Cleric guide

[Death Engineer]

I've been asked by a sweet young cleric to post some tips and strategies for clerics. I figured it would be better to do it out in the open rather than in the intimate privacy we share in PMs.... :devil: So here goes.

Before we get started, understand that the spell lists for a cleric are extremely unorganized and confusing. It may help to use the Character Builder at daoc.catacombs.com. Click on the Character Builder link on the left and then select Cleric from the list. This will let you see each spells name that you will get both for baseline spells and spec spells.


Buf***e

Lets start with buffs. First you need to know the difference between baseline buffs and spec buffs. Baseline buffs are the ones that you will get when you level. You will get them regardless of which line you spec in.

Baseline Buffs

The baseline spells only affect one attribute apiece. I have them in this order on my buff hotkey bar --

1. Armor Factor or shield buff.
2. Strength (Str) buff.
3. Constitution (Con) or health buff.
4. Dexterity (Dex) buff.

There are only four separate baseline buffs. In general, go by the colors (although this isn't fail proof). Pick a spell with a red outline over one with green or blue. To be sure you've got the right ones, right click on the spell in your spell list and then do shift+i. Compare the values for spells with similar icons and simply pick the highest one.

Spec Buffs

Similarly to the baseline buffs, the spec buffs are ones that you will get for speccing in the Enhancement (Enh) spec line. There are several different kinds of spec buffs. 3 of them are similar to the baseline buffs except 2 of them modify 2 attributes each. I put them in the following positions in my hotkey bar:

5. Spec Armor buff.
6. Spec Str/Con buff.
7. Spec Dex/Quickness (Qui) buff.
8. Spec Acuity buff.

The only one of these that might be confusing is the Acuity buff. This buff increases the casting stat for caster classes (fighters/tanks don't need this buff). So for Minstrels it modifies Charisma (Cha), for Wizards/Theurgists/Cabalists/Sorcerers it modifies Intelligence (Int) and for Reavers it modifies Piety. This buff does nothing for clerics, so don't cast it on yourself. :P

The rest of the spec spells are as follows:

Regen Health - This spell is virtually useless unless you're only grouping with one or two people. The additional regen time is not worth sacrificing a more useful stat buff. The only time I've found this spell useful was for casting on low level (1 - 5) people for quicker leveling.

Resist Spells - You won't start getting these until your Enh spec is 23. These spells raise your resist attributes (do /resist to display your current resist stats). When you get these, they should be kept up at all times. They will reduce the damage and number of hits to your groupmates in the Body, Spirit and Energy damage lines.

Proc Heal - A proc for those who aren't familiar is a spell that has a chance of going off based on some action (in this case, getting hit). Like the resist spells, this buff should be up all the time once you get it. It will heal someone for a small amount every so often when they get hit (which causes you to have to heal less).

The only other buffs left are self buffs. Keep your self buffs up at all times. Doing the little things like keeping the resists buffs up (when you get them) will make the difference between your group living and dying.

What Class Gets Which Buffs?

This is a common question and though I'll give a list, some players have other ideas about what to buff. In general, give one or two buffs to everyone and then focus on your primary damage dealers. Here's the table:

Armsman/Paladin/Reaver/Mercenary: AF, Str, Con, Dex
Theurgist/Wizard/Cabalist/Sorcerer: Acuity, Dex, Con
Scout/Infiltrator/Minstrel: Dex, Con, AF

I still haven't completely figured out how to buff a necromancer so I normally just ask them what stats they want. You might ask if they would like their pet buffed as well (ask cabalists too).

EDIT: Necros normally want Acuity on the shade and Tank buffs on the pet. :thumbs:

Friars have their own self-spec buffs (can't cast them on other people). If you have a friar in the group, let them do all the base buffs. This will let you focus on the spec buffs which pack more of a punch.

Attached is a screenshot of my hotkey bars for my buffs.

[Death Engineer]

Healage

Healing is one of those things that most people take for granted in the game....until you aren't healing them. Then you get yelled at for not doing your job (rough life being a cleric). Here's a few tips for keeping your head while healing.

First, know which spells do what kind of heal. I line mine up. I have my most efficient lowest heal in slot #1, the next most efficient/bigger heal in slot #2, etc. up to slot 4.

Once you spec high enough in Rejuvenation, you'll get group heals, instant heals and spread heals.

Group Heals

These are the heals that heal everyone in the group for about the same amount. These are not power efficient and therefore should be avoided at nearly all costs. Also, healing that many people (assuming you're in a full group) will likely cause you to get the aggro for one or more mobs that your group is fighting. And lets just say that a melee cleric is a dead cleric. Long and short of it....don't use group heals. :P

Instant Heals

These are the life savers of the realm and should be used carefully at the right time. They come in two flavors: single and group. The single instant heal obviously only heals the target, while the group instant heal will heal every person in the group (again...watch the aggro when using this one). The best time to use an instant heal is when a normal cast time (~3 sec) is going to be too long to save someone. Don't bother using your instant heals if your group is already dead. Chances are that you're fighting ojs and reds and you won't likely survive even with the instant heal. Save these for tanks that get an extra add or casters that get aggro accidentally.

Spread Heals

This is a cool idea and was implemented after I started playing (which automatically makes it cool ;)). The spread heal is like a smart group heal with one difference: it takes into account who needs the healing the most. This is extremely helpful in RvR situations where multiple group members are getting hit at the same time. Again, as with any group heal, be careful with the aggro if using this for PvE. This isn't as efficient as using single heals, but it can be much simpler especially if you're on the phone or have other distrations.

Healing Strategies

For starters, I use the group menu to keep an eye on peoples health. Some like the mini-group bar, but I am sold on the bigger menu. With the group menu open, you can target various members by using Ctrl + F# where the F-key is determined by the number down in the group menu (top group member is Ctrl + F1). I use this all the time to keep my hands on the keyboard closest to the heal buttons.

My healing strategy is a little bit different than most healers. Most healers will let you get down to half life before beginning to cast heals your direction. I like to keep all my groupmates capped off (within reason). For example, if a tank gets hit once and you can barely tell that his hit points moved, don't heal him yet. Wait until your heal will use most of it efficiency (ie. heal for nearly the full amount) and then cast it.

I like to use the smallest heal (also most efficient) almost exclusively. My only reason for having the others on the hotkey bar are: 1. If a caster gets aggro; 2. If you double pull (ie. 2 stubborn tanks); 3. In case your tank is a knuckle-head that pulls mobs that are way too high level.

Chances are that if you start chain casting anything but the lowest heal spell, you're going to get the aggro.

[Death Engineer]

Offense (and other misc. stuff)

If you haven't heard from others, an offensive (smite spec) cleric is basically a dead cleric. They were pretty awesome when the game first launched. Some people called them wizards with chain armor because of the kind of damage the smite spells could inflict. But Mythic nipped all that in the bud and decided to tone them down a bit.

The smite direct damage (dd) spell should be used very sparingly. The damage is not worth the power cost and will rarely make the difference between living and dying whether it be PvE or RvR encounters. This spell should only be used to finish off an enemy or when you have absolutely no one to heal (ie. you need to find a new group :P).

The point blank area of effect (pbaoe) spell should be used in a similar fashion. If you need to get a mobs attention then you can use this spell. Again, it is usually not the best choice.

My favorite "offensive" cleric spell is the stun. It's cast time will likely hit the 2 second cap with your buffs at higher levels. Quick lesson on crowd control:

Root: Wizards and Theurgists can root mobs. This means they can't move, but can still attack anyone within range (this may include casting poisons on you). Once hit, the root is broken and the mob can freely move again.

Snare: Some casters can cast snare spells. This is similar to the root, but doesn't actually completely stop them. It will slow a mob to painful crawl which then slowly speeds back up to normal. Again, the mob can still attack you and once hit, the effect is negated.

Mez (Mesmerize): Sorcerers and Minstrels can cast kick butt mez spells. This is like a root, except that the mob cannot continue to attack nearby enemies. It's only drawback is that the spell is cancelled once the mob is hit.

Stun: This is the bread and butter of Clerics (and incidentally for any class that specs high in shield -- the Slam style has a stun effect). This spell is like a mez, but is normally shorter duration. The absolute coolest part about it is that you can kick the crap out of the mob that is stunned and he STILL CANNOT REACT until the stun timer finishes.

So as you can see, the stun method of crowd control can be very effective. Keep in mind that each time you stun the same mob, the already short stun time is cut in half (if first is 9 secs, second is only 4.5). If you don't need to be casting a heal (ie. all your groupmates are completely healed), then prevent them from getting hit by stunning mobs. Especially stun adds (mobs that follow the one that was pulled).

Do be careful when using the stun though. When the mob comes out of the stun, it is likely that it will be coming right for you. Make sure your group has a designated peeler (someone to pull the mobs off of casters/healers). It can also help to have a hotkey that says something to the effect of: "Help! Mob on healer!" Some people may find this annoying, but it will help the group stay alive by keeping them aware of their precious healers status.

Clerics also have a pbaoe short term mez spell. This should essentially only be used when you're getting ready to run from a battle you won't win (especially in RvR). It isn't long enough for any real crowd control.

[Death Engineer]

Realm Abilities

Once you have embarked in the RvR world and have started earning realm skill points, it is time to decide which realm abilities you would like and/or need. Here are the ones that I recommend (in this order):

Mystic Crystal Lore (MCL) - This spell gives you a "good amount" of power, is on a 5 minute timer and costs 3 points. I use the term "good amount" because the amount of power it gives you depends on several things including your current power level and the level of MCL you have (there are 3). If you use MCL I when you have nearly half your power, it will come close to filling your power bar. If you have less than half, you will receive less power. MCL II (6 points) gives roughly 75% and MCL III (10 points) will give you a full 100%. Keep in mind that you have to purchase MCL I before MCL II, etc.

I would buy MCL as soon as you get your first 3 realm skill points. It will help you immensely with power (especially when rezzing).

Augmented Acuity - This spell simply increases your casting stat by 6 per level. I only got this realm ability because it is a pre-req. for the next one. Get level 2 (1 + 3 = 4 points).

Serenity - This is a passive spell (ie. active all the time) that increases the speed at which power will regenerate. With or without this spell, you should always keep your power above 50% because below that point the regen speed is significantly slower (this goes for all classes). Some people recommend Serenity II for healers, but I have found Serenity I to be adequate (especially for just 1 point).

Bunker of Faith (BOF) - This is very likely the best realm ability for the entire Albion realm. This spell gives a 30 sec. increase to damage absorption -- ie. your entire group will take very little (if any) hits during this period). This ability is expensive at 10 points, but is well worth it. When you get into the 40's, people will be asking if you have this one.

Wild Healing - That's right baby! This one sounds like fun, but it is really pretty simple. It gives a chance for your heal spells to proc an additional heal. This basically means that every once in a while, you will heal a little bit more than normal. For one point, it's worth the extra chance.

I have a few other realm abilities that would be nice. But I think the ones listed are the ones that you should shoot for first. You might even consider going with BOF before getting Aug ACU and Serenity. The other big one that I would suggest getting if you're in it for the long haul is Purge. Purge will take away all negative effects (poison, snare, root, mez, debuff, etc) and allow you to react as normal. Keep in mind that this is on a 30 min. timer so you would only want to use it in critical situations.

EDIT: Mastery of Concentration (MoC) is also an awesome RA. It gives you 30 sec of (nearly) uninterrupted casting. This is excellent for when a mob/invader is keeping you from casting by slapping you in melee. Weighing in at 10 points, I wouldn't recommend it before BoF. However, it can make the difference in RvR.

[Death Engineer]

Specs

Based on all the previous observations, I would suggest the following specs to you. (E = Enhancement, R = Rejuvenation, S = Smite)

First, my spec :P

39E / 35R / 12S

+ : Excellent buffs and solid healing.
- : No 100% life rez.

This spec allows you to get excellent buffs while not totally sacrificing the healing line (group instant 50% heal). Going any higher in Enhance spec is not recommended because you will begin to cap out your concentration pool before you hit 20 buffs with the higher level spells. This just means you can buff less people and will effectively be throwing your points away. (People with buff bots commonly go to 50E just because they will not be actively playing the char)

34E / 40R / 12S

+ : Awesome heal line with the best rez.
- : Buffs suffer a little.

This is probably the most popular spec of all clerics. The 40 spec in rejuv allows the best rez and your heals pack a powerful punch. Unfortunately, people will comment on the lower buffs that this spec requires.

Clearly there are many other specs including one with high Smite, but staying with a couple levels of the two I have presented has proven to be a solid strategy (believe me...I have talked to many many clerics :P).

[Death Engineer]

General Tips

Most (if not all) of these tips were already presented in previous parts of this guide, but I thought I would hit the highlights again.

1. Keep your self-buffs up all the time -- no exceptions.

2. In group battle, keep everyone topped off using your most power-efficient heal (the lowest heal value).

3. Make a hotkey to let your group mates know when you are being engaged. (/macro help /g HELP! Mobs on healer!)

4. DON'T spec in smite nor use the dd spell very often.

5. DO use the stun spell frequently to help with crowd control.

6. Know the limits of your group. The healer should make the call on when to run. Once you have made up your mind to split, don't turn back until you are in a safe area.

7. Don't throw heals too quickly or use group heals too often or you will get aggro.

8. Have fun. Clerics are a fun class and are virtually always looked for in groups.

Afterthought:

9. Reserve the right to not rez the jerks who complain about how you aren't rezzing fast enough. :P

[SASQUATCH]

Originally posted by Death Engineer@Sep 5 2003, 04:19 PM
General Tips

Most (if not all) of these tips were already presented in previous parts of this guide, but I thought I would hit the highlights again.

1. Keep your self-buffs up all the time -- no exceptions.

2. In group battle, keep everyone topped off using your most power-efficient heal (the lowest heal value).

3. Make a hotkey to let your group mates know when you are being engaged. (/macro help /g HELP! Mobs on healer!)

4. DON'T spec in smite nor use the dd spell very often.

5. DO use the stun spell frequently to help with crowd control.

6. Know the limits of your group. The healer should make the call on when to run. Once you have made up your mind to split, don't turn back until you are in a safe area.

7. Don't throw heals too quickly or use group heals too often or you will get aggro.

8. Have fun. Clerics are a fun class and are virtually always looked for in groups.

Afterthought:

9. Reserve the right to not rez the jerks who complain about how you aren't rezzing fast enough. :P
DE

What do you mean by that btw on number 7#?

Oh and I am a Friar would that apply to me when healing?


SAS :thumbs:

[OUTLAWS The Machine]

For example if I engage an enemy and have not done any or very little damage to them and Dixie casts a heal spell then the enemy will turn and attack her. She has to let me get in ac ouple good hits before she can start healing .

[SASQUATCH]

Originally posted by OUTLAWS The Machine@Sep 15 2003, 11:03 AM
For example if I engage an enemy and have not done any or very little damage to them and Dixie casts a heal spell then the enemy will turn and attack her. She has to let me get in ac ouple good hits before she can start healing .
Thx Machine. . . . :thumbs:

[Death Engineer]

Originally posted by OUTLAWS Terminathare@Dec 24 2003, 04:41 PM
Hey DE:

Can you recommend specs for the different BG's.

Thanks.
Hmm....honestly, I can't. I haven't been BG level for over a year on my cleric and BG0 didn't even exist then (not that it's real popular now). However, a simple tip is to either go high ENH or REJUV or both. Don't bother with Smite. I'm sure I said that in my guide (didn't bother to re-read it), but it's worth saying again.

I'll play around with the char builder on catacombs when I get a chance and come up with something.

DE