Playing BG1 tutu with BG2 tweaks (not of all them installed) and some other things.

This spell is nuts in BG1 Tutu, even past level 15 where you should get Skeleton Warriors you just get even more regular skeletons. Actually really like, as theres no limit to summons in BG1 it appears. I can cast 2 or 3 Animate Deads with either a cleric or a mage and have a small army of skeletons. Its mental.

Also concerning clerics, they seem to get better and better every time i play as them, if it wasn't for a few certian Mage spells they would easily be the best spell casters in the game. Time you get through BG1, you can have 21 Wisdom which equals mega bonus spells.

Also I was looking at the Dual classing possibilities. Going as high as a Level 12 fighter then dual classing only makes you miss out on 1 cleric level overall, so you can be a level 12 fighter and a level 39 Cleric eventually. Also doing this in BG1 tutu you can achieve GM in weapons even after you've switched over to a cleric.(was this in BG2 originally, i don't remember being able to achieve GM after dual classing) So with Proper GM with the BG2 tweak pack you can 4 attacks per round whilst dual weilding the Cromfayer and FOAs.

Alternatively you could start as a Ranger, go up to level 12 again and only miss out on 2 levels of Cleric to make a Level 12 Rangin and level 38 Cleric, you sacrifice the GM but get all Druid Spells.

Only downside is that you'll probably have to spend all of BG1 as a Fighter or a Ranger, even if you solo it. Of course you can dual at as low as level 2 when a Fighter which still allows you achieve GM, but you miss out on the full power gaming opportunity.

Anyway in short, Clerics = awesomeness.

One thing -- if you are going to wait until level 12 to dual, you might as well wait until 13 to get the extra half attack that comes at that level.

Totally forgot about that, thanks. Probably mean you'll only lose 1 level of Cleric, 2 at worst, which would mean 1 less level 7 spell by the end of the game, no big considering all the bonus spells you get with 21+ wisdom. Plus that mean getting 5 attacks per round (with true GM installed)

Another possibility is taking a Swashbuckler up to Level 25, then dualling to a Cleric to reach level 28, which is only 3 less level 7 spells than getting to level 38, quite significant but I'd thought it would be alot more over a 10 level difference.

Dualling at level 25 swashbuckler you get +5 to AC (or is it +6 to AC), THAC0 and Damage, rather than just +4 if you dualled at level 24. Besides you'll end up with the same amount of spells anyway, and also means you get 2 thief HLA abilities, rather than just 1, but all you need is use any item.

Being a swashbuckler you also get to be specialised in certian thief weapons This really good since you with use any item allows you to take advantage of it when you regain your thief levels. Also get to be proficient in Bows rather than slings which is also a big bonus. So for tough battles you use a really tough plate mail and some good swords, even a bow.