Going Toe to Toe as a Cleric
 

I'm still in the early levels as a cleric at level 12. Mobs aren't hitting too hard, there are no double attacks coming my way. I'm wondering how long I can continue to melee mobs as a cleric. At what level does the damage and my lack of mitigation start to become a big problem?

I'm guessing once I hit the 20s my idea of meleeing mobs while throwing spells begins to become more of a problem.

I leveled my cleric on Blue as a "battle cleric" up to 42 or so. Here's some of my experience/feedback doing so:

Meleeing high-greens for experience is much easier than any type of blue-con after you hit lvl 25-30

Your mana regen sucks when standing up and duking it out-- thus, plan on a "burst then rest" type of playstyle. I'd usually solo 2-3 mobs and then need to sit down and let my mana regen

If you can find undead to solo, your mana goes a lot further (to supplement your melee)

I liked to use a big 2-hander (2HB) - this makes it easier to "joust" if needed

**All this said, ten times out of ten its usually better to find a duo or group. Hah. Have fun!

I have a fungi- and SCH-wearing, velium crystal staff-wielding, battle cleric, and leveling him has actually been pretty fun.

But what I found was that, somewhere in your 20s (Tower of Frozen Shadow time), you stop being a "meleeing cleric who nukes to burn off otherwise wasted mana" and become a "cleric who tanks to survive long enough to get his nukes off (and maybe once ina blue moon lands a proc)".

In other words, you stop feeling like a Paladin and start feeling more like a Wizard or Druid.

Thanks for the tips! I'm enjoying this play style since I don't have a lot of time to hunt for groups right now.

I recently spent some time as a solo cleric. It quickly turns into an armored wizard selectively hunting undead. It's not nearly as fun or efficient as grabbing a partner and being a proper cleric who tosses nukes from time to time.

When I logged in I'd do so in an area with undead but would keep my eye open for any level appropriate melee/tank or pet class. Duo was almost always faster than solo (exception being 44-48/49 specs in feerrott). When duo, a level appropriate mage with highest fire pet was always best. Buff/heal that pet and let the DS do the hard work.