The experiment

[ErgonomicCat]

I popped over to a new server to roll myself some clerics, since my only experience with them was my abortive 4 level run in my first couple weeks.

I built a healbot, a traditional cleric, a true battle cleric (based off Impaqt's Eyeam), and an offensive caster cleric.

I played them all a little bit (up to level 3), but I have to say that the offensive caster is just amazingly fun. This is what I expected to feel like playing a WF sorc.

Heavy armor + shield means I actually have a reasonable AC (although being a new server, I'm running with +1 half-plate and a +2 heavy shield so far). Reasonable HP mean I'm not 2 shotted. Self-heals are just fun. And I'm truly surprised at how effective Nimbus of Light is. At level 1/2, I think I'd call it the best damage spell out there. At level 1, it's 1d10 vs 1d8+1, which is Nimbus' favor. At level 2, it's 2d10 vs 1d8 +2 (11 vs 6.5), but Nimbus has no save, which is very nice. But the fact that I can blast someone twice with Nimbus, then wail on them relatively effectively with my void lore mace is just spifftastic.

I got a couple of tells for groups with comments like "We really need a healer - can you do that?" since my comment was "Offensive Caster Cleric - Think of me as a Sorc" And one I played healer, to a degree (but played with a good team, so being a healer was really irrelevant to them). The other we picked up another cleric right after.

The number of times I got comments like "Hey, nice Command" or "Who's killing things with that sparkle thing?" was pretty impressive.

I may well be a convert at this point. Eyeam is running pretty well too, but the healbot bores me, just like my original did. The only one I'm not sure about is the "pure" cleric. I suspect that I'm going to end up finding it too much of a middle of the road class, where I personally don't want to be watching red bars while trying to fight and cast. Also, the lack of cash for wands will probably hurt a lot.

[transtemporal]

Ohhhh... a nuker cleric... like a nuker sorc except with armor and healing... thats an interesting idea.

I guess the question I have is, what advantages does a nuker cleric have over a nuker sorc? A nuker sorc can cast faster and has probably twice a nuker clerics spell points. On paper at least it seems like a less efficient way of achieving the same effect, unless theres some killer advanatge a nuker clr has. I don't mean to criticise your build EC, just kinda thinking out loud.

[smodge13]

i been thinking of making a nuker myself, advantage of nuker cleric over sorc is you are more durable, armour + hp + heals = win, sorcerors will do more damage and have higher sp count, but at the end of the day you can res them and they cant.

[Arnya]

My pure drow cleric is a caster as such. Lvl10 at the moment.

Not so many DD spells but CC and holds/debuffs mainly.

I warn PUGs that I'm an offensive caster and haven't had any complaints yet, although I DO heal and rez when called for. Loudly LOL

One of my favourite characters, can you tell sorc is my favoured class?

[transtemporal]

advantage of nuker cleric over sorc is you are more durable, armour + hp + heals = win

I'm thinking more what can a nuker cleric offer the party that a nuker sorc can't? If I'm a party leader and I'm looking for a nuker and both are available, I'll probably go for the sorc unless I know a nuker cleric has some kind of distinct advantage. For example: say a cleric nuker can throw maxed/emped/empHealed inflicts which cause an exotic type of damage that not many mobs have resistance to (not sure what kind of damage inflicts do actually). That would be a good reason to get a nuker cleric.

I guess the difference is, the nuker cleric might cast a few cures or a res at a pinch?

[Hvymetal]

Also different spell selections. A nuking Cleric would in my opinion be better off compared to a nuking Wizard. Unlike a Sorceror we can switch out our spells at a moments notice (and a tavern or a shrine) to adjust to the quest.

[oronisi]

I don't think you'll get a good feel for how they really play out until the upper levels. For instance, an offensive cleric does not have access to high damage spells comparable to the lowbie nimbus. So you are really doing more instant-kills, crowd control, and melee.

Also, there's no reason why you can't heal and fight at the same time. I'm not saying you should babysit the party's health bar, but you can learn to fight while glancing at the health bars and spot-healing those in dire need. Of all the different types, my favorite is the offensive casting cleric, which is just as effective in healing (minus critical heals), that does CC and instakill, then follows it with melee as supplemental damage once the enemies can't swing back. I find it very efficient, effective, and fun to play compared to the other kinds of cleric.

[Geonis]

I popped over to a new server to roll myself some clerics, since my only experience with them was my abortive 4 level run in my first couple weeks.

I built a healbot, a traditional cleric, a true battle cleric (based off Impaqt's Eyeam), and an offensive caster cleric.

I played them all a little bit (up to level 3), but I have to say that the offensive caster is just amazingly fun. This is what I expected to feel like playing a WF sorc.

Heavy armor + shield means I actually have a reasonable AC (although being a new server, I'm running with +1 half-plate and a +2 heavy shield so far). Reasonable HP mean I'm not 2 shotted. Self-heals are just fun. And I'm truly surprised at how effective Nimbus of Light is. At level 1/2, I think I'd call it the best damage spell out there. At level 1, it's 1d10 vs 1d8+1, which is Nimbus' favor. At level 2, it's 2d10 vs 1d8 +2 (11 vs 6.5), but Nimbus has no save, which is very nice. But the fact that I can blast someone twice with Nimbus, then wail on them relatively effectively with my void lore mace is just spifftastic.

I got a couple of tells for groups with comments like "We really need a healer - can you do that?" since my comment was "Offensive Caster Cleric - Think of me as a Sorc" And one I played healer, to a degree (but played with a good team, so being a healer was really irrelevant to them). The other we picked up another cleric right after.

The number of times I got comments like "Hey, nice Command" or "Who's killing things with that sparkle thing?" was pretty impressive.

I may well be a convert at this point. Eyeam is running pretty well too, but the healbot bores me, just like my original did. The only one I'm not sure about is the "pure" cleric. I suspect that I'm going to end up finding it too much of a middle of the road class, where I personally don't want to be watching red bars while trying to fight and cast. Also, the lack of cash for wands will probably hurt a lot.

My Caster Cleric is capped and has been for a while.

At the lower levels, use your enhancements for the Wand/Scroll enhancements, and heal with wands.

After you get Heal, swap your enhancements for the "Cure/Inflict" line, and get the Scepter of Healing from Invaders and the best Potency ( I use a Greater 6 myself ), also get a Superior Void Lore ( I can hit the end boss of POP for well over 500 with a Harm ). This not only helps with Heal, but Harm and Cometfall, as well as Blade Barrier. You can have a blast at this point, between Harm, Cometfall, Blade Barrier, and only needing to throw a Heal occasionally, you have plenty of chance for offensive casting.

[Talon_Moonshadow]

I made an offensive spell casting cleric on Argo (Drkpriestess AlmostEvilBattleClr). Only lvl4 so far. Did Tangleroot with another healing cleric in the group....no mage so I chose soundburst and hold person as my staples.
I think the only reason the healing cleric ever had to shrine was to give me more DVs! We did quite well....and I had a huge kill count too.

But I've also down Tangleroot with a CC based Sor with outstanding results as well. I won't say the cleric is better, but it is fun to try something different for a change.