Summary:
Looking for an off-meta Dark and Darker Cleric build that can surprise enemies and shut down their healing? The Excommunication setup combines high PDR, Smite, Divine damage, and anti-healing pressure to dominate close-range fights, while having enough Dark And Darker Gold can help you prepare the gear needed for this setup. This guide explains the best perks, stats, gear priorities, matchups, weaknesses, and practical PvP tactics so you can decide when this unusual Cleric build is worth running.
1. How the Excommunication Cleric Build Works
The core of this build is Excommunication.
When activated, Excommunication lasts for 8 seconds, reduces the target's Divine Magic Resistance by 25%, and prevents them from receiving magical healing during the effect.
That creates a powerful window for your Cleric to deal increased Divine damage while preventing the enemy from recovering.
The important part is that you should not treat Excommunication as a skill that needs to be used on every target immediately. Its value comes from timing.
If the opponent is already low and has no realistic chance to heal, using Excommunication can be unnecessary. However, against a durable target preparing to recover, the anti-healing effect can completely change the fight.
2. Recommended Perks and Skills
The showcased setup uses:
· Blood Weapon Mastery
· Perseverance
· Brew Master
· Smite
· Excommunication
This combination gives the build a mixture of durability, damage, and utility.
Excommunication
This is the centerpiece of the build.
The Divine Magic Resistance reduction makes your Divine damage more threatening, while the healing restriction prevents enemies from simply resetting the fight.
Smite
Smite gives the Cleric additional close-range pressure and works naturally with the build's focus on getting into melee range.
Perseverance
Because this setup expects to take hits, defensive value is extremely important. Perseverance helps improve your ability to survive damage while closing the distance.
Brew Master
Brew Master provides additional value from consumables and fits the sustain-oriented nature of the build.
3. Stack PDR First
The biggest investment in this setup is Physical Damage Reduction.
The gameplay starts at around 56% PDR, with a Heater Shield pushing the effective defense even higher.
The general priority should be:
PDR → HP → useful offensive stats → magic resistance
Why?
Because the build is fundamentally a melee Cleric. You need to survive long enough to reach the enemy and stay close after activating Excommunication.
Adding excessive offensive stats while sacrificing PDR can make the build feel much weaker.
Your goal isn't to become a glass cannon. Your goal is to become a durable front-line Cleric that can repeatedly force melee engagements.
4. Why HP and Magical Damage Still Matter
Although PDR is the primary defensive goal, completely ignoring offensive stats is also a mistake.
Additional HP gives you more room to survive ranged attacks while approaching an opponent.
Meanwhile, magical damage can improve the effectiveness of your Divine attacks and make Excommunication's resistance reduction more meaningful.
The best version of this build therefore uses a balanced stat profile rather than blindly stacking one attribute.
5. Use the Heater Shield Correctly
The Heater Shield is an important part of the build because your biggest advantage is surviving at close range.
Don't simply hold your shield permanently and walk directly toward an enemy.
Instead:
1. Block incoming attacks.
2. Close distance while minimizing damage.
3. Look for an opening.
4. Activate your offensive tools.
5. Pressure the target during the Excommunication window.
Against melee opponents, patience is often more valuable than immediately swinging.
Your shield gives you time to force the opponent into making the first mistake.
6. Legendary Lantern and the Movement Problem
One of the biggest weaknesses of the Excommunication Cleric is slow movement.
This becomes extremely important against ranged classes.
A Legendary Lantern can help you maintain pressure, but it doesn't completely solve the problem.
If a Ranger, Sorcerer, or another ranged character has enough space, they can simply kite you while continuously dealing damage.
This means map positioning is extremely important.
Avoid fighting in huge open areas whenever possible. Instead, use:
· Doors
· Corridors
· Corners
· Stairs
· Narrow rooms
· Mob-filled routes
These areas reduce the amount of space your opponent has to kite.
7. When Should You Use Excommunication?
This is probably the most important lesson from the gameplay.
Do not waste Excommunication.
The ability has much greater value when the enemy is committed to fighting.
A good situation is when:
· The enemy is already injured.
· They are preparing to heal.
· You have successfully closed the distance.
· Your teammate is ready to follow up.
· The opponent cannot easily escape.
A bad situation is activating it while the enemy is far away or when you have no way to maintain pressure.
The build has limited opportunities to force the enemy into close combat, so every Excommunication window should matter.
8. Add Sacred Flame for More Damage
One major improvement identified after testing the build is Sacred Flame.
The original setup did not include it, but adding Sacred Flame can significantly increase the build's damage potential, particularly during follow-up attacks.
If you're specifically trying to maximize Excommunication burst, Sacred Flame should be strongly considered.
The basic sequence becomes:
Sacred Flame → Excommunication → Smite → melee pressure
The exact timing depends on the opponent, but the concept is to stack your offensive tools inside the short window where the enemy's Divine resistance is reduced.
9. Best Matchups
This build is strongest against enemies who are willing to fight you at close range.
Melee-focused classes can struggle when you combine high PDR, shield defense, Smite, and Excommunication.
The anti-healing effect becomes especially useful against opponents who normally rely on magical healing to reset fights.
The surprise factor also matters.
Because Excommunication is less common than conventional Cleric setups, many players may not immediately understand what is happening when their healing suddenly stops and your Divine damage increases.
10. Worst Matchups: Rangers and Sorcerers
The build's biggest weakness is ranged pressure.
Rangers and Sorcerers are particularly dangerous.
Their ability to maintain distance means your defensive investment doesn't automatically solve the matchup.
A high-PDR Cleric can survive more hits, but that doesn't matter if the enemy keeps running away while attacking you.
Against ranged opponents, prioritize positioning over chasing.
Try to force them into confined areas instead of following them across open rooms.
If you cannot close the distance safely, disengaging can be the correct decision.
11. Paladin vs Excommunication Cleric
The gameplay also highlights an important conclusion: Paladin remains the stronger overall choice for many players.
Excommunication Cleric requires considerable investment into PDR to function effectively, and its weaknesses against ranged classes remain significant.
Paladin provides a more reliable overall package, while Excommunication is better viewed as an off-meta surprise build.
That doesn't make Excommunication bad.
It simply means you should choose it because you enjoy the playstyle and want something unexpected rather than because it completely replaces traditional Cleric or Paladin builds.
12. Practical PvP Tips
To get the most from this build:
· Stack PDR before chasing excessive damage.
· Keep enough HP to survive ranged pressure.
· Use your shield to safely close distance.
· Save Excommunication for committed fights.
· Combine Sacred Flame with your offensive window.
· Fight near doors and corners against ranged classes.
· Don't chase Rangers or Sorcerers across open areas.
· Use consumables efficiently.
· Communicate with your teammate before committing.
· Disengage when the matchup is clearly unfavorable.
Final Verdict
The Dark and Darker Excommunication Cleric build is an entertaining off-meta option built around high PDR, Divine damage, anti-healing, and close-range pressure. Its greatest strength is the ability to surprise opponents who aren't prepared for Excommunication.
However, it isn't a universal solution. Rangers, Sorcerers, and other ranged builds remain major problems, and the amount of PDR required means you sacrifice some flexibility.
For players who want a Cleric build that feels different from the standard meta, this setup is absolutely worth experimenting with. Build for durability, use your shield intelligently, save Excommunication for the right moment, and add Sacred Flame if you want to maximize your burst window. Having access to buy Dark And Darker Gold can also help you prepare the resources needed for this build.
