Melee cleric?

[sirnamed]

Hm, well seeing this is quite sad. I've never in my 20 yrs of D&D rolled a cleric that doesn't step into the thick of it. Thats why they get heavy armor >.>. Granted my clerics have always been more of a tank than most but still. To not have the ability at ALL is a colossal turn off. Like I am literally heartbroken to hear this. My favorite class in all MMO history was the Warrior Priest of WAR and my "Storm Shaman" build in Rift. Both 2h hammer users. Great support and decent heals. I was hoping to actually get to build something like my last cleric which was extremely hammer and shield oriented. Its sad to see that the cleric has been "priestified". Tbh it makes me immediately regret spending the money I did to buy the game <.<. Oh well, live and learn I guess.

And you may yet get to roll your beloved Battle Cleric or Warpriest. The game hasn't even passed through beta yet! Caster clerics have been a fixture in D&D, too, and it makes more sense for release, satisfying the tank, striker, healer roles. The cleric has not been "priestified" at all, no more than the fighter has been "tankified" for that particular build being made available first.
Your despair is well and truly premature.

Regardless, the game is not up for purchase, so you haven't bought it. No one can. What you bought was an optional pack of digital goodies.

[harekaze]

When I think DnD cleric, I think of a dwarf wielding a mace and shield, smashing skeletons to pieces. Not a dwarf holding up a symbol that lets him shoot javelins of light lol.

[lordthrud]

I absolutely agree.

Its true that there is room for a caster cleric and I do see the logic of their choice but for me I was that classic dwarf cleric with the mace and shield for nearly a decade on and off.

When I saw the cleric vid I was a little choked to be honest. Maybe it will grow on me once I get to play who knows.

If I had the option to drop that laughably humongous over the top holy symbol at the cost to casting abilities and get in there and mix it up a bit when needed then I would feel a little warmer to the devs choice.

But hey ho I am sure that good points will out way any minor moans I have.

Wont they?


"Elf needs food badly"
"Don't drink the potion"
"Warriors about to die"

[lordryex]

If I remember right the only difference between the DD Paladin and the Cleric was that the Cleric has higher end Heal spells. The rest of the armor and weapon limitations are the same (havent read the new D and D edition rules) as well as the basic spells (Lay on hands, heal, Turn Undead, etc).

One thing that really makes them different though is that Paladin can only be Lawful Good while Cleric can choose all. I hope this gets implemented too with effects.

[kimonagi]

It has nothing to do with past or current editions of D&D. Yes the Devoted Cleric suggested build in 4E recommands that they choose only ranged powers but they still use a blunt weapon for a stat stick.

I feel this as alot more to do with the devs deciding that if the weapon as no use in combat then they shouldnt have one. It would be fairly easy to let them equip a blunt weapon in one hand and the holy symbol as off hand and divide the stats between the two.

[kerlaa]

1 h mace + heavy shield, please.

Oh yes please or even 1h hammer +hvy Shield.

I mean this IS a melee Priest an there is nothing better.

[kimonagi]

They dont use shields in 4th edition because they already have their equipped weapon and need the other hand to use their implement (holy symbol).

Armor Proficiencies: Cloth, leather, hide, chainmail
Weapon Proficiencies: Simple melee, simple ranged
Implement: Holy symbol

[quorforged]

They dont use shields in 4th edition because they already have their equipped weapon and need the other hand to use their implement (holy symbol).

Armor Proficiencies: Cloth, leather, hide, chainmail
Weapon Proficiencies: Simple melee, simple ranged
Implement: Holy symbol

Unlike other implements, holy symbols only need to be worn. They can be held, but don't need to be.

Clerics don't start with shield proficiency, but can take it with a feat pretty easily.

[kimonagi]

Unlike other implements, holy symbols only need to be worn. They can be held, but don't need to be.

Clerics don't start with shield proficiency, but can take it with a feat pretty easily.

That is true.

[ikikikikkikki]

perhaps introduce a cleric holy sigil that is hammer shaped and you can use that to hammer foes but as magical attacks instead of melee, meaning the graphics show you hitting but the damage is holy/sun damage as melee range.

This could also make the cleric class to have different specialization trees as other uses a hammer sigil and the other a normal sigil (the holy cross the cleric is having at his hand).

If you go more to the hammer direction your character looses some of the ranged abilities and the other way around.