What spells should I be using for a front line "combat" cleric or druid?

[Guest Guest]

In the same way that this thread - http://forums.gibberlings3.net/index.php?showtopic=17042 - appears to suggest that a front line multi fighter/mage is possible, I was wondering if similar advice could be given with regard to divine casters. I've never had a cleric or druid fight on the front line, instead preferring them to stay back and buff/heal the party or de-buff/damage the opposition. However, I've now decided that I'd like to try using divine magic to buff my cleric (or fighter/cleric) or druid (or, more likely, fighter/druid) then have them fight melee. As far as suitable NPCs go, I guess Jaheira, Yeslick or Anomen would be ideal candidates for this if I decide not to use the protagonist in this way.

 

I'm ideally looking for spells that, just like Armor, Shield, Blur, and Mirror Image, cast be cast quickly at the start of a battle. I'm guessing that a cleric or druid near the front of the party formation won't have much time to cast spells before the enemy closes to melee range, so I'll want them to basically cast a couple of spells, then fight melee.

[Demivrgvs]

Well, SR players can surely help you better than me but I may quickly say a few things.

 

Both Jaheira and Anomen are highly effective fron line characters imo, Anomen in particular is a real fighting machine if you ask me (and a good example of how brokenly powerful is dual classing).

 

Druid

I wouldn't recommend a true Druid as a front line character mainly because most of his spells are offensive evocations or conjurations, and despite some very effective protective spells he doesn't has many combat oriented buffs. Having such a character in your first line would be a waste, and would reduce its potential effectiveness. A fighter/druid instead is another matter as it has more hit points, better thac0, and more attacks per round (Jaheira is a good example). If you need a long lasting strength buff (the only weak characteristic of Jaheira) there's the cheap and effective Strength of Stone, if you think your AC is going to be a problem Barkskin can now increase it considerably (as it stacks with your armor now), and if you are going to suffer a lot of physical damage Armor of Faith is a must have. Now, I've said druids lack buffing spells, but they have THE tank oriented spell par excellence, Stoneskin. Last but not least, as of V2.9 druids have a spell which can be extremely nasty in melee, False Dawn. Creatures near the caster will have to save each round to avoid being blinded (-10 penalty to thac0), which coupled with the other spells makes tearing down the druid in melee a really difficult task.

 

 

Cleric

I'd say clerics as front line characters are slighlty less tank oriented than fighter/druids, but much more effective damage dealers. A pure cleric can handle himself in melee much better than a pure druid, especially with Divine Power (with a single spell he gets a fighter thac0, more attacks per round, more hit points, and 18/00 strength). Figther/clerics like Anomen benefit considerably less from this spell, but Draw Upon Divine Might and Righteous Fury are more than enough to raise the cleric fighting skills, strength, resistance, and armor class. Armor of Faith is now effective at any level (from the beginning of BG1 to the end of ToB), and at higher levels a must have surely is Blade Barrier, as this spell can deal a lot of damage to multiple targets in a very small radius, making it very effective in melee.

[Guest Guest]

Thanks, Demivrgvs, that is exactly the sort of advice I'm after. I'll wait until SR v3 is out and give a front line divine caster a try.