D&D 5E Clerics and GFB/BB

[Ahrimon]

A couple of quick questions.

1. Is there any way for the cleric to gain access to Green Flame Blade or Booming Blade while using Wisdom as the casting stat for that can
trip? I know they're available via feat or multi-classing, but those still leave the casting stat to be Int or Cha.

2. If not, would it be overpowered to add GFB and BB to the list of cleric cantrips?

 

[Al2O3]

I know no way to get GFB with wisdom as casting stat. I have not checked the arcana cleric for that.

If you want either, go with BB. You will use the stat for weapon attack to make it land and the damage does not include the casting stat. Shield, magic missile and some other spells also make no use of the casting stat. If you are fine with BB, a utility cantrip and one of the mentioned spells out does not matter what casting stat you use.

Update: I did check the Arcane domain and they do start with two wizard cantrips as cleric cantrips at level 1.

Sent from my Nexus 6 using EN World mobile app

 

[Undrhil]

The Arcane Cleric can choose two Wizard cantrips and treat them as Cleric cantrips. Conveniently, this is the Cleric subclass in the Sword Coast Adventurer's Guide.

Additionally, the cantrip does not change the way you make melee attack rolls. You are still using STR or DEX for your attack rolls with the melee attack you have to make as part of casting the cantrip.

 

[Caliban]

Green Flame Blade and Booming Blade don't use your casting stat - they use the normal attack stat for the weapon you are using. They just allow you to make one attack with the weapon and add fire or thunder damage to it.

Arcana Domain (from the SCAG) allows you to pick two wizard cantrips, so you could get them that way.

What you could do is take the Magic Initiate feat and select Shillelagh as one of the cantrips. Cast it on a club or quarterstaff, then you can attack with it using your Wisdom at the attack/damage stat instead of Strength. Then cast GFB/BB on the club. (If you have the Arcana domain, this means that at 8th level you add your Wisdom to damage twice - once for Shillelagh, and once because GFB/BB is a cleric cantrip for you.)

 

[Ahrimon]

I appreciate it folks. I was thinking it could be a good addition to my dwarven war priest but couldn't think of any method of how to get it outside of feats and/or multiclassing. I was mostly interested in keeping the casting stat wisdom because GFB does damage based on the casting stat. I'm familiar with how the spells work so I know that they are melee attacks with magic riders.

I'm not as familiar with the arcana cleric since that's not really my cup of tea, but it doesn't help my war cleric out.

Thanks.

 

[DonT]

While Booming Blade doesn't use your spell-casting modifier in any way, the additional damage from Green Flame Blade does.

 

[FarBeyondC]

A couple of quick questions.

1. Is there any way for the cleric to gain access to Green Flame Blade or Booming Blade while using Wisdom as the casting stat for that cantrip? I know they're available via feat or multi-classing, but those still leave the casting stat to be Int or Cha.

Arcana Cleric (1st level) + Magic Initiate Druid (for Shillelagh more than anything else) will get you there.

1st level Arcana Cleric gives you two cantrips from the wizard's spell list (including GFB and BB), making both count as cleric cantrips (and would thus use wisdom for the casting stat).

Shillelagh will let you use Wisdom for both the attack and damage rolls of the melee attacks made with the weapon (club or quarterstaff) you apply it to.

2. If not, would it be overpowered to add GFB and BB to the list of cleric cantrips?

Not at all.

 

[Inchoroi]

Arcana Cleric actually is very nice for a gish-type character, using those cantrips, especially since the Potent Cantrip ability applies to it.