Cleric/Wizard multiclass

[Leyoni]

Back in the early days when AD&D first came out and you could choose a cleric/wizard build I played such a dual-class character. I'm thinking of building one for DDO. I'd like to split the classes evenly between cleric and wizard. I'm sure that will limit the character's ability to run certain top end content. Just curious to see if anyone's tried something along that line in the past.

Thx.

[richieelias27]

Of course it could easily be done. However, your power progression will be very VERY slow, and your stat points would be spread extremely thin unless you went for a battlecleric/wiz. Take a minimum of int and wiz, dump charisma, and put a bunch of points into dex/str/con I would either maximize dex and con for an AC build, or max STR and CON, but dont try for both dex and str, you're spread thin as it is. Definitely dont plan on wearing armor. Depend on constant displacement and stoneskin for AC. Extend is a must. In fact, I would go sorc instead of wiz. You need the extra SP to keep buffs on yourself since you will be casting them alot more often due to decreased buff length. Stay away from single target damage spells as your damage on them will be horrible per sp spent, and definitely dont bother with CC. Focus on self buffs and a few aoe spells like fireball and Holy smite.

Spells you'll want:
Cleric, level 1
Bless
divine favor
nightshield
remove fear
level 2
aid
bulls strength till you get a stat item 4+
resist energy
restore
level 3
prot energy
prayer
maybe magic circle
level 4
divine power (you need this on constantly)
deathward
freedom of movement

if you go sorc
level 1
Ray of enfeeblement (helps alot pre SR)
Shield
jump
repair light (gives you more of a reason to be included in parties??)
level 2
Blur (keep it on at all times)
False life (maybe)
melfs (maybe, and only because extend doubles the damage and you can kite things)
repair mod (same reason as repair light)
level 3
Displacement (must have, keep it on as much as you can)
Haste (another must have)
shoot, you only have 2 level 3 spells, no fireball
level 4
Enervation (maybe)
Stoneskin (maybe.. you could just cast from scrolls)
wall of fire (again you could cast from scrolls... gets expensive though)

Now if your SP is wiz levels + cleric levels thereby giving you SP equal to a 16th level caster if you go cleric/wiz, then by all means go cleric/wiz. But I suspect that your SP with cleric/wiz would ony be slightly higher than a level 8 cleric or wiz, making cleric/sorc much more feasable. however, the extra spells and feats a wiz gets could be beneficial. Personally I think you'll be spending so much SP just buffing yourself into a halfway decent fighter that anything other than sorc would leave you impotent.


In the end what you have is a somewhat capable melee fighter that runs like a little girl from anything with dispell (do NOT fight beholders. they will eat you). Dont know what to take for feats... stay away from combat expertise as it shuts off when you cast and you'll be casting displace/divine power ALOT, as you are almost completely worthless without those two on. Other than that... I guess the standard melee feats apply and you absolutely must have extend.

As far as progression: I would take the 8 cleric levels first to take advantage of AC in those early levels. At least then you'll progress to 8 relatively quickly. post level 8... dont take off that armor until you get blur (minimum) or displace. Then you can start casting your wiz spells.

Honestly, I think you'd be better off just using a dragonmarked elf and cating displace that way, as thats pretty much the only arcane spell you'd get any mileage out of with only 8 arcane levels. Well that and haste, but you have pots for that.

Oh, and something to keep in mind: your level 4 arcane spells arent very useful to you/or can be scrolled, so you might want to go cleric9/sorc7 instead, giving you access to raise dead and even more reason to be included in a party.

[Leyoni]

I can get to 980 spell points without items, just on raw stats. Should put my actual somewhere in the 1300 range I guess.

You might be right about going with 1 more cleric level. I might be inclined to go the other direction and go with 9 levels of wizard. That gets me L5 spells. Of course, there's always the next level cap increase.

I'm thinking more of a buff, crowd control type character with just a limited assortment of offesive spells. I hadn't considered battlecleric at all. A bigger question for me is whether to put build points into CON and DEX or to go for CHA. I'm thinking of running with high diplomacy to refocus attention.

Biggest downside that I can see is that I could burn through spell points really fast if I tried to do too much. Would have to find my role in a group and stick with that as the primary function.

In any case, thx for the feedback.

[richieelias27]

I wouldnt bother with crowd control as you will: 1. never break anythings spell resistance 2. wont land unless things are half your level.

Also, without the higher level bonus damage enhancements, lower damage rolls/reflex DC's, and limited spell slots, going for damage wouldnt be a very good idea either. About all you would do is **** alot of mobs off very quickly.

As far as group buffing goes, the dedicated bard, cleric, wiz, or sorc in your group will be twice as effective, overriding all of yours. Going for the buffbot role would leave you as dead wieght.

My thinking was that all that leaves you with is a self buffed melee role.