FVS vs Cleric

[sweez]

Let me chip in with a horribly simplified, generalized, biased comparison: clerics are slightly better in needy parties (aura, spell swapping, stronger empower healing), FvS' are significantly better in self-sufficient parties and while soloing (wings, DR, WINGS, WINGS, WINGS, you get it).

Significantly > slightly.

Did I mention wings?

[Impaqt]

Aside from cheating in Abbot I wasn't aware the cleric capstone is useful and is certainly not better than unlimited CLWs that can be Maximized, empowered, empower healed and quickened for free.

I would disagree. I find I rarely have to ever use my capstone on my FvS. I tend to forget about it even. I find the DR to be the most attractive part of being a capped FvS.

Divine intervention however.. Aside form being handy in Abbot(and not an exploit or cheat), is very useful in a multitude of situations.

[sweez]

I would disagree. I find I rarely have to ever use my capstone on my FvS. I tend to forget about it even.

I love using it in easy epics, most of them I can heal without ever getting under 80% of my total mana. Plus, it's awesome for SP conservation while soloing.

[bryanmeerkat]

Favoured Soul also dont have radiant servant , this means on quests (not raids ) you cant just run along with RSA on and not bother healing .

[Jaid314]

also, on the abbot point... you don't even need a capped cleric anymore. a dark monk will do the job just fine.

[Impaqt]

also, on the abbot point... you don't even need a capped cleric anymore. a dark monk will do the job just fine.

Actually.. ANY character can do that just fine. using ice float wands is pretty easy and the timing is VERY forgiving nowadays.

[Jaid314]

Actually.. ANY character can do that just fine. using ice float wands is pretty easy and the timing is VERY forgiving nowadays.

fair enough, i suppose i should rephrase that to: a dark path monk can do it just as easily and fast as a capstone cleric without using the wands.

[PopeJual]

The free 10 DR that a Favored Soul gets at cap (and an easy bump up to 12 DR if you're Warforged) makes an enormous difference.

I find that I can stay standing through almost any combat with very little self healing ever required. A Cleric could stay standing through that same fight, but would have to throw more Heals on him or herself. That's not a terrible burden, but it is a distraction from doing what you otherwise want to do.

[Paleus]

The two differences that you will notice the most are the wings and capstone DR of a favored soul. The wings give you the ability to get to places quickly and the capstone DR (stacking with wf DR's if you go that route) lets you shrug off a lot of incoming damage.

The cleric's healing aura/burst (from an outside observer's viewpoint) looks like a lot of fun and value in situations where your party knows to stick close to the healer for free healing or where your cleric is capable of sitting in the middle of a raid boss' aoe. If you don't have those conditions, its still a significant boost to your healing but maybe not equal to the staying power of a FVS spell points.

Also, radiant servants get a boost to their empower healing, making them stronger at burst heals, which combined with action point enhancements to the cost of it will often mean a cleric is putting out more burst healing than a FVS who in contrast is more likely to have a bit more staying power. (Again, exceptions on player skill/build aside in that estimation).

Finally, I see a lot more multi-class clerics (clonks usually) than I do for Favored Souls. Mostly because multi-classing a favored soul is a much more significant hit in terms of what you lose (capstone DR, some 9th lvl spell slots) than that of a cleric.

As an aside, the sovereign host capstone for FVS get a free healing spell, its nice, but not nearly equivalent to the healing aura. (But its miles ahead in terms of value when compared to the WF capstone)