Help for a first time ddo player

[phyrak]

I'm going to play DDO and I'm thinking of playing a cleric, I'm not a healing players type of player but I can do it if need be. Out of the two predefined classes I've seen (warpriest of syberis and the scourge of undead), which may be better for an offensive type player?

[Lorien_the_First_One]

Predefined paths suck, see the cleric forums for better builds.

What kind of cleric do you intend to be? A melee focussed one or an offensive casting one?

[UnderwearModel]

HEALING.

99% of all parties will want a cleric for healing and raising the dead.

If you plan on soloing, then go for it. When you join groups, NEVER say you are NOT a healing cleric.

Benefits of playing a healing cleric
If you are a healing cleric you will be highly desired and just about any group will want you in it.
You will always be able to find a group, or if you put up an LFM people will join

Bad things about playing a cleric
You cannot jump like others
You cannot run fast like others
You will get BLIND invites
Players will zerg and expect you to keep up, which you won't be able to
You only watch the hit point bars and do not see much of the quest
Players do not self buff anymore, they do not seem to know how, and expect you to do it

BTW, I do play clerics.

[Daliyn]

See the Warpriest of Siberys from tihocan's revisited paths. Nice soloability with 1 lvl of fighter with still decent healing skills.

[Shaftronics]

As someone who has looked through Cleric Builds left and right, I'll ask you this question; What type of offense would you like to be? Magical offense (spells, crowd controlling, AOE spells) or physical offence? (charging in with a two-handed axe, etc)

Both types of cleric will have roughly the same capability to heal, as well as roughly the same amount SP (most melee clerics have roughly 200 sp less) so what's left is pretty much your play style and preference.

Either a Casting cleric who can heal well, or a Melee cleric who can heal well.

[Kralgnax]

HEALING.

99% of all parties will want a cleric for buffs, crowd control, blade barrier (lvl11+), healing and raising the dead.
*SNIP*.

Fixed that for ya - oh, and Wlcome to DDO, Phyrak! . There's a predicate assumption there that people are running with PUGs, which may well be true Any non-broken cleric can heal, and the reality of the PUG world is that those folks spend most of their time waiting for a rogue or healer - so if you elect not to heal, you will be limiting your own progress - verbum sap.

The pre-built warpriest isn't bad, actually (That's what I started playing) , but there are certainly better choices - check out Paths revisited or our very own Sirgog's Cleric Build Catalogue 2010.

Think of clericing as a triangle - the three vertices are melee combat (warpriest), healing, and offensive spellcasting (mostly relevant only at mid-high levels). Your character can be anywhere in the traingle you want, depending on build choices.