Clerics-Defense-Vol.1

The path of the cleric is truly amazing and requires exceptional dedication and knowledge of the profession. Many have perished due to their inability to understand and properly utilize the divinations given to them by Gods. A series of primers will teach the unwary a few tricks. A lot of this will be obvious to many, but a few uninducted may find this truly helpful, and at times life saving.

The first tome in this series will concentrate on cleric's truly amazing DEFENSIVE capacities. The writing will consist of a few tips (never intended to be exhaustive) that will help a young cleric on his or her path to reaching the title of the Will of Gods.

CLERICS - DEFENSE - VOLUME 1

Keep in mind, that clerics are truly defensive. Thus, they must know how to use their defenses to their advantage. I would recommend running from many (but not all) battles until you reach the highest title in your guild Then you can truly explore your full potential. This primer examines clerics' protective divinations in some detail:

1. The divinations of armor. "Armor," "Shield," "Stone Skin" are your friends. Combined with swiftness of your legs and a few pieces of reliable equipment, you will become very difficult to hit and will escape battle before it is too late. These divinations are very inexpensive on your mind and should be kept up at all times.

2. Protective shield: to do or not to do? "Protective shield" can be quite expensive and taxing, particularly in lower ranks. Unless you are fighting a creature that you know will bash or you have a particularly nasty being after you, "protective shield" needs not to be divined. In higher ranks, when "protective shield" lasts for hours, it is absolutely a must.

3. Protection and sanctuary. "Protection" must be kept on at all times. It is cheap to divine and lasts a long time. "Sanctuary," in lower ranks must be used on the same principles as protective shield: when you are taking blows, when someone is after you, or when you sense danger. In higher ranks, when "sanctuary" lasts for hours and costs only a small portion of your total mental energy, it is a absolutely a must.

4. Spell turning. "Spell turning" is by far the greatest ability given by Gods to clerics. It allows to turn a spell away from the cleric and onto the caster/communer. It will protect you from shamans and mages and will make it virtually impossible (emphasis on virtually) to land maledictions upon you. The divination is expensive and will not last a while. You must use it situationally. However, keep in mind that if you have sanctuary, protective shield, and spell turning, you can sleep safely in the middle of the city, fearing little of what will hurt you.

5. Calm. "Calm" is worth mastering. It will save you from many aggressive creatures and will stop a fight immediately (unless the creature resists it). Master it. But most importantly, do not forget you have it in your arsenal.

6. Isolate. "Isolate" is perfect protection against necromancers first, rangers second, and dark-knights third. Flee, come back, commune isolation to split their creatures from the master and word back to your hometown. It will take them a while to gather their resources to attack you again.

7. Word of recall. "Word of recall" should be mastered. It will save your life when it works and it will kill you when you lose your concentration. Flee first. Word later. I cannot emphasize it enough. Flee first, word later.

8. Portal. A. Find a place that no one knows and that is far from major cities. I would recommend some place that requires the opening of many doors, a place near another place from which you cannot be summoned, a place away from your recall location. B. Set a marker. C. Remember that portal works even though you are cursed. D. Master it. If I were to pick which one to master between word and portal, portal would be my choice.

9. Pass door. Use "pass door" defensively in places with many closed or locked doors. That way you can flee without having to open them.

10. BIGGEST DEFENSIVE WEAKNESS. Unfortunately, and for a good reason, clerics cannot make themselves fly. Thus, trip becomes the biggest defensive weakness of clerics. If you have protective shield on, you will not get bashed or grappled or bodyslamed. But you will still get tripped.

(to be continued in Vol 2)