Claude

Claude, Cultist Henchman
Nation: Ascalon Profession: Necromancer Armament: Staff

Claude was not mentioned prior to reaching the Shiverpeaks. From his dialogue, he has lost all his loved ones during the Searing, and has turned from the worship of life to the worship of death.

He is available for hire starting from Yak's Bend until replaced by Eve from the Thunderhead Keep mission onwards.

Location

 * Shiverpeak Mountains (all towns and outposts except Deldrimor War Camp, Marhan's Grotto, and Thunderhead Keep)
 * Maguuma Jungle (all towns and outposts)
 * Crystal Desert (all towns and outposts)

Skills Used


From Dragon's Lair on:
 * (Elite)

Evaluation
Claude is more useful to have around than Dunham or Reyna in most situations, because of the energy regeneration he gives with Blood Ritual. In battle situations, Claude can stress healing for your monks. His continuous casting of Blood Ritual (even when he is in danger himself) makes him in constant threat of dying (Blood Ritual requires a 17% max health sacrifice).

Pros Cons
 * Casts Blood Ritual on low-energy party members.
 * Uses Vampiric Gaze for self-healing.
 * Still dies quickly and often because he uses health sacrifice. Also because he tends to be close to the warriors, he will often be hit by enemies before anyone else.
 * Won't cast Blood Ritual on anyone with more than about a quarter of their energy.
 * One of the more 'timid' necromancers around. You will watch enemy necromancers deal out damage with Putrid Explosion, summon minions with Animate Bone Fiend, and exploit corpses to create Well of Blood and Well of the Profane, but Claude will offer no such services.

Dialogue

 * "I was once a dedicate of Dwayna. Since the Searing, after watching all that I knew and loved perish before my eyes, I have felt the call of Grenth in my soul. What do you think awaits us in the great beyond?"

Quotes
Idle quotes in Ascalon:
 * "I hardly recognise Ascalon since the searing."

Idle quotes in the Shiverpeak Mountains:
 * "Do the Dwarves bury their dead?"
 * "Funny that we had an alliance with the Dwarves for so long, but I never once saw one in Ascalon City."
 * "I once knew a ranger who climbed up into these mountains to do his hunting."
 * "If someone freezes to death, does their flesh still smell bad?"
 * "Sometimes the steam from my breath makes interesting shapes. That last one looked like a crow."

Idle quotes in Kryta:
 * "I never understood sand."
 * "It's amazing that Kryta fared so well during the Charr invasion."
 * "My skin doesn't do very well under this kind of sunlight."
 * "Not so long ago the Krytans were our enemies. Funny how fire raining from the sky can change all that."
 * "Somehow, the undead rising from the swamps is not as comforting as I would have hoped."

Idle quotes in the Maguuma Jungle:
 * "Anyone who can live here can't be all that bad."
 * "I find the darkness in the depth of the jungle very comforting."
 * "I like plants as long as they are brown or drink blood."
 * "I'm not quite sure what to make of the Shining Blade."
 * "The dry parts of the jungle are my favorite."

Idle quotes in the Crystal Desert:
 * "Do you think any of these cultures buried their dead? Maybe the bones were buried and the wind uncovered them."
 * "I could use a nap."
 * "The bones everywhere really make me feel at home."
 * "Those sand wurms look particularly nasty."
 * "Why would anyone come out here to do anything but die?"

Battle quotes:
 * "Death has such a lovely smell."
 * "Take a look around. You will miss this world when you're gone."
 * "Tell Grenth that Sergio sends his best." (Sergio? Who is Sergio? Could be Firstwatch Sergio of the Lionguard in Lion's Arch, but why him?)
 * "There are no angels where you are going."
 * "You will enjoy death. I assure you."