9th Level Cleric for Beginner Player

[Azure Falcon]

Hey everyone,

Someone who used to be in the group I run (who couldn't make it anymore due to work) has finally returned. The only problem, she's new to the game, is being boosted to level nine, and is easily intimidated by the verbage of the rules.

We have gotten everything to work out rule wise, but then she saw all the spells a cleric has to choose from. She now feels intimidated and confused by all the lingo used to describe spells.

There are two things I feel I need help with:
1) Trying to get a beginner player to understand all the information on the spells page. I feel I can do this, but I would like some suggestions so she doesn't freak out on me.

2) What spells would be suggested for this character to use due to the fact that she's a beginner. I would normally be able to help widdle things down...but the crazy thing is...we've NEVER had a cleric in the party (We've been playing for about two years) and I have no idea what to widdle it down to.

Edit:Apologies, I feel maybe this thread should have gone in Advice

[Corvino]

Suggest that your player has a read of this guide

Beyond that picking either one thing to do really well or two to do reasonably is a good step. You can be a really good summoner, or a really good healer, or a really good melee Cleric, but trying to do more than two of those things at the same time usually results in being bad at everything.

Clerics can be incredibly varied. What does your player want to achieve with the character? What do you expect from a Cleric as GM?

[Paladin of Baha-who?]

For a beginner an Oracle might be the better option. Spontaneous spell casting is just easier to understand than prepared spell casting. Is this character supposed to be a healbot? If so the life Oracle will be the best option. Choose revelations that are easy to use like channel and energy body. For a beginner lifelink may require too much bookkeeping. Simple feats like toughness, extra channel and selective channel would be a better option than complicated ones.

[Azure Falcon]

Yes, she has stated several times, "All I want to do for the party is heal and be useful."

[Corvino]

Being a Support Cleric is a legitimate option - but just healing to the exclusion of all else is usually a waste.

Being a Heroism subdomain Evangelist Archetypes Cleric is a truly nasty support option. Move action Inspire Courage, Swift action Aura of Heroism and Standard action Blessing of Fervor is a truly formidable start of combat. Healing will be more limited but she'll likely help the group more in the long term.

[Mr_Smileys]

The best advice I can give to a new player trying to play a high level cleric is to create 1-2 core Spell lists that are the default, and a small side board list of spells that can be swapped in if the situation is more specialized. This will limit the overwhelming nature of the spells and make it easier to consume. You can use the below list as a base for these lists. Also, have your player stick to reading the brief summary of spells in the class spell list and then, if a spell seems interesting or useful, look up the full text.
Here is a basic list of spells that are good all around cleric spells, they can be used in just about every situation you will encounter in an average Adventure. This is assuming no bonus spells and not knowing what domains the cleric is.

0th Level
Detect Magic (x2)
Light (x2)

1st Level
Cure Light Wounds (x2)
or 1 CLW and Divine Favor
Shield of Faith
Protection from (Alignment)

2nd Level
Cure Moderate Wounds (x2)
Lesser Restoration
Sound Burst or Spiritual Weapon

3rd Level
Bestow Curse or Searing Light
Cure Serious Wounds
Daylight

4th Level
Restoration or Cure Critical Wounds
Dismissal or Freedom of movement

5th Level
Flame Strike, Slay Living, or True Seeing

[Fruian Thistlefoot]

Some of my Favorite and Static Spells:

(Assuming Spontaneous Cures...But always pack a Wand of Cure Light Wounds. Most healing is done Between battles with the Wand and/or Channels. When I play an evangelist Cleric I do prepare a Few bigger healing spells for Emergencies only....I like to prevent damage and kill faster rather than play band aid.)

1-
Bless
Command (When I focus on Enchantment w/ Evangelist Archetype)
Liberating Command
Shield of Faith
Sanctuary (If they attack you and fail the will...they wasted an Attack that doesn't need healing....I've Camped up in mook town a few times)

2-
Communal Protection from Evil
Spiritual Weapon
Lesser restoration
Shield Other
Bear's Endurance
Silence

3-
Prayer
Summon Monster 3
Communal Resist Energy
Dispel Magic
Magic Vestment

4-
Blessing of Fervor (if someone isn't providing haste regularly)
Death Ward
Restoration
Dimensional Anchor
Summon Monster 4

5-
Flame Strike
Breath of Life
Life Bubble (Completely Underrated but Shuts down Cloudkill & Environment hazards)
True Seeing
Wall of Stone
Plane Shift
Summon Monster 5

6-
Blade Barrier (This is one of the Best wall spells in the Game)
Heal
Greater Dispel Magic (Cause sometimes stripping magic buff off the enemy, can save you the need for healing)
Summon Monster 6

I highly recommend Evangelist Cleric Archetype or Vanilla Cleric.

[My Self]

Oracle will be easier to deal with.

If you're going to be a healing Cleric, use the Healing (Restoration) domain as one of your two. You'll get a welcome boost to Cure spells, will get a much better ability than Rebuke Death, and will get some restoration spells, just in case.

Before you get going, though, take a good long moment to explain what the Cleric does. Show a picture of a crusader or holy warrior with a mace instead of a priest with a white robe and halo. Not that you can't play a Cleric like a healer priest, but that is not the way the class and spell list is designed. Make sure your player has an accurate impression of what Pathfinder Clerics are designed to do.

As for spells, don't ever prepare Cure spells.

[Anonymous Visitor 163 576]

How new is new?

One option would be to give her a few default prayers (heal, support, cleanse, smite), and a few default levels ( weak, medium, strong).

She can decide what she wants to do. You interpret that into a spell and apply it to the game. Explain what you're doing, of course,

Over time, hand back responsibility.