Dark and Darker: Cleric Guide

The Cleric in Dark and Darker is a crucial support class that excels at healing, buffing, and providing utility for your party. Despite its support role, the Cleric is not to be underestimated in combat. With the right build and strategy, you can make a significant impact both in terms of support and damage dealing. Here's a comprehensive guide to mastering the Cleric class.

Cleric - Class Overview

The Cleric is essential for tackling challenging content in Dark and Darker. It offers a mix of healing, damage, and buffs, making it a valuable asset in any party.

Strengths:

Provides crucial heals and buffs.

Equipped to handle combat with plate armor and blunt weapons.

Effective against Undead foes.

Weaknesses:

Often targeted first in fights.

Most effective in team compositions; less effective solo.

Cleric Perks and Abilities

Starter Perks and Abilities:

Level 0 Perk:

Advanced Healer: Improves your healing ability, which is crucial for support roles.

Abilities:

Spell Memory: Allows access to spells.

JJudgment Effective for clearing mobs and targeting enemies.

Solo Play Viability:

The Cleric can perform well in solo scenarios, such as the Goblin Cave mode. Bring a Mace and a decent Buckler for combat, and consider using Ale from the Tavernkeep for additional buffs. The Brewmaster perk can also enhance your damage and strength.

Cleric Spells:

Tier 1 (One Cost Spells):

Protection: Blocks 20 physical damage for 20 seconds. Can be applied to yourself or an ally.

Bless: Grants +3 Strength, Agility, and Will for 30 seconds. Can be cast on yourself if alone.

Tier 2 (Two Cost Spells):

Divine Strike: Increases the target's weapon damage by +10 for 20 seconds.

Cleanse: Removes debuffs and ailments from the target.

Tier 3 (Three Cost Spells):

Bind: Stops the target in their tracks for 0.75 seconds.

Tier 4 (Four Cost Spells):

Lesser Heal: Regenerates 15 health for the target. Targets yourself if no ally is nearby.

Tier 5 (Five Cost Spells):

Holy Light: Heals for 30hp if targeting an ally, or deals 100 damage to an Undead.

Tier 8 (Eight Cost Spells):

Resurrection: Revives an ally from death if their Soul Heart is present.

Starter Spell Set:

For a level 0 Cleric with 12 Knowledge points, consider the following setup:

Lesser Heal (4 points)

Protection (1 point)

Bless (1 point)

Divine Strike (2 points)

Alternatively, opt for Resurrection (8 points) and Lesser Heal (4 points) if you anticipate needing high-level utility.

Starter Cleric Build

Level 0 Cleric Build:

Perk: Advanced Healer

Abilities: Spell Memory, Judgement

Gear: Focus on items that enhance healing and spell effectiveness.

Max Level Cleric Build

At level 15, you can select four perks and utilize a broader range of spells. Here's an optimized build:

Best Perks:

Advanced Healer: Boosts base healing by 5.

Kindness: Heals yourself by 15% of the healing dealt to others.

Protection From Evil: Reduces debuff duration by 20%.

Perseverance: Reduces all incoming damage by 3.

Alternative Perks for Solo Play:

Undead Slaying: Increases damage against Undead enemies.

Blunt Weapon Mastery: Enhances damage with blunt weapons like maces.

Best Gear for Cleric

Gear Recommendations:

Knowledge Gear: Essential for expanding your spell pool and increasing casting options. Aim for high Knowledge gear to excel in challenging runs.

Stat Gear: Choose equipment that boosts all attributes to enhance overall performance.

Spell Book: Preferable for faster spell casting compared to a Staff. Light armor can be beneficial for mobility.

Weapons:

Mace: Effective for dealing damage, particularly against Undead.

Buckler Shield: Provides additional protection and complements your Spell Book.

Additional Gear Tips:

Heavy Armor: For more protection if you're frequently targeted.

Light Armor: If speed and mobility are more critical.

Gameplay Tips for Cleric

Damage and Support: Don't underestimate your damage potential. Use your buffs and weapon damage to contribute significantly in battles.

Resurrection: Utilize this ability strategically to revive fallen teammates and potentially turn the tide of battle.

Positioning: Stay positioned to provide heals and buffs while avoiding direct confrontation. Your role is critical in maintaining party health.

Buffs: Focus on buffing frontline members like Fighters and Barbarians for maximum impact.

Communication: Inform your team about your buffs and remaining hheelsto to coordinate effectively.

Experiment: Try different weapons, armor, and builds to find what suits your playstyle best. For instance, a Brewmaster Cleric can be highly effective with constant buffs.

Conclusion

The Cleric is a versatile and essential class in Dark and Darker, providing critical healing, buffs, and support to your party. By focusing on the right perks, spells, and gear, you can excel in both support and combat roles. Equip yourself properly, manage your healing resources, and utilize your spells and abilities strategically to become a key asset in any adventure.

For more powerful gear and items, consider acquiring Dark and Darker Gold to enhance your gameplay experience!