In my experience, the levels 1-5 are where most of the play in DnD happens, especially for new players. Many campaigns start at level 1, and are most of the way done by the time you reach level 5, for one reason or another. So I've decided to make a character guide for levels 1-5, to help out new and experienced players alike who are building under the assumption that the maximum level is 5.
The build we'll be making is a Cleric. The Cleric class offers excellent versatility and power in the early levels. The race we'll be choosing is Variant Human, which is simply the best level 1 race for basically any build.
For our stats, we're using Point Buy. Wisdom is our most important skill as a Cleric, it governs our spell DC and spell attack bonus as well as an important save, so we're taking a preracial 15 with a racial +1, for a total of 16 Wisdom to get our +3 modifier. Our next important ability score will be Dexterity. At early levels, you don't have many spell slots, so you need to be able to contribute to combat without using any limited resources, and weapons outperform cantrips in the early levels, while also contribution to our AC while we're not in heavy armor and giving us an important saving throw. We're taking 14 Constitution, which will help us with our Concentration checks and give us extra hit points. We have 2 points remaining, and I'm putting them in Intelligence for a 10. Strength, Intelligence, and Charisma are all unimportant to this build, so pick whichever you think will aid your character from a roleplaying perspective.
As a variant human, we receive a bonus feat at level 1, we're choosing to take War Caster. This gives us advantage on Constitution saves to maintain our concentration, it allows us to perform the somatic components of spells while we're holding our longbow in both hands, and it lets us cast a spell at a creature that provokes an oppertunity attack from us, which makes slightly for the fact that you can't make an opportunity attack with a bow.
As a level 1 Cleric, we get to choose a domain, and since we plan to use a Longbow, we want a domain that grants us proficiency with Martial Weapons. For this build, we're choosing the Tempest Domain. This domain gives us the ability to use our reaction to retaliate against any creature that damaged us, dealing a solid 9 average damage on a failed save, usable 3 times per long rest. This damage doesn't scale at all, but in the early game it's quite significant.
If you're forced to take the Cleric starting equipment, here is my recommendation:
-Scale Mail. While this build is proficient with heavy armor, we don't have the Strength to use it without the movement penalty. Scale mail, with our +3 dex, will give us 16 AC, the same as if we had been using Chain.
-Warhammer. We're not going to be using this, but it's more expensive than a mace, so hopefully we can sell it and put that gold towards purchasing a longbow.
-Light crossbow and 20 bolts. This will be our budget replacement for a longbow in the early levels. It deals a solid 1d8+3 damage, and since we're only making one attack with it anyway, the loading property doesn't affect us.
-Explorer's Pack. 10 days of rations and various other things which are helpful when adventuring.
Spell Selection. As a 1st level cleric, we know 3 cantrips, and can prepare up to 5 spells. For cantrips, we're taking Guidance, Light, and Toll the Dead
-Guidance gives us a free +1d4 to any skill check (including Initiative, which is a dexterity check) as long as we have the 6 seconds to cast the spell ahead of time. It's a great cantrip.
-We're a human, and that means we don't have Darkvision. Thankfully, the light cantrip can help us see in the dark
-We have room for one damaging cantrip, and we're taking Toll the Dead, which deals a solid 1d12 damage to any creature below its maximum hit points.
We can prepare four first-level spells, plus Fog Cloud and Thunderwave. Our choices will be
-Bless. For the low cost of our concentration, Bless grants any three friendly creatures +1d4 to all attack rolls and saves for a minute, which is usually enough to last most combats. It's a very solid buff, especially if you have the time to cast it before battle.
-Healing Word. Using only a bonus action and with a range of 60 feet, Healing Word gives us the ability to restore 1d4+3 hit points to an ally, while still being able to make our attack for the turn.
-Inflict Wounds. Since we're a spellcaster using a longbow, we want an option available to us in case we get caught in Melee. Inflict Wounds deals a very solid 16.5 damage on average, which allows us to quickly dispose of an enemy that tries to trap us in Melee.
-Detect Magic. I want at least one spell that we can cast as a Ritual, and Detect Magic can be very useful. Take 10 minutes to cast this spell as a ritual whenever you end up in a suspicious-looking room.
In summary:
At level 1, we're mostly an archer, firing off crossbow bolts with a +5 bonus that deal 1d8+3 damage, and supporting with healing and buffs when we can. We stick to the backline to attack at range, but we're far from helpless if we're caught in melee. We have 10 hit points and 16 AC, which is on par with martial classes at this level.
(levels 2-5 will get their own posts)
The build we'll be making is a Cleric. The Cleric class offers excellent versatility and power in the early levels. The race we'll be choosing is Variant Human, which is simply the best level 1 race for basically any build.
For our stats, we're using Point Buy. Wisdom is our most important skill as a Cleric, it governs our spell DC and spell attack bonus as well as an important save, so we're taking a preracial 15 with a racial +1, for a total of 16 Wisdom to get our +3 modifier. Our next important ability score will be Dexterity. At early levels, you don't have many spell slots, so you need to be able to contribute to combat without using any limited resources, and weapons outperform cantrips in the early levels, while also contribution to our AC while we're not in heavy armor and giving us an important saving throw. We're taking 14 Constitution, which will help us with our Concentration checks and give us extra hit points. We have 2 points remaining, and I'm putting them in Intelligence for a 10. Strength, Intelligence, and Charisma are all unimportant to this build, so pick whichever you think will aid your character from a roleplaying perspective.
As a variant human, we receive a bonus feat at level 1, we're choosing to take War Caster. This gives us advantage on Constitution saves to maintain our concentration, it allows us to perform the somatic components of spells while we're holding our longbow in both hands, and it lets us cast a spell at a creature that provokes an oppertunity attack from us, which makes slightly for the fact that you can't make an opportunity attack with a bow.
As a level 1 Cleric, we get to choose a domain, and since we plan to use a Longbow, we want a domain that grants us proficiency with Martial Weapons. For this build, we're choosing the Tempest Domain. This domain gives us the ability to use our reaction to retaliate against any creature that damaged us, dealing a solid 9 average damage on a failed save, usable 3 times per long rest. This damage doesn't scale at all, but in the early game it's quite significant.
If you're forced to take the Cleric starting equipment, here is my recommendation:
-Scale Mail. While this build is proficient with heavy armor, we don't have the Strength to use it without the movement penalty. Scale mail, with our +3 dex, will give us 16 AC, the same as if we had been using Chain.
-Warhammer. We're not going to be using this, but it's more expensive than a mace, so hopefully we can sell it and put that gold towards purchasing a longbow.
-Light crossbow and 20 bolts. This will be our budget replacement for a longbow in the early levels. It deals a solid 1d8+3 damage, and since we're only making one attack with it anyway, the loading property doesn't affect us.
-Explorer's Pack. 10 days of rations and various other things which are helpful when adventuring.
Spell Selection. As a 1st level cleric, we know 3 cantrips, and can prepare up to 5 spells. For cantrips, we're taking Guidance, Light, and Toll the Dead
-Guidance gives us a free +1d4 to any skill check (including Initiative, which is a dexterity check) as long as we have the 6 seconds to cast the spell ahead of time. It's a great cantrip.
-We're a human, and that means we don't have Darkvision. Thankfully, the light cantrip can help us see in the dark
-We have room for one damaging cantrip, and we're taking Toll the Dead, which deals a solid 1d12 damage to any creature below its maximum hit points.
We can prepare four first-level spells, plus Fog Cloud and Thunderwave. Our choices will be
-Bless. For the low cost of our concentration, Bless grants any three friendly creatures +1d4 to all attack rolls and saves for a minute, which is usually enough to last most combats. It's a very solid buff, especially if you have the time to cast it before battle.
-Healing Word. Using only a bonus action and with a range of 60 feet, Healing Word gives us the ability to restore 1d4+3 hit points to an ally, while still being able to make our attack for the turn.
-Inflict Wounds. Since we're a spellcaster using a longbow, we want an option available to us in case we get caught in Melee. Inflict Wounds deals a very solid 16.5 damage on average, which allows us to quickly dispose of an enemy that tries to trap us in Melee.
-Detect Magic. I want at least one spell that we can cast as a Ritual, and Detect Magic can be very useful. Take 10 minutes to cast this spell as a ritual whenever you end up in a suspicious-looking room.
In summary:
At level 1, we're mostly an archer, firing off crossbow bolts with a +5 bonus that deal 1d8+3 damage, and supporting with healing and buffs when we can. We stick to the backline to attack at range, but we're far from helpless if we're caught in melee. We have 10 hit points and 16 AC, which is on par with martial classes at this level.
(levels 2-5 will get their own posts)
