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

[vlysses]

Given the existence of hit dice? Yes. And given I've been playing for about 18 months now, I feel pretty confident saying any flavor of Cleric will do just fine n 5e. In fact one complaint about the game by some is it has too much healing, which resulted in options in the DMG to reduce healing. I've yet to hear anyone complain there is not enough healing in the game.

Just covering another aspect linked to the theme of "do I have enough spells outside healing as a non-life cleric":

Again, from someone only just starting with 5E, and coming from PF, the number of spells available per long rest seems to be quite a bit smaller, considering that in PF/3.5 you also have bonus spells due to domain and primary casting stat.

We regularly go through 3-4 major fights before resting or retreating in PF. Typically, in the last 1-2 fights the magic casters are quite powered out. The fighters are usually OK due to CLW wand heal spamming.

In 5E, at mid levels (7+), features such as second wind or healing do no seem to give back enough HP between fights to enable a tank for recover to (almost) full HP between difficult battles. In which case he will need assistance form the healer in form of spells - not speaking about slots used up alread in-combat healing...

Just trying to get a better sense of how this works in practice in 5E... i.e. suppose there are 3-4 or more major fights in a "workday" with perhaps 1-2 short rests. The amount of healing or magic power (and HP for fighters) recovered during short rest seems to be not very much if the party is down to the last HPs after each fight...

Seems to me that in the 3rd or 4th fight, the cleric may well be swinging his weapon and not doing very much else (any cleric for that matter...)?

 

[FormerlyHemlock]

You only wind up in a dungeon if you seek them out. Depends on the metagame at your table.

 

[keterys]

Again, from someone only just starting with 5E, and coming from PF, the number of spells available per long rest seems to be quite a bit smaller, considering that in PF/3.5 you also have bonus spells due to domain and primary casting stat.

Yep, though you have better at-will options. Or at least at-will options that are more comparable to the rest of the group.

The cleric and druid are the primary melee guys in one group I'm in, for example. It's not a bad fallback.

We regularly go through 3-4 major fights before resting or retreating in PF. Typically, in the last 1-2 fights the magic casters are quite powered out. The fighters are usually OK due to CLW wand heal spamming.

Healing potions are 5e's CLW wand equivalent. Feel free to burn gold as needed.

But, yes, healing not being quite as easy puts more pressure on the party to take short and long rests, which means casters have better access to more spells. Instead of hanging out for a minute while charges are burnt, you don't heal them up to full and encourage them that a long rest to get your spell slots back would be nice.

Just trying to get a better sense of how this works in practice in 5E... i.e. suppose there are 3-4 or more major fights in a "workday" with perhaps 1-2 short rests. The amount of healing or magic power (and HP for fighters) recovered during short rest seems to be not very much if the party is down to the last HPs after each fight...

You won't be burning through all of your hp every fight and still doing lots of them. If you are, then somebody on one side of the table or both is doing something wrong. 5E is an attrition game where you lose bits of hp steadily until you're forced to retreat, not a set piece game where you lose all your hp every battle.

Seems to me that in the 3rd or 4th fight, the cleric may well be swinging his weapon and not doing very much else (any cleric for that matter...)?

Everyone is a basic attack spamming machine, yep. But the cleric should be doing that in fights 1 and 2, as well. Using their spells strategically where most effective.

And healing 10 damage instead of dealing 40 damage is not a good strategy.

 

[green_destiny]

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

I can't seem to open the link (I'll try it at home perhaps).

Anyway indoor restriction only apply to Call Lightning spell yet if you are indoor and you have a window close to your area to can cast the storm cloud on that spot and it will strike through that opening. For dungeon crawls you still have your other lightning based spells, wrath of storm reaction and in close combat you still have advantage with your heavy armor and martial weapon proficiency.

I keep mentioning Call Lightning spell, because in an outdoor setting it makes a Tempest cleric a heavy damage dealing force.

* Call Lighting can be conjured (concentration) for 10 mins, granting 3d10 damage on each AOE hit (half on saves). If you manage to keep it conjured for that duration (6 seconds per round rule) you can lash out up to a 100 bolts of lightning.

* +1d10 points per creature in a stormy weather setting.

* Additional 1d10 damage points per hit, if cast on a spell slot higher than level 3.

Consider also the heavy armor and martial weapon proficiency. All of these for a minimum investment of a Tempest Divine Domain.

> Regarding being stealthy, well with the heavy armor it just won't work by design. Yet clerics are not originally designed to be very sneaky.

 

[keterys]

* Call Lighting can be conjured (concentration) for 10 mins, granting 30 fix damage on each AOE hit (half on saves). If you manage to keep it conjured for that duration (6 seconds per round rule) you can lash out up to a 3,000 points of damage per creature.

Their ability maximizes one damage roll, not every damage roll made for a spell.

 

[Zardnaar]

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

Fun but weak. ALot of things immune/resistant to poison damage as well.

 

[green_destiny]

Their ability maximizes one damage roll, not every damage roll made for a spell.

Oops right. I'll do the math based on lightning bolts. Thanks!

 

[PnPgamer]

Why doesnt thunderbolt strike of tempest cleric affect thunder damage? Where do they get their lightning damage anyway?

 

[green_destiny]

Why doesnt thunderbolt strike of tempest cleric affect thunder damage? Where do they get their lightning damage anyway?

Thunderbolt or Divine Strike?

Thunderbolt strike just pushes Large or Smaller creature 10ft away, whenever you deal lightning damage.

Divine strike damage bonus is just for weapon attack.

 

[PnPgamer]

Thunderbolt or Divine Strike?

Thunderbolt strike just pushes Large or Smaller creature 10ft away, whenever you deal lightning damage.

Divine strike damage bonus is just for weapon attack.

I know what thunderbolt strike does, i was just wondering why it doesnt affect thunder damage.