D&D 5E Cleric domains: is there a power gamers choice?

[Leatherhead]

I always found the nature cleric annoying. Play a druid if you want a nature bent!

Nature Clerics always seemed to be more for the farmer/herder Agriculture god to me. Which is essential for civilization to the point where many real life religions adopted farming jargon. Druids are more about "untamed wilds" and tending to natural disasters and savage beasts.

It's an interesting dichotomy that gets glossed over all too often.

 

[Eejit]

Yeah Polearm master works good with Clerics, because they can add in divine strike into the mix. It ups their damage considerably.

The problem I usually find however is that it's a tossup between Resilient (Con) and Polearm Master.

I'll just point out for other readers that the Divine Strike can only apply once on your turn so Polearm Master will mainly give you a second chance to apply it.

 

[Psikerlord#]

Nature Clerics always seemed to be more for the farmer/herder Agriculture god to me. Which is essential for civilization to the point where many real life religions adopted farming jargon. Druids are more about "untamed wilds" and tending to natural disasters and savage beasts.

It's an interesting dichotomy that gets glossed over all too often.

True enough!

 

[YourSwordIsMine]

I'm playing a Life Cleric. Will be making 3rd level next session. Its really fun.

I dont think there is one specific "uber" domain, they are all good. It really depends on your play style and how you play your character and the fun you receive from doing so.

 

[Kalshane]

I never understood why Nature clerics get heavy armor. For my games I replace the heavy armor proficiency with the Sylvan language and an additional skill proficiency from the Nature list.

 

[neobolts]

I had good results with an armored up hill dwarf with life domain (which I believe is the starter set pre-gen as well). Not a bruiser, but an excellent choice for survivability against smart monsters that often target healers first.

 

[DMCF]

Clerics are so freaking baller but knowledge domain does seem more RP and less power game.

Some examples:

Light is the best healer.

Nature is incredibly versatile, can still be used with polearm master and have a great defensive reaction to boot.
- 3 options of damage using DS
- Reacion/round to offer resistance to damage

Tempest + Open Hand Monk (monk mobility ftw) will knock your opponents down and let you punt them regularly.
- Easy to do since it isn't MAD

Trickery = Dimension Door + 3 shadow monk + rogue levels.
- Non-MAD super "caster assassin"!

 

[KarinsDad]

Yeah Polearm master works good with Clerics, because they can add in divine strike into the mix. It ups their damage considerably.

The problem I usually find however is that it's a tossup between Resilient (Con) and Polearm Master.

Our dwarven Tempest cleric went with 16 Str, 14 Wis, and the Alert feat and really likes being in the top 3 combatants most rounds. Not being surprised is just gravy. Her idea is that wisdom can be lower because healing and such does not have to be as potent if the monsters are all dead quickly. If she is not in range, she can always use a spell and going early gets her in range earlier. Not a terrible philosophy.

 

[Greg Benage]

I don't really get the Polearm Master love. Any fight that matters, I've got spiritual weapon up, and that means I have a reliable bonus action attack whenever I need it. The control is nice with tempest, but I can't justify spending a feat on it. Anyway, I've only had experience playing War and Tempest. Here are my brief thoughts...

War: Good multiclass. Your fighting ability doesn't scale well enough, so eventually you either multiclass because you want to fight or stay cleric and become a caster. I think it's a terrific multiclass with fighter and gives you a smooth play experience and power progression from 1-20.

Tempest: I'm in a seafaring campaign, so this is kinda cheating...but it's awesome! Just enough of a boost from the domain to be pretty effective as an AoE blaster, along with all the other stuff the cleric does well. The only thing that bugs me (perhaps irrationally) is the way my at-wills tug me in different directions depending on my level: 1-4 weapon attack is better; 5-7 sacred flame is better; 8-10 weapon attack is better again; 11-13 back to sacred flame. It's really only an identity crisis when I don't have something better to do (i.e. cast a real spell), but it vexes me. Even when I'm not blasting, it's fun standing in the front line with spiritual weapon and spirit guardians up, with Wrath of the Storm at the ready, making myself a supreme annoyance for the enemy.