Solving the Cleric Problem: A Thorough Guide on How to Best Use Clerics in PKM

"My melee cleric can't tank and dies all the time! What do I do?"

If you've played PKM for some time you've probably run into this problem: You want your cleric to tank (or DPS), but he just can't tank or DPS like a true tank or DPS can truly tank or DPS (good job if you followed all of that). This is especially true on Hard mode, as enemies tend to blend clerics into jelly if they focus them in combat.

In this guide, we're going to discuss some optimal ways to use Clerics in PKM.

Part 1: Crusader, Herald Caller, Ecclesitheurge, Ranged Cleric, and Non-Cleric Options

A full list of my builds and guides can be found here.

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TL;DR: "My melee cleric can't tank and dies all the time! What do I do?" Lots of options, but here are my top choices:

• Vanilla Cleric + Enlarge + Reach Weapon. Switch between fighting and healing from behind your tank/DPS.
  
• Ecclesitheurge healer-controller-damager. Gozrah + Water Domain is a top choice.
  
• Warpriest (Call of the Wild Mod) makes a great tank divine caster.
  
• Oracle Class (Eldritch Arcana Mod), Time Mystery is a great healer, buffer, and controller.

If you've played PKM for some time you've probably run into this problem: You want your cleric to tank (or DPS), but he just can't tank or DPS like a true tank or DPS can truly tank or DPS (good job if you followed all of that). This is especially true on Hard mode, as enemies tend to blend clerics into jelly if they focus them in combat.

The first thing to understand about clerics is that they are not a tank or a DPS class. In actuality, they are a full-caster class (like a wizard, sorcerer, or druid). Although they can be buffed and built with feats to lean them toward those roles, they never will be optimized as such. They are meant to be a full-caster support class as healers, buffers, summoners, and controllers.

So, let's go over your options.

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1) Crusader: A tempting option would be to go Crusader. Crusaders get a few fighter bonus feats that give you the idea that, if built right, your cleric can now tank like a true tank can tank (or DPS)! However, you lose one cleric domain, a spell slot per level, and quickly discover that having heavy armor and a tower shield hardly makes them more durable in combat. Now you have a slightly worse cleric and pitifully better tank.

What's worse is that you quickly realize there are a few key spells that clerics need to cast quite often mid to late game. They are Resist Energy (or Protection from Energy) Communal, Death Ward, Restoration (and Greater Restoration) and (late game) Spell Resistance. Sadly, there is no Mass Death Ward or Mass Spell Resistance (which would be nice). So, the extra spell slots from a vanilla cleric are always welcome.

Mind you, I've played quite a bit with Crusaders, keeping the buffing spells focused on my front liners. It works well if you know dungeon maps and know your party won't be ambushed from behind. It's totally viable, but not optimal, IMO. However, it's quite costly because you lose one Domain and lots o' spell slots. IMO, not worth it. Better to go Fighter 1-Cleric 19.

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2) The Herald Caller or Ranged Cleric Options: Two other options are the lightly armored (HC) or vanilla cleric focused ranged weapon feats and just have him pew-pew from behind.

Although viable options, Herald Callers and ranged clerics are not ideal for a few reasons. Channel Divinity is centered on the cleric. Healing spells are touch spells. Archon's Aura (one of the best early cleric buffs) is also centered on the cleric. Even more, there are some great damaging spells that clerics get at higher levels (Fire Storm, Storm Bolts) that only target enemies and are (you guessed it) centered on the cleric. Frightful Aspect? Centered on the cleric.

Basically, the cleric class seems to be designed to be in the thick of battle. Could you play a ranged cleric type? Certainly. But I don't think it's the most optimal. For the HC class, I find summoning ridiculously annoying because it's a full-round action to get a slow-moving-too-late-into-battle-low-AC creature. If you enjoy summoners, they are a top choice. I never found summoners useful, however.

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3) The Ecclesitheurge option is a top choice if you choose the correct domains for your cleric. Although the class is unarmored (like a wizard), they are totally viable with Enlarge + a reach weapon to position themselves in combat.

The Gozrah Ecclesitheurge, choosing Water as your primary domain and Animal for your secondary, is most optimal choice I've found for a cleric. Although Air and Weather have a lot of great spells to choose from, the Water Domain gets Stinking Cloud. It's not only one of the best control spells in the game, but it's actually viable through every chapter of PKM. Water also has some good AOE spells like Cone of Cold and Horrid Wilting. It's domain powers, however, are lacking (Cold resistance and a weak ranged touch attack. You can't have everything, folks).

I choose Animal for the second Domain so I could pick up a leopard. For all you doggo and smilodon fans, I don't like large pets. They really gum up dungeons. Also, leopards are DEX-based. They receive a better initiative bonus and are therefore caught flat-footed less often (which is the main reason a pet dies). They also have a speed of 50 feet and have the best AC for a pet (along with boars and mammoths, I believe), along with a bite/trip attack.

That all being said, Gozrah Ecclesitheurge makes a great little controller-damager-buffer-healer hybrid that has a pet tank to boot! I'm amazed at how versatile it is. As much as you can go for the ranged option, I still prefer to keep my cleric centered in combat for the reasons mentioned above.

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4) The Pally-Inquisitor-Alchemist-Who-the-Hell-Needs-a-Cleric Option: Of course, there are many classes that offer needed spells I listed above. You can easily fill in the gaps of not having a cleric by having these spells from other classes. However, there are two very important spells that (as far as I know) are exclusive to clerics. Those are 1) Raise Dead and 2) Resurrection. I'll include 3) Mass Heal here because it's the best healing spell in game.

Of course, you can always save-scum and reload your game upon character death. We've all done it, especially considering the gold cost of diamonds. If you want to negate having a cleric and go this path, it's totally viable. This option is much, much more viable beyond level 13 or so when Paladins have access to Death Ward. It also becomes more viable if you're running two Alchemists (say, Jub and a Vivisectionist). I finished the game on Hard Mode (Chapter 5-7, I believe) using a Vanilla Pally for heals and Jub for most of the buffing.

Part 2: Mystic Theurge, Vanilla Cleric, and Tanking Cleric

5) The Mystic Theurge Option: Gave this a try with an Empyreal Sorcerer/Ecclesitheurge. It's probably a decent option much later in game. However, for the majority of the game, you're a poor healer and an average buffer who is rather behind the curve on key buffing spells like Death Ward, Delay Poison Communal, and Resist Energy Communal. Your Channel Energy is stalled at +2d6 until level 17. Some people love it, but it just isn't my style. Far too many disadvantages for a healing class. Although more realistic to use later in the game, your best heals are single-target and rather delayed (as Channel Energy is stifled).

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6) The Vanilla Cleric (Reach Weapon + Enlarge) Option or Fighter 1/Cleric 19: That all being said, here's why I think the vanilla cleric + Enlarge + reach weapon is a great choice for most players. By going Fighter 1 (Aldori Defender)/Cleric 19, you get all the cleric features, cap your channel energy, and only miss out on one 8th and 9th spell slot. Basically, for the cost of two high-level spell slots, you get Heavy Armor Proficiency, Martial Weapon Proficiency, Tower Shield Proficiency, Exotic Weapon (Dueling Sword), and a bonus feat. That's five feats for two spell slots. Not a bad trade-off unless you're a purist like me. So, our full list of bonuses with this strategy include:

• Access to two cleric domains, many of which have some handy features.
  
• Full (or almost full) cleric spell progression.
  
• Most cleric spell slots available.
  
• There are a lot of great reach weapons in the game.
  
• Cleric is behind tanks/DPS and often not targeted by enemies.
  
• Cleric is centered in combat to make full use of Channel Divinity and spells that center on the caster.
  
• Cleric is in touch range of party members who will be taking the most damage.
  
• While not healing, the cleric can most-of-the-time-safely attack with reach weapons while enlarged.
  
• Clerics eventually get access to Frightening Aspect, an Enlarge spell with a fear effect, which lasts 1 min/level and is pretty dang cool.
  
• Cleric can help flank enemies with other party members.

Simple strategies for surprise combat to make sure your cleric isn't targeted by enemies:

• Burn a round drinking an Enlarge potion or using a cleric scroll.
  
• Cast a simple buff spell before running into combat (Divine Favor, Prayer, Bless).
  
• Keep your cleric in the back of your formation so he/she doesn't reach combat first.
  
• Pause, select your cleric, press H key.

Build Progression (Vanilla Cleric)

• 1st: Martial Weapon Proficiency
  
• 3rd: Selective Channel
  
• 5th: Extend Spell
  
• 7th: Blind-Fight
  
• 9th: Outflank (optional, but a great Teamwork feat)
  
• 11th: Heavy Armor Proficiency (optional)

This is literally all you need, and I play on Hard Mode. One could argue that Heavy Armor Proficiency isn't really necessary. I added it because the Adamantine Plate is really nice to have later in the game (any extra DR for a squishy cleric is always welcome). The extra AC is great and it's always good to have options when gearing out your party.

Extend Spell is very important when you need both Death Ward and Spell Resistance. I found that it's best to Extend half-ish of the Death Ward and Spell Resistance spells via your spellbook, and extend the other half via rods, if that makes sense.

Everything else is just gravy for your build. I like going Combat Reflexes (DEX 13) + Outflank + Seize the Moment, because my other front-liners run these feats and just blow up melee. Even though your cleric won't be hitting as often or as hard as your front-liners, having these feats grant their bonuses to the other party members.

I highly recommend Skill Focus Perception on either your cleric or Linzi. Clerics are Wisdom-based, and the extra +6 to see hidden items and locations goes a long way. Although Linzi isn't Wisdom based, her Jack-of-All-Trades and halfling feature offers a similar bonus to the wisdom stat of the cleric. Whoever your top preceptor is, make sure to give them the cat familiar from Oleg's for the extra +2 morale bonus. The main challenge with this build when enemies swarm you in melee and target your cleric. He'll drop fast, especially on harder difficulties.

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7) Tanky Cleric: After being bummed out for a while that I couldn't really make a tanky cleric work well in this game, I decided to give it a go and see if I could make it work anyway. This build is meant to optimize the cleric's spell advancement while exploiting heavy armor with a high DEX potential.

I'd say this is most feasible by late chapter three (early chapter four?). You should be around level 11-13 will need some optimal gear. And by optimal, I mean you complete Varnhold's lot and get the super sexy mithril plate mail armor from the goblin merchant after finishing the DLC and going back to your main game.

Starting stats would be something like 14-14-14-13-17-10. Mind you, you'll need CHA gear to take Selective Channel. The build would be something like this...

1. Cleric (choose Inori for Improved Unarmed Strike): Combat Expertise, Dodge
   
2. Fighter, Aldori (for Heavy Armor, EWP: Dueling Sword, Tower Sheild, MWP): Crane Style
   
3. Cleric from here on out: Extend Spell
   
4. -
   
5. Selective Channel (gear up or cast Eagle's Splender)
   
6. -
   
7. Crane Wing
   
8. -
   
9. Blind-Fight
   
10. -
    
11. Shield Focus
    
12. -
    
13. Armor Focus (Heavy Armor)
    
14. -

Crane Repose or Teamwork feats or whatever your little heart desires. And you go from there, yes? Always fighting defensively and either enlarged to stay out of reach or reduced for more AC and DEX. Pick your poison.

The challenge with the build is that your initiative is crap and you can easily be caught flat-footed without Uncanny Dodge. However, if you're slow getting into melee, running top gear and rocking a tower shield, most of those circumstances can be avoided. With this build, you can easily get into the mid to high 50's for AC later in game without much of an issue. Of course, you'll want to keep the cleric in the back and maybe cast a short duration buff spell before sauntering into melee. Not a fan of the tanky cleric option due to lack of teamwork feats early on, but the build is viable to simply survive enemy swarms in higher difficulty levels.

Part 3: The Warpriest and Oracle (CoTW, EAU)

8: Warpiest (Call of the Wild mod).

My new favorite addition to solving the cleric problem has been the Warpriest. I respeced Harrim into a Warpriest (base class) and then into a Sacred Fist (cleric-monk) hybrid. Both make great tanks.

The Warpriest makes a great tank-cleric because of the crazy amount of fighter bonus feats in the class. MWP and Heavy Armor Proficiency are standard, along with WF in your weapon of choice. Although it lacks the Domain Spell slot that a traditional cleric has, it is balanced Domain Blessings (some of which are very strong), along with an AC boosting ability. I find this class much more manageable and flexible compared to an Inquisitor. It's very easy to cap out AC on a Warpriest every on by taking Dodge + Crane Feats. The capacity to self-heal is a bonus on the instance a natural 20 occurs. The weakness of the vanilla class is, of course, touch AC, which is why I prefer...

The Sacred Fist. Basically, it's a monk-cleric hybrid. Although lacking the Ki Powers of the monk class, it does keep the Unarmed Strike DR abilities (although slightly delayed), along with the monk's AC bonus. As you can imagine, it's very easy to get the high AC that a tank needs from these bonuses. Although the BAB is +3/4, it does get Flurry of Blows and the capstone ability allows the Sacred Fist to have a +1 BAB for a short duration.

I will say that the 2/3 divine caster options are much better later in the game (perhaps level 12 on?) once spell slot allocation is less of an issue.

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9) The Oracle (Eldritch Arcana Updated Mod)

So, after jumping back into this game after about I year, I got to dorking around with the Oracle class. I did a little work and respec-ed Octavia (because I'm not at all a fan of wizards) into an Elf, Time Mystery Oracle with Envy curse (+4 to UMD!). I must say, I like it! The class is great because it's a beautiful mix (if built correctly) of a healer-controller-buffer who can cast (and upcast) Magic Missile for days (with the beauty that is the Heightened Spell feat). So, the benefits of this class:

• Access to Haste! That plus the Extend Spell (or rod) and Heightened Spell means you're rarely (if ever) going to run out of a Haste spell on a large map or in a dungeon.
  
• Although not a front liner, Oracles can wear armor and shields without risk of spell failure. Snazzy!
  
• Rolling advantage on Initiative rolls is key (Oracle Mystery) and being able to act in a surprise round is clutch to drop a Haste ASAP to get your party humming.
  
• Free Slow/Haste Oracle Mystery. This gives the Oracle to cast either Slow or Haste a few times per day. Perhaps at a higher level I'll switch out my Haste spell and simply use this Mystery, but for now, extra Haste spells are always welcome.

Of course, the downsides:

• Limited Spell selection. For me, this isn't an issue in the slightest, but of course, it can be annoying for some players. I know the spells that are best for the game (Death Ward, Delay Poison Communal, Shield of Faith, Bless, Resist Energy Communal, Restoration/Lesser Restoration, Freedom of Movement, Remove Blindness, etc.), so I haven't had much of an issue.
  
• No Channel Energy (without the Life Domain Feat). Some people handwave Channel Energy, but it's just really convenient as a group heal. However, I'll soon have access to Mass Cure Wounds (currently level 8), so I don't think it will be too much of an issue.

All in all, I like the Oracle. I can adventure without being constantly disappointed at Harrim's lack of melee ability and without the annoyance of Tristian's pious commentary.



Well, that's it, folks. I'd love to hear your thoughts on how you run your healers. I've tinkered a ton with getting the optimal cleric in my party and the Fighter-1/Cleric-19 seems to work the best for me, along with the Gozrah Ecclesitheurge option.

[Z3R0]

Sometime ago I hired a mercenary Crusader of Desna. She was a ranged Dwarf Cleric with the Travel domain. At 8th level she gained the ability to dimension door several times per day. This helped eliminate the disadvantage of being far away from where heals and buffs were needed, and also allowed her to easily escape if she got surrounded or in other dicey situations. The extra 10' of movement also offset the slow Dwarvish movement rate. Unfortunately I dismissed her by accident and did not see how well she performed in the end game.

[Shades]

In PnP I made a dedicated healer Cleric1/w Life Witch Doctor /w Life that got a lot of low level channels from three sources with maxed stats, easily raised by the helmet type artifact which gave more channel dice. Its literally game breaking at times, especially with the capability to share/leech damage from others. This makes the amount of offensive spells very limited though. Thats not usually a problem since the fighters usually handle anything within reach and if its far away it will die by the mages fireball barrage and theres always protection/buff to be added when things get weird.
Thoughts?