D&D 5E How on earth is this balanced?! Twilight cleric, more in-play evidence

[cbwjm]

Its hard to believe this is the same company that made MTG, can produce this and go like, 'Yep, this is fine. The numbers check out.'

Not sure why considering all the errata for cards and those that end up banned or restricted.

 

[Ancalagon]

My DM ruled that the Twilight Cleric is not OP as you guys think. The Temp hit points can't be stacked (as per Temporary Point Rules in the DM's book) and that each round that the temp points are given the character has the choice to either take the new points or keep the old ones. This makes the thing worthless unless your party is getting massacred on the battle field. I think his ruling sucks. I wish Jeremy Crawford would weigh on this issue.

... what?

That's how the rules work. I 100% knew that the HP (edit for clarity: temp hp) didn't stack, and I am sure that at least 90% of the commenters here knew this also. The HP not stacking does not stop it from being very OP.

 

[Flamestrike]

My DM ruled that the Twilight Cleric is not OP as you guys think. The Temp hit points can't be stacked (as per Temporary Point Rules in the DM's book) and that each round that the temp points are given the character has the choice to either take the new points or keep the old ones. This makes the thing worthless unless your party is getting massacred on the battle field. I think his ruling sucks. I wish Jeremy Crawford would weigh on this issue.

Those are the rules on Temp HP, and how it's supposed to work.

Why does JC need to weight in on this issue?

 

[Horwath]

Why does JC need to weight in on this issue?

To say that they dropped the ball completely on this.

also to say how they managed to rule from UA that concentration-less hunter mark for rangers was overpowered and this made into final print.
and ofc, canny feature for ranger with added one skill proficiency in UA was also too much. haha.

also to compare it with Inspiring leader feat and it's limitations.

 

[Paul Farquhar]

You ever consider ignoring the cleric and focusing on one of the glass cannons?

Sure, the enemy tries that too. In which case the so called "glass cannon" is protected by a constant supply of temporary hp. And if that's not enough the cleric can still heal them, since Twilight Sanctuary requires no actions, bonus actions or concentration maintain.

 

[Flamestrike]

Sure, the enemy tries that too. In which case the so called "glass cannon" is protected by a constant supply of temporary hp. And if that's not enough the cleric can still heal them, since Twilight Sanctuary requires no actions, bonus actions or concentration maintain.

It requires an action to put up, plus the PCs have to remain within 30' of the Cleric.

I think it's fantastic at low level, but runs out of steam at mid to high levels, where monsters are putting out 30-60 damage per round each.

 

[Paul Farquhar]

It requires an action to put up, plus the PCs have to remain within 30' of the Cleric.

It does, but that's not a major hardship (they only have to finish within 30').

I think it's fantastic at low level, but runs out of steam at mid to high levels, where monsters are putting out 30-60 damage per round each.

At high levels it's dishing out 20 odd temp hp per turn. That's enough to take the edge off even a powerful hit.

 

[Redwizard007]

Sure, the enemy tries that too. In which case the so called "glass cannon" is protected by a constant supply of temporary hp. And if that's not enough the cleric can still heal them, since Twilight Sanctuary requires no actions, bonus actions or concentration maintain.

I don't see it, man. The first 1/8 CR mook to hit a PC should go through the temp HP. Then everybody else deals real damage. The cleric heals about what 1 attack did, but could be doing something better, so it ate his action. Then temp hp come back. Rinse repeat. Aura of OP plus healing only negated 2 attacks.

 

[Paul Farquhar]

I don't see it, man. The first 1/8 CR mook to hit a PC should go through the temp HP. Then everybody else deals real damage. The cleric heals about what 1 attack did, but could be doing something better, so it ate his action. Then temp hp come back. Rinse repeat. Aura of OP plus healing only negated 2 attacks.

You forgot that attacks don't always hit. If we assume 50% hit rate that's four attacks negated, and since CR 1/8 creatures don't get multiattack, that's four enemies neutralised every round. And that's at tier one. I've seen a tier 3 god mode twilight cleric who makes the team invincible without lifting a finger offensively.

 

[Blue]

It does, but that's not a major hardship (they only have to finish within 30').

At high levels it's dishing out 20 odd temp hp per turn. That's enough to take the edge off even a powerful hit.

Which is a great example of how it's nice but not overpowered. Taking the edge off of a single hit when foes usually have multiattack, and your front-liners are often dealing with multiple opponents, is definitely nice, may or may not be worth the opportunity cost of your action early in the combat, compared to using that action for a big effect of an ongoing Concentration spell. And the later in the combat you dedicate that action, the less effect it will have.