Divine questions.

[determinant]

Hi everyone. First time posting here.

I have a level 13 caster cleric and I am not sure I want to continue leveling her up. I have a couple of friends I usually group with and that tends to go fairly well. But when they are not on and I can't find a decent group(this is more common), I feel pretty gimpy soloing. I had made a battle cleric (19/1 fighter splash), but abandoned it because of the stigma associated to them when trying to group as healer.

I got blade barrier a couple levels ago and while I see that its a great spell against melee guys that will chase you around while you kite, it doesn't seem too effective against ranged mobs(casters and archers). Am I missing something? Do i need to line of sight them or use something else. It seems expensive to use divine punishment or death spells to handle the non melee guys. On these forums I have read people saying things like "BB makes quests trivial", but i don't really get it. Maybe its just different for an evoker cleric.

I have been thinking of just buying the FvS class(only at 1100 favor) and trying that out. If I did a caster FvS would my experience be about the same? Would I be more capable of soloing? If I do a more melee focused build(suggestions) what do I loose besides DC on crowd control and death spells? Would it effect BB and DP much? Should I wait until I unlock 32pt builds?

Thanks

[Musouka]

With FvS you'll have more HP, and with the prestige, you will do more damage with your spells. Also you may do better with DC based spells, because of the prestige aura dropping enemy saves by 2.

[Arctik]

For archers/casters use destruction (long ranged insta-kill), it's probably one of my favorite divine spells.

And with BB, you should learn to circle kite, increase your damage output at least 10 fold.

[Arctik]

And honestly, if you want a soloer than I would go an FvS caster/evoker spec, my favorite class/spec of all time.

[The_Brave2]

Do you have a potency item for your BB's? they should be still 1shotting things at that level. Also, you can run past most caster mobs to the next part to make them go though the BB, you don't have to kill everything in your path.

Experience on a FVS will be different if you plan on meleing.

a WF FVS wielding a Greatsword and self heals, high HP, and good bladebarrier damage will completely destroy any quest. (you can also heal parties, so don't assume going mele negates healing in any way.

11CHA, Rest into STR/CON
Child/Lord of the blades enchantments
Cold/Electric/Fire feats for +10 resistances

Empower Heal
Maximize
Toughness
Extend (very nice for divine favor/power) but optional
Power Attack - (on or off depending on the quest/weapon you are using)
-Couple extra I cannot recall atm-

Just some basics, I would highly recommend buying FVS, it is a very fun class to play.

[determinant]

By circle kite you mean run around the BB weaving in and out? A sort of snake path around the bb?

Can you suggest a 28pt build for evoker FvS? race, alignment, skills, etc?

[determinant]

Do you have a potency item for your BB's? they should be still 1shotting things at that level. Also, you can run past most caster mobs to the next part to make them go though the BB, you don't have to kill everything in your path.

Experience on a FVS will be different if you plan on meleing.

a WF FVS wielding a Greatsword and self heals, high HP, and good bladebarrier damage will completely destroy any quest. (you can also heal parties, so don't assume going mele negates healing in any way.

11CHA, Rest into STR/CON
Child/Lord of the blades enchantments
Cold/Electric/Fire feats for +10 resistances

Empower Heal
Maximize
Toughness
Extend (very nice for divine favor/power) but optional
Power Attack - (on or off depending on the quest/weapon you are using)
-Couple extra I cannot recall atm-

Just some basics, I would highly recommend buying FVS, it is a very fun class to play.

I have a potency item but I need one more level to use it. Lowest Sup Potency VI I would find was level 14.

I like the run past stuff tip. Makes sense.

I'm a bit confused about CHA...don't i need 10+spell level to cast spells? So wouldn't I need 19 CHA to cast level 9 spells?

[Khimberlhyte]

More experience helps. I had real trouble running solo on my first cleric once I hit mid-levels, but could solo at-level into the Vale of Twilight on my second cleric. Some of the keys to successful solo play are quest knowledge / experience, gear, player ability (are you maximizing the skills and abilities of your character), and resources (heal scrolls, etc). You probably don't have a lot of quest experience, resources, or gear, and it takes time to learn how to wring the most out of any class.

The longer you have been playing, the more you can get away with (can solo with bad gear, a bad build, few resources), but the more likely you are to have all of those things on every character. By virtue of time spent playing, I can be among the upper 50th percentile on my server - which isn't saying much, but I know that I'll never be uber. I recognize that the upper 98th percentile of players will solo stuff that I would hesitate to enter in a 6 person pug.

Don't worry, you'll get there. Keep reading the forums and ddowiki, group with good players, and remember that it is supposed to be fun.

[Khimberlhyte]

I have a potency item but I need one more level to use it. Lowest Sup Potency VI I would find was level 14.

I like the run past stuff tip. Makes sense.

I'm a bit confused about CHA...don't i need 10+spell level to cast spells? So wouldn't I need 19 CHA to cast level 9 spells?

You can use Superior Efficacy at a lower level. Only a 1 minute clicky with three charges, but 50% more damage is worth it. Also, Superior Ardor is vital, 75% better healing for 3 minutes per charge. Don't leave home without it.

CHA on a FvS is easy to get. By the time you hit level 18 and get level 9 spells, an 11 base charisma plus 3 for FvS enhancements, plus a +1 tome (cheap) along with a +6 Cha item will get you to 21 with ease (22 with human adapatability, if you wanted). Later on, you can upgrade to a +2 or +3 tome, along with exceptional charisma items that could take you even higher.

[The_Brave2]

I have a potency item but I need one more level to use it. Lowest Sup Potency VI I would find was level 14.

I like the run past stuff tip. Makes sense.

I'm a bit confused about CHA...don't i need 10+spell level to cast spells? So wouldn't I need 19 CHA to cast level 9 spells?

Yes, you need 19 CHA to cast lv.9 spells

11
+2 Tome
+6 Item
= 19

or +1 tome and take a CHA enhancement.

[determinant]

More experience helps. I had real trouble running solo on my first cleric once I hit mid-levels, but could solo at-level into the Vale of Twilight on my second cleric. Some of the keys to successful solo play are quest knowledge / experience, gear, player ability (are you maximizing the skills and abilities of your character), and resources (heal scrolls, etc). You probably don't have a lot of quest experience, resources, or gear, and it takes time to learn how to wring the most out of any class.

The longer you have been playing, the more you can get away with (can solo with bad gear, a bad build, few resources), but the more likely you are to have all of those things on every character. By virtue of time spent playing, I can be among the upper 50th percentile on my server - which isn't saying much, but I know that I'll never be uber. I recognize that the upper 98th percentile of players will solo stuff that I would hesitate to enter in a 6 person pug.

Don't worry, you'll get there. Keep reading the forums and ddowiki, group with good players, and remember that it is supposed to be fun.

I will try not to worry This is the first mmo I have ever really enjoyed. I'm more of an RTS player at heart which is part of the reason I really like DDO. One has to make lots of decisions and each has pros and cons.

I definitely get what you mean about quest knowledge and gear. I will try to be more patient in general, but I just wonder if another class would make my first time through the game more enjoyable when grouping isn't possible. Sometimes when I solo I do fine, it can be slow, but I can do it nonetheless. Other times I just run out of sp before finding a rest, but knowing the quest would certainly help with that regardless of class.

Thanks for the advice and perspective.

[determinant]

Yes, you need 19 CHA to cast lv.9 spells

11
+2 Tome
+6 Item
= 19

or +1 tome and take a CHA enhancement.

Ah. I didn't realize you could use items for that. I thought it would have to be base/permanent. Makes sense thanks.

[determinant]

You can use Superior Efficacy at a lower level. Only a 1 minute clicky with three charges, but 50% more damage is worth it. Also, Superior Ardor is vital, 75% better healing for 3 minutes per charge. Don't leave home without it.

CHA on a FvS is easy to get. By the time you hit level 18 and get level 9 spells, an 11 base charisma plus 3 for FvS enhancements, plus a +1 tome (cheap) along with a +6 Cha item will get you to 21 with ease (22 with human adapatability, if you wanted). Later on, you can upgrade to a +2 or +3 tome, along with exceptional charisma items that could take you even higher.

Right..I do have an Efficacy and Ardor(awesome) items. Guess I need to get a couple Sup Efficacy items and try to rack up more mobs before using it with BB.

[Chette]

You can get greater potency vi at level 12, that should be enough. With maximize you should one shot everything. As for archers? Don't bother. If they're bunched up drop a blade barrier on them, if not, just ignore them and run past. You don't need to spam blade barrier. Run until you start to get harried, and then kill everything that's following you. Lather, rinse, repeat.

[Khimberlhyte]

You can get greater potency vi at level 12, that should be enough. With maximize you should one shot everything. As for archers? Don't bother. If they're bunched up drop a blade barrier on them, if not, just ignore them and run past. You don't need to spam blade barrier. Run until you start to get harried, and then kill everything that's following you. Lather, rinse, repeat.

I can't say enough good things about the Sora Kell set for clerics and FvS from level 11 and up. Unless you are a TR dripping in raid loot and greensteel, I don't think that better cleric gear exists in the game for levels 11 and up.

To the OP - focus on getting that set. It drops in the Lordsmarch F2P quest chain. Three items, +5 str, +5 wis, and +5 cha, along with a set bonus of greater potency VI and +2 attack and +2 to-hit. Run the quests on hard or elite if you can for a better drop rate - I was carried along in a 5 person group on elite last night, and saw 2-3 of each item drop. They are BtA, so you can pass them on using a Shared Bank. Greater potency is 40%, and with the Sora Kell set you still have greater potency when you're using a useful weapon, which you can't say about a Sup Pot VI club.

They are upgradable, but it is a bit of a grind to do that, and you need the level 13-14 p2p Lordsmarch quests.

[determinant]

I can't say enough good things about the Sora Kell set for clerics and FvS from level 11 and up. Unless you are a TR dripping in raid loot and greensteel, I don't think that better cleric gear exists in the game for levels 11 and up.

To the OP - focus on getting that set. It drops in the Lordsmarch F2P quest chain. Three items, +5 str, +5 wis, and +5 cha, along with a set bonus of greater potency VI and +2 attack and +2 to-hit. Run the quests on hard or elite if you can for a better drop rate - I was carried along in a 5 person group on elite last night, and saw 2-3 of each item drop. They are BtA, so you can pass them on using a Shared Bank. Greater potency is 40%, and with the Sora Kell set you still have greater potency when you're using a useful weapon, which you can't say about a Sup Pot VI club.

They are upgradable, but it is a bit of a grind to do that, and you need the level 13-14 p2p Lordsmarch quests.

Well that's strange. After reading some of the advice people gave me on this thread I went ahead and played some more on my cleric. Bought some sup efficacy items to get me by for now and was doing the first of the f2p chain you mentioned and the first item dropped(the one with +5 wisdom). I have the first 2 now and will keep trying until I get the third. What an amazing set and like you mentioned, I can actually use the Arcane Shard I recently picked up effectively.

[Cartheron]

In mid-level range (lets say up to vale) even on primary caster cleric you can grab a melee weapon (ie. some nice qstaff), cast divine power and favor and beat those casters and archers to death (if just running past them is not enough for you ). I often gather nice group of mobs, cast bb, kite melees until they die, and then try to force casters/archers to go through BB - keep mob you are beating on between you and bb and he will probably take a step back and be damaged by the spell.

Self-healing casters can be a problem if you dont have enough dps, but you can just destruct them.

About stigma of battle cleric with fighter splash - as general rule, if the group turn you down because you have 1 fighter level on your cleric, you dont want to be in that group anyway

[PNellesen]

About stigma of battle cleric with fighter splash - as general rule, if the group turn you down because you have 1 fighter level on your cleric, you dont want to be in that group anyway

Absolutely right. My first character was (and still is) a 19C/1F who has no problems whatsoever healing and casting in raids and epics, though he gets grief now and then because he apparently doesn't use enough SP to suit some people's ideas about how much SP a Cleric SHOULD use

[pSINNa]

Once you get your hands on a Torc (demon queen raid, in the desert) you'll find yourself loving those archers, you won't want to kill them.

Try and get used to using heal scrolls as often as possible instead of mana healing, you want to kill and control with your mana.

With your torc (gives you spell points back when you get hit, and procs most often when being hit by pierced attacks, ala archers) you can drop a BB for the moving targets, circle kite (run a circle roughly 1-2 metres around the outside of your barrier) hit any casters with destruction (great instakill spell, try to wear or hold a necro focus item when casting it) and let the archers fill up your mana using the scrolls to top up any damage they do (it helps to have a spearblock item on so you only take as much damage as it takes to proc your torc, without seriously depleting your hit points - there is a ring in the red fens quest that has a decent spearblock affect you can use as a switchout if you can't find one anywhere else)

Just one little tip that will put the smile on your face when solo-ing on your cleric or fvs.

[determinant]

Once you get your hands on a Torc (demon queen raid, in the desert) you'll find yourself loving those archers, you won't want to kill them.

Try and get used to using heal scrolls as often as possible instead of mana healing, you want to kill and control with your mana.

With your torc (gives you spell points back when you get hit, and procs most often when being hit by pierced attacks, ala archers) you can drop a BB for the moving targets, circle kite (run a circle roughly 1-2 metres around the outside of your barrier) hit any casters with destruction (great instakill spell, try to wear or hold a necro focus item when casting it) and let the archers fill up your mana using the scrolls to top up any damage they do (it helps to have a spearblock item on so you only take as much damage as it takes to proc your torc, without seriously depleting your hit points - there is a ring in the red fens quest that has a decent spearblock affect you can use as a switchout if you can't find one anywhere else)

Just one little tip that will put the smile on your face when solo-ing on your cleric or fvs.

Looks like I need to start running that raid. I also want that Green blade with greater arcane lore.

I would like to thank everyone for your insights and motivation. I feel much better on my cleric now. I have my Sora Kell set and have a good idea for some more items to go for. The techniques of circle kiting, using destruction and ignoring mobs have made solo and small group play a ton more fun.

I might still buy/play an FvS as an alt or maybe level up my battle cleric for fun.