Starting a Cleric

Overview
Clerics are able to fulfill all four of the MMORPG archetypes:
 * Healing - Clerics are considered the primary healing class of DDO. While Favored Souls have the ability to be played as a primary healers, they are limited in spells selections, clerics on the other hand have all spells available to them as they level.
 * DPS - Clerics are middle-of the road for DPS. Fighters and their sub-classes will be better melee fighters, and arcane casters can do more damage with offensive spells.  But, clerics are able to do both melee and offensive casting effectively.
 * Crowd Control - Clerics are probably one of the weakest of the CC classes in DDO, but given that there are only five classes of the eleven in DDO that can do CC, they are still very effective in this role.
 * Damage Mitigation / Support - Clerics receive many spells that can mitigate damage and provide some bonuses to skills and abilities. Some examples include Resist Energy, Protection from Energy, Protection from Evil, Recitation, and Prayer.

Types of Clerics
There are 2 common build types:


 * Battle Cleric - Has sacrificed offensive casting ability in order to be more effective in melee combat. This build is very solo friendly.
 * Healbot - Perhaps not the most complimentary of names, but used here as it is in common use on the DDO forums. This build emphasizes healing and support, sacrificing melee abilities. Nannybot is another common name for this build.

In addition to the two common types, there are three types of builds that use "Cleric" as their primary class, but have sacrificed a significant portion of their ability to fulfill a cleric's typical primary role (healer) in order to specialize into a different role.
 * Null-Cleric - Focuses on the "Inflict" and other necromancy line of spells, often to the point of not using any Spell Points for cure spells.  They are often similar to standard cleric builds, and can heal effectively, but with limited mana resources they focus on the offensive spells almost exclusively
 * Battle Cleric - They have sacrificed a significant percentage of their healing and offensive casting abilities in order to increase their melee skills, usually taking several levels of fighter classes.
 * Offensive Caster - Has sacrificed melee skills in order to increase offensive casting ability. High level spells such as Implosion and Energy Drain improves the cleric's offensive casting role. Often "Healbot" build clerics can change to an offensive caster at later levels through enhancement changes and feat exchanges without sacrificing too much of their healing abilities.

Race
Since there is no race that gets a bonus to Wisdom, there is little to differentiate one race form the others
 * Drow:
 * Pros:
 * Spell-Resistance to non-damaging spells.
 * +2 DEX for helping weak Cleric Reflex saves
 * +2 INT for one more skill point per level
 * +2 CHA for more Turn Undead uses
 * Cons
 * -2 CON means less Hit Points usually
 * Dwarf:
 * Pros:
 * Additional spell points through racial enhancements
 * +2 CON for more Hit Points
 * Racial HP enhancements (up to +50 for all 4 levels)
 * Cons:
 * -2 CHA means one less Turn Undead use
 * Elf:
 * Pros:
 * +2 DEX for helping weak Cleric Reflex saves
 * The level 6 enhancement Undying Call. This ability act as a True Resurrection on Elves (not Drow) and Raise Dead for others. Those spells are otherwise reachable at level 9 (Raise Dead) and level 17 (True Resurection)
 * Automatic proficiency in Longsword and Rapier
 * Cons:
 * -2 CON means less Hit Points usually
 * Half-Elf:
 * Pros:
 * Interesting Dilettante feat options with Barbarian for extra Hit Points and Con, Monk for extra Healing Amplification, Paladin for better saves, or Ranger if you want to go Arcane Archer
 * Human Versatility adds to To Hit, Damage, Saves, AC or Skills for 20 seconds per use.
 * Can take 1 extra Wisdom point as an enhancement
 * Cons:
 * Halfling:
 * Pros:
 * +2 DEX for helping weak Cleric Reflex saves
 * +1 AC
 * +1 To Hit
 * +1 base general bonus to saving throws, more available via enhancements
 * Dragonmark to allow healing without using spellpoints and up to +3 Heal skill.
 * Cons:
 * -2 STR
 * 3/4 the carrying capacity of a character with similar STR.
 * Human:
 * Pros:
 * Bonus feat at 1st level
 * +4 skill points for 1st level and +1 per level afterwards.
 * Can take 1 extra Wisdom point as an enhancement
 * Human Versatility adds to To Hit, Damage, Saves, AC or Skills for 20 seconds per use.
 * Cons:
 * Warforged:
 * Pros:
 * Immunity to some spells and spell effects
 * +2 CON for more Hit Points
 * Faith-based weapon (Lord of Blades) is greatsword for Warpriest builds.
 * Cons:
 * -2 WIS, Cleric's primary stat
 * -2 CHA, means one less Turn Undead use
 * Healing spells cast on self only heal for 1/2 normal (80% with racial enhancements)

Typically most builds are Human or Dwarf with Halfling being a common third choice. Drow and Elves have little to recommend for them or against them. Warforged clerics are rare unless melee or battle clerics.

Race / Build

 * Generalist build - Typically either Human (for the extra feat and skills) or Dwarf (for the extra spellpoints), with Halfling a somewhat common choice as well.
 * Offensive Caster build - Typically Dwarf (for the extra spellpoints) or Human (for the extra feat and extra wisdom)
 * Battle Cleric Build - Typically Human (for the extra feat) or Dwarf (for the martial enhancements dwarves get), with Warforged occasionally being used. Warforged Warpriest has synergy with greatsword faith weapons (including some nice named greatswords), melee racial enhancements, and the ability to reduce healing penalty to 20% while maintaining full repair value.
 * Healbot Build - Often Human (for the extra feat and skills) or Halfling (for the dragonmark enhancement) with Dwarf being very common as well.

Stats

 * Strength - Useful for the Generalist or Melee build, often the 2nd or 3rd highest stat on these builds. Rarely needed for the Caster or Healbot builds, usually set only high enough to prevent becoming burdened with encumbrance
 * Dexterity - Rarely raised on creation for any Cleric build. Typically if raised at all, set to a 9 so that a +3 item will give the cleric enough dexterity to fill out the dexterity bonus on a suit of Full plate.  It is worth noting that Reflex saves are the Achilles Heel of the Cleric class, similar to the way that Will saves are for Fighters.  Getting the highest Dexterity possible after creation helps to mitigate that effect.  Remember: the Dexterity bonus to Reflex saves is not limited by Full Plate armor, as the Armor Class bonus is.
 * Constitution - Useful for all characters, classes, and builds. Typically the 2nd or 3rd highest stat on all builds.
 * Intelligence - Rarely raised on creation for any Cleric build. If raised at all, typically only done to a 9 so that the player can use a +1 tome to get a 10 for skill points.
 * Wisdom - Primary stat for a cleric. The Caster and Healbot builds will typically max this stat out.  The generalist and melee builds will usually stop 1 or 2 points short of maxed in order to have more points available for other stats.
 * Charisma - Primarily only useful to the Healbot build, who will use this stat to increase the number of Turn Undead uses they get. These uses are then turned into Divine Vitality, Divine Healing, Divine Cleansing, or other uses via enhancements.  Also helps with the Haggle skill, a traditional Cleric weak spot; useful given that a common complaint among Clerics is poverty.

Feats
The following feats might be considered:


 * Empower Healing Spell - Taken by most clerics.
 * Empower Spell - Typically only taken by Offensive Casters, but may also be seen on some Generalist builds
 * Enlarge - Not a common feat, but may be useful for Offensive Casters, some Healbots, or solo players.
 * Extend Spell - Taken by virtually all clerics at low level, its usefulness declines in later levels
 * Extra Turning - Taken by some Healbots for more Turn Undead and Divine Vitality uses
 * Improved Critical - May be taken by some Generalist or Melee builds.
 * Improved Mental Toughness - Can be taken by all clerics for extra spell points
 * Maximize Spell - Typically only taken by Offensive Casters, but not uncommon to be seen on some Healbot clerics as well.
 * Mental Toughness - Can be taken for all clerics for extra spell points
 * Martial Weapon Proficiency - Might be taken by some Generalist or Melee battle clerics, but more common is for them to take one level of fighter
 * Power Attack - May be taken by some Generalist or Melee builds.
 * Quicken - Typically taken by all builds. This feat is recommended for solo players or cleric with low concentration. Often taken at later levels.
 * Spell Focus - Used by Offensive Casters, usually Evocation focus (to bolster spells like Consume (formerly Implosion)).
 * Spell Penetration - This feat becomes more useful at later levels when most monsters gain spell resistance. This is more common for the offensive caster build.

Enhancements
The following cleric enhancements might be considered:
 * Cleric Divine Cleansing - Used by some Healbots and occasional Generalists
 * Cleric Divine Healing - Used by some Healbots
 * Cleric Divine Vitality - Used by some Healbots and Generalists.
 * Cleric Energy of the Zealot - Used by virtually all clerics
 * Extra Turning - For Healbots and some Generalists
 * Cleric Improved Empower Healing - Used by Healbots and Generalists who carry the Empower Healing feat
 * Cleric Improved Spell Penetration - Used by many offensive casters and some generalists
 * Cleric Life Magic - Used by virtually all clerics
 * Cleric Prayer of Incredible Life - Used by all Healbots and most generalists
 * Cleric Prayer of Life - Used by all Healbots and many generalists
 * Cleric Wand and Scroll Mastery - Used by most Healbots and some generalists.
 * Cleric Wisdom - Used by nearly all clerics, except the most melee focused

Racial Enhancements that are often seen on clerics include:
 * Human Adaptability - to Increase one or two stat points. Could be used by any build.
 * Halfling House Jorasco Dragonmark - to allow healing without use of spellpoints. Typically on healbots, battle clerics or solo players only.
 * Dwarven Faith - Gives additional spellpoints. Could be used by any build.
 * Dwarven martial enhancements (Armor Mastery, Axe Damage, Axe Attack, etc) - May be used by battle cleric builds

Generalist (28-Point)
 RACE:

Human

STATS:

Str 15, Dex 9, Con 14, Int 8, Wis 16, Cha 11

 FEATS:
 * Mental Toughness
 * Improved Mental Toughness
 * Empower Healing Spell
 * Empower Spell
 * Extend Spell
 * Improved Critical:Bludgeoning

 SKILLS:
 * Concentration
 * Balance

 ENHANCEMENTS:
 * Cleric Wisdom II
 * Divine Vitality II
 * Extra Turning II
 * Energy of the Zealot IV
 * Human Wisdom I
 * Improved Empower Healing II
 * Life Magic IV
 * Prayer of Life III
 * Prayer of Incredible Life II
 * Wand Mastery III

EXPLANATIONS

Human for the extra skill and feat.

A 15 STR will allow you to get up into the low to mid 20's with good gear, allowing you to hit most things you swing at and do some damage.

A 16 WIS will allow you to hit a wisdom of 30 with level raises, enhancements, and good gear.

A 14 CON will let you get your HPs up over 200.

9 DEX to fill out full plate armor, 8 INT since not needed, and a 11 CHA for some Turn Undead uses.

The feats are spread between Healing (Empower Healing Spell), Offensive Casting (Empower Spell), Support (Extend Spell), and Melee (Improved Critical).

The enhancements are mostly focused towards Healing and Support.

A variant of this is to start with Str 16, Dex 8, Con 14, Int 8, Wis 16, Cha 10. The difference is 1 less use of divine vitality and one less point in dex (which you can cover easily anyway with a +4 Dex item to fill up your full plate) in favor of a +1 to your strength. Also in enhancements you could dump energy of zealot IV in favor of cleric wisdom III and improved empower healing III. This would give slightly less mana but a little better mana usage on the front of healing and a point of Wis that may be needed to raise you total wisdom modifier one point higher (the effectiveness of this depends on the equipment you have available).

Healbot (28-Point)
 RACE:

Human

STATS:

STR 10, DEX 8, CON 14, INT 8, WIS 18, CHA 12

 FEATS:
 * Mental Toughness
 * Improved Mental Toughness
 * Quicken
 * Empower Healing Spell
 * Extend Spell
 * Extra Turning

 SKILLS
 * Concentration
 * Balance

 ENHANCEMENTS
 * Human Wisdom I
 * Prayer of Life III
 * Prayer of Incredible Life III
 * Life Magic IV
 * Energy of the Zealot IV
 * Cleric Wisdom II
 * Divine Cleansing I to be exchanged at later levels for Faith: Basic Tenets; Follower of the Sovereign Host.
 * Divine Healing I to be exchanged at later levels for Faith: Advanced Belief; Unyielding Sovereignty.
 * Divine Vitality III
 * Extra Turning II
 * Cleric Charisma II

EXPLANATIONS

Human partially for the extra feat, and partially for the Human Wisdom.

The only real stats needed on this build is WIS for spellpoints, a little bit of CHA for Turn Undead uses, and a little bit more of CON for HPs for survivability.

The feats are all focused on getting more spell points, improving healing, extending buffs, and increasing the number of Turn Undead uses.

The enhancements do so as well. With the high charisma, extra turning feat, extra turning enhancements, and Divine Vitality enhancements, this build should be able to act as a walking mini shrine for the arcanes in the party, while having maxed out healing abilities for the fighters.

Cleaving War Priest (28-Point)
 RACE:

Human

STATS:

Str 16, Dex 10, Con 14, Int 8, Wis 16, Cha 8

 FEATS:
 * Mental Toughness
 * Power Attack
 * Cleave
 * Two Handed Fighting
 * Improved Mental Toughness
 * Toughness
 * Improved Critical:Slashing
 * Improved Two Handed Fighting
 * Greater Two Handed Fighting

With a second level of fighter, any of the following:
 * Quicken Spell
 * Empower Healing Spell
 * Extend Spell
 * Great Cleave
 * Stunning Blow

 SKILLS:
 * Concentration
 * Balance

 ENHANCEMENTS:
 * Follower of the Sovereign Host
 * Unyielding Sovereignty
 * Human Adaptability Constitution
 * Human Greater Adaptability Wisdom
 * Human Improved Recovery III
 * Human Versatility IV
 * Cleric Wisdom III
 * Cleric Energy of the Zealot IV
 * Cleric Life Magic IV
 * Fighter Critical Accuracy I
 * Fighter Toughness I
 * Racial Toughness III
 * Cleric Prayer of Life I
 * Fighter Strategy Trip I
 * Fighter Strategy Sunder I
 * Cleric Improved Spell Penetration I
 * Cleric Concentrate I

EXPLANATIONS: This build starts off at level one as a fighter for the martial weapons proficiencies and the extra feat. Optionally at level 13 another fighter level can be taken to make room for another feat such as Quicken Spell, Great Cleave, Stunning Blow, Extend Spell, or Empower Healing Spell (and for fighter strength enhancement I) but at a cost of 100 fewer spell points at level 20.

This build is focused mostly on healing and swinging a two handed weapon. It excels at low level combat allowing one to solo most quests. Although the build will eventually get every cleric spell, offensive spells are somewhat inefficient compared to the awesomeness of healing. Keep a summoned monster up for distraction and additional damage. Use buffs sparingly before tough fights as its typically more efficient to heal. Note that empower healing will OVERHEAL most characters and thus is not listed as a primary feat. Damage output of this build is expected to be fairly decent but with a thousands of health points worth of heals.

Extra stat points can be put into strength for additional damage/to-hit or into wisdom for extra spell points. Although you may want to put one point into con for additional health.

Human for Human Improved Recovery III, Human Versatility IV, the extra skill points, and the free feat.

FINAL LEVEL 20 STATS

1 ftr/19 cle:

Str 20, Dex 10, Con 16, Int 8, Wis 20, Cha 8, Health 304, Spell Points 1565

or

Str 18, Dex 10, Con 16, Int 8, Wis 22, Cha 8, Health 304, Spell Points 1593

or with 2 levels of fighter you can begin with minimum dex and pump that point into con so you end up with:

Str 22, Dex 8, Con 16, Int 8, Wis 20, Cha 8, Health 306, Spell Points 1465

Stats do not include equipment or enchantment bonuses.