D&D 5E Best Wizard and Cleric Subclasses (Level 1 to 10)

[Aldarc]

IMO wisdom based melee builds are overrated anyway. You still have to put points into str or dex or your AC sucks.

I will whole-heartily echo this sentiment. There are so many more interesting things than you can build for your character than what's essentially a gimmick.

 

[Paul Farquhar]

Magic initiate is another feat, nature cleric vuman can take PAM level 1. You can also wear medium armor and have 14 dex/con and key everything off wisdom. You get an extra attack via PAM using a staff for 1d8+wisdom magic damage level 1.

If you are inflating your dex to 14 anyway you might as well play a wood elf and make it 16, choose the war domain and do the same damage at long range. Not to mention Sharpshooter + Guided Strike at level 4.

Its not like that many Tempest cleric spells are actually that good and they are not that good at melee either.

Sure, because Speak With Animals is so much better than Thunderwave.

Comparing Nature cleric with Tempest cleric and war which I both think are a bit underwhelming. I lean towards life and light for the PHB power cleric builds.

Because electrocuting anyone who hits you is so much less useful on a melee character than Animal Handling skill.


And it's probably worth mentioning that a druid can do all ​the same things as your nature cleric, and lots of other good stuff as well.

Edit: Just checked the official ruling, and the bonus attack from PAM with a shillelagh does D4+wisdom bonus, not d8. The D4 comes from the feat, not the weapon. So the Wood Elf War Domain archer has better DPS.

 

[gyor]

I'd say conjurer or necromancer for having armies. Both benifit from bounded accuracy. Still have a plan ready to keep commanding your minions effient, and brief.

 

[Cap'n Kobold]

Decide what you actually want out of this character, and take into account what others in your party might be. For example, if you are the only potential healer then even as a Tempest ceric, you may end up spending a chunk of your spells on healing and support rather than using all of them to blast stuff.

 

[Vitor Bastos]

Decide what you actually want out of this character, and take into account what others in your party might be. For example, if you are the only potential healer then even as a Tempest ceric, you may end up spending a chunk of your spells on healing and support rather than using all of them to blast stuff.

So far my party is: me, a monk, a rogue, a revised ranger and X (another player that havent choose his class yet).
But I'll probably gonna get the spells that I want anyway..

 

[Zardnaar]

If you are inflating your dex to 14 anyway you might as well play a wood elf and make it 16, choose the war domain and do the same damage at long range. Not to mention Sharpshooter + Guided Strike at level 4.



Sure, because Speak With Animals is so much better than Thunderwave.



Because electrocuting anyone who hits you is so much less useful on a melee character than Animal Handling skill.


And it's probably worth mentioning that a druid can do all ​the same things as your nature cleric, and lots of other good stuff as well.

Edit: Just checked the official ruling, and the bonus attack from PAM with a shillelagh does D4+wisdom bonus, not d8. The D4 comes from the feat, not the weapon. So the Wood Elf War Domain archer has better DPS.

I know its a d4 but its 1d8+wis and 1d4+wis magic damage The key thing is everything keys off wisdom.

I don't find thunderwave to be that good and things like dampen elements are very good.

Generally I find nature, life and aracana make surprisingly good melee clerics and the war one is a bit underwhelming.

 

[CTurbo]

So far my party is: me, a monk, a rogue, a revised ranger and X (another player that havent choose his class yet).
But I'll probably gonna get the spells that I want anyway..

Keep in mind that while being able to heal is great, I did not spend a lot of time healing in combat with my Tempest Cleric, usually, if I had to choose between healing a buddy, or killing a baddie, I chose to kill. Sometimes, I even KO'd my own friends that would get caught in a maximized Shatter if it meant ending the encounter because I knew I could just walk over and revive them and heal them afterwards.

I've seen a lot of people complain about the Tempest Cleric not getting more Thunder/lightning spells but honestly, the ones you do get scale pretty well so I was ever left wanting for new ones, and Magic Initiate exists if you do find yourself wanting more. I guess it would have been fun to have the Lightning Lure cantrip so you could pull the enemy 10ft and then push them 10ft with the same attack lol

 

[CTurbo]

I know its a d4 but its 1d8+wis and 1d4+wis magic damage The key thing is everything keys off wisdom.

I don't find thunderwave to be that good and things like dampen elements are very good.

Generally I find nature, life and aracana make surprisingly good melee clerics and the war one is a bit underwhelming.

You already have a 1d8+Wis bonus attack starting at level 3. That's why I don't care for PAM on Clerics.

Sentinel is fun on a Tempest Cleric if you can afford it. You attack my friend, I attack you. You attack me, I shock you. Plus it keeps them in your Spirit Guardians.

 

[Vitor Bastos]

Keep in mind that while being able to heal is great, I did not spend a lot of time healing in combat with my Tempest Cleric, usually, if I had to choose between healing a buddy, or killing a baddie, I chose to kill. Sometimes, I even KO'd my own friends that would get caught in a maximized Shatter if it meant ending the encounter because I knew I could just walk over and revive them and heal them afterwards.

I've seen a lot of people complain about the Tempest Cleric not getting more Thunder/lightning spells but honestly, the ones you do get scale pretty well so I was ever left wanting for new ones, and Magic Initiate exists if you do find yourself wanting more. I guess it would have been fun to have the Lightning Lure cantrip so you could pull the enemy 10ft and then push them 10ft with the same attack lol

Oh, I'll definitly be that kind of Tempest Cleric! lol Damage > Healing for sure! I actually read today the Treantmonk's guide to Wizard, and on the beginning of it he talks about the whole idea of combat roles, etc. Anyway, what I've learned is that I can just worry about healing ppl off combat. Instead of focusing on full support during battle, I can dish a lot of damage and manage the situation. Optimizing my round in combat.

Im exactly the kind of guy that would also KO my buddy so if it meant ending the encounter!! lol =D

 

[Vitor Bastos]

Tempest Cleric all the way!

Str build options

Vhuman with HAM at level 1 with 16 Str, 14 Con, 16 Wis. Plate + shield 20 AC
Vhuman with Res(con) at level 1 with 16 Str, 14 Con, 16 Wis. Plate + shield 20 AC
Vhuman with Warcaster at level 1 16 Str, 14 Con, 16 Wis. Plate + shield 20 AC

Dex build options

Vhuman with Res(con) at level 1 with 16 Dex, 14 Con, 16 Wis. Half Plate + shield 19 AC
Vhuman with Defensive duelist at level 1 with 16 Dex, 14 Con, 16 Wis. Half Plate + shield 19 AC
Vhuman with Warcaster at level 1 16 Dex, 14 Con, 16 Wis. Half Plate + shield 19 AC
Hill Dwarf 14 Dex, 16 Con, 16 Wis. Plate + shield 20 AC + extra hit points
Wood Elf 16 Dex, 14 Con, 16 Wis. Half Plate + shield 19 AC

Either way you go, I'd probably bump Wis at 4 and 8. If I had to choose just 1 feat, I'd probably go Res(Con) since you can get it at level 1.

You can sit back and just blast if you want, but you'd get your money's worth by getting down into melee, even if you never even attack with your weapon.

Turn on Spirit Guardians, Spiritual Weapon, and sit down on the front lines and use your action for whatever you want whether it be attacking with your weapon, attacking with a spell, heal somebody, casting a utility spell, or just simply using the dodge action. You'll be a melee monster even with your one weapon attack. Lets count the d8s you'll be doing lol

2d8 with your weapon attack, 1d8 with your bonus action, 3d8 to every enemy within 15ft of you, and another 2d8 with your reaction if hit with an attack lol

Spirit guardians scales up pretty well 1d8 per up-cast so 5d8 from a 5th slot.

And then twice per fight, you can drop a maximized Shatter, Thunderwave, Call Lightning, etc....

CTurbo, Hill dwarf is not good for STR builds?

EDIT: CTurbo, actually I made a new thread to ask for help building this Tempest Cleric. I would be really glad if you could help me over there!
link: http://www.enworld.org/forum/showth...vice-for-Tempest-Cleric&p=7389378#post7389378