Talk:Cleric / Thief/@comment-2600:1702:51:1570:6D:A8BB:7874:E8ED-20171129133447

Cleric/thieves are awesome. You can use helmets and shields without Use Any Item, and throw on some full plate mail before a tough fight if it doesn't require your thief skills, like with bosses immune to backstab. You can scout entire areas with Sanctuary and not have to worry that you'll leave shadows right next to a huge group of powerful enemies. You can use Find Traps instead of True Sight to dispel illusions, freeing up spell slots. You can use the Flail of the Ages, the Mace of Disruption and the Crom Faeyr with proficiency (and dual-wield them with three slots in two weapon style if you're a dual-class swashbuckler). Plus you can backstab, pick pockets, set traps, and cast awesome priest spells like Chaotic Commands, Bolt of Glory and Sunray. By the time you get Use Any Item, you barely notice how much fun you can have with swords and wizard spell scrolls.

It's a pity you can't have halfling or elf cleric/thieves, because they'd be even better with 19 dexterity. I love playing them as a half-orc, for the 19 strength and constitution (and ability to romance Viconia), plus I get access to both classes at low levels. Gnomes can romance Aerie, but can't have 18 wisdom without in-game modifications. Dual-classing means I can romance any of the classic characters as a human, and as a swashbuckler I can dual-wield with three slots in two weapon style and specialize in staves and clubs even if I can't backstab. However,   I lose HLAs from the first class class, and high-level priest spells if I dual from cleric to thief.

You can get to level 14 as a thief and still make it to level 39 as a cleric. However, if you hit level 24 as a thief you can access one HLA and get Use Any Item, then dual to cleric and get to level 29 before the ToB XP cap. That's a bit difficult to play, but you get four level seven spell slots with 18 wisdom, plus the Holy Symbol and access to HLAs for clerics like Summon Deva, and you get Use Any Item. Since that would lift the ban on non-cleric weapons, theoretically you would regain proficiencies (and specializations with swashbucklers) in weapons clerics can't use like long swords and short bows, but I suspect the game isn't allowing that to happen, not sure.