This is probably an old topic, but I just noticed it.
In 5E, each PC has some melee capability that increases with level. Some get extra attacks, some multiply their damage.
However, Potent Spellcasting has an obvious limitation which might make players of Knowledge and Light Clerics rarely or never use it in melee. Ranged spells have disadvantage in melee and melee weapons for these clerics never get Extra Attack or Divine Strike.
This means that every time one of these clerics is in melee range starting at level 8, the player of this type of cleric has an incentive to cast a 1st or higher level spell instead of using Sacred Flame.
However, that might not be the only option. Let's take a 14 Str cleric.
Levels 1 to 4:
3.48 DPR: Mace, D6+2, 60% chance to hit instead of 65% chance to hit.
2.03 DPR: Sacred Flame, D8, 40% chance to hit.
This was obvious before any calculations had to be done. Use the Mace.
Levels 5 to 7:
3.48 DPR: Mace, D6+2, 60% chance to hit instead of 65% chance to hit.
4.05 DPR: Sacred Flame, 2D8, 40% chance to hit.
Even here, against any foe that is not a low level mook, Sacred Flame does more damage. Using a mace is no longer the best option unless it is one shot mooks. Disadvantage is something players might avoid like the plague, so some players who did not do the math might think that the mace is always best here. It might be a mental block.
Levels 8:
3.48 DPR: Mace, D6+2, 60% chance to hit instead of 65% chance to hit.
6.05 DPR: Sacred Flame, 2D8+5, 40% chance to hit.
Here, some players would understand intuitively that using Sacred Flame here is best, but some players might still have that disadvantage mental block.
Sure, Potent Spellcasting is nowhere near Divine Strike at this point in damage, but it is still a viable option. PCs do not have to cast a non-cantrip spell, just to be productive.
It occurred to me that his might not be obvious to all players, even though it might seem so to people like us who frequent 5E message boards and drill into things like this.
In 5E, each PC has some melee capability that increases with level. Some get extra attacks, some multiply their damage.
However, Potent Spellcasting has an obvious limitation which might make players of Knowledge and Light Clerics rarely or never use it in melee. Ranged spells have disadvantage in melee and melee weapons for these clerics never get Extra Attack or Divine Strike.
This means that every time one of these clerics is in melee range starting at level 8, the player of this type of cleric has an incentive to cast a 1st or higher level spell instead of using Sacred Flame.
However, that might not be the only option. Let's take a 14 Str cleric.
Levels 1 to 4:
3.48 DPR: Mace, D6+2, 60% chance to hit instead of 65% chance to hit.
2.03 DPR: Sacred Flame, D8, 40% chance to hit.
This was obvious before any calculations had to be done. Use the Mace.
Levels 5 to 7:
3.48 DPR: Mace, D6+2, 60% chance to hit instead of 65% chance to hit.
4.05 DPR: Sacred Flame, 2D8, 40% chance to hit.
Even here, against any foe that is not a low level mook, Sacred Flame does more damage. Using a mace is no longer the best option unless it is one shot mooks. Disadvantage is something players might avoid like the plague, so some players who did not do the math might think that the mace is always best here. It might be a mental block.
Levels 8:
3.48 DPR: Mace, D6+2, 60% chance to hit instead of 65% chance to hit.
6.05 DPR: Sacred Flame, 2D8+5, 40% chance to hit.
Here, some players would understand intuitively that using Sacred Flame here is best, but some players might still have that disadvantage mental block.
Sure, Potent Spellcasting is nowhere near Divine Strike at this point in damage, but it is still a viable option. PCs do not have to cast a non-cantrip spell, just to be productive.
It occurred to me that his might not be obvious to all players, even though it might seem so to people like us who frequent 5E message boards and drill into things like this.
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