Cleric 11-20 Guide (Solo)

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Posted July 30th, 2007 by Shayalyn

Cleric Level 11-20 Guide

Rolling Solo

by Shayalyn

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I'm going to start straight off with a disclaimer: there are many ways to roll a cleric, and so there are many ways to play a cleric. Some focus heavily on melee. Others focus on healing and group desirability. Still others try to meet in the middle, or at varying points in between the two extremes. The methods I'm going to show you here are based on how I've chosen to play my cleric--as primarily a solo or duo character.

Level 10 and 11

You've made it to level 10. It really shouldn't have been a difficult journey given how well clerics hold up in battle. But now it's time to focus on holding up even better. If you've been able to save some coin it's time to invest in the best armor you can afford. Fortunately, armor for your level should be fairly plentiful and cheap. Hit the broker, or get with crafters who can whip you up some decent plate for now.

All in all, the solo cleric receives no ground breaking spells at level 10 (although you do get your class-defining Resurrection spell, it's only useful on others). You'll basically use the same tactics you've used all along: buff yourself thoroughly and melee fight using your special attacks, Hand of Censure and Strike Down, and fill in with your Anathema direct damage spell when your endurance runs low. When you've lost about 1/4th of your health, cast Alleviate, a heal over time (HoT) spell which will heal you over the course of several ticks. Keep an eye on the spell timer and replenish it as necessary. Fill in with Healing Touch if you have to. When you're in a tough fight that's going to consume energy for healing, renew some of your energy supply with Replenishing Strike, using it as soon as it's recharged and as your endurance permits.

You receive a complete heal spell, Rejuvenate, at level 10. As a solo cleric I rarely find myself using this spell since the cast time is long and the chance for interruption is greater. It also consumes more energy than Alleviate. If Alleviate will cut it, and you can fill in as needed with Healing Touch, there's really no reason to use Rejuvenate outside of a group situation.

Special Tactics

In for a tough fight? Ward Shield will protect you from two incoming attacks. Although the spell has a long recharge timer, sometimes completely fending off two blows from a strong opponent can mean the difference between life and death. And if you're in a real bind, Divine Barrier encases you in a protective barrier so that nothing can harm you for 18 seconds. While you're protected, you won't be able to fight or cast spells...but that 18 seconds can buy you time to think plus a few ticks of health and energy regeneration. Use it as your panic button.

Level 12 - 14

At level 12 you'll receive some useful spells and abilities:

• Divine Light is an instant heal with a long recharge timer. While you won't make it a healing staple, it's very useful for a quick hit point boost in a pinch.
• Divine Chains roots your enemy in place, a handy spell for mobs that want to run off into enemy-infested territory. Unfortunately, I've found it gets resisted often.
• Smiting Blow I gives you another melee special attack at your disposal. This powerhouse deals 200% weapon damage and lowers a mob's spiritual resistance by 50% and damage by 10% for 30 seconds. Use it early and whenever it recharges.
• Aegis of Blades sounds like a damage shield but it's actually a point-blank area of effect (AoE) damage over time (DoT) spell, meaning that when it's active the mobs within your range will suffer damage over time. This spell has a fairly high energy cost, so use it only when you need it or have energy to burn. I find it's only really efficient when fighting multiple mobs.

At level 14 you'll receive Pacify, a lull spell that will (in theory) keep opponents from aggroing you while you drag their buddies away, beat them up, and take away their lunch money. Be warned that Pacify is resisted fairly often. It also isn't effective once you have aggro--it won't stop a mob in its tracks if it's already attacking you, or if you've already harassed one of its nearby friends. Use Pacify, but be prepared for resists.

Level 15 - 20

At level 16 you'll get an upgrade to Hand of Censure, your melee staple, plus a new melee ability, Maul of Divinity. Maul of Divinity does 75% weapon damage plus 32-39, but it increases your damage output (or your group's) by 12 for 20 seconds. Use it early in a fight and keep it sustained if the fight runs long so that you'll have that extra damage boost. As a solo cleric, your aim is to maximize your damage per second (DPS), and Maul of Divinity is one such spell to help you achieve that.

Aside from the group spell, Hero's Call (which summons a group-mate from a dungeon's entrance down to where your group is fighting), levels 18 and 20 bring mostly upgrades to existing spells.

The Keys to Soloing

If you're planning to solo, the key is to make the most of your DPS. In these levels, doing that is a matter of rotating through your attacks and managing your endurance. If you won't require a lot of mana for healing, don't be shy about using Anathema to add a little direct damage into the mix. The faster you kill, the less you need to heal. (The faster you kill...the faster you gain experience, too.) Use your Castigator's Fury stance to boost your melee damage.

Armor and weapons become more important as you head into your teens and beyond. Fortunately, there are armor quest lines (such as the URT quests in Thestra) that will net you both experience and decent armor you won't have to spend your hard-earned coin on. But if you're going to spend money on anything, do try to invest in a good weapon with high DPS.

When it comes to investing your attribute points, your choices are myriad. I chose to keep my cleric balanced so that she would still be a valuable asset in a group, but I put a little more emphasis on melee than healing stats. I focused heavily on Strength (for higher melee damage output), but channeled points fairly evenly into Wisdom (for a bigger energy pool) and Vitality (for better healing capabilities and faster energy regen). You may also want to funnel some points into Dexterity to increase your critical hit chances, but I chose to enhance that stat primarily with buffs and items. Once again, there are many ways to play it. Your mileage will also vary depending on which race you've chosen.

It's also time to head out and choose your affinity. Take a look at our Guide to Affinities for help deciding what your cleric will be when he grows up.

If you've made it to level 20, you've surely discovered that the Cleric is a fun class to play. What's not to like about being able to wade in and melee plus buff and heal yourself? Clerics are certainly not invincible--in fact if they have an Achilles Heel it's likely over confidence--but a well-played Cleric shouldn't have to make many trips to fetch a tombstone. Get out there and experiment and enjoy yourself!

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• For more information on Clerics see our Cleric Creation Guide
• To discuss the Cleric class, check out our Cleric Forum