Clerics are a popular class for elves...Really?

[Sitara]

Its interesting that the article notes "If you want to be a ranger, cleric etc' pick this race. Now, by clerics do they mean druids (in a future supplement i.e. phb 2) because elves are not really typical clerics, 'xcept of nature, and that should equate to druids.

What do people make of this?

And they are really publishing/developing this game with newcomers in mind aren't they? Basically advisingwhich classes work best with which race, low level min/maxing help for newbiez.

 

[Dausuul]

Its interesting that the article notes "If you want to be a ranger, cleric etc' pick this race. Now, by clerics do they mean druids (in a future supplement i.e. phb 2) because elves are not really typical clerics, 'xcept of nature, and that should equate to druids.

What do people make of this?

And they are really publishing/developing this game with newcomers in mind aren't they? Basically advisingwhich classes work best with which race, low level min/maxing help for newbiez.

*shrug* Elves get a Wisdom bonus. Assuming that the classes continue to be oriented around the same "key stats" as previous editions, a race with +2 Wisdom should make a good cleric.

 

[Anthtriel]

Works for me. They get old, are wise, very communal and spiritual. Since the wizardly elves are split off, I have no problem with elf clerics.

 

[Zweischneid]

Its interesting that the article notes "If you want to be a ranger, cleric etc' pick this race. Now, by clerics do they mean druids (in a future supplement i.e. phb 2) because elves are not really typical clerics, 'xcept of nature, and that should equate to druids.

What do people make of this?

And they are really publishing/developing this game with newcomers in mind aren't they? Basically advisingwhich classes work best with which race, low level min/maxing help for newbiez.

Well, Druids will lose alot of their "Priest-of-Nature" touch in 4e and go to being mainly Shapeshifters.

So someone beefing up the elven forest-fetish with religious babble and bring those rebellious younglings in line to the racial schtick as "community&spiritual-leader" would seem to imply a nature-cleric now.

 

[TerraDave]

Since when aren't elves clerics?

Elves have been clerics for at least 30 years. They where clerics long before they were druids. They made good cleric/magic users in older editions. And they made good clerics in 3rd ed.

Just because elf clerics--as a pc and npcs--have played a prominent role in multiple campaings of mine is entirely beside the point.

In general: elf=cleric

 

[Khuxan]

I'd say it's because: elves are perceptive, therefore they receive a bonus to Wisdom. Wisdom is the most important stat for clerics, therefore if you want to become a cleric elf is a good option.

I don't think it's based in flavour, so much as character optimisation (and I don't have a problem with this: I prefer being open to newbies about character options instead of the newbies assuming elves make bad clerics and good druids and the experienced optimisers playing elf clerics for purely statistical reasons).

 

[Sitara]

Thanks forthe replies people. I know about the druid, it seems he will basically be a controller/striker now (shifting will probably make him switch roles around).

But see its curious, elves have never been clericy. Suddenly, with no explanation they are. I'm not saying this is good or bad, just that its caught me by surprise.

Having a +2 mod should not mean they advise you to go min-maxing right off the bat at the expense of 'established' flavor now should it? That is, ranger's, elves and a +2 dex work very well. Roguish elves and a +2 dex also work well. Fighters with bows can also work, assuming they are dex focusing fighters (from min maxing point of view).

But clerics and elves? It seems to be tacked on just for the sake of that +2 wisdom.

Gong back to druids, maybe wis is still an important stat for them, and WOTC is just attempting to plan ahead, since elves and druids (any variety, spell flinging to shapeshifting kind) work quite well togather.

Or maybe they should have just done +2 dex and +2 con. :|

 

[Green Knight]

But see its curious, elves have never been clericy. Suddenly, with no explanation they are. I'm not saying this is good or bad, just that its caught me by surprise.

As someone else mentioned, Elves could be Clerics in 2nd edition, whereas they couldn't be Druids. So where does this idea come from that they can't be "Clericy"?

Or maybe they should have just done +2 dex and +2 con. :|

Elves with +2 Con?

 

[Majoru Oakheart]

Having a +2 mod should not mean they advise you to go min-maxing right off the bat at the expense of 'established' flavor now should it? That is, ranger's, elves and a +2 dex work very well. Roguish elves and a +2 dex also work well. Fighters with bows can also work, assuming they are dex focusing fighters (from min maxing point of view).

Yes, it should. Anyone who understands min-maxing at ALL is going to play Elven Clerics. Which is about 90% of all people I know who play D&D. However, the 10% of newbies who join the game who don't understand it won't know that a +2 wisdom means you are a good cleric. They need to be told by the book.

Besides, established flavor doesn't mean much. 4e is throwing out established flavor in exchange for flavor that makes sense in the new edition. I'd much rather see it written into the flavor of a race that they make good clerics then have to explain why the race that makes lousy clerics seems to have so many of them when all my players decide to be Elven Clerics for the bonus.

 

[Anthtriel]

Having a +2 mod should not mean they advise you to go min-maxing right off the bat at the expense of 'established' flavor now should it? That is, ranger's, elves and a +2 dex work very well. Roguish elves and a +2 dex also work well. Fighters with bows can also work, assuming they are dex focusing fighters (from min maxing point of view).

Dex-Fighters are Rangers or Rogues in 4E. With that in mind, what other class would be typical for elves?
Fighters and Paladins? Certainly not. Elves have never been tanks.
Wizards and Warlocks? That's what Eladrin are for.
Warlords? Elves as military leaders work somewhat, but aren't exactly a perfect match.

You see, other than Rangers and (maybe) Rogues, no class makes more flavor sense for Elves than clerics.

Or maybe they should have just done +2 dex and +2 con. :|

Now that would be a change I would disagree with. Very, very strongly. Elves are wise. See Elrond. Elves are not sturdy and tough.