Well, unlike making posts to my blog, I have actually been playing EQ regularly, but have spent most of the last 2 weeks working on leveling up my cleric alt (who is rapidly becoming my main or favorite character to play). The first dozen levels of a clerics' life are rather difficult, because without twink gear (meaning gear that is 20+ levels above what is obtainable for a level 10 player) we don't solo well, we don't have powerful heals which means we have trouble getting into experience grinding groups. (We're also cash poor because we spend so much time sitting and meditating to regain mana to cast our poor little healing spells... in a lot of groups that means that the tanks will loot all the mobs and the casters/clerics only get a split of any loose change the mobs were carrying. I was in one group at level 12 that actually rolled on the nice drops... somehow I won both drops of fine steel to sell back to the merchants for almost 10 platinum.)

Finally at level 14 we get our first big heal (heals about 3x the hp of the level 4 heal for twice the mana). On tanks of that level it means about 1-2 bubbles of hp on the tank (granted you can only cast it about 5 or 6 times, but I kept the level 4 heal memorized for healing casters or for topping off). Since I spent level 12-18 in Oasis (a very dangerous place at 12, but easy to find pickup groups as a cleric, but I died at least once a day down there), I actually carried my level 14 "key" spells with me just in case it wasn't convenient to run back to Freeport to buy my spells after I dinged 14. Now you're starting to feel more like a cleric and less like an underpowered tank who is a glorified bandage applier (which is a puller-cleric joke... puller will announce what they're pulling, cleric replys "ready to apply bandages to your ouchies when you get back").

Frankly, I'm amazed at how much fun I have playing my cleric. Growing up in Greater Faydark, everytime I'd exit Felwithe I'd spend 5 or 10 minutes buffing and healing any newbie within sight (usually a HP/AC buff along with an AC buff) because it was just so much fun to be able to help them out without risking being called a KS'r (kill stealer). The fun trick is to wait until they're engrossed in fighting something to cast the buffs so they can't tell who buffed them (it's the way game mechanics work, if you have nothing targeted and someone buffs you, you automatically target them); that way I can merrily run along without having to stop and wait for them to bow or say thanks (hehe... drive-by buffing). Otherwise you also run the risk that they'll expect it after a few minutes. For example, I'll wander up to orc hill in Greater Faydark and see if there is a group up there fighting. If I see a group holding the hill, pulling mobs to the top of the hill, helping each other out, I'll spend a while buffing them all up, making sure everyone is healed, and generally just keeping an eye on things. On the other hand, the loners I'll rarely lift a finger to help unless I happen to see a /yell. I guess that's because I got into my first group up on orc hill at around level 4 or 6 with my magician and I like to see people learning how to group at a young age.

The other place I like to visit is just inside Crushbone, waiting for the inevitable 'TRAIN' call or seeing someone fleeing to the zone with multiple orcs on their tail. Then I get to play train de-railer, healing the person, rooting a mob or two, or stunning long enough for the person to cast. Some people catch on quick and stand and attempt to fight one last time once they see their hit points go back up (and they'll usually win as long as I have enough mana). Others chicken out on you, I gain aggro and then have to zone myself.

So... life of a cleric... hmmm... this post had plans, but I've forgotten what they were, LOL.