:14 am

After playing NWN I've installed BG2 once again, this time with TDD and my PC will be a dc berserker/cleric or druid, dualed around lvl 16. With maximum weapon points in staves and two handed weapon fighting style this will be great fun ... the only backdraw is that I'll have to babysit Jaheira until the time to dual has come.

I'm pretty eager to take on Kangaxx, alone, in berserk mode and with the staff of Rhynn ... unless I aquire the Staff of the Ram before.