D&D 5E Booming blade and green flame blade for clerics

[Caliban]

Probably a half orc Barb 4/Wiz 1. With a Greataxe that would give 3d12 on a crit (+weapon die on a crit for half orc). The wizard level gives them the Green Flame blade cantrip for an extra 1d8 on the attack.

I don't see how they get the +4 damage, unless they used rolled stats and they had 16+2 racial for an 18 str. They can't cast the cantrip while raging, so they aren't getting a damage boost from that.

Even with green flame blade, the secondary damage would be 1d8+Int modifier. I somehow doubt that the character has a 22 int at lvl 5.

Not sure if they are claiming an 18-20 crit range or not. As far as I know, that isn't possible at lvl 5.

Still - if they'd just gone Barb 5, they would have 2 attacks and their damage potential would be far higher.

 

[guachi]

Giving it to them as a freebie is definitely OP.

As is, it requires a feat or choosing high elf or half-elf with high elf variant. That's a significant opportunity cost to get. Without that, you're allowing races to be chosen with better synergy for the cleric with no balancing factor.

I have a human arcana cleric that–at 20th-level–does 4d8+15 to a primary target and 3d8+10 (not including magical items or other spells like spiritual hammer and spirit guardians) to a secondary target with Shillelagh and Green-Flame Blade. That requires the Magic Initiate feat to make reality and it is, so far, the best melee damage cleric I've seen.

I've thought of doing something similar. I think you can do this as a high elf nature cleric, too. At least, you can get Shillelagh and Green-Flame Blade at level 1.

 

[AtomicPope]

Kind of funny because then they give early access and allow multiclassing and Bard can get Swift quiver before ranger and out ranger him.

Bards are allowed to multiclass without multiclassing. Having said that, Bards get no additional abilities of a Ranger: favored enemy, fighting style, et al.

 

[Zardnaar]

Other clerics can pick them up (feats, high elf) but only the arcane cleric can key it off wisdom. Arcane clerics with slightly above (say 16,14,14,14) average stats can hurt similar to fighters at level 5 and by level 8 or 9 more or less do it every combat.

 

[Zardnaar]

I like the idea of melee attack cantrips, I just don't like their weird implementation that makes them meh for warriors and mages, but fantastic for clerics and rogues.

Not that good for rogues. Good for clerics and Sorcerers.

Rogues give up opportunity cost of dual wielding to really use those spells and the upgrade is not worth it IMHO. Maybe worth it if you're running around but then people claim the rogue is weak mostly because they are playing it wrong.

Its more or less this "Be very mobile or use cantrips, cut your chance to sneak attack in half and potentially an extra 1d6"

Throw in a fighter level you are giving up the above + dex to damage with your off hand. Cut your sneak attack potential by 50% is the opportunity cost.

Anyway we tested it a lot and in the best case scenarios GFB was not all that and BB is kinda worse the whole willing movement thing. Using a zone + BB is a better bet, give them a choice between pain and pain. GFB is good on the Mastermind Rogue and on low AC targets where you probably hit anyway or where you need to retreat vs want to retreat so want to use your bonus action that way.

 

[Ganymede81]

Not that good for rogues. Good for clerics and Sorcerers.

Rogues give up opportunity cost of dual wielding to really use those spells and the upgrade is not worth it IMHO. Maybe worth it if you're running around but then people claim the rogue is weak mostly because they are playing it wrong.

Its more or less this "Be very mobile or use cantrips, cut your chance to sneak attack in half and potentially an extra 1d6"

Throw in a fighter level you are giving up the above + dex to damage with your off hand. Cut your sneak attack potential by 50% is the opportunity cost.

Anyway we tested it a lot and in the best case scenarios GFB was not all that and BB is kinda worse the whole willing movement thing. Using a zone + BB is a better bet, give them a choice between pain and pain. GFB is good on the Mastermind Rogue and on low AC targets where you probably hit anyway or where you need to retreat vs want to retreat so want to use your bonus action that way.

Thanks for the feedback, but this topic is from last year.