Welcome to my world!
I have a level 64 cleric playing with my wife's lvl 64 lig/fire sorc.
My build:
Holy Bolt: 20
Prayer: 20
Meditation: 5 (more useful than 1 point, doubled radius and extra 100% regen)
FOTH: 20
Holy Shield: 5
I haven't maxed Holy Shield yet. I am currently wielding +3 Combat crystal sword, +2 Combat spiked shield and +1 Pally circlet. FOTH and HB are at 26. I'm still maxing Prayer. Holy Shield is at 1, but with bonuses it's at 7 and it's duration is incredible.
Incidentally, one of the prerequisites for FOTH is Conversion, which at slvl 7 has about a 28% chance to convert. Very, very useful. Slvl 7 Smite is doing wonders for me in players 8 NM.
FOTH sounds sucky, but believe me, it's great fire support in between spammed Holy Bolts. It's serving me well in players 8 NM Act 4/5.
I originally recommended a Prayer merc (since it STACKS with Meditation's inherited healing) but I take it back. I now recommend an ACT 3 COLD SORC - Glacial Spike and Ice Blast both freeze, working to save your party members while giving you a minion that stays the heck out of melee combat and therefore not needing any of your healing attention. Your Holy Bolts can be focussed on your party member's hirelings, keeping them alive as eternal tanks, while your merc freezes, you heal and fist things to death, and your party members (ie, my wife's sorc) can kill in peace with an endless pool of mana and life.
We basically NEVER die.
My wife's merc - a level 64 (they levels FANTASTICALLY in 1.10s) defiance merc from Normal Act 2, equipped with Skin of the Flayed One, Nat's helm and a Cruel Pike of 30% IAS - all found LEGIT - can basically tank anything except Diablo. He tanked Hephaesto. He tanked the Infector of Souls. Only insane damage can take him down, because I just lock onto him with Holy Bolts and spam healing.
You don't need town portals to let your merc fight. Players can walk through mercs - advance, draw out enemies, and run through your merc to place him at the battle's forefront.
Ps. I'm wearing trash shop bought eq for the most part. If only I could find a +3 Pally Circlet and Shield, or better yet, a HoZ. Level 32 FOTH.. mmmmmm :)
I don't think the synergy of Holy Shock to FOTH will be worth it. I'm maxing Prayer and putting 5 into Holy Shield first (it's all I have left to do at clvl 64), and only when I have spare points will I burn them in Holy Shock. Or maybe i'll put a few more in Conversion.
+Combat skills is the key.
The Zombie Garden in Act 5 gives insane exp. Clerics will level FAST there.
I suggest getting Prayer to about 5 points, then max Holy Bolt, put 5 in Meditation when you can, and max Fist of the Heavens. Get a point into Holy Shield and THEN turn around and max Prayer. The incidental healing isn't worth it, and Holy Bolt heals well enough without really needing it's Prayer synergy until later levels. But having Meditation, Holy Bolt and Fist ready ASAP are essential to being both a cleric and lending an occasional bit of helpful damage in battle.
There are a lot more undead than you might realise. For example, the tombs of Act 2 are pretty much all undead. The Chaos Sanctuary is 2/3 undead. For a cleric, you can suddenly find yourself very useful, especially when you can own spectres and oblivion knights far easier than a sorc.
I have a level 64 cleric playing with my wife's lvl 64 lig/fire sorc.
My build:
Holy Bolt: 20
Prayer: 20
Meditation: 5 (more useful than 1 point, doubled radius and extra 100% regen)
FOTH: 20
Holy Shield: 5
I haven't maxed Holy Shield yet. I am currently wielding +3 Combat crystal sword, +2 Combat spiked shield and +1 Pally circlet. FOTH and HB are at 26. I'm still maxing Prayer. Holy Shield is at 1, but with bonuses it's at 7 and it's duration is incredible.
Incidentally, one of the prerequisites for FOTH is Conversion, which at slvl 7 has about a 28% chance to convert. Very, very useful. Slvl 7 Smite is doing wonders for me in players 8 NM.
FOTH sounds sucky, but believe me, it's great fire support in between spammed Holy Bolts. It's serving me well in players 8 NM Act 4/5.
I originally recommended a Prayer merc (since it STACKS with Meditation's inherited healing) but I take it back. I now recommend an ACT 3 COLD SORC - Glacial Spike and Ice Blast both freeze, working to save your party members while giving you a minion that stays the heck out of melee combat and therefore not needing any of your healing attention. Your Holy Bolts can be focussed on your party member's hirelings, keeping them alive as eternal tanks, while your merc freezes, you heal and fist things to death, and your party members (ie, my wife's sorc) can kill in peace with an endless pool of mana and life.
We basically NEVER die.
My wife's merc - a level 64 (they levels FANTASTICALLY in 1.10s) defiance merc from Normal Act 2, equipped with Skin of the Flayed One, Nat's helm and a Cruel Pike of 30% IAS - all found LEGIT - can basically tank anything except Diablo. He tanked Hephaesto. He tanked the Infector of Souls. Only insane damage can take him down, because I just lock onto him with Holy Bolts and spam healing.
You don't need town portals to let your merc fight. Players can walk through mercs - advance, draw out enemies, and run through your merc to place him at the battle's forefront.
Ps. I'm wearing trash shop bought eq for the most part. If only I could find a +3 Pally Circlet and Shield, or better yet, a HoZ. Level 32 FOTH.. mmmmmm :)
I don't think the synergy of Holy Shock to FOTH will be worth it. I'm maxing Prayer and putting 5 into Holy Shield first (it's all I have left to do at clvl 64), and only when I have spare points will I burn them in Holy Shock. Or maybe i'll put a few more in Conversion.
+Combat skills is the key.
The Zombie Garden in Act 5 gives insane exp. Clerics will level FAST there.
I suggest getting Prayer to about 5 points, then max Holy Bolt, put 5 in Meditation when you can, and max Fist of the Heavens. Get a point into Holy Shield and THEN turn around and max Prayer. The incidental healing isn't worth it, and Holy Bolt heals well enough without really needing it's Prayer synergy until later levels. But having Meditation, Holy Bolt and Fist ready ASAP are essential to being both a cleric and lending an occasional bit of helpful damage in battle.
There are a lot more undead than you might realise. For example, the tombs of Act 2 are pretty much all undead. The Chaos Sanctuary is 2/3 undead. For a cleric, you can suddenly find yourself very useful, especially when you can own spectres and oblivion knights far easier than a sorc.