The Power of Clerics.

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The first times i played with a druid, which is probably the worst class. I dont powergame but that was just ridiculous. Druids are the most useless class, in my opinion. Why the hell are the elemental shapes needed at all? One attack? Cmon...

Anyway, are clerics more powerful than druids? I want to feel the power when i actually get the 7th level spells. I want to be of some use to my party.

 

Clerics are great in BG2, you could easely complete the game using a pure cleric. You might give the Gibberlings3 mod - divine remix - a shot, but it's not required to go through BG2.

 

You might try the shapeshifter kit to give the druids a bit of an edge. Their greater werewolf form is as affective as a fighter.

 

Ranger/Clerics are very, very powerful. Excellent hitpoints and AC, Dual wield flails, maces and hammers, Turn Undead plus ALL the divine spells both druid and cleric. He can Tank and deal out awesome Melee damage with his weapons and buffs like Iron Skins, Armor of Faith, POE 10', Blade Barrier, Holy Might, Righteous Magic, Defensive Harmony, Chaotic Commands, Negative Plane Protection, resistance buffs etc. He can summon with Animate Dead (Nice after level 15), Fire/Earth Elementals, Animals 1-3, Aerial Servant, Gate, and more. He can cast nasty offensive spells like Nature's Beauty, Sunray, Summon Insects, Flamestrike, Finger of Death, Holy Smite, Holy Word etc. He has True Seeing and Farsight, Detect Traps, Curative/Restorative and Dispelling Spells and the list goes on

[ January 29, 2006, 14:20: Message edited by: Isshy ]

 

Druid has some uses, although I have to admit that their low-level spells are kinda crappy. Stone skin is invaluable, creeping doom is sometimes useful, and bear/elemental summons should remain useful through the whole game. Still, in comparison to clerics and mages, they are the bottom of the barrel.

 

Yep, druids suck in BG and BG2.

druids are awesome in IWD though.

 

A bit off-topic, but still: A R/C doesn't get all divine spells or am I mistaken? I suppose it's only like a ranger wich is up to level 4 or 5, so every druidic/ranger spell above lev 4/5 is not in reach??

 

Well, a straight ranger (like Minsc or Valygar) only gets levels 1-3, but an R/C gets everything. It's debatable as to whether or not they should, but the fact is that the game will give an R/C absolutely everything. A dual-wielding R/C with Ironskins (5th level) can kick some a$$.

 

Yes in that case the R/C is a great combo, an uber-character if you want.

Then again i play with the nerfed Ironskin, soo...

 

The druid is useful in BG2 if not just for Insect Plague, specifically since it is an area of effect spell and can therefore bypass most magic defenses, if used properly it shuts up spell casters instantly. Conjure fire elemental is also greatly useful if you rely heavily on summons, like myself (which makes totemic druids especially useful to me), it's a massive upgrade over the cleric's aerial servant. Nature's Beauty is basically Wail of the Banshee, giving the druid an edge when swarmed.

The biggest draw back for the druid however is they level insanely slow in the upper levels.

 

It's those upper levels which really hurt the druid in SoA. I suggest Shape Shifter druid because if the spells aren't helping you at least you can turn it into a tank of a character with some regeneration powers and a very low AC. Just stick primarily to your Greater Werewolf form.

Though if you love summons the Totemic druid is quite capable at them.

 

Some spell level selections (like 2nd) for a druid is so lame. Though their bonus is they can use very useful weapons like scimitars, slings, darts, staves, lances, daggers. I think. A fighter/druid is much better ofcourse, and a Druidic Sorcerer just rocks, but it is a totally different matter.

I agree that some druid only spells are very useful, like Fire Elemental, Bug spells, Nature's Beauty. (it is weaker than Wail of the Bansheei add a Greater Malison first. Even if the victims save vs spells, they will be permanently blinded which totally kills caster and archer types in fact.) Honorable mention to Ironskin, shame clerics do not get this spell.

 

A R/C is going to put any cleric or druid to shame, just because he gets all the cleric spells, and all the druid spells. While druid spells are by and large not nearly as useful as cleric spells, there are a few druid spells that clerics don't get that are really nice. Iron skins is an obvious example of this, and their 6th and 7th level summoning spells like werebears are fantastic. The ability to summon elemental princes is really nice too. Personally, I do not like straight druids, and I usually will either multi- or dual class them with fighters (fighters first obviously) if my intent is to play a druid.

 

Thanks for all of the help. However, i am not a powergamer so i wont even consider playing a ranger cleric.

 

Druids kicks ass on 2ed. Especially on pen and paper games. They do in Baldur`s gate too I think. I finished the game with a druid and he kicked ass. On pen and paper 2ed thingy you get to cast tsunami spells etc, wich means you can level Athkatla to the ground, just like that.

 

Can anyone help me with the stats? I have no idea how i should distribute the points. What stats are important to clerics etc.?

 

For a cleric's stats, you can use INT as a dump stat. As a cleric, you don't need it for anything but lore and certain stat-dependant dialogues; lore will never be your strong suit, and you can have someone else do the talking if you need INT for it. Ideal stats:

STR 18-
DEX 18
CON 16 (don't need it any higher)
INT 3
WIS 18
CHA 18-

WIS, DEX, and CON are the most important, with WIS topping all for the cleric. With a high WIS you get lots of extra spells. Low STR can be adjusted for with a strength-enhancing belt, and low CHA can be adjusted for with either the Ring of Human Influence (found very early in the game; sets your CHA to 18) or having someone else with high CHA lead your party whenever you're talking to someone. DEX can also be adjusted for with the Gauntlets of Dexterity, but you'll probably need them for someone else so I'd keep that DEX high.

 

^It is a pretty power-gaming stat plan. But useful nevertheless. Clerics do not need high intelligence unless they want to dual to a mage ofcourse. Still, a cleric with 3 intelligence, my, he will be soo dump, isn't it like animal intelligence? This cleric can not use cleric scrolls, restoration scrolls, cleric wands, and will never be able to choose smart dialogue options, which is a bummer. But the REAL problem is...

AND Mind Flayers will REALLY enjoy killing him fast! Your cleric will just be a little snack for them!

Definitely raise your INT!

 

I didnt even cosnider putting my INT to 3. It is just too powergamish.

I dont understand the rules so well. In NWN D&D rules it is pointless to have high dexterity while wearing heavy armors, because you would loose the dexterity AC bonuses. Does the same apply to BG? Or can i have high dexterity, wear heavy armor and get AC points from both?

 

Yes, the higher the DEX, the higher the ac, armor or not.