halfling is the only race for clerics.

If I had it to do over again, Bubbles would be a halfling no doubt.

They are just dang cuter, really.

From a min / max perspective, you need to look at the combined 4 main attributes of relevance to a cleric: (STR / STA / AGI / WIS)

STR - it's just.. amazingly necessary with all the plate you'll be wearing. You can go around with low STR if you never want to loot anything.. ever.
STA - HPs are good, 'nuff said.
AGI - helps with dodge and avoidance a touch. <75 = annoying AC penalty
WIS - mana. yep.

DE - 65 / 70 / 90 / 93 - Total 318
ERU - 65 / 75 / 70 / 93 - Total 303
GNM - 65 / 75 / 85 / 77 - Total 302
HUM - 80 / 80 / 75 / 85 - Total 320
HLF - 75 / 80 / 95 / 90 - Total 340
HIE - 60 / 70 / 85 / 105 - Total 320
DRF - 95 / 95/ 70 / 93 - Total 353

Clearly Dwarf and halfling are heads above the competition. In this comparison.

If we want to remove AGI from the equation:

DE - Total 228
ERU - Total 233
GNM - Total 217
HUM - Total 245
HLF - Total 245
HIE - Total 235
DRF - Total 283

Dwarf is now an even clearer winner, although keep in mind a dwarf starts at 70 AGI and needs 5 to avoid an AC penalty.

Probably the one biggest boost to High Elves is they will have far, far closer to 200 WIS in full resist gear if you are interested in raiding.

But for situational every day grinding, dwarves and halflings are going to have the most utility.

Dwarfs dude. Forward flip jump? Nuff said

For true roleplay, I'd go for dwarf cleric.

For usefulness:
I did enjoy that necklace *and* the hide on live a lot. OTOH I was boxing on live, with the necro and cleric, so it was convenient to hide the cleric while medding and the necro could kite his mobs all over the place without danger to the cleric.

But still - hide while medding is awesome to avoid getting jumped by live mobs/spawns. Also for AFKs. Incredibly useful skill imo. Especially since you can confirm success by considering non-indiff mobs. You could even use it to "invis" past roamers with a bit of skill :)

Of course, that works for halfling clerics also, but they got furry feet! Yuck!

I've saved myself countless times using Hide as a Dark Elf Cleric.

The snare necklace, Regent Symbol of Innoruuk, has Clinging Darkness -- At level 60 (and even back as far as I can remember duo/trioing Efreeti, down to low 50's) I can snare the imps in SolB Efreeti camp so when my monk is killing them they don't run into other mobs.

I haven't had a lot of problems with the snare sticking; I don't really care about the damage.

Also, I can fear kite if I really, really wanted to.

I have my opiniion about the best race.

But choose the one you want to be the most. They are all pretty much OKAY even humans and erudites. Choosing a non dwarf or human paladin really impairs you with bad stats but choosing any cleric race is pretty much o.k.

So choose the one you think you want to be.

i would say dark elf for the snare necklace. stats are pretty unimportant in the grand scheme of things, snare is something that only a few classes can do.

I'd say halfling.

Sneak gives you a lot of options to faction quest/merchant etc etc

Hide, is really nice when you need a quick invis.

Exp Bonus never hurt anyone.

Halfling!

Except you get asked for sow and ports even in full purple armor. :(

You mean on EQLive, right?