Question about clerics

[crazychrismc]

I am a lvl 5 life cleric/lvl 1 fighter I know I have so many 1 /2nd and 3rd lvl spells. My question is in the party I am in we don't have a main tank would it be a good idea to add another few lvls of fighter orr should I stay addding more to cleric. Any good ideas of what direction I should go

 

[Paul Farquhar]

If you get three levels of fighter you could go eldritch knight and add Shield, GFB & BB to your spell list.

Offensively, 5 levels of fighter gives an extra attack (not stacking with GFB/BB).

 

[Gwarok]

There isn't much about fighters that make them any more tanky than clerics really. You wear plate, you have a shield, boom, you're a tank. You average 1 more hp/level but that is likely offset by your healing. As for an extra attk per round at 5, that is pretty nice, but that's more about offense than tanking ability. Of course by 6th you'll get that second attack, action surge, and another feat which if you don't have it yet I'd recommend Healer, Defensive Duelist otherwise if you're tanking. Next level I'd definitely add Cleric since you'll get 2 uses of Channel Divinity per short rest, and the Life Cleric one is pretty nice. But what feels right for you? As long as you're happy with your character you've made the right choice in my opinion.

 

[UngeheuerLich]

No matter what you do you can't go wrong. Every level of fighter improves your character as does every level of cleric. There are a few levels that are slightly better but there is no clear winner.

 

[crazychrismc]

I feel that there is more that I can do but just not sure what that is. I feel I made a good choice but something is missing just not sure

 

[Yunru]

Check out the Cavalier class in Xanathar's Guide to Everything.
It's got one of the few "tank" mechanics in the game.

There isn't much about fighters that make them any more tanky than clerics really. You wear plate, you have a shield, boom, you're a tank.

You're not a tank if you can't make an opponent go after you.

 

[Dessert Nomad]

There isn't really such thing as a 'main tank' in D&D, that's a concept from MMOs with aggro mechanics that force enemies to act in a really dumb way. Define exactly what it is that you expect a main tank to do, and you'll probably do it better by taking more cleric than more fighter. If you want to wade in with a high AC, you've already got that. If you want to hurt enemies enough to make them regret not attacking you, cleric is amazing at that with spirit guardians as a hilariously good spell and some other obnoxious options.

You're not a tank if you can't make an opponent go after you.

As a cleric, cast spirit guardians and maybe spiritual weapon and start dodging and/or tossing heals. 3d8 or half that damage per round will either make opponents go after you or die. What fighter abilities that a split-class character gets are going to match that for making opponents want to kill you?

 

[Yunru]

As a cleric, cast spirit guardians and maybe spiritual weapon and start dodging and/or tossing heals. 3d8 or half that damage per round will either make opponents go after you or die. What fighter abilities that a split-class character gets are going to match that for making opponents want to kill you?

Make opponents go away from you, maybe. It does absolutely nothing to keep them with you and away from the squishies (except the half speed bit).

 

[Dessert Nomad]

Make opponents go away from you, maybe. It does absolutely nothing to keep them with you and away from the squishies (except the half speed bit).

Exactly what fighter abilities are going to make opponents stay with you and away from 'squishies' better than sticking them in difficult terrain while constantly damaging them as they try to approach the 'squishies' not in difficult terrain?

 

[Yunru]

Exactly what fighter abilities are going to make opponents stay with you and away from 'squishies' better than sticking them in difficult terrain while constantly damaging them as they try to approach the 'squishies' not in difficult terrain?

Unwavering Mark, when pared with Sentinel, is better than something that only costs then 10 extra feet to move out of.

Of course the best "tank" is the Conquest Paladin.