The Guide to a Better ClericDDO Character Planner 2.96vClerics are highly sought out for quests, expensive to run most of the time, but never have to worry about getting a group. They are challenging to play well, but rewarding and fun if you play them right. Clerics can be combined with a splash of Fighter for getting your hands in the pie or other classes allowing the person to play their clerics in a number of creative ways. No matter what you like to play, I have to admit that every raid is better off if it can have the luxury of a Pure Healer build. Just like we need a DPS fighter, the pure healer build is both a surviver and a power healer and is one reason we get to the loot we all want!.Tentonhammer has a site that gives a lot of information about the enhancements available for the
Cleric. It is useful to use so that you can plan out your build better.
This information was written by Impaqt, Scholar of Adventure.Cleric is probably one of the most controversial classes to dilute. Hopefully this thread will offer some insight into why you should or should not "Splash" another class into your build. There are Three General roles for a Cleric to take on--Healer/Buffer: This is the ability to keep your parties alive, Remove Curses, Diseases, Poison and other ailments rapidly. The ability to mitigate much damage before it is incurred.
Typical Feats: Extend Spell, Mental Toughness, Improved Mental Toughness, Empower Healing (Empower Spell), [Greater] Spell Focus: Enchant, Maximize, Extend.
Offensive/Crowd Control Caster: The Ability to Eliminate/Neutralize Mobs before they can damage the Party. (Although I find you can do this with a pure healer build quite easily.)
Typical Feats: Extend Spell, Mental Toughness, Improved Mental Toughness, Empower Spell, Maximize Spell, [Greater] Spell Focus: Necromancy
Melee: With Spells like Divine Favor, Divine Power, and Recitation, Clerics can be an offensive force to be reckoned with if built with that in mind.
Typical Feats: Extend Spell, Weapon Focus, Improved Crit, Stunning Blow, [Greater] Spell Focus: Enchant
It should go without saying that Excelling at all three is near impossible. Focus on one or a Balance between 2 is the best Cleric builds In My Opinion.
Know Your Race:The Races of Ebberon can all be adapted to Clerical usage IMO. Some are better suited than others though...Human: Probably the most common Clerical build. No Penalties to any Stat, (But no Bonus's either) and have the ability through enhancements to raise 2 stats by +1. Which makes it the only race that can currently achieve a Wisdom of 34 in the Game (18 Base +3 Levels +3 CLR Wisdom +1 Human Adaptability +3Tome +6 Stat Item =34) Common racial choice for the Healer/Buffer and Offensive Caster builds due to wisdom bonus's.
Racial Enhancements Available:
Human Recovery: Allows you to increase the effectiveness of healing spells cast on you
Human Adaptability (+Greater): Adds +1 to any Stat. Standard and Greater cannot be used on the same stat.
Human Versatility: Up to A +5 Temporary Boost to Skills (Or AC/To Hit/Damage in Mod 5)
Dwarf: the Ebberon Super Race. The Dwarf can be adapted to just about any class in the game. Especially well suited for Clerical Melee builds, but can heal buff and Offensive cast as well. Granted The Exotic Weapon Proficiency: Dwarven Axe if they have Martial weapons proficiencies this is basically a Free feat you get IF you multiclass your cleric with a Martial class). Dwarven Faith Enhancement grants additional Spell Points. Particularly well suited towards melee clerics due to Weapon, Armor, and Toughness enhancement bonuses.
Racial Enhancements Available:
Dwarven Toughness: Add up to 50 Additional Hit Points (Toughness Feat Required)
Dwarven Faith: Up to 60 Additional Spell Points
Armor Mastery: Increases Dex Bonus available on Armor
Dwarven Constitution: +2 to Constitution available
Warforged: Wisdom penalty at creation seriously hurts the Warforged viability as a cleric. Especially the Healer and Offensive caster variations. However, with Healers friend enhancement line they can self heal efficiently and built in racial immunities give it a lot of potential. Melee variations can be strong and durable and have excellent solo-ability.
Racial Enhancements Available:
Warforged Constitution: +2 to Constitution available
Immune to all Disease, Negative Energy, Poison and Paralysis
Follower of the Lord of Blades: +1 to hit with Greatswords
Elf : Elven Immunities help get many clerics through the lower levels without incident. Their bonuses to dexterity at creation and via enhancement system can help an elven cleric achieve a much better reflex save than the races listed above. This can be important in some builds as Reflex saves are by far the worst. A Solid reflex save with a decent balance score can keep your cleric upright and tossing spells/heals when facing many mobs. Low Con score makes the Healer/Buffer and Offensive Caster variations a more logical choice for elves. However, they are granted Longsword and Rapier proficiencies so a melee build based on an Elf can be done without multiclassing.
Racial Enhancements Available:
Elf Dexterity: +2 Dexterity available
Longsword and Rapier: Up to +2 to Hit and Damage with Longswords and Rapiers
Follower of the Undying Court: +1 TO hit with Scimitars
Halfling: Dexterous, Reflex save bonus', AC and To Hit Bonus's... There’s not much to dislike in a Halfling Cleric. Low STR and Reduced carrying capacity may indicate a Healer build or even offensive caster build would work well. However, with a good dex score and racial enhancements on Thrown weapons combined with natural to hit and AC bonus' a Halfling Thrower cleric could be a very interesting build. In addition, Halflings have access to Dragon Marks most suited for Clerics.
Racial Enhancements Available:
Halfling Dexterity: +2 Dexterity available
Halfling Luck +1, +2, +3 available to any Saves (Mod 5)
Drow: All the benefits off an Elf and then some. Same low CON as a Drawback. Additional Racial Enhancements with Shortswords and Rapiers give Drow some decent melee ability without the need to multiclass. Drow Spell resistance costs 10 action points to get to a reasonable level so this Natural Ability of Drows is lost in DDO. The Creation bonus to INT and CHR is rather nice for clerical builds though. More Skill points per level than many other build as well as easier to get more turn attempts via Charisma modifier.
Racial Enhancements Available:
Elf Dexterity: +2 Dexterity available
Rapier and Short Sword: Up to +2 to Hit and Damage with Shortswords and Rapiers
Follower of Vulkoor: +1 to hit with Shortswords and Drow Long Knives (Not in game yet)
OK, you made your Choices above.. Now to Stay Pure or Multi-Class your Cleric.
A L14 Cleric has access to some very powerful 7th level clerical spells including my favorite, Destruction. They have 4 Spell Slots to fill with L7 Spells as well. (Including the required Cure Serious Mass)So you think you want to splash One Level of another Class?You Will Lose the Following:Spell Penetration: -1 to all Spell Pen checks. Spell Pen checks can get pretty high in elite level content. Every bit of bonus in Spell pen can show benefits for the Offensive Caster/Crowd Control Cleric.
The Spells that are Subject to SR Checks are: Destruction, Slay living, Blindness, Harm, Soundburst, Dismissal, Banishment, Curse, Doom, Bane, Command/Greater Command, Hold Person,
Spell Points: -70 Spell Points Base. This can be made up however depending on what class you splash into your build.
Spell Slots: You Lose One Level 7 Spell Slot and 1 Level 6 Spell Slot
Spell DC's: Poison, Banishment, Dismissal, and Break Enchantment, Greater Dispel Magic loses 1 to each of their DC's. SR:Mass losses 1 Pt of Spell Resistance.
-1 Fort Save
-1 Will Save
-1 BAB (Which may not seem like much, but can be the difference between having a 4th Attack without Divine Power up)
-8 Hit Points
Spell damage - almost always level dependant.
So what happens too Your Cleric when you Splash One level of another class?
Fighter: Fighter Splash's are most common in Melee focused Builds.
+1 BAB
+10 Hit Points
Martial Weapons Proficiency
Tower Shield Proficiency
Fighter Bonus Feat
+2 Fort Save
Enhancements
Fighter toughness 1: 5 hit points (Requires Toughness Feat)
Fighter Critical accuracy 1: +2 seeker (Stacks with Weapons/Items seeker effects)
Fighter Item defense 1: 25% item defense
Paladin: Paladin Splashes are suited for melee/Caster focused build.
+1 BAB
+10 Hit Points
Martial Weapons Proficiency
Paladin Aura (+1 to AC and Saves for you and close by party Members)
Spell Point Bonus based on Wisdom Modifier. (i.e. if you have a 30 Wisdom a Paly level will give you 100 Spell points where a Cleric level would of given you just 80 (10Bonus+70Base=80))
+2 Fort Save
Enhancements
Paladin toughness 1: 5 hit points (Requires Toughness Feat)
Aura of Good Concentration (+1 Concentration)
Ranger: Ranger Splashes are suited for melee/Caster focused build.
+1 BAB
+8 Hit Points
Martial Weapons Proficiency
Favorite Enemy (+1 Bonus to Hit and Ac against the mob of your choice)
Spell Point Bonus based on Wisdom Modifier. (i.e. if you have a 30 Wisdom a ranger level will give you 100 Spell points where a Cleric level would of given you just 80 (10Bonus+70Base=80))
+2 Fort Save
+2 Reflex Save
Bow Strength: (Add Str Damage Bonus to Ranged Attacks)
Enhancements
Favorite Enemy Damage and Defense (+1 Damage or +1 AC against)
Action Boost Skills (+2 to all Skills for 20 Seconds)
Barbarian: Barbarian Splashes are suited for a melee focused build.
+1 BAB
+12 Hit Points
Martial Weapons Proficiency
10% Increased Movement Rate
Rage (Cant Cast while raged.... Cleric are pretty useless to the rest of the party when they are raged......)
(However, With the Introduction of Mod5, You can dispel your own Rage at any time. This may make Barbarian Splashes a lot more viable)
+2 Fort Save
Enhancements
Barbarian toughness 1: 5 hit points (Requires Toughness Feat)
Resist Disease (+1 Saves against Disease)
Resist Poison (+1 Save against Poison)
Wizard: Wizard Splashes can be suited for Healer/Buffer Type Builds
0 BAB
+4 Hit Points
Extra MetaMagic Feat
50 Base Spell Points + (10xINT Modifier)
Arcane Wand Usage
3 1st Levels Arcane Spells
+2 Will Save
Enhancements
No Viable Enhancements for L1
Sorcerer: Sorcerer Splashes can bee suited for Healer/Buffer Type Builds
0 BAB
+4 Hit Points
100 Base Spell Points + (10xCHR Modifier)
Arcane Wand Usage
2 1st Levels Arcane Spells
+2 Will Save
Enhancements
No Viable Enhancements for L1
Bard: Bard Splashes can be suited for Healer/Buffer Type Builds
0 BAB
+6 Hit Points
50 Base Spell Points + (10xCHR Modifier)
1 Bard Song (Inspire Confidence +1 Attack)
+2 Reflex Save
+1 Will Save
Access to UMD as a Class Skill
Access to Many Arcane Wands (Any Spell that is in the Bards Spell list Via Wand)
Enhancements
Extra Song
Rogue: Rogue Splashes Can enhance survivability for Healer Type Builds
0 BAB
+6 Hit Points
+1d6 Sneak Attack Damage
Access to Open Lock and Disable Device as Class Skills
Access to UMD as a Class Skill
+2 Reflex Save
Enhancements
Faster Sneaking (10% Faster Sneak Rate)
Sneak Attack Damage (+2 Damage to any Attack that Qualifies as a Sneak Attack)
Trap Sense (+1 Saves against all Traps)
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Here are some possible cleric builds:The Pure Power HealerCleric-Fighter Build
Last Modified: 7/12/2008 4:48am
Contributors:
Mellodise
Easy Link
BBCode Link: [guide=cleric]Cleric Builds, Tips & Tricks[/guide]
URL: http://aga.dkpsystem.com/guide/cleric
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