Are Clerics Underrated?

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Kane
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Are Clerics Underrated?

Post by Kane »

In BFRPG, D&D and several games with the Cleric class, it seems like it's a game of straws to see who gets to be the Cleric for some groups. But the cleric gets: best armor, second best weapons, second best caster, second best XP, only person who can heal and cast cleric specific spells.

Frankly, a party of four specialized clerics might be more functionally divergent than many other combinations of classes. Silence is just as effective as Move Silently, Cure Poison is often better than Find Traps, etc. For XP, clerics get the best saves in several categories and decent saves overall.

If you made me pick which class' abilities I had to choose in a real D&D scenario, I would definitely pick the guy with full plate, a frickin' mace (way better than a sword, don't kid yourself), the ability to heal himself and other people, and able to resist half of the things in the world better than anyone almost anyone else. What's the downside? It's a level uncapped human fighter-mage.

Seriously, I'm going to run a game of "Oops, All Clerics" and I guarantee you we'll live longer and kill more Chaos than 50% of D&D class combos. Oh, and did I mention, undead are scared of you? The most annoying and common monster type wants to run from you, and it costs you nothing to try. Sometimes, you'll just blast them to dust on accident. I hate shadows.

Why no more clerics?
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YYZombraire
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Re: Are Clerics Underrated?

Post by YYZombraire »

Totally agree they are underrated. I've always liked playing clerics because they offer such a good variety of abilities. And if you are into it, keeping their deity appeased offers lots of interesting role-playing opportunities.

I think clerics have developed an unfortunate reputation for just being the party healer, and players expect the cleric to load up on healing spells to the exclusion of others. That's a shame because they've got some great spells. I think that's only gotten worse over the years. I've always liked the original conception of clerics as a cross between a holy warrior and a Hammer Horror style vampire hunter.
spielemusik
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Re: Are Clerics Underrated?

Post by spielemusik »

I love playing clerics. Turning undead at a lowly lvl1 just feels really good!
Kane
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Re: Are Clerics Underrated?

Post by Kane »

YYZombraire wrote: Sun Nov 20, 2022 9:01 pm I think clerics have developed an unfortunate reputation for just being the party healer, and players expect the cleric to load up on healing spells to the exclusion of others.
Well, sounds like you just need to play a Lawful Neutral elemental cleric and tell them to 'be careful, because I can't cure light wounds', lol. If someone is going to play a character they'll play it how they want it or not at all, and there's no law that D&D characters have a right to healing spells. I think early versions of the game didn't even HAVE clerics. This is like a double-entitlement, and the last thing a dungeoneer needs to think he is is entitled. You live if you're skilled and lucky! Convenience and video game shortcuts eliminate the entire logistics side of the game, and there's no point in healing characters who can't steal treasure without dying. Let 'em splat and hire someone who can do their job, let the other PCs take their magic items, too! Nobody ever got to level 20 by grace of hit points, because too many things kill you outright, anyway.
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Solomoriah
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Re: Are Clerics Underrated?

Post by Solomoriah »

"Lawful Neutral? What is this that you speak of?"

:D
My personal site: www.gonnerman.org
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Solomoriah
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Re: Are Clerics Underrated?

Post by Solomoriah »

BTW Kane, for the love of all the gawds, please update your email address on the forum software! The address I have on file is causing endless rejections; it says the address does not exist. Getting tired of my email being spammed with rejections, and anyway, if you don't fix it you won't be able to do password recovery should you ever need to.
My personal site: www.gonnerman.org
Kane
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Re: Are Clerics Underrated?

Post by Kane »

Solomoriah wrote: Mon Nov 21, 2022 10:50 am BTW Kane, for the love of all the gawds, please update your email address on the forum software! The address I have on file is causing endless rejections; it says the address does not exist. Getting tired of my email being spammed with rejections, and anyway, if you don't fix it you won't be able to do password recovery should you ever need to.
LOL sorry, I changed my work email after I got promoted and forgot I used it here. Herp-de-durr!
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Boggo
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Re: Are Clerics Underrated?

Post by Boggo »

Well clerics were originally based on this guy...

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Odo_of_Bayeux

and one thing he was not, was the party healer...
No matter where you go...there you are
Kane
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Re: Are Clerics Underrated?

Post by Kane »

Boggo wrote: Tue Nov 22, 2022 6:29 am and one thing he was not, was the party healer...
The healbot notion is obviously because of the first level spell, one wizards can't cast, possibly amplified by giving them spells at first level. Other than that, clerics basically start out second rate fighters and become second rate wizards :P but they're pretty good all around.
Artanisace
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Re: Are Clerics Underrated?

Post by Artanisace »

Clerics are the best class all and all, I always try to nerf them a bit (like not allowing them to do more than a d6 damage). You have a guy in armor who can hit pretty well, cast spells, read divine scrolls and turn undead!
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