What are some good strategies to do a play without a priest?
I just find them really boring because the only good thing you can do with them is keep dropping supporting spells with the occasional dps and debuff. Or maybe that's just Durance and there's some more versatile builds for priests?
I find chanters, druids, and paladins a lot more interesting, versatile, and fun to play.
All I can think of off-hand to help make up the difference are scrolls of valor, potions of merciless gaze, beloved spirits for the chanter and moonwell from the druids, nature's mark druid debuff, rings of unshackling, and to use the paladin and chanter in a way more focused towards party buffs.
If it means anything the highest difficulty I've played is hard.