Cleric / Ranger

Cleric / Ranger is a multi-class for half-elves and a dual class combination with many helpful abilities of both classes combined. In the perceptive of the cleric, he gains better a weapon proficiency system, many new abilities, a higher minimal character ability points which increases the total number of the character, more hitpoints due to the higher roll of the ranger and constitution modifier for warriors. Because rangers can access to the Priest spellbook from druids at lvl 8, the cleric can also use all spells which druids can use from lvl 1 up to 7. In Baldur's Gate 2 Enhanced Edition however this requires you to modify the games baldur.ini file. The weapons that may be used by this class are still limited to the cleric's ethos.

This class combination is very similair to Fighter / Cleric, but the latter class combination offers only a higher strength number, constitution modifier for warriors and a better weapon proficiency system in the perceptive of the cleric, but this class combination has a lower level up experience for the warrior than Cleric / Ranger.

As a dual-class combination, a player can combine only the Priest of Lathander class kit with a ranger, due to the alignment requirement of the ranger, and while it's possible to combine any ranger class kit with a cleric, the Beast Master and the Archer class kit are not advised to pick. The Stalker class does limit the body to only leather armor, but the bonuses of the class can outweigh this penalty.

The Archer kits limits proficiencies in melee weapons to one point and the character can only wear leather armor as body armor, and the bonuses with ranged weapons are only available when using slings. The Beast Master kit combined with the cleric's ethos, limits the class combination array of weapons to clubs, quarter staffs and slings.

In general, it's better to start as a Ranger when making a dual-class Cleric \ Ranger combination, because you have a better fighter at the lower levels and at the higher levels, you have a good fighter who can cast a lot of priest spells, but spending proficiency points for weapon a cleric can't use, are wasted when dual-classing to a Cleric / Ranger. The other way round, you end up with a fighter who has less hitpoints than a pure ranger and can cast as many or a few more priest spells and may have access to higher level spells than a ranger has.

Character abilities table.
Note: For this table, the human race was used, as they don't have any penalties or bonuses to character abilities. This may slightly differ for half-elves.

Charm animal/person
Rangers can charm animals and persons to prevent fights or to gain advantages. This ability becomes available at lvl 3.

Hide in Shadow
All rangers and thieves can hide in shadows if they wear leather armor or no armor. Every ranger starts with 25%+ racial bonus+ (not confirmed) dexterity bonus at level 1 to successfully hides in shadows.The chance to hide succesfully in the shadow depends on the time, at night this is much easier to than at daylight, whether the thief is standing in a shadow or not and the chance in percentage to hide in shadow from the character self.

Turn undead Priest&paladins have the ability turn undead creatures. When this mode is activated and the undead creatures are in range of the character, there is a possibility to stop attacking their tagets and run away from the character until the effect is worn off. Whenever the priest or paladins gains a level, this mode will become more powerful. Good-aligned priests and paladins may use this mode to destroy the undead instantly, evil-aligned can use it to control the undead of a limited amount of time. After this runs out, the undead will become hostile to the party.

Priest Spells
For the complete list of spell, see Spells (Baldur's Gate II). For the complete list of spells that can be used by druids, clerics and rangers, see Priest Spellbook (Baldur's Gate II). This multi-class can use all priest spell available from lvl 1 to 7. Level 5 spells cannot be unlocked due to the experience points needed for the priest and the limitation of the experience gap of 161,000 in Baldur's Gate and Baldur's Gate: Enhanced Edition.

Spell progression
Notes: Priest gain additional spell slots for their wisdom, see Character Abilities. +Usable by priest whose wisdom is 17 or higher ++Usable by priest whose wisdom is 18 or higher.

Weapon Specialization
Rangers can invest a maximum of two points into proficiency instead of only one point compared to the other non-warrior classes. It also raises the starting proficiency point from two to four.

Racial enemy
Rangers tend to focus on a particular animal, having a +4 attack roll versus the racial enemy. But they have -4 encounter reaction against that enemy, increasing the chance of meeting their enemy. It can be applied to only of the creatures listed below in Baldur's Gate. When importing a character from the original Baldur's Gate with or without the expansion pack to Shadows of Amn, the player can reselect the racial enemy. The following are available in Baldur's Gate and Tales of the Sword Coast: In Baldur's Gate 2: Shadows of Amn and the conclusive expansion Throne of Bhaal, the list is the following one below:
 * Carrion eaters
 * Ettercaps
 * Ghouls
 * Gnolls
 * Gibberlings
 * Hobgoblins
 * Kobolds
 * Ogres
 * Skeletons
 * Spiders
 * Beholders
 * Demonic/Fell creatures
 * Dragons
 * Elementals
 * Ettercaps
 * Faeries
 * Genies
 * Ghouls
 * Golems
 * Imps
 * Hobgoblins
 * Kobolds
 * Kuo-Toa
 * Lich
 * Lycanthropes
 * Mephits
 * Mind Flayers
 * Ogres
 * Otyugh
 * Rakshaska
 * Sahuagin
 * Shadows
 * Slimes
 * Spiders
 * Trolls
 * Umber Hulks
 * Vampires

Weapon Specialization
Rangers can invest a maximum of two points into proficiency instead of only one point compared to the other classes. It also raises the starting proficiency point from two to four.