Level 1 Cleric Spells

by Moros

With so many cleric spells to choose from, it's hard to know which ones to use. There will be spells that you will always carry, some you load occasionally, and some worthless ones you probably will never use. This of course, is totally dependent on how YOU play your Cleric. So, here is a no-holds-barred look at the level 1 spells that keep your group healthy and alive. These will be rated on a scale of 1-5, or what we will call the Moros rating. Hey, after all it's my guide! With 5 being highest, a 1 means they stink up the dungeon!

Some of the best spells you will ever use are the “buffing” spells. These are very important, especially at lower levels when characters have no good items. With the Extend feat, the buffs are invaluable for the entire party. Then we move on to the damage causing spells. If you plan on being a Battle Cleric, you will definitely want these loaded. Personally, I think they should be moved to the nearest recycle bin. Take my word for it, it's hard to heal or hand out Divine Vitality when you're running around yelling, “HELP, can someone get this guy off of me!” One of the best things about being a Cleric, is that you can load any spell available at the nearest shrine or your local Tavern.

Bless Cast Time: Short Components: Somatic, Verbal, Divine Focus Cooldown: 2 seconds Duration: 1 minute per level Range: Medium Save: N/A Target: Friend, self, positional Effect: All players in the area of effect gain +1 morale bonus to attacks and fear saves. Notes: This buff is awesome at all levels but especially at lower levels when party members are using their masterwork junk with no bonuses. Moros rating: 5

Remove Fear Cast Time: Short Components: Somatic, Verbal Cooldown: 2 seconds Duration: 10 minutes Range: Medium, Large AoE Save: N/A School: Abjuration Target: Friend, Self, Positional Effect: Removes doom and fear effects, and gives a +4 bonus to saves against fear to all players in the area of effect. Notes: Even in lower level dungeons, running them on elite makes the enemy casters pretty powerful. Fear is one of their favorites to cast. This not only is a good buff to have, but it is invaluable when everyone in your party can't attack because they are feared. Always keep this spell loaded; the only class that will not benefit from it is the paladin. Moros rating: 4

Protection from Evil Cast Time: Short Components: Somatic, Verbal, Material, Divine Focus Cooldown: 2 seconds Duration: 1 minute per level Range: Short Save: N/A School: Abjuration Target: Friend, Self Effect: Target gains +2 deflection bonus to AC, +2 resistance bonus to saves vs. evil creatures, and is immune to controls and compulsions. Notes: Protection from Evil is a favorite to use, especially when there are no paladins in around. This great spell gives a +2 enhancement to your ac, as well as a +2 to saving throws vs. attacks from your not-so-friendly neighborhood evil creature. Don't try and cast this one from a distance, boys and girls. You need to be up close and personal to cast this spell. Moros rating: 5

Shield of Faith Cast Time: Short Components: Somatic, Verbal, Material Cooldown: 2 seconds Duration: 1 minute per level Range: Medium Save: N/A School: Abjuration Target: Friend, Self Effect: Target receives a +2 deflection bonus to AC. This bonus increases by 1 for every 6 caster levels. Notes: Shield of faith is not a mass spell, but it is still good to use. I prefer Protection from Evil, but at higher levels this can be very handy. As players get better resistance items, a bonus to ac is always handy. At level 12 you will give a +4 with this buff. Moros rating: 3.5

Divine Favor Cast Time: Short Components: Verbal, Somatic, Divine Focus Cooldown: 2 seconds Duration: 1 minute Range: N/A Save: N/A School: Evocation Target: Self Effect: Caster gains +1 luck bonus to attack and damage rolls, with an additional +1 for every three caster levels Notes:  Divine Favor is the last of our level 1 buffs. Unfortunately, unless your going to be on the front lines swinging your sword instead of your wand, this one is just ok. Use this on solo missions. Moros rating: 2

Nimbus of Light Cast Time: Short Components: Verbal, Somatic, Focus Cooldown: 3 seconds Range: Long School: Evocation Target: Enemy Effect: Causes 1d8 +1 per level damage to the target Notes: This is one of the spells that will get you some unwanted attention. So, don't waste your spell points with this spell. By the time you can spare the spell points, it won't do crap for damage. Moros rating: 1 (Good thing there is not a zero on this scale)

Summon Monster I Cast Time: Long Components: Somatic, Verbal, Material Cooldown: 60 seconds Duration: 1 minute per level Range: Medium Save: N/A School: Conjuration Target: Ground Effect: Effect: Summons a Celestial Dog to fight for the caster. It locks out any other summon monster spell for 1 minute. Notes: The dog spends more time running around chasing the nearest target than it does actually causing any real damage. Summon Monster 5 and 6 are ok, but this one is a huge waste of spell points. Moros rating: 1

Doom Cast Time: Short Components: Verbal, Somatic, Divine Focus Cooldown: 2 seconds Duration: 1 minute per level Range: Medium Save: Will save negates School: Necromancy Target: Enemy Effect: Target has -2 to attacks, skills, and saves. Notes: Unfortunately this spell is useless on creatures with 6 or more hit dice (BOO!). Judgment call on this one folks. If you can spare the points, go for it. But I leave this one out of the shortcut bar! Moros rating: 1.5

Cause Fear Cast Time: Short Components: Somatic, Verbal Cooldown: 2 seconds Duration: 20 seconds Range: Medium Save: Will save negates School: Necromancy Target: Enemy Effect: Causes a low level enemy to flee, if able, or cower if or cornered if unable to get away. Mindless creatures and mid to high level creatures are immune. Notes: Cause Fear is a fun one. Cast this one and watch your enemies run around like chickens with their heads chopped off. This is a good spell to have in a wand, but not a whole lot of help otherwise. Great when it works, but more often than not, enemies make their saving throw and you've only managed to waste even more of your spell points. You should cast this one only if Bane was cast successfully. Moros rating: 3

Bane Cast Time: Short Components: Somatic, Verbal, Divine Focus Cooldown: 2 seconds Duration: 1 minute per level Range: Medium, Medium AoE Save: Will save negates School: Enchantment Target: Enemy, Positional Effect: All enemies in the area of effect must save, or take -1 to hit and -1 to fear saves. Cancels Bless spells. Notes: So, Bane away and then give them the ol' Cause Fear. If it is successful, you'll stand a much better chance them failing their saving throw against fear. Moros rating: 1.5

Obscuring Mist Cast Time: Short Components: Somatic, Verbal Cooldown: 2 seconds Duration: 1 minute / level Range: Short Save: None School: Conjuration Target: Ground Effect: Creates a dark globe that obscures vision, and gives concealment bonuses to characters within it (thus giving a 20% “miss” chance to melee, and 50% miss chance for range/spells) Notes: Be careful: this one can be burned away with any burning area of effect spell, such as Fireball or Firewall. With the Wiz/Sorc spell Solid Fog, this one is kind of out-dated. And since fire spells are very popular, odds are it will be burned away before you can take advantage of it. Moros rating: 2.5

Command Cast Time: Short Components: Verbal Cooldown: 2 seconds Duration: 6 seconds Range: Medium Save: Will save negates School: Enchantment Target: Enemy Effect: Enemy falls to the ground, as if tripped, cannot fight, and is easier to hit. Mindless, multi-legged, and legless creatures seem to be immune to this effect. Notes: Command is an awesome spell to use. If your foes don't make their saving throws, they fall helplessly to the ground and lie prone. This is always good when you just cast Nimbus of Light on one and it's chasing you around.  But, Command also helps the group when you are greatly outnumbered. Be careful casting this spell. It does not always work and chews up your spell points quicker than you think. Keep this one loaded just in case you get jumped from behind. Moros rating: 3.5