Ten Ton Hammer - Taking MMO Gamers to the Next Level!

Ten Ton Hammer: As you said, a Cleric’s primary role in the group is team healer, but occasionally they might be called to assist in other aspects of group support such as buffing, debuffing, and damage.  Are these things that the Cleric will be able to do and can you give us examples of the abilities that they will have in order to accomplish off-focus group assistance?

Lani: Clerics primarily heal, true. As subclasses of the Priest, they give a 10% to health from Blessing of Health and a 10% increase to physical defense from Blessing of Rock. At level 25, Clerics can use Winged Blessing to boost Strength, Will, and flight speed. Also at level 25, Summer Circle increases fire defense and earth defense, or Winter Circle increases water defense or wind defense.

Dispelling is also an important role, and the prosaic Dispel skill clears any abnormal physical conditions of one single target within range, while the Cure Mind skill similarly clears abnormal mental conditions.

Clerics have numerous ranged attack skills, some that also deal additional damage over time component. Their damage is steady and not as fierce as, say, a Sorcerer, but will certain help take down monsters when they are called upon to do so.

Ten Ton Hammer: What sort of weapons and gear does a Cleric wear? Will the Cleric have an advantage over using a staff rather than a mace and shield combo?

Lani: Cleric’s can equip cloth, leather, and chain armor. They have the second highest defense stats after the Warrior class. We’ve seen players equip cloth or chain during group play and plate armor for solo play. Wearing cloth will boost a player’s MP, but it has a much lower defense compared to plate armor. Overall, the Cleric has very few skills that strengthen defenses and their duration is short, so it’s important to know what and when to wear the right armor. Also, it’s vital to keep your character buffed at all times. Clerics get some nice buffs as a Priest subclass. Use them! Don’t leave a 10% bonus to health on the floor by not buffing Blessing of Health.

As for weapons, the safe route is to equip a mace and a shield, although the staff has a higher magic-boosting power than a mace. I would recommend using the staff for long-range magic attacks or when you are in a group and the mace for close-combat melee/when you are soloing.

Ten Ton Hammer: As a Cleric, will a player want to hang back and deal in mostly spell damage and heals or will he want to stay in the action with melee as well?

Lani: If a Cleric is in a group, it will want to hang back, clearing conditions and healing, and throwing in some ranged skills. While soloing, a lot of the same strategies that one would use as a Sorcerer apply. Stay as far back as you can as long as you can, use Restraint to immobilize an opponent and then attack from range, remove negative conditions on your character as quickly as possible, and use your attacks that have a damage over time component to wear away at enemies. In addition, frequently use your healing skills to keep yourself healthy and able to continue casting skills.

Ten Ton Hammer: Will the Cleric be able to resurrect? If so, is this a high level skill? Will they be able to resurrect only one player at a time and will they be able to resurrect themselves?

Lani: Yes, Clerics can resurrect. They can resurrect themselves at level 22, resurrect one targeted player in your group at level 37, and resurrect all dead group members in range at level 40.

Ten Ton Hammer: Are resurrection spells usable while the Cleric is in combat, on the move, or in flight?

Lani: Resurrection spells are like any other spell - they can be used while the player is in combat or in flight, so long as the character isn’t moving, as that would interrupt their skill use; they can also be disrupted by an attack. Standing still while being attacked, or hovering while in flight are totally acceptable times for clerics to use their resurrection skill.

Ten Ton Hammer: With the use of potions and Stigmas by other classes, will the Cleric still find a place in casual groups and be needed? What is the advantage of bringing along a healer rather than relying on potions?

Lani: Clerics are always useful. Groups with a Cleric in them can dare more, cause more damage, and clear more monsters. A Cleric on the team makes any group able to clear an area more quickly and safely. Clerics don’t have a long cooldown time like potions do. Clerics can heal during combat extensively. Clerics can buff you, debuff your conditions, and heal. Clerics don’t cost you extra money from a vendor nor take up your inventory space. And Clerics make good company. Can you converse with your potion to try to figure out a quest, to strategize for a group encounter, or to help you quickly when an enemy Assassin tries to clean your clock? Thought not.