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Cleric: Should I take Martial or Exotic weapon proficiency?

Posted: Tue Jul 20, 2004 8:32 am
by Alastor
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?

Posted: Tue Jul 20, 2004 11:19 pm
by Xandax
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.

Posted: Wed Jul 21, 2004 12:28 am
by Noober
For powergaming puposes, don't bother, so take whatever you wish.

Posted: Wed Jul 21, 2004 3:49 am
by BlackHand
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.

Posted: Wed Jul 21, 2004 5:52 am
by Alastor
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.

Posted: Wed Jul 21, 2004 6:10 am
by Alastor
Or maybe just take morningstars, improve critical and choose weapon focus in them? This is confusing.

Posted: Wed Jul 21, 2004 8:31 am
by Raumoheru
with the exotic proficiency there are nice bastard swords u can use

Posted: Thu Jul 22, 2004 4:31 am
by BlackHand
Choose what suits you best. You will beat the game either way.

Posted: Thu Jul 22, 2004 5:01 am
by Noober
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.

Posted: Thu Jul 22, 2004 9:33 am
by 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.

Posted: Thu Jul 22, 2004 3:20 pm
by Noober
[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.

Posted: Fri Jul 23, 2004 6:03 am
by 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?

Posted: Fri Jul 23, 2004 8:23 pm
by Noober
[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.