I have finally decided to try a priest after all the praise they get, trying a priest of Berath, working towards Tidefall. I have been consistent with my rational/stoic responses and am only level 6 but I want effigy+machine so I will need some cruelty, if I am always rational and/or stoic with only one point in cruel, will that make a huge difference?

Based on this table it looks like, at max level, you'll heal 8 less Endurance and do 16 less damage to Vessels, which is not really that much. However this assumes you only  get one level of Cruel: it might be that doing both the Effigy and the Machine will give you enough Cruel points to get more than one level of Cruel. Still, all in all not that big a deal, definitely not worth getting Untroubled Faith.

 

Luckily your disposition has no effect on either Inspiring Radiance or Aggrandising Radiance, which are both great, so it's really not that bad.

I think machine + pool is not enough to get you to 2 cruel. But even if: as Jerek said it will only affect the healing and vessel-damage of Holy Radiance a bit.

Why didn't you pick the priest of Skaen then? (Unless you specifically wanted Berath's favored melee weapons and Symbol of Berath as a spell) 

 

Berath is not a particularly "good" deity, more "neutral" in fact.

But absorbing the souls from the Machine disrupts the natural cycle and so is not a very Berath-friendly move.

Forcefully sacrificing people at the temple of Skaen (allied with Woedica) looks out of character too.

 

The bonuses you get from both these talents are not huge anyway. (Though from purely mechanical point of view they are probably still better than the things you lose from getting 1 point in Cruel).   

Edited April 2, 20187 yr by smilehigh

Skaen can not use Tidefall to its full potential like a breathing priest can. However, you could use Firebrand with Skaen (six uses per rest with belt+gloves, Firebrand also works with Prey on the Weak and any weapon focus) and also have a great melee priest.

Edited April 2, 20187 yr by Boeroer