Aneria's Advice to Clerics

Any cleric who feels their sole responsibility in a group is to turn his/her/its mana into tank hp is doing a grave disservice to the character.

I am currently doing my second tour of hero as a cleric. I chose to remort because I find cleric to be one of the most challenging, demanding and appreciated classes in the game.

If you are playing a cleric correctly, the entire group is your responsibility, not just the tank.

You should be doing the following:

• Keeping the backup tanks healthy enough to rescue the tank and/or smaller group members.
• Not everyone has the mana (or intelligence) to cast sanc upon themselves. Keep the groupies (and the tank) sanced at all times.
• Keep an eye on the smaller groupies (low lvl heroes and casters). Keep them healthy enough to take a hit or two until they are rescued. If a mage/psi/warrior/low hero has to take time to brandish to keep themselves alive, they are not contributing to the melee. This contributes to additional damage and strain on the groups hp as a whole. Rather than casting a mass div or mass heal, brandish a stick or ty stave. (If you don't have sticks, ask someone where to get them, even low heroes can kill the mob. If you don't have typhus staves, ask your tank to pay a visit to typhus and get one for you. Most tanks will happily oblige.)
• Keep the hitters and warriors in your group frenzied. Again, mana/intelligence can hinder a players ability to cast this important spell.
• Keep an eye out of disease/poison. If a player gets ill, cure them.
• Watch for failed spells! If a player is casting sanc/frenzy on themselves, watch for fails. If a player fails, cast it for them, don't risk a player getting aggied while in sanc/frenzy lag. It will add to the overall hp loss of the group. You want your group as healthy as possible.
• If you don't have the mana for sanctuary, carry crosses and brandish when necessary.
• If the unthinkable happens — someone dies — be prepared to cast gurney, sanc/heal the groupie and assist in respelling.
• If you are the only caster in the group, take over the portal duty. You have less lag (and more mana) than the brutes in the group.

If you do all of the above, you won't have time to be bored. In addition, you will be one of the most valued groupies on the mud. Clerics who are attentive and fully play their character are greatly valued by tanks.

Take advantage of the skills the imms have given you. Keep your group healthy and protected and leave the damage to the other groupies. By doing the above you will gain a reputation for excellence and never have need of sitting on who group again.