D&D 5E Character for new campaign

[Mort]

Well, I feel slightly dirty recommending the most obvious dip (the one that rhymes with "Sex maid"). Otherwise, I'd probably go straight DS Sorcerer and grab Mage Armor when you get a little higher and can afford the 1st level slot.

Even though it's obvious and possibly cliche and cheesy it's just too good not to consider!

Pros:

Consolidate attack stat to charisma. For bards and sorcerers this is nice. For paladins this is HUGE. Under the standard array paladins go from MAD with some difficult choices to amazing.

Some nice utility spells for the sorcerer or bard but imo nothing amazing, except shield for the martial focused bard.

For paladins: huge utility a Paladin with multiple castings of shield is just wrong. Also this makes the paladin go from useless at range to well, slightly less useless at range.

Cons:

One delayed level to primary features - big in a low level campaign; completely ok otherwise.

 

[FrogReaver]

Celestial Pact Warlock is another option providing healing, and the concept seems to match well.

My whole theory on caster combat (level 5+) is to be able to cast 1 big buff concentration spell at the start of a high difficulty combat. Warlocks can do that well. But at that point they have 1 spellslot left for in combat healing. That doesn't feel adaquate to me for the character playstyle I'm going for.

Warlocks in general make one heck of a dip though. They also aren't bad as 1 Big Combat Spell + EB in subsequent rounds type character.

Hexblades are okay too.

 

[FrogReaver]

You appear to be moving to support in some form Cleric/Druid/Bard

Support is great. I personally find it more interesting in combat than damage dealing.

Just depends on what else you think might be fun.

Druids - good environmental control.
Bards - good enabling/debuffing.
Clerics - good radiant/necrotic blasting & more healing than is probably necessary.

Add Divine Soul in there and I think you have it covered.

My priorities:
1. In-Combat Healing (anticipating using cure wounds a lot)
2. Playing as ranged character so I am free to move to the ally that needs healing and so concentration spells are less likely to drop
3. Strong level 3 spell for Buff/Debuff
4. Self Defense - I don't want to be too squishy a target

I think the only thing keeping me from playing a straight cleric is not feeling like the straight cleric meets #3. On that front does anyone have thoughts around Beacon of Hope for a combat buff?

 

[FrogReaver]

Well, I feel slightly dirty recommending the most obvious dip (the one that rhymes with "Sex maid"). Otherwise, I'd probably go straight DS Sorcerer and grab Mage Armor when you get a little higher and can afford the 1st level slot.

Solid dip even at a 1 level dip it provides alot of defensive boosts for both bards and sorcerers. For sorcerers it also helps on the spells known. On bards it provides a damage cantrip comparable to firebolt.

That said I feel like for a bard a level 1 dip of sorcerer is better than a level 1 dip of warlock. Con saves, 13+dex AC calculation. Keep spell slot progression and adds more cantrips.

 

[FrogReaver]

Even though it's obvious and possibly cliche and cheesy it's just too good not to consider!

Pros:

Consolidate attack stat to charisma. For bards and sorcerers this is nice. For paladins this is HUGE. Under the standard array paladins go from MAD with some difficult choices to amazing.

Some nice utility spells for the sorcerer or bard but imo nothing amazing, except shield for the martial focused bard.

For paladins: huge utility a Paladin with multiple castings of shield is just wrong. Also this makes the paladin go from useless at range to well, slightly less useless at range.

Cons:

One delayed level to primary features - big in a low level campaign; completely ok otherwise.

Solid analysis for the general character. I also notice how most of the intuition is that it's amazing for martial characters - which while true isn't something I'm particularly wanting to become.

 

[TwoSix]

Add Divine Soul in there and I think you have it covered.

My priorities:
1. In-Combat Healing (anticipating using cure wounds a lot)
2. Playing as ranged character so I am free to move to the ally that needs healing and so concentration spells are less likely to drop
3. Strong level 3 spell for Buff/Debuff
4. Self Defense - I don't want to be too squishy a target

I think the only thing keeping me from playing a straight cleric is not feeling like the straight cleric meets #3. On that front does anyone have thoughts around Beacon of Hope for a combat buff?

Are you using the UA class variants in this game? Aura of Vitality would be a strong level contender 3 for either cleric or DS sorcerer.

 

[FrogReaver]

Are you using the UA class variants in this game? Aura of Vitality would be a strong level contender 3 for either cleric or DS sorcerer.

We are not.

 

[FrogReaver]

Divine Soul Evaluation
So I've had more time to evaluate divine soul. I think there's simply too many cleric spells that a character focused on healing will want access to.

Spells Known/Prepared
I also find it interested that from level 1-9 the bard class only knows 2 more spells than a sorcerer at any given level (Lore Bards are an exception). That's also only 1 more spell than a Divine Soul Sorcerer can know.

Clerics can prepare the most spells. At level 1 they typically get 6 spells prepared. At level 3 they have 10 spells prepared. At level 5 they have 15 Spells prepared.

Druids pretty much match Bard spells known with their prepared spells. Druids get 1 extra spell prepared than a bard when going from 16 to 18 wisdom. And then another going from 18 to 20.

Current thoughts
That's making me lean toward cleric. Also a cleric dipping 1 level into Druid gets an additional 4-6 spells they can prepare (assuming 16 starting wisdom).

The biggest downside there is the loss of metal armor - which lowers AC to 16ish instead of being able to hit 20. I guess it depends on if having the extra spells to prepare would "feel" better.

 

[Ashrym]

Divine Soul Evaluation
So I've had more time to evaluate divine soul. I think there's simply too many cleric spells that a character focused on healing will want access to.

Spells Known/Prepared
I also find it interested that from level 1-9 the bard class only knows 2 more spells than a sorcerer at any given level (Lore Bards are an exception). That's also only 1 more spell than a Divine Soul Sorcerer can know.

Clerics can prepare the most spells. At level 1 they typically get 6 spells prepared. At level 3 they have 10 spells prepared. At level 5 they have 15 Spells prepared.

Druids pretty much match Bard spells known with their prepared spells. Druids get 1 extra spell prepared than a bard when going from 16 to 18 wisdom. And then another going from 18 to 20.

Current thoughts
That's making me lean toward cleric. Also a cleric dipping 1 level into Druid gets an additional 4-6 spells they can prepare (assuming 16 starting wisdom).

The biggest downside there is the loss of metal armor - which lowers AC to 16ish instead of being able to hit 20. I guess it depends on if having the extra spells to prepare would "feel" better.

Land circle druid opens up spells prepped quite a bit and natural recovery adds casting. Not a favorite compared to some other circles and just a thought, but might be what you want.

If you are looking for something a bit different have you considered an artificer? AC is good and thp from the cannons is solid and o go with healing spells.

 

[Coroc]

My whole theory on caster combat (level 5+) is to be able to cast 1 big buff concentration spell at the start of a high difficulty combat. Warlocks can do that well. But at that point they have 1 spellslot left for in combat healing. That doesn't feel adaquate to me for the character playstyle I'm going for.

Warlocks in general make one heck of a dip though. They also aren't bad as 1 Big Combat Spell + EB in subsequent rounds type character.

Hexblades are okay too.

Well then cleric (spirit guardians/bless) is the option. Do tempest for ranged, or healing or war for more melee, do not forget to bolster con a bit for concentration. Grab the equipment option if it gives you decent armor and go melee, so you got a front row backup.