D&D (2024) Playtest 6: Cleric

[MechaTarrasque]

I have to admit I was pretty down on the new divine intervention (sacrificing spotlight for reliability; sigh, it is a good thing xp isn't gold anymore, or I swear not a single PC would ever go out for an adventure). But then I read complaints about being able to cast Hallow in one round (even though technically you could do it with the old divine intervention if you asked for it the right way), and I decided that that would show that your god really favored you. In fact, I would go so far as to say that ought to be divine intervention's gimmick: once a day, you can cast a cleric spell of a level you can prepare spells for (or lower) that has a casting time longer than 1 action as though it had a casting time of 1 action without spending a spell slot.

 

[Kobold Stew]

Thinking some more about Divine Intervention. I like playing clerics, but this feels over-clocked to me.

A guaranteed, cost-free 5th level spell per long rest might be too much.

• "can't use a reaction to cast" -- I'm not sure what this is excluding. I don't think this is even meaningful.
• no spell slots or material components needed.

This means Raise Dead and Planar Binding (both 5th level, with a consumed, expensive component, and an hour's casting time) can be cast in one round.

Maybe the restriction should exclude spells that take more than a round to cast, or that have a consumed material component? Like, I get that this is really cool and cleric-y. But the ability to overcome any death that occurred within the past ten days seems a lot.

Greater Divine Intervention, at 20, should also not have the ability to avoid the stress caused by wish.

 

[Chaosmancer]

Nah, it sounds exactly like something a high level cleric SHOULD be able to do. Planar Binding almost never sees use, because it requires such a precise set-up and teamwork to effectively pull off. This will give it some chances for some fun cinematic moments.

And sure, the Raise Dead not costing a diamond is a buff... but literally, it is just that as far as differences. Just not needing to spend money on a diamond. Otherwise nothing changes about the Cleric's ability. Which means that now, if you come across a poor village, you can perform miracles, instead of "well, if you were richer we could do this, but since you are poor the Gods can't help you." which always sucked narratively.

 

[Kobold Stew]

Fair enough.

Do you have a sense of what the reaction-clause is trying to eliminate?

 

[Mirrorrorrim]

Fair enough.

Do you have a sense of what the reaction-clause is trying to eliminate?

I think there is a narrative component. Reaction spells are very fast to interrupt something. Being able to beg for Divine Intervention that quickly seems weird narratively.

Reaction Spells
Absorb Elements
Counterspell
Feather Fall
Gift of Gab
Hellish Rebuke
Shield
Silvery Barbs
Soul Cage
Temporal Shunt

 

[Kobold Stew]

None of these are on the divine spell list.

 

[mellored]

None of these are on the divine spell list.

Future proofs things.

I'm ok with once per day diamond free revivify.

But the spell i am more concerned about is Hallow. It's normally balanced with a 24 hour cast time and 1000gp. Making it a campaign level defensive spell.

But now, as an action, all your enemies gain vulnerability. No concentration. Charisma save.

Get a few fire based characters and have fun. Or possibly go storm cleric.

 

[Chaosmancer]

Fair enough.

Do you have a sense of what the reaction-clause is trying to eliminate?

Not really, there aren't any reaction-based leveled spells currently in the Divine Spell list. They might have been thinking about Guidance or Resistance but... cantrips...

It could be a future proof thing. It could also just be that it prevents some weird edge case where a spell counts as a cleric spell due to divine domain, and they don't want you to do something weird where you cast a reaction spell as an action.

It could also be standardized language. Perhaps they are planning a Wizard, Warlock, or Sorcerer ability that would allow them to cast a spell, and so they standardized that no ability that allows the action cast of any spell works with reaction spells.

 

[Kobold Stew]

But the spell i am more concerned about is Hallow. It's normally balanced with a 24 hour cast time and 1000gp. Making it a campaign level defensive spell.

But now, as an action, all your enemies gain vulnerability. No concentration. Charisma save.

Hallow is a really good call of the sort of thing that feels out of synch with what the ability should do.

Even if it means a well-intentioned cleric could build up and maintain a safe town, with a marketplace where everyone understands one another, it's well lit, and everyone has supernatural protection.