Cleric: Should I take Martial or Exotic weapon proficiency?

Alastor · Post by **Alastor** » Tue Jul 20, 2004 8:32 am

For a Cleric, should I take Martial or Exotic weapon proficiency? I like to melee(sword and shield style) as well as cast spells, but I'm not sure which weapon proficiency is a better choice for a cleric. A little help, please?

Xandax · Post by **Xandax** » Tue Jul 20, 2004 11:19 pm

Well- if you should take thoese weapon profenciences, that is a matter of which weapon you like to use.
I've never played a cleric in NwN, but if you like to fight with swords, by all mean take martial weapons.

Noober · Post by **Noober** » Wed Jul 21, 2004 12:28 am

For powergaming puposes, don't bother, so take whatever you wish.

BlackHand · Post by **BlackHand** » Wed Jul 21, 2004 3:49 am

If your Cleric is an Elf, take nothing, longsword proficiency will be more than sufficient.
If not, ask yourself if a Morning Star is enough for you. Martial and exotic Weapons are not that much better, that I would burn a feat for it, especially since there is an excellent morningstar+4 in the OC.

Alastor · Post by **Alastor** » Wed Jul 21, 2004 5:52 am

hmm...

Ok, so I should take either martial or nothing? Thing is, I'm not sure about just simple weapons. Morningstars have a fairly small critical threat.I just wasn't suse, because I'd used katanas with my first cleric, and I was thinking of trying something different this time. I think I'll take martial, thanks for the advice.

Alastor · Post by **Alastor** » Wed Jul 21, 2004 6:10 am

Or maybe just take morningstars, improve critical and choose weapon focus in them? This is confusing.

Raumoheru · Post by **Raumoheru** » Wed Jul 21, 2004 8:31 am

with the exotic proficiency there are nice bastard swords u can use

BlackHand · Post by **BlackHand** » Thu Jul 22, 2004 4:31 am

Choose what suits you best. You will beat the game either way.

Noober · Post by **Noober** » Thu Jul 22, 2004 5:01 am

Well if your really worried about crit. threat range, take martial for scimitars. Then get imp. crit. and find a keen scimitar, though really as a Cleric you shouldn't rely that much on your weapons.

BlackHand · Post by **BlackHand** » Thu Jul 22, 2004 9:33 am

Why not? A seriously buffed up Combat Cleric can be a meaner fighting machine than any warrior Class and even have the same BAB.

Noober · Post by **Noober** » Thu Jul 22, 2004 3:20 pm

[QUOTE=BlackHand]Why not? A seriously buffed up Combat Cleric can be a meaner fighting machine than any warrior Class and even have the same BAB.[/QUOTE]

Nope (for pure), because of stat distribution, feat choice, Hit Dice, items etc.

BlackHand · Post by **BlackHand** » Fri Jul 23, 2004 6:03 am

Not in my experience. The clerics protective Magic (Damage Reduction, AC Boost, Prot. from X etc.) is more than up to the slighty better HD of a Fighter. Besides he can serioulsy up combat damage with Greater Magic Weapon, Darkfire, Divine Favor and boost Strenght and Endurance by up to 7. My Dwarven Cleric had starting scores 16/10/16/12/15/6, which I do not consider much inferior to standard fighter builds.
Concerning items: I have yet to see fighter-only equipment. Is there any?

Noober · Post by **Noober** » Fri Jul 23, 2004 8:23 pm

[QUOTE=BlackHand]Not in my experience. The clerics protective Magic (Damage Reduction, AC Boost, Prot. from X etc.) is more than up to the slighty better HD of a Fighter. Besides he can serioulsy up combat damage with Greater Magic Weapon, Darkfire, Divine Favor and boost Strenght and Endurance by up to 7. My Dwarven Cleric had starting scores 16/10/16/12/15/6, which I do not consider much inferior to standard fighter builds.
Concerning items: I have yet to see fighter-only equipment. Is there any?[/QUOTE]

By fighter, I don't mean pure "fighter", but include Druids (Dragon Form), and Bards as well. For a start, pretty much every decent fighter (exluding Dragons) has Devastating Critical, and DR doesn't matter when dealing with Dev Crit. Even if you were to take Dev Crit, mine would be much better as you must invest points in WIS (& CHA?), while I go pure strength. And don't forget that Paladin's have the almightly Great Smite and Divine Shield and Might and Grace etc.

Bards, Paladins, Druids and Spellswords have buffs as well (esp. spellswords). Clerics will possibly have less attacks (only Bard & Druid will have the same no. of attacks).

The main reason (besides multiclassing) people use Clerics is for Heal and Harm (which are unfortunatly nerfed on most servers). They are excellent support. I would much prefer a Bard/RRD/?? then a Cleric in the frontline.

I items I was meaning that Clerics might aim for more spellcasting boosting items etc.