Talk:Cernd/@comment-35434313-20200209100638

Many negative comments about Cernd are based on personal opinions, rather than on solid facts. Here are some examples:

>>- [Cernd] has the worst stats of all companions, resulting in low HPs and terrible AC.

1) Not true at all!

The BG2 companions with the by far worst stats are Edwin and Minsc. Period!

On the other hand, for a devoted shapeshifter, Cernd's raw stats (except for his PERFECT wisdom score) don't matter as much as to other companions. Once shapeshifted, starting from level 1, Cernd always naturally has 19+ STR and 16+ DEX... still bad?!

2) Also, bad stats don't translate into low HPs or terrible AC.  And good stats don't automatically grant more HPs or better AC.

For example, of the two worst-stat companions, Minsc always naturally has a lot more HPs than Edwin does. Another example: Hexxat has phenomenal raw stats. Do they grant her phenomenal HPs or AC? No, the opposite is true.

In the case of Cernd, once having 0.75 million XP, he can shapeshift into a Greater Werewolf, whose AC can go down to -13, or even lower, with little effort on the player's part. With just 0.75 million XP, who else can easily get AC down to -13 or lower?!

>>- Is useless in melee because of HPs, AC, THAC0 and inability to wear armor.

3) This is not an argument.   It's just a complaint that complains Cernd being a druid, not a fighter.

The same complaint can be made on many other companions. To name but a few, Edwin and Neera are both "useless" by the standards of this complaint. They both have low HP, poor AC, worst THAC0, and neither is able to wear armor. However, who cares that Edwin and Neera are really useless or useful in melee?

Additionally, Viconia may also be considered "useless" in melee. Even if a player stacks the best of the best items on her, she's still no better than a dedicated melee character.

- Is competent in werewolf form with a certain MOD, but cannot cast spells while in werewolf form and if he revert back to human form to cast some spells he sucks in  combat (as already stated).

4) The assessment that "he sucks in combat" is not true.  It is actually the player that sucks, for not really knowing how to play a druid effectively.

There are many ways to excel in combat. If a mage casts Wail of Banshee (possibly killing your entire party) or summons a Planetar to kill you, who can reasonably argue that this mage sucks in combat?

With only 0.2 million XP, Cernd is already able to reliably summon two Fire Elementals every day. These creatures are far more powerful than what other companions can summon at a level granted by merely 0.2 million XP.

Please heed this: In SOA, Fire Elementals are very powerful summons. They strike as +4 weapons, do significant more damage than most other summons, and can destroy every single boss enemy that a player may run into in SOA, including Kangaxx the Demilich. Yes! I do mean Kangaxx the Demilich! With merely 0.2 millon XP, Cernd can send his Fire Elementals to effortlessly destroy Kangaxx the Demilich, provided that the player is able to use a different character (Korgan, Edwin, Jan, Nalia, Aerie, or player's own character) to absorb Kangaxx's Imprisonment attacks. With the help from Cernd as a spellcaster, absolutely no scrolls or quick items or +4 weapons are needed for a starting player party to kill the demilich as early as in Chapter 2.

>>- cannot ressurect party members unlike Jaheira.

5) This is not a fact.  The truth is: everyone can resurrect other party members by using a Rod of Resurrection, or by buying the service in a church.

6) Clerics, Jaheira, Shamans, Mages, Sorcerers can all natively use their spells to resurrect others, once they have reached a certain level and learned a certain spell.  However, this ability is not important at all, except to a few players who really suck at playing this game (let alone Cernd).

- it takes a single-class druid AGES to level up past lvl 14. Jeaheira at least keeps leveling as a fighter before she makes the humonguos XP step.

7)  This is just a complaint about Cernd being a (full) Druid, not a (half) Fighter.  As a Druid, Cernd acquires his power much faster than most other companions.  For counterbalancing his early fast progression, the growth of his power is stagnant at level 13 to 14.

>>- He sucks as a character because he betrayed HIS OWN family to live of a hippie. He did not care for his son. Is there a guarantee he won't leave the Baalspawn's party at the wrong moment? No. He doesn't even deserve to save his son.

8) This is purely a personal opinion being used as an argument.  There is no consensus on that.  Cernd is one of the most loyal companions that Gorion's Ward can recruit.  He's better than all the companions who may betray you at worst moments.  I'm not talking about Yoshimo at all.  Also, many other companions are morally worse (in a certain perspective) than Cernd.  For example, Viconia mercilessly killed all of her ex-husbands.  Yet, many players "enjoyed" trying to become her 5th husband.  Even worse, even if a player has been romancing her from their first encounter, if your reputation is suddenly changed to 19 or 20 in SOA, she will immediately permanently leave.  Before leaving, she will not forget to swear to kill you next time she sees you.  Upon permanently leaving you due to disapproval of your being too good, even a pure evil companion (Korgan) won't go thus far as the drow woman does.

I personally have enjoyed playing Cernd. When I played a Cleric/Mage, he was in my party from the first time we met. We went through entire WK before ending SOA. He was with me all the way to the end of TOB. By the way, even after killing the Imprisoned One, during that playthrough, Cernd was still short of hitting level 15! Oh, boy!

'''On a harder difficulty (such as Insane, when defenses start to matter a lot more in keeping party members alive), Cernd's significantly more powerful/useful than some other single-classed companions such as Hexxat and Rasaad. EE has added quite some new items, which unexpectedly can benefit Cernd too. '''Examples: the Visage (allowing Cernd to cast up to 9 disabling spells per day, even in Werewolf form) and Gauntlets of Aln Zekk (boosting Cernd's damage output in werewolf form).