D&D 5E Life Cleric vs Light vs War in Practice

[Raith5]

I am really enjoying the life cleric. But I am finding contrary to many in this thread that a lot of healing is occurring during combat (normally healing word). Not sure if we are just unlucky but my healing capabilities are in high demand all the time - I am rarely getting to use my other spells and I find this annoying at times.

 

[DaveDash]

I am really enjoying the life cleric. But I am finding contrary to many in this thread that a lot of healing is occurring during combat (normally healing word). Not sure if we are just unlucky but my healing capabilities are in high demand all the time - I am rarely getting to use my other spells and I find this annoying at times.

What level? Low level if you have party members dropping a lot then yeah, I can see this happening. Once you start going up a few levels though the "ping pong" effect of dropping to 0 happens less.

 

[keterys]

I am really enjoying the life cleric. But I am finding contrary to many in this thread that a lot of healing is occurring during combat (normally healing word). Not sure if we are just unlucky but my healing capabilities are in high demand all the time - I am rarely getting to use my other spells and I find this annoying at times.

Are you healing people who are unconscious only? How many of those are "I'm scared and might drop soon, so heal me"?

Cause at the end of the day, using your action to give someone else an action? Great. A bonus action? Even better.

Using your action to make someone feel safer, when you could have used that action to end the combat sooner and _actually_ made them safer? Bad deal.

Having seen a 3rd level Tempest cleric Shatter a combat for 24 damage and pretty much end it there, while he also was a serious melee cleric the rest of the time? Take it any day over a Life cleric.

 

[Sword of Spirit]

I am really enjoying the life cleric. But I am finding contrary to many in this thread that a lot of healing is occurring during combat (normally healing word). Not sure if we are just unlucky but my healing capabilities are in high demand all the time - I am rarely getting to use my other spells and I find this annoying at times.

Same experience with my players. The Life cleric tends to cast more healing word than anything else in combat, along with making good use of Preserve Life. Perhaps that's because he never casts bless, but that's how it works out.

 

[Raith5]

Are you healing people who are unconscious only? How many of those are "I'm scared and might drop soon, so heal me"?

Cause at the end of the day, using your action to give someone else an action? Great. A bonus action? Even better.

Using your action to make someone feel safer, when you could have used that action to end the combat sooner and _actually_ made them safer? Bad deal.

Having seen a 3rd level Tempest cleric Shatter a combat for 24 damage and pretty much end it there, while he also was a serious melee cleric the rest of the time? Take it any day over a Life cleric.

I should have mentioned I am low level and I do cast to prevent a party member from dropping. I dont feel that the DM is being especially harsh but certainly healing within combat has proven very useful. I am interested to see how healing word scales as we level upwards.

 

[Zardnaar]

Just because you can healing word doesn't mean you should. YOu can always stabilize them after the fight then use a cure spell instead or the healing feat.

 

[vlysses]

For me, my answer is still:



But it depends, their almost equal at some points:

In a Dungeon Crawl - Tempest cleric can't be at their full potential. To note, their full potential is in an open area in the middle of a raging storm. Plus they get proficiency in martial weapons, heavy armors. You also get an ability to hurt whoever hurts you a number of times equal to your wisdom modifier. Damage is heavily dependent on Lightning damage.

Light Cleric only gains the Light cantrip (if you already don't know it). But Warding Flare feature can keep you from getting hit a number of times equal to your wisdom modifier. Damage is heavily dependent on Fire and Radiance damage.

Thanks green_destiny, i hear you on the Tempest cleric (sorry, I misquoted it as Thunder Cleric above ;-) .

That said, in most adventures you end up underground or in a dungeon one way or another, so playing a Tempest Cleric, who is really best outdoors, would mean that he cannot be at his full potential 80% of the time, no? Not to mention that thundering along corridors in dungeons, where you best keep silent and stealthy, is perhaps not the best tactic in most cases? ;o)

Read more: http://www.enworld.org/forum/newreply.php?do=postreply&t=411738#ixzz3Q7Q3TWww

 

[miniaturehoarder]

Just because you can healing word doesn't mean you should. YOu can always stabilize them after the fight then use a cure spell instead or the healing feat.

Only if foes are not finishing their enemies off. Sitting out the battle is bad enough, getting killed because the cleric player won't spend a first level spell is even worse.

 

[gyor]

How would you guys say Trickster Clerics compare to the others?

 

[jayoungr]

Not seeing much about the War Cleric here, so I'll share my experience. I ran LMoP for a group of four (War Cleric, Vengeance Paladin, Hunter Ranger, and Wild Magic Sorcerer). The vast majority of in-combat healing was done by the paladin. Mostly, though, the paladin and cleric were a front-line meatwall.