D&D 5E Is Wizard/Cleric Melee possible?

[stubblesmcgee]

Because of some interesting circumstances, my Diviner Wizard had to take a Light Domain Cleric dip, and is now Wizard 8/Cleric 1. With it came the medium armor proficiency, bringing my AC up to 19 and giving me the 2nd highest AC in the party (the rest are a paladin and two rogues). Because of some remarkable rolling, I also have the second most HP in the group.

Our latest encounters have been taking a toll on our paladin, and I'm wondering if I shouldn't try joining him on the frontline once in a while. I can already impose disadvantage on a number of enemy attack rolls because of Warding Flare and the Lucky Feat. Between those, Portent dice, and the various shield spells, I figure I should be pretty hard to hit, at least for a bit. As an Elf, I have proficiency with short swords and a Dex of 18. While I don't have the ability to take extra attacks, I could always pick up Booming Blade as my last cantrip to help make up the difference.

Basically, I'm wondering if I'm crazy to be even considering this. If I'm not, how could I make this more viable?

 

[Scott Steven Bell]

Well, youd need the warcaster feat if you were to don a shield. You could certainly jump in to provide your rogues with a SA friend but you wont be dropping great attack spells from short sword range.

 

[UngeheuerLich]

Shortsword. Shortsword. Haste. Fire shield. Mirror image. (That you can move at all in heavy armor with low Str that I assume. You can also booming blade and take the attack action. Make sure you save some portent rolls for concentration checks.

 

[Satyrn]

Do it. You'll never know until you try.

I find it fun to change things up, with no great concern for what's optimal or best. Just last week, for example, I switched it up with my gnome battlemaster, going from front line dual wielder to skirmishing archer for a fight, a clearly less powerful role, since I was dealing the same damage per attack but was making half as many attacks. Plus, I was out of melee, so everyone else - including the sorcerer - was getting attacked more.

But it was fun. And not just for me. The other players were laughing about my gnome running around everywhere.

Give it a go. It'll be a new story for your group.

 

[Scott Steven Bell]

Also, Im not sure how you get 19 AC with medium armor unless its magical etc...or shield with warcaster

 

[stubblesmcgee]

Well, youd need the warcaster feat if you were to don a shield. You could certainly jump in to provide your rogues with a SA friend but you wont be dropping great attack spells from short sword range.

Also, Im not sure how you get 19 AC with medium armor unless its magical etc...or shield with warcaster

Yeah sorry, the 19 AC is including the shield. It turns out a surprisingly large number of spells don't require material components, meaning I wouldn't have to be palming my arcane focus to cast them, freeing up a hand for somatic components. Some don't need more than the verbal component. Since sheathing or unsheathing a weapon is a free action as part of movement or action, I'd be able to cast spells as long as I'm very careful about the timing.

Of course the longer term goal would be to get the War Caster feat, but I'll have to wait for that.

 

[mellored]

If you have high AC, and high HP, then yes, you can go ahead in melee. Possibly stand next to the paladin to benifit from his auras.

 

[UngeheuerLich]

Oh. With shield you can use spiritual weapon. Since haste does not give you two extra attacks you may opt to use a different concentration spell instead. Bless cones to mind. Though haste is still a good option.

 

[Saeviomagy]

From an optimization standpoint, every character has hit dice that are an expendable resource. If all the damage for a day goes on one character, you have to stop adventuring earlier than if that damage is appropriately spread around.

So yes: you should be looking to take an appropriate proportion of damage. This applies regardless of your AC: the difference is that a good AC (or other defensive measures) makes your hit dice proportionally more effective when compared with the amount of incoming attacks.

 

[stubblesmcgee]

From an optimization standpoint, every character has hit dice that are an expendable resource. If all the damage for a day goes on one character, you have to stop adventuring earlier than if that damage is appropriately spread around.

So yes: you should be looking to take an appropriate proportion of damage. This applies regardless of your AC: the difference is that a good AC (or other defensive measures) makes your hit dice proportionally more effective when compared with the amount of incoming attacks.

This is a good point; I hadn't thought of it that way.

So I see that a lot of ppl are recommending Haste. Maybe I'm not understanding it, but how do people deal with the exhaustion afterward? Isn't that a pretty massive downside? Also, what is everyone's thoughts on Absorb Elements?