Actually I play a cleric and a bard as well. Several of the bard/rogue
items are or already have been realigned to be rogue only due to rogue
complaints. And yes the primarily found Cleric weapon is Cleric/Paladin but
there are many special weapons easily obtainable for clerics like the
Bloodforge hammer.
High elves and halflings are the low for cleric hitpoints, half-elves and
humans are the high for bard hitpoints. Our dwarf cleric has near 400hp to
my 337 and he is 2 levels below me with no points added to stamina and no
boosting items (just like me). His AC is also 30 points higher since his
strength is 100+ with minimal point investment. Maybe clerics in general
only make slightly better or equal tanks to us, but dwarf clerics definitely
make better tanks than any bard.
Bards do get dual wield at 17th level. The increased damage in minimal in
most group combats as you get one extra attack occassionally instead of 20
extra AC versus all the attackers beating on you. I doubt I will dual wield
if I am facing multiple mobs as an 8% AC increase vs multiple opponents is
better than a 10-15% increase in damage vs one opponent. Just like our
healing song on a full group is a whopping 48 pts per pulse, with lute
seated at 16th level. Against more than one attacker a shield quickly
becomes better for someone who dual wields, but doesnt dual wield well.
Additionally as far as I know clerics melee skill caps at 200 just like
ours, only they don't get there until 49 while we get there at 40. At level
16 with an 85 (max) I hit only slightly more than my dwarf cleric compatriot
at 60. Since he hits for max 95% of the time due to having a str of 135 or
so and I hit for max about 70% of the time at strength 102 (both with buffs)
he does nearly as much damage as I if not more. Even with the well known
bard hate factor, we can twist spin most mobs where I hit them they turn to
me, he hits them they turn to him etc. That means our damage values overall
are very close.
In addition his full suit of armor cost less than 150pp. I on the other
hand have one piece alone that cost me that much (silvered bracer).
Granted I have far more options than he does as far as play style. In the
groups using the wizard cleric combo I talked about the mob died before ever
leaving the invulnerable cleric. Probably not always the case, but it sure
was while I was there. I was told my role was to heal them and speed up the
clerics attacks so he could do enough damage to stay far enough up to avoid
the mob leaving him. Might have been unique to what we were fighting at the
time but it sure seemed to work, only saw a wizard attacked once and that
was by a straggler.
Kitasi and Xabasbus
-----Original Message-----
From: Wayne Sheppard [mailto:
mrwayne@...]
Sent: Friday, September 17, 1999 3:05 PM
To:
eqbards@onelist.com
Subject: [eqbards] Clerics
From: "Wayne Sheppard" <
mrwayne@...>
Since I play both a cleric and a bard, I'd like to correct some of the
Cleric rumors going on around here.
Cleric only equipment?
The first and only Cleric-only weapon (that I have heard of) was just found
on Vox.
The only Cleric-only armor is on the Plane of Fear.
There is a quest weapon that is Cleric and Paladin, just like many items
that are Bard and Rogue only.
As to hitpoints, Bards and Clerics have about the same amount. But if you
compare a Dwarven Cleric (95 STA) to a Wood Elf Bard (65 STA) you will
probably see a difference in favor of the Cleric. My Half Elf Bard has
higher stamina and hitpoints than my High Elf Cleric.
Combat favors Bards. Bards get dual wield and I believe a higher weapon
skill cap. Clerics can do ok at melee, but are much more effective if they
are meditating during combat. So Bards are much more effective in combat
that Clerics.
Divine Aura lasts for 18 seconds, and is not perfect Invulnearbility as we
can be stunned quite easily. I consider myself very lucky if DA actually
allows me to get to the zone before dying. It has a 10-15 minute recycle
time.
Divine Aura is more useful when used in combat. But it doesn't work like
some of you think.
> Imagine the following, 4 wizards, 1 cleric. Cleric casts smite,
> then divine aura and gives the wizards 18 seconds of nuking. In same
> situation the bard would take a hell of a lot of damage trying to solo
tank
> the same critter the cleric could.
As soon as the Wizards start nuking, the mobs will switch from the Cleric to
the Wizards. Now the Cleric con only watch the Wizards die, as he can't
attack or cast any spells (including HEAL) until the 18 seconds wear off.
It really sucks watching a party member die because you are not allowed to
heal.
The best way is to use DA on a pull when the puller is taking heavy damage.
Heal a couple of times when the puller shows up, and draw all the mobs to
you. Then use DA to give everyone 18 seconds to pull them off you. This
works ok, but in many pickup groups this would get me killed as the group
didn't understand what I was doing. The DA would wear off and I'd still
have 4 mobs on me, while all the tanks are all focusing on a single mob.
It is much better to have an Enchanter or Bard in the group that can do
crowd control for you.
Wayne
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