I've been playing MM VI: Mandate of Heaven and I was just wondering if a party composed of Paladin/Druid/Sorcerer/Sorcerer would be better than a party composed of Paladin/Cleric/Sorcerer/Sorcerer.

In both parties you would have to characters that can heal, buff, and resurrect. The last one is critical because at the end of the game you face enemies that can eradicate characters in one shot and there's no way to prevent this so have to depend on the spell and temples.

The downside is that the druid won't be casting all the powerful Dark Magic spells, but it can have access to the elemental schools with spells that don't require as many Spell Points.

So, which class would you include in the party? A cleric or a druid?

Druids have major mojo in VI (No Light/Dark, but not much of a loss)
One Sorcerer for Light; one for Dark
Paladin for extra healing.


You would have a good time, once you get your sorcerers beyond their initial weakness.

I guess the biggest question comes down to "Do you want another Elemental caster, or do you want another Light/Dark caster?"

I seem to recall the Cleric will have more HP, fewer MP, and a different weapon/armor load-out than the Druid. The Cleric can use chain armor, which the Druid can't, allowing you to use the best Chain you find instead of the third best Leather. Also, the Cleric can use a shield, which the Druid can't.

Druids can have shields.
Their major benefit comes from a base for their spell casting power being both Personality and Intelligence which makes them magic powerhouses.

I'd word it slightly differently - spell points from character level are the base, those from intellect and/or personality the bonus.

I'm near the end in my first game, in which (unconventionally?) I've made my cleric the party's dark magic caster (when I use it at all), the better to unleash the wrath of the gods on demons, unbelievers and heretics. So how about a party of paladin, cleric, druid and sorcerer?

Druids are actually quite powerful in Might and Magic VI. Paladin, cleric, sorcerer, druid is quite a solid party.

However, situation is different in Might and Magic VII (in case you will try same approach there): in MM 7 druids get a lot of restrictions in terms of spells and power of spells.

I stand corrected. The website I happened to check to confirm skills didn't list them as having access to shields. Iirc, they also receive the biggest boost from points spent on Meditation. That party will work fine.

Replace Knight for Paladin and it is the one have done my best with.
(Done Best: to me is Quickest to Water Magic Master. After that, you control the game.)

Results from a quick test:

Clerics and druids both have the same base hit points and same base spell points. This means both gain equally from the Meditation SKILL (3 spell points per basic skill level for clerics and druids, which should mean 4 per level for priests and great druids, 5 per level after each's second promotion).

Clerics gain bonus spell points from personality 15+, druids from personality 15+ and from intellect 15+. This means druids gain more from having Meditation SPELL cast on them.

Clerics can choose Shield skill at party creation time, whereas druids have to wait until they buy it from a guild. Of course the New Sorpigal might guild does not sell Shield skill but both Castle Ironfist's and Mist's do. On the other hand druids can choose Learning at party creation time, clerics Diplomacy.

Is the Shield skill worth having, though, except for Clerics? I usually have my characters dual-wield where possible - double daggers for Sorcerers and Druids, and double swords for Knights, Paladins and Archers (though sometimes will combine sword with dagger, depending on what becomes available). I only give the Cleric the Shield skill because there is nothing he/she can double up on, so may as well have the shield.

I use one with the Druid because I use the player mostly for magic. But with enough Fountains and Rings (Armor Class), you can do without a Shield.

Man, I seem to be full of all sorts of wrong information in this thread. XD

Depends on what weapons you focus. If you have an Axe user and your best axe is 1-handed, then using a shield for awhile isn't a bad idea. Using a shield with a specific immunity can also be useful for particular areas (like Stoning immunity in an area with medusa), if you have one.

I like Clerics for their Light/Dark spells. I cast "Day of the Gods" every day.

I thought that Druids could do everything that a Sorceror can do and more in MM6, The Sorceror promotion quests are easier, but that only helps in the earlier game.

What can a Sorceror do that a Druid can't?

Light/Dark.