HatsuharuZ
01-18-2014, 01:06 AM
I'm kind of tired of my usual introduction, so...
General Comments: Cleric was generally done right. It has 3 trees: A spellcasting tree, a healing tree and a melee tree. The cleric class is the only free-to-play class in the game that is always has healing spells prepared. Having a person who is willing and able to toss healing spells at party members makes doing difficult content easier. Yes, some players don't need another person to heal them at all, but that sort of proficiency takes time to aquire, and not everyone wants to play the latest warforged or monk-based flavor of the month build. Clerics are vital to the health of the game, not just individuals. Since the developers did such a good job on this one, this will be a relatively short post.
Divine Disciple
Comments: This tree is a toolkit for an evocation or necromancy-based cleric.
[Core Abilities]
1) Emissary
Comments: This is where you choose between necromancy and evocation.
2) Divine Spell Knowledge (Level 18)
Comments: Depending on your choice of "Emissary", you get either Power Word: Stun or Sunburst added to your cleric spell list. PW: Stun is one of those spells that was never updated as the game changed and mobs gained more HP, so the enemies are stunned for 8 seconds.
3) Transcendence
Comments: This is a Capstone. The capital 'C' was intentional. I wish all capstones were as awesome as this Capstone.
[Tier 1]
1) Prophetic Zenith
Comments: Not impressed with Chill Touch. Yes, it has some effect on pretty much anything, but it has to be used in melee range. I would suggest putting a "Command" SLA in it's place.
[Tier 2]
No Comment
[Tier 3]
1) Prophetic Zenith
Comments: One of the choices for this enhancement is "Necrotic Bolt", which is also present in the Pale Master tree, although the PM version costs HP instead of SP. I haven't tested this one, but does the DD version of Necrotic Bolt also suffer from a "Reduced Benefit From Spellpower"? I hope not, since the DD version costs spell points instead of hit points.
[Tier 4]
No Comment
[Tier 5]
1) Divine Empowerment
Comment: Not all spells gain damage dice per caster level. Some of them gain damage dice every *second* caster level.
Radiant Servant
Comments: The healing tree. One day I'll roll up another cleric, put as many points as I can into this tree, then join a raid group without a positive energy spellpower item equipped and see if anyone notices. Some of the higher-tier healing enhancements seem like overkill.
[Core Abilities]
1) Pacifism
Comments: Thematically appropriate, but I hope that 'pacifistic' abilities like this are used sparingly, if at all, in the future.
2) Positive Energy Burst
Comments: Before the enhancement overhaul, this was available to clerics at level 6. After the enhancement overhaul, it's a level 6 core ability for clerics. Thank you, devs.
3) Positive Energy Shield
Comments: I can't think of a time when this would be necessary. Now, the ability to give an ally healing amplification? That's good. Tying it to temporary hit points? Not good. Interesting, though.
4) Radiant Servant
Comments: Overkill.
[Tier 1]
1) Bliss
Comments: Useful when setting off a P.E.B. in the middle of combat.
[Tier 2]
1) Mighty Turning
Comments: I found that when fighting the giant skeletons in Gianthold Tor, using Turn Undead caused a "Deathward" symbol to pop up over the heads of the targets. Not sure if *not* using this enhancement under those same conditions would cause the giant skeles to be turned.
[Tier 3]
1) Intense Healing ----> Incredible Healing
Comments: Having caster level increases without maximum caster level increases doesn't make much sense at level 20 and up.
2) Unyielding Sovereignty
Comments: This is the 6th level faith ability for the Sovereign Host. I'd feel really guilty using this if my cleric were of a different faith. :P
3) Martyrdom
Comments: Very interesting, very potent. However it's unlikely to be used so long as the cleric remembers the first rule of being a cleric: Don't Die.
[Tier 4]
No Comments
[Tier 5]
1) Cure Focus
Comments: Overkill.
2) Reactive Heal
Comments: Druids have a similar ability, but Spring Resurgence only lasts 5 minutes and affects all nearby allies.
Warpriest
[Core Abilities]
1) Smite Foe
Comments: Kind of boring at first, but it gets better.
2) Sanctuary: I think of this as an action boost, but one that costs spell points instead. Should've added some stacking elemental absorption or resistance.
3) War Domain: Blur ----> War Domain: Haste
Comments: Blur and Haste are added to the cleric's spellbook. Very useful.
4) Implacable Foe
Comments: This is a Capstone. With a capital C. Now, if they transferred this over to the Unyielding Sentinel epic destiny, then increased the numerical values a bit, it would make a great Epic Moment.
[Tier 1]
1) Divine Might
Comments: I love this ability, despite the stacking issues that occur in epic levels.
2) Righteous Weapons ----> Wrathful Weapons
Comments: I have an issue with this enhancement line. It *only* gives to-hit and damage bonuses. I can get *a lot* more damage just by equipping a two-handed weapon that my character is proficient with, which is very easy if one takes a level of any class with martial weapon proficiency, or if one is either a half-elf or warforged. The only bonuses that one gets from favored weapons are to-hit and damage bonuses. What this enhancement line *should* give is bonuses that one cannot get from equipping a two-hander (unless we're talking about warforged, but I think that the popularity of warforged divines went down when Artificer and the Juggernaut builds were introduced. But I digress...). In fact, it would be best if the bonuses were different depending on which faith feat was taken at level 1. Example: Vulkoor faith would get sneak attack damage dice and the deception property when wielding shortswords, while the Silver Flame faith would get increased Point-Blank Shot range and damage bonuses. Spellpower would also be welcome.
3) Sacred Touch
Comments: I wish it gave 2 PRR per rank instead of 1, but it's hard to complain about something that requires so few additional resources on part of the user.
[Tier 2]
1) Smite Weakness
Comments: Interesting. Now, if only there was a toggle that turned "Smite Foe" into a cleave attack...
2) Wall of Steel
Comments: Yay!~
3) Inflame ----> Inflame: Saving Throws ----> Inflame: Energy Absorption
Comments: Brilliant!
[Tier 3]
1) Burden of Sin
Comments: Makes it harder for the enemy to hit you, while making it easier for you, or anyone else, to hit them.
[Tier 4]
1) Ameliorating Strike
Comments: Very useful for the cleric who doesn't want to go blind staring at red bars.
2) Light Guard
Comments: Most enemies cannot resist light damage.
[Tier 5]
1) Divine Power
Comments: It's a toggle, but why would I ever want to turn it off?
2) Divine Vessel
Comments: With this, I will never use Flame Strike again... but then again I never used it more than once, so never mind. :D
3) Divine Intervention
Comments: This used to be a capstone. Now that it's been moved and we have a melee combat tree for clerics... this may or may not see more use...
General Comments: Cleric was generally done right. It has 3 trees: A spellcasting tree, a healing tree and a melee tree. The cleric class is the only free-to-play class in the game that is always has healing spells prepared. Having a person who is willing and able to toss healing spells at party members makes doing difficult content easier. Yes, some players don't need another person to heal them at all, but that sort of proficiency takes time to aquire, and not everyone wants to play the latest warforged or monk-based flavor of the month build. Clerics are vital to the health of the game, not just individuals. Since the developers did such a good job on this one, this will be a relatively short post.
Divine Disciple
Comments: This tree is a toolkit for an evocation or necromancy-based cleric.
[Core Abilities]
1) Emissary
Comments: This is where you choose between necromancy and evocation.
2) Divine Spell Knowledge (Level 18)
Comments: Depending on your choice of "Emissary", you get either Power Word: Stun or Sunburst added to your cleric spell list. PW: Stun is one of those spells that was never updated as the game changed and mobs gained more HP, so the enemies are stunned for 8 seconds.
3) Transcendence
Comments: This is a Capstone. The capital 'C' was intentional. I wish all capstones were as awesome as this Capstone.
[Tier 1]
1) Prophetic Zenith
Comments: Not impressed with Chill Touch. Yes, it has some effect on pretty much anything, but it has to be used in melee range. I would suggest putting a "Command" SLA in it's place.
[Tier 2]
No Comment
[Tier 3]
1) Prophetic Zenith
Comments: One of the choices for this enhancement is "Necrotic Bolt", which is also present in the Pale Master tree, although the PM version costs HP instead of SP. I haven't tested this one, but does the DD version of Necrotic Bolt also suffer from a "Reduced Benefit From Spellpower"? I hope not, since the DD version costs spell points instead of hit points.
[Tier 4]
No Comment
[Tier 5]
1) Divine Empowerment
Comment: Not all spells gain damage dice per caster level. Some of them gain damage dice every *second* caster level.
Radiant Servant
Comments: The healing tree. One day I'll roll up another cleric, put as many points as I can into this tree, then join a raid group without a positive energy spellpower item equipped and see if anyone notices. Some of the higher-tier healing enhancements seem like overkill.
[Core Abilities]
1) Pacifism
Comments: Thematically appropriate, but I hope that 'pacifistic' abilities like this are used sparingly, if at all, in the future.
2) Positive Energy Burst
Comments: Before the enhancement overhaul, this was available to clerics at level 6. After the enhancement overhaul, it's a level 6 core ability for clerics. Thank you, devs.
3) Positive Energy Shield
Comments: I can't think of a time when this would be necessary. Now, the ability to give an ally healing amplification? That's good. Tying it to temporary hit points? Not good. Interesting, though.
4) Radiant Servant
Comments: Overkill.
[Tier 1]
1) Bliss
Comments: Useful when setting off a P.E.B. in the middle of combat.
[Tier 2]
1) Mighty Turning
Comments: I found that when fighting the giant skeletons in Gianthold Tor, using Turn Undead caused a "Deathward" symbol to pop up over the heads of the targets. Not sure if *not* using this enhancement under those same conditions would cause the giant skeles to be turned.
[Tier 3]
1) Intense Healing ----> Incredible Healing
Comments: Having caster level increases without maximum caster level increases doesn't make much sense at level 20 and up.
2) Unyielding Sovereignty
Comments: This is the 6th level faith ability for the Sovereign Host. I'd feel really guilty using this if my cleric were of a different faith. :P
3) Martyrdom
Comments: Very interesting, very potent. However it's unlikely to be used so long as the cleric remembers the first rule of being a cleric: Don't Die.
[Tier 4]
No Comments
[Tier 5]
1) Cure Focus
Comments: Overkill.
2) Reactive Heal
Comments: Druids have a similar ability, but Spring Resurgence only lasts 5 minutes and affects all nearby allies.
Warpriest
[Core Abilities]
1) Smite Foe
Comments: Kind of boring at first, but it gets better.
2) Sanctuary: I think of this as an action boost, but one that costs spell points instead. Should've added some stacking elemental absorption or resistance.
3) War Domain: Blur ----> War Domain: Haste
Comments: Blur and Haste are added to the cleric's spellbook. Very useful.
4) Implacable Foe
Comments: This is a Capstone. With a capital C. Now, if they transferred this over to the Unyielding Sentinel epic destiny, then increased the numerical values a bit, it would make a great Epic Moment.
[Tier 1]
1) Divine Might
Comments: I love this ability, despite the stacking issues that occur in epic levels.
2) Righteous Weapons ----> Wrathful Weapons
Comments: I have an issue with this enhancement line. It *only* gives to-hit and damage bonuses. I can get *a lot* more damage just by equipping a two-handed weapon that my character is proficient with, which is very easy if one takes a level of any class with martial weapon proficiency, or if one is either a half-elf or warforged. The only bonuses that one gets from favored weapons are to-hit and damage bonuses. What this enhancement line *should* give is bonuses that one cannot get from equipping a two-hander (unless we're talking about warforged, but I think that the popularity of warforged divines went down when Artificer and the Juggernaut builds were introduced. But I digress...). In fact, it would be best if the bonuses were different depending on which faith feat was taken at level 1. Example: Vulkoor faith would get sneak attack damage dice and the deception property when wielding shortswords, while the Silver Flame faith would get increased Point-Blank Shot range and damage bonuses. Spellpower would also be welcome.
3) Sacred Touch
Comments: I wish it gave 2 PRR per rank instead of 1, but it's hard to complain about something that requires so few additional resources on part of the user.
[Tier 2]
1) Smite Weakness
Comments: Interesting. Now, if only there was a toggle that turned "Smite Foe" into a cleave attack...
2) Wall of Steel
Comments: Yay!~
3) Inflame ----> Inflame: Saving Throws ----> Inflame: Energy Absorption
Comments: Brilliant!
[Tier 3]
1) Burden of Sin
Comments: Makes it harder for the enemy to hit you, while making it easier for you, or anyone else, to hit them.
[Tier 4]
1) Ameliorating Strike
Comments: Very useful for the cleric who doesn't want to go blind staring at red bars.
2) Light Guard
Comments: Most enemies cannot resist light damage.
[Tier 5]
1) Divine Power
Comments: It's a toggle, but why would I ever want to turn it off?
2) Divine Vessel
Comments: With this, I will never use Flame Strike again... but then again I never used it more than once, so never mind. :D
3) Divine Intervention
Comments: This used to be a capstone. Now that it's been moved and we have a melee combat tree for clerics... this may or may not see more use...