-The Heal spell not only restores all hit points, it also cures any and all status effects, including level drain.
Does it really cure level drain too? I don't remember it doing that. o.o
Exactly. The Heal spell heals all damage points, dispells Feeblemind, cures all diseases, blindness and mental disorders. That's it. No level drain cure by the Heal spell.
I guess that @AHF 's proposed using of the Resurrection spell before a character is actually dead can cure Level Drain, though.
The clerics are useful for Remove fear, Bless, Prayer, Dispel magic, Slow poison spells, using Wand of the Heavens, and don't underestimate Hold Person spell! It actually worked on Karoug in Balduran's ship) In BG2 they make game very easier when you meet vampires, and they get a holy symbol at level 25, which is also a nice bonus) And if your PC is a cleric, you should choose a kit depending on what alignment you want him/her to have, because cleric's kits have no disadvantages! As for Aerie, Mass cure + Robe of Vecna make a useful combination in tough fights, and she can do it as a Mage/Cleric! And Anomen is dual Fighter/Cleric, so he can be a GM at mace and hit those damned Clay Golems with their immunity to swords and arrows!
Well, they do get Flame Strike and Blade Barrier, add on all their self buffs. And you can realistically have a weapon and shield cleric doing as much damage as one of your regular fighters.
In fact, the only issue I have with the canon BG1 party, is that it does NOT include a cleric unless you are one. And I feel that thematically, bard, thief, mage, sorcerer or a multi class of those is a lot more fitting RP wise than cleric =(
Edit: in retrospect, not as much smack them in the face with a blunt object damage as a paladin, ranger or fighter. But like the mage, they gain a ton more utility, especially for "tanking" big bags and reducing the damage they take. Also Blade barrier does decent damage, just keep your cleric away from your party while it is up
I've been playing a solo druid recently, as you all probably know. Although a druid is not a cleric, I would still want to share my thoughts on the cleric spells and their usefulness in BG, even in a SCS-modded game.
A divine caster, as I see it now, can be a very good choice for a solo character. Or if you're in a party, then you divine caster (in your case, @booinyoureyes , a cleric) can be the one who manages to stay away from all the nasty game-ending effects being in the same time in the center of all events.
The power of a cleric here is the availability of Remove Fear - Free Action - Death Ward - Chaotic Commands - and later Shield of the Archons. These spells have a long duration and can save a solo character from many sudden threats, such as traps and first enemy mages's castings. Basically, if these effects are not dispelled, your character is very much protected from everything.
Use Negative Plane Protection when needed.
Shield of the Archons is the spell separating a cleric from a dead cleric. It's such a wonderful spell. It lasts for 3 rounds per level and in the shell prevents the cleric from any save-or-die spells: no matter if somehow any protection is not casted (chaotic commands/death ward/protection from lighting), as long as Shield of the Archons is active, the character is alive. The danger can come from any AoE spells such as Skull Traps and ADHW. But to diminish the damage from these spells, there're Armour of Faith and the green girdle from Trademeet.
As soon as a cleric reaches the 6th spell level in BG2 and gets several Aerial Servants, all future encounters lose 50% of their difficulty.
True Seeing is a very important spell. Prior to it, Invisibility Purge from the 3rd spell level does the job right.
How does a cleric fight? Note that my divine caster is always under the effect of Remove Fear - Free Action - Death Ward - Chaotic Commands - and later Shield of the Archons when we're in a dangerous place, for ex., a dungeon.
I always start with Protection from Evil, 10 Radius - it lasts long enough.
Holy Power (18/00 STR, THACO of a fighter of the same level) follows (when you'll get enough 5th level spell slots, you can change that for Righteous Magic), then DUHM (to up your STR, DEX and CON - quickly you'll get 22-23 figures in each), then Armour of Faith, then Blade barrier (later changes to Globe of Blades HLA). Believe me, nobody except high-level mages and liches would like to meet your cleric after that.
If you can cast an Improved Invisibility on your cleric (for example, though a ring sold in Athkatla), then you're even better.
Comments
I guess that @AHF 's proposed using of the Resurrection spell before a character is actually dead can cure Level Drain, though.
In fact, the only issue I have with the canon BG1 party, is that it does NOT include a cleric unless you are one. And I feel that thematically, bard, thief, mage, sorcerer or a multi class of those is a lot more fitting RP wise than cleric =(
Edit: in retrospect, not as much smack them in the face with a blunt object damage as a paladin, ranger or fighter. But like the mage, they gain a ton more utility, especially for "tanking" big bags and reducing the damage they take. Also Blade barrier does decent damage, just keep your cleric away from your party while it is up
A divine caster, as I see it now, can be a very good choice for a solo character. Or if you're in a party, then you divine caster (in your case, @booinyoureyes , a cleric) can be the one who manages to stay away from all the nasty game-ending effects being in the same time in the center of all events.
The power of a cleric here is the availability of Remove Fear - Free Action - Death Ward - Chaotic Commands - and later Shield of the Archons. These spells have a long duration and can save a solo character from many sudden threats, such as traps and first enemy mages's castings. Basically, if these effects are not dispelled, your character is very much protected from everything.
Use Negative Plane Protection when needed.
Shield of the Archons is the spell separating a cleric from a dead cleric. It's such a wonderful spell. It lasts for 3 rounds per level and in the shell prevents the cleric from any save-or-die spells: no matter if somehow any protection is not casted (chaotic commands/death ward/protection from lighting), as long as Shield of the Archons is active, the character is alive. The danger can come from any AoE spells such as Skull Traps and ADHW. But to diminish the damage from these spells, there're Armour of Faith and the green girdle from Trademeet.
As soon as a cleric reaches the 6th spell level in BG2 and gets several Aerial Servants, all future encounters lose 50% of their difficulty.
True Seeing is a very important spell. Prior to it, Invisibility Purge from the 3rd spell level does the job right.
How does a cleric fight? Note that my divine caster is always under the effect of Remove Fear - Free Action - Death Ward - Chaotic Commands - and later Shield of the Archons when we're in a dangerous place, for ex., a dungeon.
I always start with Protection from Evil, 10 Radius - it lasts long enough.
Holy Power (18/00 STR, THACO of a fighter of the same level) follows (when you'll get enough 5th level spell slots, you can change that for Righteous Magic), then DUHM (to up your STR, DEX and CON - quickly you'll get 22-23 figures in each), then Armour of Faith, then Blade barrier (later changes to Globe of Blades HLA). Believe me, nobody except high-level mages and liches would like to meet your cleric after that.
If you can cast an Improved Invisibility on your cleric (for example, though a ring sold in Athkatla), then you're even better.