Suggestions on a fighter/cleric?

[JiveTurkey]

How should I build it? I plan on taking it through BG1 and 2. I'm thinking more cleric focused, as to utilize spells more. How does this build compare to a berserker/mage?

[𝔜𝔲𝔢]

Multi- or dualclass?
If you want to focus more on cleric, I'd suggest going dualclass - you're stuck with a fighter for BG1, but can focus on being a cleric for the whole of BG2 while enjoying the most useful benefits of a fighter.

[IKosaedro]

A fighter/cleric can wear armor and cast spells, is better tank than the berserker/mage. The best weapons are the Crom Faeyr (a hammer) and the flail of ages (a flail) , you must choose the expertise in any of them. The quarterstaff is better for mages or druids (there are special quarterstaffs with special properties for both of them).
Kyrian is right, better cleric is the dual class.

[Desert Kitsune MarlFox]

as a fighter/cleric dual class is my favorite thing to run i would like to say what i run weapon wise
and that would be Sling and quarterstaff
slings benifit from strength and dex which you can max out with draw upon holy might
and staves are one of the most damaging two handed weapons when you take Staff of the Ram and 25 strength from draw upon holy might into account

edit: here is my fighter cleric if you want to see numbers with those weapons

https://steamcommunity.com/id/DKMF/screenshot/943955029455143222

https://steamcommunity.com/id/DKMF/screenshot/943955029455145753

also i highly disagree wwith IKosaedro about Crom Faeyr being the best weapon for a cleric that should be given to someone who can not self buff to 25 strength however i do agree that the flail of ages is a pretty amazing for them

[JiveTurkey]

So what level would you guys suggest I dual? I'm still not entirely sure the pros and cons of dual and multi-ing.

[Desert Kitsune MarlFox]

Originally posted by JiveTurkey:

So what level would you guys suggest I dual? I'm still not entirely sure the pros and cons of dual and multi-ing.

optimal levels are 7, 9 and 13 for dual class

here is a good page about the pros and cons of them
https://forums.beamdog.com/discussion/3336/dual-class-vs-multiclass-pros-and-cons-for-those-of-us-who-are-new/p2

[acornco]

why are you interested in a fighter cleric? i mean pure clerics with their many combat buffs dont benefit much from fighter skills. they naturaly have access to armor and there cleric nonsense bars them from half of all the great weapons fighters can spec with. i usualy only merge fighters with rogues where theres a use for a fighters bonuses. mages and clerics just cast them selves into fighter stats. conversly... paladins...

[ÄmJii]

If you're new to Fighter/Cleric, I'd suggest rolling as dwarven multi-class variant. You'll get high CON and Shorty Saves associated with it (Saving Throws matters A LOT more than measly extra STR point Half-Orcs would get), no downtime after dual-classing and just an overall smooth experience with clerical spells.
At max EXP in BG1, multi-classes are only 1-2 levels behind their pure counterparts: Pure Cleric hits lvl 8, whereas Fighter/Cleric multi reaches 7/7.
Pure Clerics have faster spell progression, but once you're past lvl 15 you're getting greatly diminishing returns.

Originally posted by acornco:

why are you interested in a fighter cleric? i mean pure clerics with their many combat buffs dont benefit much from fighter skills...

This is a biggest misconception I've seen in a while, here's why: Pure Cleric is stuck with 1 APR, Fighter/Cleric isn't. Big whoop if you're rocking 22+ STR, even a regular Fighter with 17 STR will outpace Clerics in melee damage when they're striking twice/thrice as often.
A 7th level Fighter dualed into Cleric does every thing pure Clerics do, except better... at measly cost of 64k Experience.

[JiveTurkey]

Max XP is not a concern of mine. I'll be taking the character through TOB. I appreciate the dwarf suggestion but I'm a D&D racist who prefers humans. Yea it's silly I know. Just learned about the multiclass caveat with humans last night...! I'm thinking taking it to level 7 fighter then dualing to cleric. With the wide selection of party members in BG1 I don't mind a vanilla fighter. Well, berseker.

[red255]

there are 2 builds for a fighter cleric.

Human Beserker 9 Cleric rest. which would make you a beserker for most of Baldur's gate 1. if you are doing siege of dragonspear you'd be a cleric with alot of HP after boarsky bridge when you dual until 450,000 XP which is past the end of Siege of dragonspear.

Doing so would allow you to use cleric spells to turn yourself into a full fighter or full cleric. and would get your special cleric totem and cleric HLA earlier. as well as allowing grandmastery. typically in flails or war hammers.

the other build is a Dwarf Fighter Cleric Multiclass.

a Dwarf fighter cleric is only allowed 2 points in weapon mastery for whatever reason. never felt it was justified. but has no downtime so its ALWAYS a fighter/cleric.

and it gets Fighter HLA, which allow it to take hardiness, which combined with Armor of faith and defender of easthaven provide 80% damage reduction at cleric 20.

Of the two I would recommend a dwarf fighter cleric. its harder to screw up.

"I'm thinking taking it to level 7 fighter then dualing to cleric."

OK. BG2 has a character like that called Amonen.

you'll only get 7 levels of fighter HP which is fine. and you'll regain your abilities at 171,000 XP

XP cap for BG1 was i think 161,000 XP so you get it shortly into siege. really gimping yourself for BG1.

[HaHaCharade]

Originally posted by ÄmJii:

If you're new to Fighter/Cleric, I'd suggest rolling as dwarven multi-class variant. You'll get high CON and Shorty Saves associated with it (Saving Throws matters A LOT more than measly extra STR point Half-Orcs would get),

I am always torn between Half-Orcs and a shorty for the favorite Fighter / Cleric multi-class combination. I think I actually like HORCs better. Let me explain my bias:

While the shorty saves can't be denied, that early STR / DEX / CON boost you're getting as a HORC -- 19 STR / 18 Dex / 19 Con max stats (HORC) vs 18% STR / 17 DEX max stats (Dwarf) or 18% Str / 18 Con max stats (Gnome). That makes a difference. Not only for combat (Damage / AC) but for carry capacity - especially early. Not to mention Gnomes take a wisdom hit (17 max) which isn't the best for a Cleric.

End game shorty spell saves in BG1 will be a 1. Half-Orc you can get down to usually around a 5. You can technically get a 1 if you use the Claw of Kazgaroth (But its not worth the negatives). Everyone fails on a 1. So with a 5, you're failing 2,3,4 as a HORC where a shorty only fails on a 1. Couple that with Magic Resistance items like the Cloak of Balduran (25% - Is rolled BEFORE save) and Potions of Invulnerability for the big fights (which WILL drop your HORC to a spell save of 1)... I'd rather play a HORC unless its a No Reload Challenge. You do more damage and are less squishy. Just buy Invulnerability potions.

Of course - there's no wrong way to play and both are strong for diff reasons.

[Centurion]

Regardless of which build you go with, you have another decision to make as well: what weapon to emphasize?

A dwarven F/C should include hammer for the thrower in BG2. But since multi is limited to specialist you can accumulate several proficient weapons.

But dual-class, even if you dual at 13 (my pref) you only get one weapon to be Grand Master of (and that, plus HP, is the whole joy of dual-class.)

Mace, Hammer, and Flail all have good arguments for BG2. Hammer is likely best for BG1. But you can also argue for Sling or Staff as well. Do you eventually want to hit hard with the CromF or Flail of Ages, make undead go poof with the Mace of Disruption, or be the master slinger from the back? You really need to decide this one at creation (as it will also affect fighting style choices.)

Romances are also an issue: Anomen, Aerie, Jaheira, and Viconia are all variations of cleric, making them a bit redundant. And Rasaad is, well, Rasaad. That leaves Neera and Dorn. Choices, choices.

[Hamish]

Originally posted by Centurion:

A dwarven F/C should include hammer for the thrower in BG2. But since multi is limited to specialist you can accumulate several proficient weapons.

Right there is the best reason to go dwarf F/C IMO... that throwing hammer rocks and is available early!

[HaHaCharade]

Originally posted by Hamish:

Originally posted by Centurion:

A dwarven F/C should include hammer for the thrower in BG2. But since multi is limited to specialist you can accumulate several proficient weapons.

Right there is the best reason to go dwarf F/C IMO... that throwing hammer rocks and is available early!

Korgan can dish it out with the throwing hammer also!

[Saloran]

I'd also plug cleric/ranger or ranger -> cleric for something slightly different, with the ini tweak to change it back to the og sorta bug that give them the full druid list so you can ironskin yourself to be even more of physical damage tank

[Clovis Sangrail]

I like a 19 STR half-orc with high DEX for a fighter/cleric. Give him points in sling and quarterstaff, then equip him with a +1 sling and a +1 quarterstaff (both easy to find in Beregost), and he can go to to toe with ankhegs, which he will have to do as he fights his way north to get that sweet +3 quarterstaff in Ulgoth's Beard Inn.