Ranger/Cleric build help

ar057

I'm looking to build a ranger/cleric and was hoping to hear some thoughts on the topic. I was thinking something like this...
Str - 18
Dex - 18
Con - 16 (benefit from 17+?)
Int - 11
Wis - 18
Cha - 10
** Maces
** Slings/Flails/Hammers
I haven't a clue which spells I should choose at the start. When it comes to spell casters, I've only played mages. Druidic and cleric spells are new for me.  

Any thoughts on stats, weapon profs, or spell choice would be appreciated. 

Deucetipher

You will not be able to use scimitars, as clerics are barred. You can use only cleric weapons. Furthermore, you will already start with two pips in DW from Ranger. The best weapon for you in EE is the Stupifier mace +1, and the best weapon in the next two games on will be the Flail of Ages. If you are committed to dual wielding with no ranged component, I'd do ++mace, ++flail. You already have the two pips in dual wielding. If you want to have a bit of ranged flexibility, drop one point from flails to slings.

Alternatively, Hammer proficiency will give you access to Ashideena, Warhammer+2 (+1 electrical damage - bypasses some protections).

moopy

Ranger/Clerics can't use Scimitars. That wouldn't be the best choice anyway.

Take 2 points in Mace, and 2 points in War Hammer, you get 2 in Two-Weapon Style for free for being a ranger.

At level 3 put a third point into Two-Weapon Style.

Main Hand the Stupefier, and off hand the Ashandeena.

18 str, 18dex, 18 con, 18wis (not super important but why not) you can use int and cha as dump stats.

Command is awesome at the start, it knocks most lower level creatures to the ground, sanctuary is cool.

You can't really go wrong. Especially if you do the weapons like I laid out, dual wielding those two weapons is so ridiculous I quit playing a game where I had a R/C dual wielding those because I felt dirty.

Ignatius

On low-level clerical spells (and although it really depends how you intend to play your character, your party build-up, etc...), I would recommend:

- lvl.1:

*** : Sanctuary, Command
** : Doom, Prot.f.Evil, Resist Fear
* : Cure Light Wounds

- lvl.2:

*** : Silence
** : DUHM, Hold Person
* : Chant

- lvl.3:

*** : Animate Dead, Holy Smite, Dispel Magic
** : Glyph of Warding
* : Strenght of One

But that is just me. And for specific type of encounters/situations, other spells will come in handy. Read their description careful and try them if you have a doubt!

moopy

To expand on what Ignatius said with Draw upon unholy might (level 2)

Basically always take spells that will buff you, Clerics get insane strength buffs.

Level 3 I like animate dead, if for nothing else but to distract enemies, I believe there is the some form of insects that is a Druid spell that distracts spell casters at level 3, also Dispel Magic is level 3 I think.

[Deleted User]

Druids do get Insect Swarm at level 3, although it's not nearly as impressive as Insect Plague, given that it only effects one target and doesn't disrupt spellcasting as reliably. As a Ranger/Cleric I'd rather take Holy Smite as an offensive spell.

Qidz

For only bg 1 run i like much more beastmaster 2 or x/cleric dual for familiar and nice staffs selection in game or priest of lathander 3/5/6 dualed to ranger (fits nice from RP and canon perspective).

But if you are sure for r/c class - pick hammers, mace and third point in dual wield. Best blunt weapons in BG1. Ashideena+2, hammer from ulgoth's beard, and stupifer (beregost) are your best friends.

Ignatius

moopy said:

Level 3 I like animate dead, if for nothing else but to distract enemies, I believe there is the some form of insects that is a Druid spell that distracts spell casters at level 3, also Dispel Magic is level 3 I think.

Forgot about Dispel Magic which is indeed lvl.3. Probably deserves ***

Pantalion

It's completely worthless to a Ranger/Cleric to have a starting Intelligence above 9, put the points into Constitution, you get full Warrior Con benefits.

Level 1 spell of choice: Command. This spell is overpowered. Sanctuary, if you're soloing, is the most epic spell ever.
Level 2 spell of choice: Consider Silence 15ft - It's got a massive save penalty and it renders enemy mages pretty well harmless.
Level 3 spell of choice: Animate Dead, it's amazing, Magic Resistance along with complete immunity to mind control, confusion and many, many other spells that are nasty (against you) means you can just spam skeletons against your enemies until they're all tapped out.
Level 4 spell of choice: Call Woodland Beings, Nymphs are also amazing, they have, when summoned, an arsenal of crowd control spells such as confusion, hold and charm, barkskin to back up your tanks without having to cast it yourself, and Call Lightning on the off-chance you're fighting outdoors.

Weapon picks - If ranged weapon attacks are fixed, then 2 pips in slings, 2 pips in maces, 2 pips in flails. You do not benefit much from a third pip in Two Weapon Style, and if you're using the Stupefier in your main hand (you probably should), then being specialised in your offhand gives you no additional attacks, so feel free to branch into 1 point in Staves, 1 point in Flails instead, getting you the Staff Mace in BG, which is pretty great in the offhand. Having your weapon be a flail or staff instead of the Warhammer doesn't much alter your overall damage output, and it leads into Baldur's Gate II very cleanly, where you'll add your second pip to Flails and bust out with the Flail of Ages, one of, if not the, best weapons in the game and accessible very early on.

[Deleted User]

Pantalion said:

Weapon picks - If ranged weapon attacks are fixed, then 2 pips in slings, 2 pips in maces, 2 pips in flails. You do not benefit much from a third pip in Two Weapon Style, and if you're using the Stupefier in your main hand (you probably should), then being specialised in your offhand gives you no additional attacks, so feel free to branch into 1 point in Staves, 1 point in Flails instead, getting you the Staff Mace in BG, which is pretty great in the offhand. Having your weapon be a flail or staff instead of the Warhammer doesn't much alter your overall damage output, and it leads into Baldur's Gate II very cleanly, where you'll add your second pip to Flails and bust out with the Flail of Ages, one of, if not the, best weapons in the game and accessible very early on.

This. Ashideena is nice for being a weapon you can grab early, but War Hammer is rather a dead-end proficiency in the long run (Crom Fayer looks nice, but comes late and doesn't do anything for you that a quick buff spell wouldn't). And having a ranged weapon option is very nice, especially considering you have Entangle on your spell list.

moopy

The build I was making has 2 pips in Flails by level 9 Ranger.

Of course I don't use ranged weapons if I want to dual wield, simply for interface reasons.

If we had a IWD2 style weapon set interface the starting setup would be a completely different story for me.

DarkDogg

Strange that nobody mentioned the healing spells (you will need them at the beginning), slow poison, entangle and bless\aid\chant spells (best "blitzkrieg" spells).
I use call lightning sometimes.

Pantalion

DarkDogg said:

Strange that nobody mentioned the healing spells (you will need them at the beginning), slow poison, entangle and bless\aid\chant spells (best "blitzkrieg" spells).
I use call lightning sometimes.

Honestly speaking, I use cure spells about once in a blue moon at low levels, and only devote a slot or two to help keep rest times down (and two cures for free as a good ranger covers a lot of that), potions are instant, moderately plentiful, and if you're diligent in using Command against enemies you'll take no damage as your entire party gangs up and murders your helpless victim in the following six seconds.

If you're soloing then you can't quite Command things to death, but you can kite most enemies with your sling easily enough to never take damage, and by the time you've finished going through the Basilisk map (I assume everyone already knows that particular early strategy by now) you're a high enough level to Animate Dead. Once you've got summons on the field, you've basically "healed" their full hitpoint total at least, because damage killing them isn't damage killing you.

In the long run, mitigation is infinitely more valuable than healing, and by the time you're at the Exp cap and really do have to worry about attrition and keeping your health up between encounters, you've got Call Woodland Beings which heals 15 or so per party mate and has extra utility spells on top.

Other than that, I'd say all of those other spells were sometimes spells, worth memorising if you're expecting the situation to come up, but generally Bless, Aid and Chant are all best for Boss type opposition where it's worth it to prep and buff up. Call Lightning is great, but generally for me there are few enough encounters outdoors worth using damage spells in.

Slow Poison... Well, generally the only poison that's actually dangerous would be spider venom, which most Ranger/Clerics should probably take as favoured enemies for BG1, and aside from Beregost, your only real source of Spiders in any particular quantity is Cloakwood, so you can easily just devote a slot or two there and save yourself some bother. For general adventuring, and even most spider combats, Potions of Antidote just plain work better, since most frontliners don't need to use multiple items in short periods of time (and if they need healing and antidotes, potions of health are still cheap and even better than healing potions anyway), and most backliners tend not to get poisoned as often anyway. Best of all, using a potion doesn't interrupt your own, actually very badass, damage output with any moving into casting position.

moopy

I use cure spells once in a polka dotted moon, that is to say never.

Unless it is full heal, sometimes I use that.

I do use a lot of potions.