Priests: Tips and Tricks
chickenhed
Member Posts: 208
A bit ago, I asked you guys some advice on Mages (http://forum.baldursgate.com/discussion/6328/mage-tips-and-tricks/) due to their spells being a bit overwhelming for me at times. There were a few comments in relation to priests spells as well, like Command being a really handy 1st level spell (one which I had never bothered with).
I would love to hear more tips for priest spells. Which ones you enjoy the most, which spells you may think are underused, which spells are good in combination with other priest (or mage) spells. Anything you can think of!
I would love to hear more tips for priest spells. Which ones you enjoy the most, which spells you may think are underused, which spells are good in combination with other priest (or mage) spells. Anything you can think of!
0
Comments
Clerics get many of the most critical spells in the game, over and above their handy-dandy healing spells.
The various healing spells are no-brainers to be useful, so I am not going to include them on my list:
First Level: Remove Fear (critical protection), Draw Upon Holy Might, Doom (for mage and dragon battles
to reduce saves) Protection from Evil (effectively two AC bonus and plus two to saves)
Second Level: Slow Poison (it actually neutralizes it), Hold Person, Silence (works on invisible casters)
Third Level: Holy Smite (great non-evil party-friendly AoE, chance to blind enemies), Negative Plane Prot
Fourth Level: Death Ward (a lifesaver vs. mages), Protection from Evil 10' (convenient)
Lesser Restoration (if you don't want to pay a temple to restore drained levels)
Fifth Level: Chaotic Commands (a critical protection spell), Raise Dead, Flame Strike,
Righteous Magic (automatic maximum damage)
Sixth Level: Wondrous Recall (more fifth level goodness),
Aerial Servant (one of the best summons in the game)
Seventh Level: Finger of Death (save-or-die), Firestorm (good AoE, ignores magic resistance)
Sanctuary is really really good at skipping enemies you dont wnat to fight. Use it to loot the troll mound and the golem room in d'arnise keep, amongst other things.
Protection from evil and armour of faith are very useful and underated spells which should be useful even at level 40+
Once you get regen rings, use them too heal minor wounds in order to stop your spell slots being filled with minor healing spells. Havig said that heal and greater restoration are super useful.
Put the amulet of negative plane protection on the cleric who has all the restoration spells memorised.
Best summon spell in BG1 is animate dead which clerics get as a level 3 spell. It's also very useful in bg2 at beating lavok and tolgerias in the planar sphere.
Hold person is incredibly powerful and agian works well throughout the game . That and cure poison are bassically the only level 2 spells worth memorising.
I don't usually use it though, because it seems kind of evil to me. Plus, I'm not a huge fan of summons in general. Until I get to the battle with Sarevok. Then, I'm all "hand me that Wand of Monster Summoning, fast!"
Cleric/Rangers can cast druid spells as well as cleric ones regardless of being multi or dual classed. A level 2 ranger dual classed to cleric is a lot more effective as a caster cleric than a single classed one because of access to more spells.
A level 13 bestmaster dual classed to a cleric is very interesting, as they will be able to cast summon animal 1/2/3 in a level 1/2/3 spell slot after unlocking ranger at level 14 meaning that this character can summon a LOT of monsters on the screen with the unlimited summon capacity mod. This dual class also has full access to druid spells and can find familiar like a mage would.
Swashbuckler/cleric dual classes keep their bonus armor even while using plate armor and shields meaning that you can get some stupidly low AC numbers without having to rely on Defensive spin or other gimmicks.
Cleric/mages can use cleric spells inside spell triggers and contingencies.
Neutral aligned clerics can usually use both the holy and unholy version of spells.
Spells:
Level 1 -
Armor of faith is very useful for tanking as it gives flat damage reduction.
Doom has no saving throw and stacks with greater malison but can be magic resisted
Protection from evil works regardless of the creatures alignment
Remove fear makes you immune to fear as well, cast it before battle to avoid fear entirely
Sanctuary only breaks on duration end or performing a hostile action, you can sanctuary and heal for example
Level 2 -
Silence is actually very useful against powerful spellcasters, try it out
Level 3 -
Animate Dead is downright overpowered when it comes to tanking vampires and mind flayers, anything really
Level 4 -
Free Action prevents Haste from applying sometimes, make sure you haste first and use free action after
Holy Power negates the bonus from Draw Upon Holy Might
Level 5 -
Champions Strength prevents you from casting spells while active, use it carefully or pass all together, it negates the strength bonuses from Draw Upon Holy Might as well.
Mass Cure can be stacked inside a trigger or contingency by a cleric/mage for a very strong party heal
Righteous Magic gives cleric/thieves stupidly high backstabs
Level 6 -
Blade Barrier can be used without breaking sanctuary or invisibility but you have to cast Blade Barrier first
Wondrous Recall will recall the highest possible spell level going from left to right, top to bottom in the spellbook. It does not seem to interact with mage spells.
That's about all I can think of, feel free to add or correct any mistakes I've made.
My recommended spells:
Lv1: Remove Fear, Doom (cheesily stackable), Sanctuary, Armor of Faith (also stackable)
Lv2: Hold Person, Silence 15 Radius, Draw Upon Holy Might, Chant (low level party)
Lv3: Holy Smite, Animate Dead, Dispel Magic
Lv4: Protection Against Evil 10 Radius (I found it more like 20ft radius), Death Ward, Free Action, Defensive Harmony
Lv 5: Chaotic Command, Mass Cure, True Seeing
Lv 6: Aerial Servant, Heal
Lv 7: Firestorm
Druids:
Lv 2: Charm Person or Mammals (not many good lv 2 druid spells)
Lv 5: Iron Skin, Insect Plague
Lv 7: Creeping Doom, Nature's Beauty
That might say something about me as a gamer...