Cleric With A Wisdom of 8 . . .

[helium3]

As near as I can tell, it's do-able. I put together a 5th level dragonborn cleric and posted the relevant bits below. As you can see, the only downside is a sub-par ability to turn undead, no benefit (a -1 penalty in fact!) from the "healing lore" class ability and sucky passive perception and insight checks compared to what higher wisdom clerics could normally have.

Is there a rule in the PHB that prevents this build? Something along the lines of how in 3E you had to have a wisdom of 10 to cast 0th level spells, 11 to cast 1st level spells, etc?

I love 4E. It let's me do the coolest things!!

Dunkelkurk the Not-So-Wise
5th level Dragonborn Cleric of Bahamut

Str 20 (+5), Con 14 (+2), Dex 11 (+0), Int 10 (+0), Wis 8 (+1), Cha 16 (+3)
Hit Points: 45, Healing Surges: 9, Second Wind: 13
Normal Vision, Passive Insight 16, Passive Perception 11, Initiative +2
AC: 21, Fort: 18, Reflex: 13, Will: 18
Resist: Fire 5, Necrotic 5, Poison 5
Skills: Religion +7, Heal +6, Insight +6, Diplomacy +10
Feats: Weapon Focus (mace), Armor Proficiency (scale), Shield Proficiency (light)
Equipment: Blackiron Scale +1, Mace +2, Amulet of Health +1, Light Bashing Shield, Potion of Healing (2), Holy Symbol, 50 gp.

Channel Divinity:

Divine Fortune (+1 bonus to next attack or saving throw before end of your next turn)
Turn Undead (+1 vs. Will, 2d10-1 & push 6)
Healing Word (Healing Surge + 1d6 -1)

At Will:

Priest's Shield (+11 vs. AC, 1d8+8 damage (+2d6 with crit) and you and adjacent ally gain a +1 power bonus to AC until the end of your next turn)
Righteous Brand (+11 vs. AC, 1d8+8 damage (+2d6 with crit) and one ally within 5 squares gains a +5 power bonus to melee attack rolls against target until the end of your next turn)

Encounter:

Dragon Breath (Racial, Close blast 3, +13 vs. Reflex, 1d6+2 cold damage)
Wrathful Thunder (Level 1, +11 vs. AC, 1d8+8 thunder damage (+2d6 with crit) and target is dazed until the end of your next turn)
Split The Sky (Level 3, +11 vs. AC, 1d8+8 thunder damage (+2d6 with crit) and push the target 2 squares and knock it prone)
Divine Aid (Utility Level 2, you or one ally makes a saving throw with a +3 bonus)

Daily:

Avenging Flame (Level 1, +11 vs. AC, Hit: 2d8+8 damage (+2d6 with crit) and ongoing 5 fire damage (save ends), Miss: Half damage and no ongoing fire, Special: If the target attacks on its turn it can't attempt a saving throw against the ongoing damage.)
Consecrated Ground (Level 5, Close Burst 1, Creates a zone of sanctified ground that lasts until the end of your next turn. As a move action you can move the origin 3 squares. Enemies that start their turn in the zone take 1d6+3 radiant damage. You an allies who are bloodied and start their turns in the zone regain 3 hit points.)
Light Bashing Shield (Item, when you hit with a melee attack you may push the enemy 1d4 squares after applying the attack's effect.)

 

[Mr. Wilson]

As an aside, is Thunder damage the new name for Sonic damage?

 

[small pumpkin man]

There's nothing stopping it, no. I find the healers lore thing to be hilarious though.

 

[Nifft]

As an aside, is Thunder damage the new name for Sonic damage?

Yes. But it doesn't have all the troublesome implications that Sonic did.

Cheers, -- N

 

[helium3]

There's nothing stopping it, no. I find the healers lore thing to be hilarious though.

Well, you're still getting a nice boost to your hit points. Just not as much as you'd get from a cleric with a wisdom bonus.

 

[Dormain1]

wow i never thought i would see the day when a cleric with wis 8 was so powerful

which designer thought up this one

 

[MinionOfCthulhu]

Yes. But it doesn't have all the troublesome implications that Sonic did.

Cheers, -- N

Like what?

 

[Fredrik Svanberg]

Yes. But it doesn't have all the troublesome implications that Sonic did.

Cheers, -- N

What were those? I never noticed anything troublesome with sonic damage. Except that it was kryptonite for everything, perhaps. Was that it?

 

[Sashi]

What were those? I never noticed anything troublesome with sonic damage. Except that it was kryptonite for everything, perhaps. Was that it?

And it ignored hardness. Sonic orb sunder HIKE!

 

[Byronic]

Might want to recalculate some of those. For instance Wis 8 isn't +1. I'd look over the skills as well.