Want a druid? Create ranger/CLERIC!

Radek · Post by **Radek** » Tue Jan 09, 2001 4:22 am

Yes, druids are strong. As we know from the official FAQs, they are toooooooo strong so that they have to be punished. Their levels are cut off. As a consequence (or a part of) the punishment, the druids have bad saving throws and bad thac0.
It should be known that rangers are casting druid spells rather than cleric ones. It should be also known that the mixed class ranger/cleric can cast both druid and cleric spells. What is less known is that the DUAL class ranger/CLERIC has access to all druid spells - no matter when the ranger dualled to a cleric. Here is my experience: I created a ranger and requalified him immediately (i.e., at level 7 when the ranger has no access to spells) to a cleric. I was surprised when I found Goodberies in his spellbook. Yeap! Whenever the ranger/CLERIC gained a new level of spells, he got all druid spells along with all cleric spells. In the other words, the ranger/CLERIC is also a druid which escaped the punishment!
The ranger/CLERIC is an extra strong class: can fight (base thac0 limit = 5), has access to crushing weapons, can cast all cleric spells and can cast all druid spells.

Omar · Post by **Omar** » Tue Jan 09, 2001 4:55 am

I thought you couldn't dualclass/multiclass a ranger. I believe you can't! How did you do that?

Gruntboy · Post by **Gruntboy** » Tue Jan 09, 2001 4:58 am

You can dual to anything that is a multiclass (its all to do with menu displays really - damn it, I want my Blade/Fighter). Cleric/Ranger is a legal multiclass.

Must have pretty high minimum stats though... Wisdom, strength and constitution (any more?)

geh4th · Post by **geh4th** » Tue Jan 09, 2001 5:05 am

I have not yet played a Ranger, but I have had this idea (Ranger/Cleric) for some time. I have a question, though: about how long does it take to finish the Ranger stronghold quest (counting from the start of the game, assuming you don't mess around with TOO many side quests...)

I guess the best way to put it is "what level is the typical Ranger after finishing his stronghold quest"?

Gruntboy · Post by **Gruntboy** » Tue Jan 09, 2001 5:18 am

Thinking of getting both strongholds?

Can't you do that as a dual-classed character anyway or do you have to get one before you dual?

Omar · Post by **Omar** » Tue Jan 09, 2001 5:28 am

You can get both if you are a dualclassed character. You don't need to get one stronghold first and then dualclass.

geh4th · Post by **geh4th** » Tue Jan 09, 2001 5:32 am

Ack, you're onto me, trying to get 2 strongholds.

I was under the impression that as a dual, you have to get the first stronghold BEFORE your "profession change". Someone correct me if I am wrong.

And a question about proficiencies: IF you happen to put a * in a weapon you ALREADY knew as a ranger (but is simply "dormant" for now) will you end up with ONE proficiency in the weapon or TWO (i.e. specialized, one from when you were a ranger and one from your change to cleric....)?

Gruntboy · Post by **Gruntboy** » Tue Jan 09, 2001 5:36 am

You'll end up with 1 prof. Clerics really limit the otherwise kick-ass weapons a ranger couold use aswell.

geh4th · Post by **geh4th** » Tue Jan 09, 2001 5:41 am

I guess I gotta plan it out REAL well ahead of time, eh?

Not too much point in specializing with sling, is there? I'd leave most of the "good" melee weapons to Ranger, with that class specializing....

Can you add the 3rd * to 2-weapon combat AFTER you have changed classes?

Gruntboy · Post by **Gruntboy** » Tue Jan 09, 2001 5:50 am

That's a toughie.

You *should* be able to.

A tired a thief/mage and they could add anthing to the thief weapons after they became active again but not before.

Omar · Post by **Omar** » Tue Jan 09, 2001 7:19 am

I began once as a Fighter, dualclassed him into a thief when I reached the Promenade.As a fighter I had spent three slots in the longsword skill. As a thief I added one slot to the longsword skill and when I could use my fighter abilities again I only had his three slots. I then acquired the thief stronghold by exposing Mae'Var; the next thing I did was going to the de'Arnise Hold ridding it from the trolls; I reported back to Nalia and she offered me the Keep and I greedily accepted.
Besides that, I can increase my fighter/thief's skills beyond normal proficiency.

Gruntboy · Post by **Gruntboy** » Wed Jan 10, 2001 5:31 am

I tried it out and you can distribute profs in any cleric weapon (it doens't matter if you duplicate/lose profs from BG1 - you re-distribute them in BG2) up to normal ranger specialisation!!! i.e. like a fighter/cleric. Therefore, when dualled to a cleric you can get that 3rd dual-wield proficieny or put 2 in flails etc and, 5 into missile weaps (if an archer).

An Archer/Cleric anyone? That's my next bet - 2 strongholds aswell!!!!

Dual classed humans with a fighter aspect are so much better thean multiclassed. You get 2x initial starting profs and can more than just specialise. You can also minimise the xp spent on one particular class.

Hex92 · Post by **Hex92** » Wed Jan 10, 2001 11:36 am

That is some pretty devious stuff Radek. Unfortunately I just finished the game as a Ranger so I doubt that I would try to play through again as the same class.
As for the Ranger/cleric losing out on some good weapons-thats true-but my ranger wielded Crom Fayer and the Flail of Ages on a regular basis. Thast a pretty good weapon combo!
You don't really miss out on the ability to use longswords after getting back from the underdark.

Hex92

Gruntboy · Post by **Gruntboy** » Tue Jan 23, 2001 6:58 am

I think this is a powerful combination. Plus I Just realised why a Ranger can't be a druid too - alignement clash, D'oh!

Doltan · Post by **Doltan** » Tue Jan 23, 2001 10:54 am

And here I thought it was just lazyness in programming... Can you come up with a reason why a thief can't be a druid? It seems like true neutral or chaotic neutral are viable. The usual argument is that thieves prefer the city and druids prefer the country. I don't buy this myself.

Craig · Post by **Craig** » Tue Jan 23, 2001 2:57 pm

better yet get a stalker/cleric picture this blade barier,protec. from normal missiles magic weapons(?)and magic turning plus other undiscovered surprises
they are like fighter/theif/cleric/druid/mage!

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Craig lover of Onions,user of Hammers and player of RPG's across the world

Siike · Post by **Siike** » Wed Jan 24, 2001 4:10 am

According to AD&D-rulebooks ranger/druid-multiclass is possible, as is thief/druid. Not very common though.

Black Hand · Post by **Black Hand** » Wed Jan 24, 2001 4:12 am

Which rulebook are you referring to? In those I read the Ranger/Cleric was the only valid multiclassed Ranger.

geh4th · Post by **geh4th** » Wed Jan 24, 2001 4:36 am

As an experiment, I decided to start tinkering around with this, but with a twist: to avoid character duplication, I decided to use shadowkeeper to change Jaheira into a Ranger/Cleric. My reasoning is that she doesn't really act her "true neutral" alignment very well anyway; she seems far more inclined to neutral good.

So, in this reality she is a Ranger/cleric. She now will be able to reach 14th level in cleric, giving access to 7th level spells, but will only reach 12th in ranger (which i believe is 1 less THAC0 than she'd get as a 13th lvl fighter), and levels slower in both. She has to be a ranger to still be able to get the druid spells in addition to the cleric spells, otherwise she could remain a fighter and get to that 13th level. Her weapons of course change to cleric-only (blunt), but these are IMO better than what the druid can use anyway (especially with the odd proficiencies Jaheira has). I have her dual-wielding the Flail of the Ages and the Defender of Easthaven...this makes her an absolutely awesome fighter with a great spell selection to boot.

Experiment sucessful, so far.

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"If you prefer, you could say EXPERT treasure hunter!"
--Gandalf the Grey, the Hobbit

Black Hand · Post by **Black Hand** » Wed Jan 24, 2001 4:43 am

Level 13 is very cool for fighters, cause they get their second free +1/2 attack there.